Hello, home bartender. You have your seventh zoom call of the day looming. So, you’re done with the White Claw and Michelob Ultra in your fridge, and now you want to step it up a notch.
A cocktail on a Tuesday? Great idea.
You may be alone at home, but you are not alone in your drinking habits. U.S. sales of wine, beer, and alcohol-related products have soared amid pandemic.
So, join your compatriots — from a safe distance! — and try one (or all) of our 10 cocktail recipes below to elevate your virtual happy hour. From the rookie to the pro, we have a drink for every level of mixology experience:
Virtual Happy Hour coming up? Try @RedBranch’s #cocktailrecipes for any level of at-home bartender. Share on XYour Bartender Status: Rookie
GINger Lime
Have you tried Sparkling Ice yet? Well, it’s a bubbly low-cal drink packed with so much flavor. Two ingredients but with so much flavor! Moscow mule meets gin and tonic.
Ingredients
8 oz Sparkling Ice Ginger Lime
2 oz Gin
Instructions
Add gin over ice in glass. Pour over Sparkline Ice. Enjoy.
Whiskey Lemonades
With summer right around the corner, sip a little sunshine.
Ingredients
1 oz whiskey
1 cup ice cubes
8-12 oz lemonade
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and stir. So SIMPLE!
Vanilla Coke
Who didn’t LOVE vanilla coke as a kid? Take a trip down memory lane with this sweet, sweet nectar.
Ingredients
1 can Coke Zero
1-2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 cup ice cubes
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and stir.
Boozy Iced Coffee
For those morning zoom calls.
Ingredients
8 ounces chilled strong coffee
1 ounce booze of choice
1 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons cream (if desired)
Instructions
Place the coffee and booze in a tall glass. Stir with a spoon, then top with ice. Drizzle cream over the top (if desired) and enjoy!
Your Bartender Status: Intermediate
Basil Gin Gimlet
Put your basil plant to good use with this fresh sipper. A spicy take on the original.
A couple Basil leaves
½ oz simple syrup (make your own)
¾ oz lime juice
1½ oz Gin
Instructions
Place leaves in bottom of glass. Add simple syrup. Muddle together. Add gin and ice. Stir or shake.
Colorado Bulldog
Grownup milkshake? Yes, please. This one is one of my favorites.
1 Part Kahlua
1 Part Vodka (try Vanilla flavored)
1 Part Cream or Milk
Splash of Cola
Instructions
Shake the booze and cream with ice. Strain into a short glass with lots of ice, but make sure not to fill it to the brim (we know you want to). Leave some space to top it off with cola.
Strawberry Fizz Slushie
Fresh or frozen fruit gives this drink texture and natural sweetness.
Ingredients
5-8 fresh or frozen strawberries
10 Ice cubes
1.5 oz vodka or gin
3 oz tonic, soda water, or lemon-lime soda
Instructions
In a blender, combine ice, strawberries, vodka, or gin. Pulse until desired consistency (like a slushie). Top with fizzy drink. YUM
Your Bartender Status: Pro
Zoom calls don’t have to be boring, spice it up with one of @RedBranch’s happy hour cocktail recipes. Share on XThe Quarantini
Brought to you by our friends at IQTalent Partners, this one will transport you to the speakeasy of your dreams.
Ingredients
0.25 Skinny Maple
2 dashes bitters
2 oz Rye
Half cup of Ice
Lemon peel
Mint to garnish
Instructions
Sangria
Miss the simple pleasures of pizza and sangria at restaurants? Make your own with wine, fruit, and brandy.
Ingredients
2 bottles Spanish red wine (Rioja wine is most popular)
1/2 cup brandy
2 oranges, one juiced and one diced
1 green apple, diced
1 lemon, diced
1 cinnamon stick
optional sweetener: simple syrup* or maple syrup
optional bubbles: lemon-lime soda, ginger ale or sparkling water
Instructions
Add the wine, brandy, orange juice, diced orange, diced apple, diced lemon, and cinnamon stick to a large pitcher. Stir to combine. Taste and add in a few tablespoons of sweetener, if desired.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Serve the sangria over ice, topping off each glass with a splash of bubbly soda (or sparkling water) if desired.
Old Fashioned
Ingredients
1 sugar cube
2 to 3 dashes bitters
2 ounces bourbon (or rye whiskey)
Optional: 1 orange slice
Optional: splash club soda
Garnish: orange peel
Garnish: maraschino cherry
Instructions
In a glass, place the sugar cube, then saturate it with bitters. Add an orange slice, if you like, and muddle.
Fill the glass with ice.
Add the whiskey and stir well. Finish it off with a splash of club soda if you prefer.
Garnish with an orange peel and cherry.
I hope you found a recipe or two you would like to try for your next virtual happy hour. You’ve got the time!
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