Congratulations and welcome to the wonderful world of adulthood! A world where you can do what you want, when you want, and how you want. Now for all my veteran adults, thanks for stopping by but this post is not for you. I’m directing this post to all my college grads, my “I want to mature my palette” people, and my 23+ year old readers who still think ordering cranberry vodka at the bar is an acceptable cocktail. Yes, yes! Welcome! Everybody has a grace period for ordering bad drinks at the bar (FYI: you have two years from when you first start drinking to get your act together). Making the transition from water bottles filled with room temperature vodka and Gatorade (GUILTY!) and a fridge full with Franzia Boxed wine to dignified cocktails isn’t going to happen overnight. But don’t worry; I’m here to help take you from a jungle juice downing novice to a drinking connoisseur. Here are my 5 favorite drinks to order at the bar starting with the least offensive.
- Mojito: You had to have seen this coming! Nothing more user friendly than a mojito.
- 2 oz. Light Rum
- Soda Water
- 2 tsp. Sugar
- 1 Lime
- 4 Mint Leaves
- Muddle sugar and mint in a beer mug. Squeeze both halves of lime into the glass, leaving one hull in the mixture. Add rum, stir, and fill with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with mint sprig. Serve in Highball glass.
- Tom Collins: For me, a Tom Collins is a more respectable version of a Gin and Tonic (also great for beginners). Can’t go wrong ordering this as a day-drinking cocktail.
- 2 oz. Gin
- 1 oz. Lemon Juice
- Club Soda
- 1 tsp. Superfine Sugar
- Shake lemon juice, sugar, and gin with ice. Strain into a highball glass almost filled with ice. Add club soda. Stir and Garnish with a Maraschino (Luxardo if you’re fancy) and an orange wheel. Serve in Highball glass.
- Bourbon Sidecar: a traditional sidecar is made with Cognac, but being more of a Whiskey instead of Brandy girl, I opt for the Bourbon version
- 2 oz. Bourbon Whiskey
- 1 oz. Triple Sec
- ½ oz. Lemon Juice
- Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
- Sazerac: Another classic cocktail. Very similar to the Old Fashioned. The added absinthe and bitters makes this one of my favs!
- 3 oz. Bourbon Whiskey (or 2 oz. Rye)
- ½ tsp. Pernod Absinthe
- 2 dashes Angostura or Peychaud’s bitters
- 1 tsp. Soda Water
- ½ of Superfine Sugar
- Pour Pernod into a chilled rocks glass and swirl to coat. Add sugar, water, and bitters. Muddle until the sugar is dissolved. Fill glass with ice and add bourbon. Garnish with lemon twist.
- Perfect Manhattan: A classic Manhattan is a twist on the Old Fashioned. The Perfect Manhattan is a twist on the classic Manhattan. Best of both worlds if you ask me.
- 3 oz. Rye Whiskey (Preferably Rittenhouse brand)
- ½ oz. Dry Vermouth
- ½ oz. Sweet Vermouth
- 2 dashes of bitters (Angostura works best for this drink)
- Shake with cracked ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a Maraschino (Luxardo if you’re fancy) cherry or a lemon twist.
I hope this helped! Leave me a comment and let me know what some of your favorite cocktails are. Now go and prosper!
Some more of my other favorite drinks:
Gin and Tonic
Gimlet with Tanqueray gin
Hennessey and Ginger Ale (We all have that ONE drink! Lol it’s highly respected among the Black Elite)
Dirty Martini
Whiskey Sour
Negroni
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