What makes a cocktail easy
An easy cocktail is one you can make without special equipment, obscure ingredients, or a recipe you have to look up. Most of the best ones are just two or three parts: a spirit, a mixer, and something fresh. Master a handful of these and you can make a good drink from almost any bar.
The real unlock is a few simple templates. A spirit plus a bubbly mixer (a highball), a spirit plus citrus plus a sweetener (a sour), or equal parts of three things (like a negroni) cover a huge range of drinks with almost no memorization.
Easy 2 and 3-ingredient cocktails
- Gin & tonic: gin, tonic, and a lime wedge — the definitive easy drink
- Whiskey highball: whiskey and soda with a lemon twist — clean and spirit-forward
- Margarita: tequila, lime, and orange liqueur (or just a splash of triple sec) shaken with ice
- Screwdriver / greyhound: vodka with orange or grapefruit juice — no technique required
- Rum & coke: rum, cola, and lime — a two-ingredient classic
- Negroni: equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, stirred over ice
The three easy-cocktail templates
- The highball: spirit + a bubbly mixer over ice (gin & tonic, whiskey soda, rum & coke) — the easiest of all
- The sour: spirit + citrus + a touch of sweet (margarita, daiquiri, whiskey sour) — bright and balanced
- Equal parts: three ingredients in equal measure (negroni, boulevardier) — no ratios to remember
A tiny home bar that makes dozens of drinks
You don't need a full liquor store. One or two base spirits, a bottle of something bubbly (soda water and tonic), a citrus or two, and one liqueur or bitters covers dozens of easy cocktails. Add ice and a single jigger for measuring and you're set.
Not sure what to make with the bottle you've got? Tell MixSurprise your spirit and mixers and it will suggest an easy cocktail you can pour right now.