5 Cocktails to Master for At-Home Bartending

Now that you’ve mastered 7 basic bartending skills and can impress your friends, you need to build a mental library of basic cocktails you can whip up at a moment’s notice!

Sure, being able to mix up a complicated drink is sure to delight your guests, and plain beer has its place, but there’s nothing quite like mastering a tried-and-true crowd-pleasing cocktail to level up your parties. Get good at making these 5 cocktails, and your friends are sure to want to stop by anytime for a drink:

 

Martini

What good is a party without someone making a James Bond joke? And if you can get a martini down pat, you’re sure to hear “Shaken, not stirred” at least once.

The beauty of the simple martini is you can change it up to suit different tastes. Serve it on the rocks for the guest who likes it cold, or add a splash of olive juice if someone wants a dirty martini.

 

Martini

2 oz vodka or gin

Dash of dry vermouth

Stir or shake all ingredients together. Garnish with olives.

 

Manhattan

As sophisticated as its namesake, this cocktail is much easier than you’d think to make.

 

Manhattan

2 oz bourbon or whiskey

1 oz sweet vermouth

2 dashes bitters

Build ingredients over ice, then strain into a glass and garnish with a cherry.

 

Old Fashioned

A true American classic, using rye whiskey keeps this cocktail close to its roots.

 

Old Fashioned

1 slice orange

Cherry (no stem or pit)

1 tsp sugar

1 ½ oz whiskey or bourbon

2 dashes bitters

Muddle the cherry, orange, sugar, and bitters until they have become mush. Add whiskey and ice, stir, and serve.

 

Margarita

Perfect for all those hot summer days and nights, margaritas are classic party cocktails that your guests will love.

Margarita

1 oz tequila

1 oz cointreau or triple sec

1 oz sour mix

Build ingredients over ice and shake. Pour over ice in a glass with a salted rim, garnish with lime.

 

Cosmopolitan

This sweet-and-sour drink is sure to make you and your guests feel sophisticated while sipping.

 

Cosmopolitan

4 oz vodka

1 ½ oz fresh lemon juice

1 ½ oz cointreau

3 oz cranberry juice

Build all ingredients in a shaker over ice. Shake, then serve in a chilled glass.

 

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