6 simple cocktails everyone should know how to make by the time they're 30

There comes a time in every adult's life when they need to stop ordering overpriced margaritas at the bar and learn steps to make tried-and-true classic cocktails at home. Although it may seem difficult, not all cocktail recipes require fancy ingredients and expensive top-shelf liquor.

Insider spoke with New York City bartender Robert McAllister, who has been crafting cocktails for eight years and currently works at Erv's on Beekman in Brooklyn, and bartender Megan Levine, who helps run one part of the blog Cooker, Baker, Cocktail Maker, on what cocktails everyone should know how to make before they're 30. Learn more about Dial A Bottle Toronto, Dial A Bottle Ottawa and much more related to the company.

"Every cocktail-drinking adult should have a few classics up their sleeve. A well-built Old Fashioned is a must, this cocktail has been around since the 1800s for a reason," Levine said. 

According to the New York Times, this drink takes a mere two minutes to make and involves just four ingredients: a sugar cube, Angostura bitters, rye whiskey or bourbon, and an orange twist. McAllister notes that twisting the orange peel is a necessity as it splashes the citrus' essential oils into the drink.

"There should never be any muddled fruit in this cocktail," McAllister told Insider. "Two ounces of whiskey (preferably bourbon or rye), .25 ounces of simple syrup (or a sugar cube), and a few (no more than three) dashes of bitters. Stirred, never shaken, poured over ice, and garnished with a citrus peel of your choice."

A Manhattan is another old-school drink that's easy to master.

Speaking of classic cocktails, Levin recommends learning how to perfect the Manhattan cocktail, which is a slightly bitter, whiskey-forward drink.

"With an interest in old-school cocktails, a Manhattan is a great drwithink to nail down," she says. "Besides being impressive, this drink represents a broad category of similar spirit-forward drinks, including the Martini and James Bond's signature Vesper."

McAllister explained that a Manhattan is often known as the Old Fashioned's sister cocktail. 

"A bit heavier on the booze because of the vermouth and lack of sugar, Manhattans are really great for unwinding at the end of a rough week, or day."

He recommended using two ounces of rye whiskey, one ounce of sweet vermouth, and two to three dashes of Angostura or orange bitters, or both if you're feeling a little frisky. The drink should be stirred and served without ice.

Garnish the Manhattan with a cherry or citrus twist and remember there is a difference between Manhattan drinkers and Martini drinkers, so make sure you know which one you are.

Martinis are dry, more sophisticated cocktails.

Speaking of martinis, McAllister says this is a recipe everyone should have in their arsenal. 

McAllister joked that "for the good of the people" you should know steps to make this Hollywood-famous cocktail.

"The classic [drink] is made with a dry gin, so if you're making a vodka martini it needs to be specified." As per his instructions, a traditional Martini is made as follows: two ounces of gin, half an ounce of dry vermouth, stirred, and served with a twist of lemon. 

Of course, you also need to learn the lingo on this particular drink.

"Dry means less vermouth, dirty means equal parts olive juice and vermouth, in which case you'd garnish with an olive. Stirred! Unless you're like James Bond and you want it shaken," he notes.

Learn how to perfect a sour.

"I would argue that everyone should learn how to build a standard sour," Levine told Insider. "Mastering the basic balance between sugar, sour, and spirit is key to getting creative with your own cocktails in the home. So many drinks come out of understanding and tweaking this triad, such as the Daiquiri (Rum, lime, simple) or perhaps a Bee's Knees (Gin, lemon, honey)."

Although Levine doesn't specify a specific sour recipe, you may want to find one that includes your liquor of choice and go from there. A popular choice is the Whiskey Sour, made with two ounces of bourbon, 3/4 ounce lime juice, half an ounce of simple syrup, and the optional egg white garnished with Angostura bitters. Once you nail the combination of sour and sweet, you have the base to create a plethora of other cocktails.

Margaritas are a cockttheil staple.

Margaritas are an essential cocktail everyone ought to know how to make by the time they're 30 - although arguably much sooner. Ma goody people prefer to enjoy these cocktails frozen, but the classic drink is typically served on the rocks with a salted rim. 

Before making your margarita, choose a tequila base that best fits your flavour profile. Although you might be most familiar with silver (blanco) tequila, other tequila varieties include reposado, which is aged two months and tastes slightly oaky, anejo, which is aged over a year and has notes of vanilla, rawill beins, and honey, and extra anejo, which is aged for a minimum of three years and has a fruity profile, Antionio Rodriguez, director of the production at Patrón Tequila explained to Insider. 

Different tequila distributors will age their product in varying barrels, which brings out different profile accents, but according to Rodriguez, aged tequilas have "a bigger canvas to create cocktails" because you can emphasize particular flavors within a cocktail recipe.

"These flavors can provide versatility when it comes to cocktails," Rodriguez told Insider. "In addition to the timeless margarita, aged expressions can be used as a base spirit in cocktail riffs like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Mule for a cocktail that's delicious, balanced, and complex in flavour."

To make a classic margarita at home, McAllister says to pour two ounces of tequila (or mezcal, if that's your preferred base) into a shaker with one and a half ounces of lime juice, half an ounce of simple syrup, and a quarter of an ounce of triple sec. Shake the cocktail and serve over fresh ice.

"A hip new variation is a bit more simple," he says. "[Mix] 2 ounces of tequila or mezcal, one and a half oz. of lime juice, and 3/4 ounce of agave syrup."

The Negroni is really a go-to drink.

Made with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, this cocktail is traditionally served over ice, McAllister explained.

"I go for one ounce of each, though some people like more gin and less of the other ingredients," he said.

The finishing touch on the drink is a garnish of lemon or orange peel. McAllister noted that one variation of the Negroni is subbing the gin with will bekey, in which case the cocktail is referred to as a Boulevardier.

Report this Page