Category Archives: Cocktails

Enjoy Some Of Our Unique Perspectives On The World Of Cocktails. Simple to complex cocktail recipes, great for any night cap

How To Make A Caipirinha

The Caipirinha pronounced (kai/pee/reen/ya) is considered the national drink of Brazil. So you know it has something going for it. The main spirit cachaça (ka/cha/sa) is made from sugar and considered to be part of the rum family. But it is much more vegetable and earthy than other forms of rum. Traditionally it is served in an old fashioned glass, this drink is very informal. While we encourage you to measure all the ingredients carefully for most cocktails, this one is free-styled. Once you master it, you can have a great time teaching friends how to make it at a party. Put out a bowl of cut limes, some sugar, and a bottle of cachaça, and show everyone the fun new drink you learned and how they can easily make it, too.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Place half a lime cut-side down on a cutting board and cut about ⅛ inch off the “north and south poles,” or the ends.
  2. Cut the half lime into three wedges (or four wedges for a large lime).
  3. Cut each wedge in half width wise to make almost a cube, the ideal shape.
  4. Put six lime “cubes” in the old fashioned glass. Add the sugar
  5. Use the muddler to extract the juice and incorporate the sugar. Add the cachaça. Stir with the muddler to incorporate. Add ice to fill the glass.

quick tip

If the funkiness (or soil-like flavor) of the cachaça puts you off,or if you have a difficult time finding it, substitute a traditional silver rum of your choice, such as the ubiquitous Bacardi Silver.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Caipirinha-1-1.mp4

Caipirinha

The Caipirinha (kai/pee/reen/ya) is the national drink of Brazil. The base spirit cachaça (ka/cha/sa) is made from sugar and considered to be in the rum family,but it is much more vegetal and earthy than other styles of rum.

  • 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 ounces cachaca such as novo fogo silver

  1. Place half a lime cut-side down on a cutting board and cut about ⅛ inch off the “north and south poles,” or the ends.

  2. Cut the half lime into three wedges (or four wedges for a large lime).

  3. Cut each wedge in half width wise to make almost a cube, the ideal shape.

  4. Put six lime “cubes” in the old fashioned glass. Add the sugar

  5. Use the muddler to extract the juice and incorporate the sugar. Add the cachaça. Stir with the muddler to incorporate. Add ice to fill the glass.

If the funkiness (or soil-like flavor) of the cachaça puts you off, or if you have a difficult time finding it, substitute a traditional silver rum of your choice, such as the ubiquitous Bacardi Silver.

How To Make A Mai Tai

The name “mai tai” comes from the Tahitian saying “mai tai roa,” which is loosely translated to “out of this world.” The origin story of the Mai Tai is out of this world as two people claim they invented the tropical cocktail. Victor Bergeron claims to have invented the Mai Tai in 1944 at his California restaurant Trader Vic’s. But, Donn Beach of Don the Beachcomber claims that recipe was a copy of his own similar-tasting creation, the Q.B. Cooler.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Pour the lime juice, orgeat, curaçao or almond extract,and rum into the shaker.
  2. Add ice. Shake until very cold,about 15 seconds.
  3. Fill the glass with fresh ice and strain into it. Garnish with the lime wheel and mint sprig.

quick tip

It’s ideal to use a Jamaican rum, such as Plantation Rum Jamaica or Appleton’s Estate. For the orange curaçao, Pierre Ferrand or Cointreau is best. And if you don’t have orgeat,you can use ¾ ounce of simple syrup and a drop of almond extract.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mai-Tai-1.mp4

Mai Tai

The name “mai tai” most likely comes from the Tahitian saying “mai tai roa,” which more or less means “out of this world.” The origin story of the MaiTai is similarly out of this world as two people claim they invented the tropical cocktail.

  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 3/4 ounce orgeat
  • 1/2 ounce orange curacao
  • 1 ounce demerara rum
  • 1 ounce age dark rum
  • Lime Wheel and mint spreg

  1. Pour the lime juice, orgeat, curaçao or almond extract,and rum into the shaker.

  2. Add ice. Shake until very cold,about 15 seconds.

  3. Fill the glass with fresh ice and strain into it. Garnish with the lime wheel and mint sprig.

It’s ideal to use a Jamaican rum, such as Plantation Rum
Jamaica or Appleton’s Estate. For the orange curaçao, Pierre
Ferrand or Cointreau is best. And if you don’t have orgeat,
you can use ¾ ounce of simple syrup and a drop of almond
extract.

How To Make A Mojito

Everyone likes a good Daiquiri, but when you add some mint and club soda, and serve it over ice, and you have the Mojito. The origins of this drink is traced back to Havana, Cuba. But it’s hard to know who truly invented it. One story says it was a health tonic made for the crew
of Sir Francis Drake in the 1500s by locals, and another credits African slaves who worked in the Cuban fields. The great author Hemingway’s favorite bar, La Bodeguita del Medio, claims the version they made for him is responsible for its popularity. The drink was also featured in a beach scene in the Bond film Die Another Day.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Put the mint leaves in the smaller mixing tin. Using a muddler, gently press on the leaves to release the oils.
  2. Add the simple syrup. Mix gently with the muddler
  3. Add the rum and lime juice.
  4. Fill the larger mixing tin with ice.Pour the contents from the smaller mixing tin into the larger tin.
  5. Shake vigorously until very cold, about 15 seconds.
  6. Allow all the ingredients to remain in the large tin. Fill a Highball glass with ice. Double strain: Place the Hawthorne strainer on the large tin, hold the fine strainer over the Highball glass, and then pour through both strainers.
  7. Top with the club soda. Stir gently to combine, two or three rotations. Garnish with a mint sprig.

quick tip

Don’t be aggressive when muddling the mint leaves, as it makes the herb bitter. Gently press on the leaves with a muddler to release the fragrant oils. The stems of the mint leaves can sometimes have a “woody” character; it’s best to avoid them if you can.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mojito-1.mp4

Mojito

If you make the classic Daiquiri, add some mint and club soda, and serve it over ice, you have the Mojito. The origins of this drink are generally traced back to Havana, Cuba, but it’s hard to know who invented it.

  • 3/4 ounce Simple syrup
  • 2 ounce Silver rum
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • Club soda
  • 10 Mint leaves

  1. Put the mint leaves in the smaller mixing tin. Using a muddler, gently press on the leaves to release the oils.

  2. Add the simple syrup. Mix gently with the muddler

  3. Add the rum and lime juice.

  4. Fill the larger mixing tin with ice.Pour the contents from the smaller mixing tin into the larger tin.

  5. Shake vigorously until very cold, about 15 seconds.

  6. Allow all the ingredients to remain in the large tin. Fill a Highball glass with ice. Double strain: Place the Hawthorne strainer on the large tin, hold the fine strainer over the Highball glass, and then pour through both strainers.

  7. Top with the club soda. Stir gently to combine, two or three rotations. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Don’t be aggressive when muddling the mint leaves, as it makes the herb bitter. Gently press on the leaves with a muddler to release the fragrant oils. The stems of the mint
leaves can sometimes have a “woody” character; it’s best to avoid them if you can.

How To Make A Bee’s Knees

Bee’s Knees is quite delicious cocktail. Came to popularity during Prohibition-era. The expression “the bee’s knees” means being the best. It is a sour-style drink. This spirit, has a sweet, and citrus flavor. Honey is the key ingredient in cocktails. To incorporate honey into the cocktail more easily, mix two parts honey to one part boiled hot water and let it cool. This will thin it out a bit, creating a honey syrup. Most drinks with citrus are shaken, not stirred, and that is the case here.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Add the gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup to the shaker with ice.
  2. Shake vigorously until very cold, about 15 seconds.
  3. Strain into the chilled glass. Hold the twist lengthwise just over the glass in the thumb and index finger of each hand and gently fold to express the oils from the peel.
  4. Rub the twist on the rim of the glass and discard the twist.

quick tip

Honey comes in many varieties. We encourage you to explore different types of honey and be sure to taste your drink before serving to others because sweetness levels vary.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Bee’s-Knees-1.mp4

Bee’s Knees

Another Prohibition-era cocktail, the Bee’s Knees is quite delicious. The expression “the bee’s knees”means being the best. It is a sour-style drink, meaning it contains spirit, sweet, and citrus. Honey makes a wonderful ingredient in cocktails.

  • 2 ounces Gin
  • 3/4 ounce Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 ounce Honey Syrup
  • Lemon Twist

  1. Add the gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup to the shaker with ice.

  2. Shake vigorously until very cold, about 15 seconds.

  3. Strain into the chilled glass. Hold the twist lengthwise just over the glass in the thumb and index finger of each hand and gently fold to express the oils from the peel.

  4. Rub the twist on the rim of the glass and discard the twist

Honey comes in many varieties. We encourage you to explore different types of honey and be sure to taste your drink before serving to others because sweetness levels vary.

How To Make A Martini

Professional bartenders like to say, “A Martini is not a cocktail, it’s a conversation.” Most Martini drinkers know exactly how they like their drink made; anything else just isn’t right. A classic Martini is made with gin, though some people prefer vodka. The next ingredient is dry vermouth, and the proper amount is often debated. In the early twentieth century, 2:1 gin to vermouth was the norm, but that has steadily decreased over the years and some people don’t want vermouth at all. This recipe uses a 4:1 ratio, and you can feel free to adjust to taste.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

  • 2 drops Orange Bitters
  • 1/2 ounce Dry Vermouth
  • 2 1/2 ounce Gin
  • 1 Olives

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Put the bitters (if using), vermouth, and gin in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, about 15 seconds.
  2. Strain into the chilled glass. If using olives, put them on a cocktail pick and in the glass before straining the drink. Always use an odd number of olives—an even number is bad luck. If adding a twist, strain the drink into the glass, then hold the twist lengthwise just over the glass in the thumb and index finger of each hand and gently fold to express the oils from the peel
  3. Rub the twist on the rim of the glass. Put the twist in the drink.

quick tip

Shaken or stirred?We like to say James Bond ordered his Martini “shaken not stirred,” but that’s the exception to the rule. That’s fine for Mr. Bond, but a Martini is traditionally stirred, creating a silky texture with no air bubbles.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Martini-1.mp4

Martini

Professional bartenders like to say, “A Martini is not a cocktail, it’s a conversation.” Most Martini drinkers know exactly how they like their drink made; anything else just isn’t right.

  • 2 drops Orange Bitters
  • 1/2 ounce Dry Vermouth
  • 2 1/2 ounce Gin
  • 1 Olives

  1. Put the bitters (if using), vermouth, and gin in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, about 15 seconds.

  2. Strain into the chilled glass. If using olives, put them on a cocktail pick and in the glass before straining the drink. Always use an odd number of olives—an even number is bad luck. If adding a twist, strain the drink into the glass, then hold the twist lengthwise just over the glass in the thumb and index finger of each hand and gently fold to express the oils from the peel

  3. Rub the twist on the rim of the glass. Put the twist in the drink.

Shaken or stirred?
We like to say James Bond ordered his Martini “shaken not stirred,” but that’s the exception to the rule. That’s fine for Mr. Bond, but a Martini is traditionally stirred, creating a silky texture with no air bubbles

How To Make A Negroni

Like most things bar-related, the history of the Negroni is a little fuzzy. Most accounts trace the beginnings of this cocktail to Florence, Italy, around The story goes that Count Camillo Negroni enjoyed drinking Americanos at Caffè Casoni. He asked the bartender to make his favorite drink stronger, and the bartender replaced the sparkling water with gin. This is what we refer to as an “equal parts cocktail” for obvious reasons. A favorite of bartenders and cocktail aficionados, the Negroni is somewhat of an acquired taste, but once you acquire it, you may find yourself craving them.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce Gin
  • 1 ounce Campari
  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth
  • Orange Twist

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, about 15 seconds
  2. Strain into the old fashioned glass with one large ice cube.
  3. Express the oils from the orange twist, rub onto the rim, and place in the drink.

quick tip

Learning to make this drink is a jumping-off point for endless variations. Muddle some strawberries, add some herbs, and/or change the base spirit to create your own original cocktail.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tom-Collins-1-1.mp4

Negroni

Like most things bar-related, the history of the Negroni is a little fuzzy. Most accounts trace the beginnings of this cocktail to Florence, Italy, around 1919. The story goes that Count Camillo Negroni enjoyed drinking Americanos at Caffè Casoni.

  • 1 ounce Gin
  • 1 ounce Campari
  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth
  • Orange Twist

  1. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, about 15 seconds

  2. Strain into the old fashioned glass with one large ice cube.

  3. Express the oils from the orange twist, rub onto the rim, and place in the drink.

How To Make A Tom Collins

This is a delicious drink whose flavor profile suffered for many years from being made with artificial sour mix from soda guns at bars. When made with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, this is a wonderful, refreshing, and impressive cocktail. A note on the glassware: As the name implies, a Collins glass is ideal for this drink: it is similar to a Highball glass, only a bit skinnier and a bit taller. It’s up to you if you want to splurge on both Highball and Collins glassware, but a Highball glass will work just fine.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to the Shaker.
  • Add ice and shake until very cold, about 15 seconds. Fill the glass with as much ice as possible.
  • Strain the contents of the shaker into the ice-filled glass.Top with club soda.
  • Stir gently to combine—three rotations should be enough. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

quick tip

Learning to make this drink is a jumping-off point for endless variations. Muddle some strawberries, add some herbs, and/or change the base spirit to create your own original cocktail.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tom-Collins-1.mp4

Tom Collins

This is a delicious drink whose flavor profile suffered for many years from being made with artificial sour mix from soda guns at bars. When made with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, this is a wonderful,refreshing, and impressive cocktail.

  • 2 ounce gin
  • 3/4 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 ounce Lemon Juice
  • Club Soda
  • Lemon Wedge

  1. Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to the shaker.

  2. Add ice and shake until very cold, about 15 seconds. Fill the glass with as much ice as possible.

  3. Strain the contents of the shaker into the ice-filled glass.Top with club soda.

  4. Stir gently to combine—threerotations should be enough. Garnish with a lemonwedge.

Learning to make this drink is a jumping-off point for endless variations. Muddle some strawberries, add some herbs, and/or change the base spirit to create your own original cocktail.

How To Make A Gin and Tonic

A gin and tonic is a perfect Highball-style drink for a warm summer day, or any day when you are in the mood for a classic, refreshing cocktail. You may be surprised to learn that the history behind this drink involves a literal life-and-death situation. In the early nineteenth century, the army of the British East India Company discovered that quinine could prevent malaria, but the taste was bitter and unpalatable. The soldiers mixed it with water, gin, sugar, and lime, and the rest is history. To quote Winston Churchill, “The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives than all the doctors in the Empire.”

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Fill the glass with as much ice as possible.
  • Add the gin. Pour in the tonic water until the glass is full.
  • Stir gently to combine the ingredients—two or three rotations should be enough. Garnish with a lime wedge.

quick tip

The lime wedge should be perched on the side of the glass,so that the drinker can squeeze it into the drink. To accomplish this, make a cut in the middle of the lime wedge, halfway through the fruit. There are many affordable craft tonics on the market, so no need to settle for the supermarket brand if you’d like to experiment.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Gin-and-Tonic-1.mp4

Gin and Tonic

A gin and tonic is a perfect Highball-style drink for a warm summer day, or any day when you are in the mood for a classic, refreshing cocktail. You may be surprised to learn that the history behind this drink involves a literal life-and-death situation.

  • 2 ounces gin
  • lime wedge
  • tonic water

  1. Fill the glass with as much ice as possible.

  2. Add the gin.Pour in the tonic water until the glass is full.

  3. Stir gently tocombine the ingredients—two or three rotations shouldbe enough. Garnish with a lime wedge.

The lime wedge should be perched on the side of the glass,
so that the drinker can squeeze it into the drink. To
accomplish this, make a cut in the middle of the lime wedge,
halfway through the fruit.

There are many affordable craft tonics on the market, so
no need to settle for the supermarket brand if you’d like
to experiment.

How To Make A Daiquiri

The Daiquiri is generally credited to Jennings Cox, an American engineer in Cuba during the Spanish American War. Cox may have created the cocktail to prevent yellow fever in his workers or when he ran out of gin during a party. While the frozen Daiquiri can be a delightful drink, the classic Daiquiri is served up, meaning the ingredients are chilled and served in a cocktail glass. Because this drink is made with just three ingredients, the trick here is to use high-quality products and the proper techniques to get the balance just right. This drink is a favorite of bartenders, as it allows them to show off their skills, and it’s delicious.

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Pour the simple syrup, lime juice and rum into the shaker.
  2. Add ice. Shake until very cold, about 15 seconds.Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

quick tip

By mastering this basic sour drink, you’ll have a solid jumping-off point for a myriad of other cocktails: the Margarita, the Mai Tai, and the Whiskey Sour. Add club soda to a sour cocktail and a whole new world of drinks emerges, such as the Mojito and the Tom Collins.

https://lifetimevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Daiquiri.mp4

Daiquiri

The Daiquiri is generally credited to Jennings Cox, an American engineer in Cuba during the Spanish American War. Cox may have created the cocktail to prevent yellow fever in his workers or when he ran out of gin during a party.

  • 3/4 ounce simple syrup
  • 3/4 ounce Lime Juice
  • 2 ounce Silver Rum
  • Lime wheel

  1. Pour the simple syrup, lime juice and rum into the shaker.

  2. Add ice. Shake until very cold, about 15 seconds.Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

By mastering this basic sour drink, you’ll have a solid jumping-off point for a myriad of other cocktails: the Margarita, the Mai Tai, and the Whiskey Sour. Add club soda to a sour cocktail and a whole new world of drinks emerges, such as the Mojito and the Tom Collins.