With Staying At Home becoming the new Going Out, my cocktail-making skills have certainly sharpened up over the past few weeks. Below I have listed a few simple cocktails that you can make at home; most of them require just a few ingredients and a few minutes’ preparation, but the end result is something a little more exciting than having another gin and tonic (not that there is anything wrong with that). Here are my top three simple cocktails you can make at home during lockdown…
Tequila & Ginger Ale
50ml Tequila
250ml Ginger Ale
Slice of lime
A very refreshing long serve drink that’s a great alternative to the classic rum and ginger beer. I use VIVIR Tequila Reposado which is a 100% pure agave spirit; it has a naturally sweet and clean finish that makes it equally suited to be served and sipped over ice.
For this concoction, add 50ml to an ice filled highball glass and top up with 250ml of a natural ginger ale. To garnish add a slice of fresh lime.
Old Fashioned
50ml Bourbon
10ml Sugar Syrup
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Orange Peel
The Old Fashioned is, and probably will always be, one of my favourite ever cocktails. It maintains the flavour of whichever spirit you choose to use, while adding a touch of sweetness and bitterness through the additional ingredients. If you can’t quite drink a whisky neat, try an Old Fashioned to ease you in. I am using Woodford Reserve as the floral notes of this bourbon make it the perfect base for warmer months.
For an Old Fashioned, pour 50ml of bourbon into an ice-filled mixing glass along with 10ml of sugar syrup and a dash of bitters. Stir down for 30-40 seconds and then strain into a serving glass. Garnish with orange peel and then enjoy.
Pineapple-tini
50ml Vodka
25ml Sugar Syrup
25ml Pineapple Juice
Dash of Lime Juice
I was recently gifted a bottle of Broken Clock Vodka which has the most incredible apple and grassy notes and a crisp, clean flavour. I whipped up one of these cocktails with that in mind; preserving the smoothness of the vodka and adding complimentary tastes that really bring this martini into the warmer months.
For my Pineapple-tini, you will need to combine 50ml of vodka with 25ml of sugar syrup and 25ml of fresh pineapple juice. Add it to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and then squeeze in half a lime for some acidity. Then shake. Really shake. Things need to get very, very cold in order to get the consistency right on this one. Pour through a strainer into a martini or champagne glass and served with a pineapple wedge for garnish.
Don’t forget to check out my other post on improving mental wellbeing during isolations, which can be found here.
