I’m real pumped to share my top 5 tips for making cocktails at home today. If you haven’t noticed already, I’m passionate about getting other people passionate about home mixology. I have a lot of readers who are brand-spankin’-new to the cocktail world and I want all of you to feel empowered to make killer cocktails for your very own happy hour at home.

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So many people assume that making cocktails at home is too complex, too technical, and too expensive of a hobby to take on. But, real talk, the main reason I started mixing up drinks at home is because craft cocktails at bars are expensive. I love ordering fun drinks when I go out but your girl’s on a budget. It’s not uncommon to see something as simple as a Moscow Mule going for $9. (That’s a 3-ingredient drink, y’all–to make it at home, it would only cost you about $2.50!) I think you’ll be surprised by how easy and affordable it is to get started on making your own cocktails at home.

My Top 5 Tips for Making Cocktails at Home

#1 – Invest in a Cocktail Shaker

While some cocktail aficionados might tell you that you need several different tools, you really only need a cocktail shaker to get started. This cocktail shaker is only $16 and then there’s this gorgeous golden option that’s $26 AND it comes with a bar spoon and a jigger. That’s a pretty sweet deal. (It also comes in rose gold– swoon)

I got the vintage-looking copper one below from Target but they don’t carry it anymore. Sad day.

Now, if you’re on a really tight budget, you can totally use a mason jar with a lid. But, you’ll also need to make sure you have a small strainer so you can strain out ice, fruit pulp, etc. Cocktail shakers usually have a small strainer built-in already. Just buy one 😉

Many cocktail recipes are meant to be shaken and while simply stirring does a good-enough job of incorporating some ingredients, shaking them makes your drinks extra cold and helps further infuse ingredients like herbs, fresh fruits, and thicker syrups.

Another tool I would invest in is an ice mold. While not totally essential, bigger ice cubes make your drink colder and melt slower which keeps your drink from watering down too quickly. Plus they’ll make your cocktail look legit.

#2 – Use Fresh Citrus Juice

Y’all. This is so important. This is my number one tip for making GOOD cocktails at home. I’ve had so many friends message me and tell me they made a Margarita or a Daiquiri at home and that it didn’t taste right. The first question I always ask is “Did you use bottled lime juice?” Their answer is always a sheepish “yes”.

Citrus is a key ingredient in SO many drinks and the quality of your citrus juice will make or break your drink. There’s a naturally-occurring chemical in citrus fruit that reacts with air and actually makes the juice taste more bitter. So, the longer the juice is exposed to air, the worse it’s going to taste. That’s why bottled lemon juice and lime juice taste so different compared to their fresh counterparts. Not to mention they usually come from concentrate and are chock-full of additives. Yuck.

The only exception I make to pre-squeezed citrus juice is grapefruit. Since it’s already bitter to begin with, I really don’t mind the bottled stuff. But, fresh grapefruit juice will always taste better.

I make it a point to buy 2-3 lemons and limes a week. They’re cheap, so this only adds about $1-2 to my grocery bill. Plus, if you have fresh citrus laying around, you can use it in cooking and for your garnishes (see tip # 5).

Before I move on to the next tip, let me say it again for the people in the back– USE FRESH CITRUS JUICE!

#3 – Opt for Non-flavored Liquors

I know, I know. The pineapple vodka looks sooo good in the liquor store. You picture yourself sipping on some kinda pineapple paradise while you’re sitting poolside with a book in the other hand. But then you bring home your $25 purchase and it just sits in your cabinet most of the year.

Flavored liquors are kinda one-trick ponies, unless you’re a skilled mixologist who knows how to incorporate a lot of flavors. I think they’re really fun to experiment with (who doesn’t like the sound of coconut rum or apple brandy?), but if you’re going to invest in liquor, go for plain.

If you buy traditional vodka, you can use fresh pineapple juice to make that divine drink you’re envisioning for summer. And then you can use that same bottle of vodka to make a rich and decadent White Russian or a floral Rose Darling.

Pick 3 liquors you know you’re gonna like. You’d be surprised by how many cocktails you can make with only 3 types of alcohol on hand. Here’s what I recommend:

• vodka (a MUST in my opinion- it’s got a clean taste that blends well with all flavors)
• whiskey or rum
• gin or tequila

Non-flavored liquors are going to expand your recipe options and encourage you to experiment with your own custom cocktails.

# 4 – Keep Mixers On Hand

If you keep these ingredients on hand, you’ll be able to make a whole slew of cocktails whenever the urge strikes.

• ginger beer
• tonic water or club soda
• flavored sparkling water (I prefer unsweetened brands like LaCroix, Bubly, and Spindrift)
• simple syrup (don’t ever buy it! it’s way too easy to make)
• citrus juice (in the form of actual lemons and limes, please!)

I love buying the small cans of club soda and tonic water. I can never use a whole liter up before it goes bad and the small little guys are easy to store.

#5 – Don’t Skip the Garnishes

In addition to making your homemade cocktail Instagram-worthy, garnishes add a great deal to the experience of drinking a cocktail. Besides being visually appealing, some actually do add aromatic value. Smelling the mint, citrus, or chili powder that’s gracing the top of your beverage can really enhance the taste of it. After all, researchers say that 80% of the flavors we taste come from smell.

I’ve also found that adding a garnish to a cocktail acts as a visual reminder to stop and savor each sip instead of just chugging the whole thing because it tastes so dang good.

I hope these 5 tips for making cocktails at home leave you feeling inspired to jump into the world of home mixology. If you’re looking for some easy recipes that require minimal ingredients, check out these 17 simple cocktail recipes for beginners. Each recipe has four ingredients or less.

Cheers to your next happy hour at home!

I’ve compiled all of the simple cocktail recipes on my blog to help you narrow down what to make while you’re sheltering in place during the COVID-19 quarantine. I guess you could call them “quarantine cocktails” because they’re all really, really easy to make with zero obscure ingredients. But truthfully, most of these recipes are classic cocktails. If a cocktail recipe has stood the test of time (some of these recipes are over 100 years old!), they’re good enough to get you through a pandemic.

I’ve grouped these recipes into categories: 2-3 ingredients or 4 ingredients. I mean, can it get any easier? I guess you could just take shots of vodka, but where’s the fun in that?

There are certainly more simple cocktail recipes out there, like a Gin & Tonic, a Negroni, an Aperol Spritz, rum & Coke… seriously, there are so many more out there. The simple cocktail recipes below are just the ones I already have on my blog that I think would be the perfect cocktail recipes for beginners to master during the quarantine.

To make it even easier, here’s a complete grocery list to get you going:

With those lists, you’ll have EVERYTHING you need to make all 17 of these simple cocktail recipes. And since none of these ingredients are uncommon, it should be easy to get your hands on them even during the quarantine. For some of you, you can even buy the liquor and liqueur at the grocery store. (I’m looking at you, Nevada.)

But if that still seems a little intimidating, here’s a pared-down shopping list. If you already have an egg, sugar, honey, and a rando jar of jam, and you make your own coffee liqueur using the vodka, you’ll be able to make 12 of these cocktails:

All of those are considered bar cart essentials to me and are incredibly useful to keep on hand. Seriously, if you keep gin, whiskey, vodka, rums, orange liqueur, limes, lemons, club soda, ginger beer, and simple syrup on deck, you can make soooo many simple cocktail recipes. So, if you’re aspiring to be a home mixologist, consider this list your starter kit.

Here’s to adding some pizazz to your quarantine days with these simple cocktail recipes. Cheers!

Simple Cocktail Recipes with 2 or 3 Ingredients

Blood Orange Tequila Fizz

fruity, slightly sweet

tequila + blood orange Italian soda

Dark & Stormy

spicy, sweet

spiced rum + ginger beer

Gimlet

tart, slightly sweet

gin + lime juice + simple syrup

Americano

bitter, low ABV

Campari + sweet vermouth + club soda

Sidecar

very tart, bright

brandy + triple sec + lemon juice

White Russian

sweet, decadent

vodka + coffee liqueur + cream

Moscow Mule

spicy, bright

vodka + ginger beer + lime

Irish Mule

spicy, bright

whiskey + ginger beer + lime

Daiquiri

tart, smooth

white rum + lime juice + simple syrup

Revolver

bold, sweet

whiskey + coffee liqueur + orange bitters

Simple Cocktail Recipes with 4 Ingredients

Lemon Drop

tart, sweet

vodka + orange liqueur + lemon juice + simple syrup

Colorado Bulldog

sweet, refreshing

vodka + coffee liqueur + Coke + cream

Tom Collins

light, a boozy & bubbly lemonade

gin + lemon juice + simple syrup + club soda

Whiskey Sour

tart, bold

whiskey + lemon juice + simple syrup + egg white

French 75

bubbly, bright

gin + champagne + lemon juice + simple syrup

Jam Cocktail

sweet, bubbly

vodka + jam + citrus juice + carbonated water

Pick 6

refreshing, spicy

whiskey + lemon juice + ginger beer + honey

What other cocktails do you think are essential for beginners? What’s been your go-to cocktail during quarantine? Leave a comment and recipe down below!