7 Easy Cocktails Anyone Can Make

When you go to a bar and order a cocktail, you’re either very happy with it, or feel a little bit of disappointment tugging at your heartstrings. For me, this happens for a number of reasons. Sometimes, i feel like these are really easy cocktails and there’s no reason why a bartender hired at a bar shouldn’t be able to make them. In other cases, it’s because these afore-mentioned easy cocktails are too expensive.

Iif you, like me, are tired of having to go out to pay too much money for a good cocktail, perhaps it’s time to start making yours.

7 Easy Cocktails You Can Make At Home

A Mojito

Mojitos are great because they’re very light, and even more refreshing. To make a mojito, you need:-

<a href="http://observer.com/2015/08/the-trick-to-a-perfect-mojito-dont-muddle-the-mint/" target="_blank">Image Source</a>

• 1/2 lime
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• crushed ice
• 1 1/2 oz. light rum
• club soda

Put your sliced lime, mint leaves and sugar in a chilled glass and mash them together; be careful not to shred the mint leaves. When you can smell mint in your kitchen, add ice and rum as you’d like, and pour soda on top. You can then garnish with more mint leaves and serve – or drink!.

Gin & Tonic

There are those who might consider this the the king of easy cocktails. It requires very little ingredients, and even less process:-

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin_and_tonic" target="_blank">image source</a>

• 2 Shots of your gin of choice
• 1 small bottle of Canada Dry Tonic
• Juice of One Medium section of Lime
• 1/2 Cup of Ice

To make, fill a high ball glass with the gin. Then add ice, tonic and lime juice. No, you’re not supposed to just throw the lime wedge in the glass. Take a long spoon and stir, then you can npw put the lime wedge in. Alterntively, you can add a slice of cucomber for some extra coolness. Your Gin & Tonic is now ready to drink.

A Martini

To me, a martini will always be the go-to drink of the california A-List housewife – as portrayed by numerous movies. What it is, is a proportional mix of gin and dry vermouth, stirred with ice. To make:-

<a href="http://www.drinkspirits.com/gin/james-bond-wrong-shake-martinis/" target="_blank">image source</a>

• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce dry vermouth
• Ice
• Lemon twist, for garnish
• Green olive (optional)

Chill your martini glass in the freezer for a minimum of ten minutes. In another glas, measure your gin and vermouth, add ice, and stir for about 10 seconds until when chilled. Next, strain the into your chilled martini glass and rub the rim with the lemon twist. If you like, you can then drop the twist in the drink, or use green olives to garnish.

A Daiquiri

I love this one because it sounds so foreign. A lot of bars I’ve been to actually mess this up and it annoys me endlessly. Much better to make at home:-

<a href="http://kimmysbakeshop.com/mojitos-daiquiri/" target="_blank">image source</a>

* ¾ ounce simple syrup

* 1 ounce lime juice

* 2 ounces extra dry white rum

First, combine simple syrup, lime juice, and rum in a mixing glass then add chipped ice and shake well. Strain into a glass and serve with a lime slice. Some places you go and order this will mix juice for you.

A Champagne Cocktail

Sometimes, you just want to stay at home and have a fancy drink. This cocktail is perfect for days like that. To make a champagne cocktail, you will need:-

<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/champagne-cocktail" target="_blank">image source</a>

• 1 sugar cube
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 5 ounces chilled brut Champagne
• 1 lemon twist, for garnish

In a small dish or glass, soak the sugar cube with the Angostura bitters. Fill a chilled flute with the Champagne, then add the bitters-soaked sugar cube. Garnish the drink with the lemon twist.

A Margarita

What kind of easy cocktails list would this be if there was no margarita on it? This recipe is my favourite because it contains my favourite liqueur – Cointreau.

<a href="http://nymag.com/nightlife/wheretodrink/2009/margaritas/" target="_blank">image source</a>

• 4 ounces tequila
• 2 ounces Cointreau
• 2 ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 ounce agave syrup
• Ice
• Coarse sea salt
• Additional lime wedges (for garnish)

Put some ice in a shaker or measuring cup and pour in your tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and agave syrup. Stir or shake until chilled. Put some salt on a flat plate and spread it out, rub the rim of your glass with a spent lime wedge, and then place the rim in the salt. Ice your glass and pour in your agarita, garnish with a lime wedge, and you’re done.

A Sangaria

Personally, I don’t like wine unless it’s sweet. This cocktail is perfect because you get the booziness of the wine, and a little extra vitamin kick thanks to the fruits. Or, so I like to think:

<a href="http://www.cocktailsdrinkrecipes.com/cocktail-recipes/beefeater-sangria-cocktail-recipe.html" target="_blank">image source</a>

• 1 750 ml bottle red wine
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 pineapple, chopped
• 1 orange, sliced into thin rounds and then halved
• 1/2 apple/pear, cubed

To make the mix, you’ll need a large pitcher. Slice all your fruit, and put them in the pitcher. Next, pour your orange juice over the fruit, then add the wine. Stir for about 10 – 20 seconds and then refridgerate for about 4 hours before serving. If you taste it now, you will be disappointed as the wine hasn’t been infused with the fruit flavours yet. You can also experiment with different fruits to find a favoured mix.