There’s nothing more fun than to throw a great party at your home. Birthdays, anniversaries, housewarming parties, or just weekend get-togethers call for friends, food, and of course, drinks. Treat your pals to something more exciting than regular beer and wine by making cocktails with bar rail liquors (i.e., gin, vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.), and have some simple garnishes on hand (i.e., maraschino cherries, celery, cocktail olives, fresh herbs, etc.) to make them not only taste good, but look great as well.
When you get together for a cocktail party, there are five classic cocktails you can make easily at home:
1. Moscow mule
A party isn’t a party without this vodka-based party cocktail. This is a cocktail made with vodka and ginger beer that is spicy lime juice and with a slice or a wedge of lime. To make this, combine 4 oz of ginger beer with 1 and 1/2 oz of vodka of your choice and 1/6 oz of lime juice. In order to serve it combine that vodka and ginger beer and to a highball glass or a copper mug filled with ice then add lime juice to stir gently and garnish it with a slice of lime at the end.
2. Whiskey sour
An elegant cocktail drink that’s very simple to make, this is a popular cocktail that contains whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, and sometimes an egg can be used, but that’s optional. These are fairly easy to make. Simply take three parts bourbon whiskey, two parts fresh lemon juice, 1 part gomme syrup, and, if you wish, a dash of egg white. Put it into a Shaker with ice and shake well. Then strain your whiskey sour into ice field glasses.
3. The Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan, or sometimes called a cosmo in an informal situation, is a great cocktail made with vodka as the main alcohol, Triple Sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice. To make it, combine 1 1/2 oz of Citron vodka, 1/2 oz fresh lime juice, 1 oz Triple Sec, and 1/2 ounce cranberry juice. Add all of those ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well. Double strain your cocktail into a large cocktail glass and add a lime wheel as a garnish.
4. Gin and tonic
This highball cocktail is made with gin and tonic water and then poured into a large glass of ice. You can adjust the strength of your cocktail since most recipes call for a one-to-one ratio of gin to tonic or a 1 to 3 ratio of gin to tonic. Start with either one part of gin or three parts of gin to taste and then add up to three parts of tonic water in a glass filled ice cubes. Then, enjoy.
5. The Bloody Mary
This cocktail is a very colorful cocktail whose alcohol is vodka, and included with that, tomato juice and other spices that would include worcestershire sauce, garlic, and other herbs. In order to make the Bloody Mary, add dashes of worcestershire sauce, tabasco, and salt and pepper into a glass, and then pour all ingredients together with ice. Stir it gently and garnish it with celery and a lemon wedge if you choose.
