How to Mix Classic Drinks

Many of us enjoy a drink now and then. And it's great to put some variety into one's consumption of spirits. The problem is, bars are just too expensive, and who really knows how to make a Velvet Hammer? In an effort to help people that can't afford to go out every time they want to try a new drink, I've typed up a list of drinks and how to prepare them. Just buy the ingredients, follow these instructions, and enjoy!

B-52

1 part Kahlua

1 part Grand Marnier

1 part Bailey's Irish Cream

Shake ingredients with ice. Strain into tumblers (or, you can serve them as shooters!)

Bellini

3 oz. Champagne

1 oz. Peach Schnapps

Add champagne to glass with peach schnapps.

Black Russian

1.5 oz. Vodka

.75 oz. Coffee Liqueur

Add coffee liqueur to tumbler of vodka. Stir.

Bloody Mary

2.5 oz. Tomato Juice

1.25 oz. vodka

Dash of Salt and Pepper

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Pour vodka into a tall glass that has ice. Add tomato juice on top. Add the sauces and the salt and pepper. Garnish with celery.

Brandy Alexander

1.5 oz. Brandy or Cognac

1 oz. Cream or Ice Cream

.5 oz. Dark Crème de Cacao

Shake with ice, serve in a cocktail glass.

Cosmopolitan

1 oz. Vodka

.5 oz Lime Juice

.5 oz Cranberry Juice

.5 oz Triple Sec

.5 oz. Cointreau

Fill mixing glass halfway with ice. Add ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass and garnish with lime.

Champagne Cocktail

3 oz. Champagne

1 Sugar Cube

Dash of Angostura Bitters

Place sugar in glass. Add champagne and bitters. Stir. Garnish with lemon twist.

Daiquiri

1.5 oz Light Rum

1 tsp. Powdered Sugar

.5 oz. Lemon Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into glass.

Fuzzy Navel

1.5 oz. Peach Schnapps

3 oz. Orange Juice

Add orange juice to tumbler of peach schnapps and ice. Stir.

Grasshopper

.5 oz. White Crème de Menthe

.5 oz Green Crème de Menthe

.5 oz. Cream

Put ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

Harvey Wallbanger

1 oz. Vodka

4 oz. Orange Juice

.25 oz. Galliano

Pour orange juice and vodka into a glass with ice. Float Galliano on top. Do not stir.

Irish Coffee

Hot Coffee

Sugar

Cream

1.5 oz. Irish Coffee

Poor whiskey into a mug. Fill with coffee. Add sugar and cream to taste.

Long Island Iced Tea

.5 oz. Light Rum

.5 oz. Triple Sec

.5 oz. Vodka

.5 oz. Gin

.5 oz Light Tequila

Cola

Shake alcohol with ice. Strain into glass. Fill glass with cola. Ice is optional with this drink.

Manhattan

2 oz. Whiskey

1 tbsp. Sweet or Dry Vermouth

Dash of Angostura Bitters

Poor ingredients into glass and stir. Garnish with a cherry

Margarita

1 oz. Tequila

1 oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec

1 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix or Lime Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a glass (salt-rimmed if possible). Garnish with a slice of lime.

Martini

2 oz. Gin

1 oz. Extra Dry Vermouth

Shake or stir ingredients and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an olive or a lemon twist (Note: the less vermouth you add, the drier your martini will be).

Old Fashioned

1.5 oz. Whiskey

.25 oz Powdered Sugar

2 Dashes Angostura Bitters

1 tbsp. Club Soda

Slice of Orange

Cherry

Put orange slice, cherry (remove stem), club soda and sugar in a tumbler. Mash with a spoon until they are well-blended. Add the whiskey and bitters, then stir.

Pina Colada

1.5 oz. Rum

2 oz. Cream of Coconut

2 oz. Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice and serve

Pink Lady

1.5oz. Gin

3 oz. Cream

2 tbsp. Grenadine

Shake ingredients with ice until they are blended well. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

Planter's Punch

2 oz. Light Rum

1 tbsp. Dark Rum

1 tsp. Sugar

2 oz. Orange Juice

Dash of Grenadine

Shake all ingredients except dark rum with ice. Strain into a glass and add the dark rum on top.

Rob Roy

2 oz. Scotch

.5 oz. Sweet Vermouth

Stir ingredients with ice. Strain into a glass.

Rusty Nail

1 oz. Scotch

1 oz. Drambuie

Pour into glass with ice and stir.

Singapore Sling

1.5 oz. Gin

.5 oz. Cherry Brandy

.5 oz. Benedictine

.5 oz. Grenadine

Club Soda

Dash of Grenadine

Pour ingredients (except for cherry brandy and club soda) into glass with ice. Stir well. Fill almost all the way with club soda. Top with cherry brandy. Garnish with cherry.

Stinger

1.5 oz. Brandy or Cognac

.25 oz. White Crème de Menthe

Pour ingredients into glass with ice and stir.

Tequila Sunrise

1. oz. Tequila

Orange Juice

.5 oz. Grenadine

Pour grenadine into tall glass. Place ice cubes into glass with tongs until full. Pour in tequila, and then add orange juice. Garnish with a slice of orange. The idea is to be able to see separate layers in the drink, so pour gently.

Tom Collins

1.5 oz. Gin

Club Soda

1 oz. Lemon Juice

Shake gin and lemon juice. Pour over ice. Fill with club soda and it's ready to drink.

Velvet Hammer

1.5 oz. Vodka

1 tbsp. White Crème de Cacao

1 tbsp. Cream

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into glass.

Vodka Martini

2 oz. Vodka

Dash of Extra Dry Vermouth

Shake or stir with ice. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with olive or lemon twist.

Whiskey Sour

1.5 oz. Whiskey

1 oz. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Powdered Sugar

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into glass. Drink can be served with ice.

Zombie

.75 oz. Dark Rum

.75 oz Light Rum

1 oz. Orange Juice

1 oz. Lemon Juice

1 oz. Pineapple Juice

1 tsp. Powdered Sugar

Dash of Overproof Rum(151)

Shake all ingredients except 151 with ice. Strain into a glass. Add 151 on top. Garnish with pineapple and/or a cherry.

I hope that this guide is helpful to all of you out there who like to try new drinks, but can't afford the bar scene. Enjoy these classics, and never be afraid to try and create a classic of your own!