Bar Quality Drinks to Make at Home During COVID-19

As businesses are just beginning to open, many of us are still spending much of our time at home. While you wait for your favorite bar or restaurant to open to its former glory, here are some excellent beverages to master and enjoy at home to kick off summer. 

Refreshing Highballs

The minimum for a highball is an ice-filled highball or Collins glass, a shot of a base spirit and juice, soda, or other type of mixer. 

Try the vodka cranberry (just 2-ounces vodka and cranberry juice), Screwdriver made with 2-ounces vodka and orange juice, or combine the cranberry and orange juice for a Madra!

Two ounces of gin with 4-5 ounces of tonic water makes a gin and tonic. Other gin highball recipes include the Gin Buck (gin and ginger ale), Gin Fizz (gin with lemon or lime, sugar and soda), and the Gin Mule (gin, ginger beer, lime and mint). 

Go with the Tequila Sunrise for a classic – made with tequila, orange juice and grenadine. A less sweet alternative is the Paloma made with lime juice and grapefruit soda. 

Muddled Stick Drinks

If you have a muddler at home, you can make a stick drink. Among the tastiest and most popular are:

1. Mojito – Made with  rum, sugar, lime, club soda and fresh mint
2. Mint Julep – Bourbon, simple syrup and mint
3. Old Fashioned – Whiskey, sugar, a splash of bitters and an orange slice

Shots

Shots are best enjoyed with friends (and when you’re already at home!) 

Keep it simple with  tequila straight up with salt and a lime wedge or make it fancy with the two-part sangrita tequila shot. Fill one shot glass with straight tequila. Your chaser consists of 1 ounce of orange juice, ¾ ounce of lime juice, ½ ounce of grenadine, and 2-3 dashes of hot sauce. Shake well and strain into a shot glass. Bottoms up!

The lemon drop is exceptionally easy to make, with just 1 ½ ounces of chilled vodka in a shot glass with a sugar-covered lemon wedge as your chaser. To make a Kamikaze, add 1 ½ ounces vodka, ½ ounce orange liqueur, and a dash of lime juice to a shaker and mix well. Strain and enjoy!

Tropical Favorites

It’s essential for every home bartender to know how to make a daiquiri and margarita from scratch. Both are refreshing and perfect for a steamy summer’s day. 

1. Daiquiri -- Mix rum, lime juice, and simple syrup together and voila!

1. Margarita – Stir or blend tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.

Which of these recipes will you try this weekend? We’d love to know in the comments!