Just in time for the summer, The Distilled Man has a list of go-to drinks for your get-togethers.
Ditch that Red Bull and Vodka. It’s time to put on your big boy pants and start drinking real cocktails.
There comes a time in every man’s life when drinking becomes an art. It’s that shift from drinking anything to get drunk, to wanting to experience unique flavors, sights and scents.
This happens around the time a man realizes that quality is often more important than quantity. When he realizes college isn’t the end of his education. And that in order to be a real gentleman, he’ll have to keep learning and challenging himself. Start listening more than he talks. Learning from those around him and from past generations.
Men in the early 20th century knew how to drink. Cocktails essentially grew out of the need to cover up the nasty taste of liquor back then. When they drank whiskey, they weren’t getting “subtle hints of vanilla and caramel.” The hooch could be pretty rough. So, getting creative with cocktails wasn’t just the result of idle curiosity. It was a necessity.
What amazes me is how the classic cocktail recipes continue to stand the test of time. Just like the Stradivari’s and their violins, early “mixologists” somehow got it right from the getgo. Sure, we can create fancy derivations. But at the end of the day, it’s pretty hard to improve on greatness.
Here are some of the classic cocktails every man should know how to make:
Manhattan
Originally invented around the 1870s, the Manhattan is one of THE classic cocktails. Like many of those original drinks, it’s about tasting the liquor in its full glory. No hiding behind mixers here. But it’s not about brute force either. There’s some elegance to it, and that’s what makes it an amazing cocktail.
- 2 oz rye or bourbon
- 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
- 1-2 dashes bitters
- Maraschino cherry or lemon twist for garnish
Combine the rye, vermouth and bitters in a mixing glass or shaker with ice. Stir for a bit, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry or lemon twist.
Martini
A couple things to clear up: (1) The original martini was made with gin. If you want vodka in it you need to order a “vodka martini.” (2) Even a dry martini should contain SOME vermouth, otherwise it’s just chilled gin. Although I’m still amused by the Winston Churchill dry martini: in his version he preferred to simply “observe the vermouth” from across the room while drinking his chilled gin.
Here is the classic martini recipe:
- 2-1/2 oz gin
- 1/2 oz dry vermouth
- Olives or a lemon twist for garnish
Pour gin and vermouth into a shaker or mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for a bit, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with olives or lemon twist.
Old Fashioned
This is my go-to. There’s something so hearty and simple about it. If you’ve got bourbon or rye on hand and you’ve got bitters, essentially all you need is a little sweetness. Invented in the 19th century (hence the name), it’s rumored to have started as a breakfast drink. Hey, if the average life expectancy was only 43, you’d wash down your muesli with a little booze too!
- 2 oz bourbon or rye
- 3-4 dashes bitters
- 1/2 oz sugar or sugar cube (simple syrup works as well)
- Splash of soda
- Optional: Cherry or orange slice for muddling, or lemon twist for garnish
Add the sugar or simple syrup to the bottom of a rocks glass. Add the bitters and a splash of soda. Muddle together the sugar, bitters and soda (and fruit if you’re using it) with a spoon or muddler. Add ice, and pour in the rye or bourbon, stirring it all together. Optional: rub the lemon twist around the brim of the glass to bring out the scent of the oils before dropping it in the glass.
Classic Daiquiri
Another favorite of mine. The classic daiquiri is not the 7-11 slushy you thought you knew. It’s anything but a girly drink. I like to say the daiquiri is the VW Bug of cocktails. It’s so easy to tinker with, you can see how people got carried away adding in all manner of fruit and flair.
- 2 oz rum
- 1 oz simple syrup (1 part water, 1 part sugar shaken vigorously until it becomes a solution)
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Combine the rum, simple syrup and lime juice with ice in a shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass or pour into a rocks glass with the ice. Add a lime wedge for garnish.
Sidecar
There’s something elegant about this classic cocktail that brings to mind smartly dressed chaps in top hats and white gloves. It is considered one of the classic “sours,” in the same family as the whiskey sour and the margarita. If this is the “sidecar,” I’m curious to know what the actual motorcycle tastes like. I’m guessing amazing.
- 2 oz brandy
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- A bit of sugar for the rim (optional)
Optional: rub lemon juice on the rim of a cocktail glass and dip into some sugar. Combine brandy, Cointreau and lime juice in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain and pour into the chilled cocktail glass
Margarita
A younger derivation of the sidecar, this is a great vehicle for good tequila but just as much so for some beautifully fresh citrus on a hot day. If all you’ve known until now is margaritas made with store-bought “margarita mix,” prepare to have your mind blown.
- 2 oz agave tequila
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- Lime wedge for garnish
- A bit of salt for the brim (optional)
Optional: rub lime juice on the rim of the glass and dip into some salt. Combine tequila, Cointreau and lime juice in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain and serve in the chilled cocktail glass or into a rocks glass with the ice. Add a lime wedge for garnish.
Negroni
This is an acquired taste for some. The bitterness of the Campari can be a bit intense. But when made well, it is one of the best representations of “balance” in the cocktail world. The story goes that an Italian nobleman “Count Negroni” wanted a little extra kick in his Americano (a blend of Campari, sweet vermouth and soda). So the bartender substituted gin for the soda. And pretty soon everyone in the land wanted an Americano “the Negroni way.”
- 1-1/2 oz gin
- 1-1/2 oz Campari
- 1-1/2 oz sweet vermouth
- Orange slice or lemon peel for garnish (optional)
Pour gin, Campari, and vermouth into a rocks glass with ice and stir well. Garnish with an orange slice or lemon peel.
I’d be curious to know what other classic cocktails you’ve been enjoying. What would you add to this list? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Also, do you agree that the classics are still the classics? Or are there new classics being developed that deserve some consideration in the cocktail canon?
Originally posted at thedistilledman.com
Photo: Sam Howzit/flickr
Thanks for sharing, @PursuitAce! Would be curious to know how much the quality of the vermouth has to do with that.
A very nice list. I would just add to the Churchill martini concept that we found that just one or two drops of dry vermouth would satisfy the pickiest martini customers. Any more and they would complain. If a customer asked for very little vermouth I would just pretend to pour the dry, give the glass some vapors (Churchill close I guess), and they would usually rave about how we knew how to make a martini. Crazy, I know.