With more people spending increasing amounts of time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now is an ideal time to perfect a few cocktail recipes. Once you master a few delicious cocktails, you will feel more confident in your abilities to entertain others in your home. Here are five fun cocktails to try and to add to your repertoire.

Classic Margarita

Nearly everyone loves a good margarita, especially when you are noshing on Mexican food. The base of a margarita is a quality tequila. You can either add prepared sweet and sour mix or make your own mixer using fresh lime juice. Do not forget to salt the rim to bring out the sweetness in the drink. Serve your margarita on the rocks or blend all of the ingredients with ice for a refreshing frozen beverage. One of the best things about a margarita is that they are easy to customize to suit a variety of tastes. For example, try adding a splash of amaretto liqueur to make an Italian margarita.

Mojito

This iconic Cuban drink is great for backyard barbecues or any type of warm weather event. You cannot enjoy a solid mojito without fresh mint, making it important that you do not skimp on this part. Muddle the mint leaves and combine with lime juice and a simple syrup or regular sugar. Then add your choice of rum and club soda and shake vigorously in a shaker to thoroughly blend the ingredients. Garnish the top of the cocktail glass with a sprig of fresh mint.

Moscow Mule

Vodka is the star of the show with the moscow mule. This drink is highlighted by the addition of ginger beer, a fizzy non-alcoholic mixer. For the best results, try mixing two parts ginger beer with one part vodka and then adding a splash of fresh lime juice. Garnish the drink with either a mint sprig or a lime wedge. You can also use flavored ginger beer to mix it up. Ginger mules are traditionally served in copper mugs to keep the beverage extra cool.

New York Sour

This variation of a traditional whiskey sour adds another layer of fun with a red wine floater on top. This drink is perfect for that guys’ night out or to warm up on a cool day. The base of this drink is a bourbon whiskey. Use the best quality that you can afford. For one serving, mix two ounces of bourbon whiskey with one ounce of lemon juice, and 1/2 ounce of simple syrup. For a different take on this, try adding maple syrup instead of simple syrup for a richer and warmer taste. Lastly, add a layer of red wine in the amount of approximately one ounce to the top of the chilled drink. Some bartenders add an egg white for a foamy texture. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Champagne Cocktail

A champagne cocktail is perfect for that special event or occasion. This festive drink is fun and easy to make. Simply pour one glass of champagne and add approximately five dashes of Angostura bitters along with one sugar cube. Finish the fizzy drink off with a squeeze of lemon juice. The addition of the sugar cube will make the drink a sparkling masterpiece perfect for toasting. While a glass of champagne is always special, the addition of the bitters and the sugar cube will elevate this drink even more.

Once you master these five recipes, you can branch out and experiment with different additions and flavor combinations. Cheers!