There is one for everyone. They range in flavors from bitter and boozy to sweet and deceptively smooth. They also come in warm, chilled, or frozen form. There are many different recipes available online. You will find small variations in technique and some ingredients, but which works better is largely dependent on personal taste and preference. There are also many cocktail bars out there like Giovanna’s Cocktails that have many unique cocktail drinks.
Pina Colada
This pineapple and coconut concoction is as easy to make as it is good. All you need is some pineapple juice, white rum, and coconut cream. Throw that in a blender with some ice, and you’ve got yourself a pina colada. Enjoy this cocktail in the summertime on the beach or in your backyard, pretending you’re on the beach.
Strawberry Daquiri
Another easily prepared drink, the strawberry daquiri is timeless. Just grab some strawberries, ice, rum, and juice from half a lime and run that through the blender. Pro tip: puree the strawberries beforehand and push them through a strainer to remove some of the seeds—or don’t. It’s entirely up to you!
Negroni
A darker cocktail balanced with bitter and sweet flavors, the negroni tastes like licorice root to some. Pour vermouth, gin, and Campari into a mixing glass with ice and stir until the glass feels cold in your hand. Strain into a tumbler with ice and you’re done. Enjoy with some cobbler or another favorite dessert.
Hot Toddy
This one was used in the old days as a cold remedy and is perfect in cold weather. All you need is hot water, honey, whiskey, and lemon. With the right whiskey this drink is light and refreshing. With the wrong one you’ll definitely clear out your sinuses, but it won’t be the pleasant way. This is definitely the type of cocktail where the quality of the liquor directly effects the flavor outcome, so some research beforehand will hopefully spare you the sensation that you just drank organic drain cleaner.
Bourbon Old Fashioned
The most important step in this process is choosing a bourbon that you would sip by itself. Otherwise, you will not enjoy it. The ingredients are just Bourbon, sugar, water, and aromatic bitters. Debate exists over whether simple syrup or muddled sugar are better, but it’s probably best to just say, once again, it depends on your personal preference. But once you find your sweet spot, this is another cocktail that hugs you from the inside—technically, it’s called a flush reaction, but I like my words better.
The Classic Martini
Ah, the martini. Everyone has at least heard of them, most have tasted them prepared one way or another, and some will drink only them. Classic martinis are prepared with gin and dry vermouth, but variations do exist, some replacing gin with the less flavorful vodka. Then the drink is either shaken or stirred. You may side with Mr. Bond on this one if you like, but traditionally, if the drink contains only booze, you’re supposed to stir it. Also, shaking can “bruise” the gin, altering the flavor a bit. Lastly, either a twist of lemon or splash of olive brine is added, depending on whether you enjoy a dirty martini or not, and the garnish is added.
This is by no means meant to be an exhaustive list of cocktails, but I’m not even sure one could be prepared when all the variations and preferences are taken into account, let alone the new cocktails being created by mixologist every day.
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