Cocktails Any Amateur Bartender Can Perfect

You don't have to be a trained mixologist to make a good drink. Amateur bartenders only need quality ingredients, good technique, and the right ratios to make the perfect cocktail. According to Popular Mechanics, every cocktail is made from a spirit, balancing agent, modifier, and water. Finding equilibrium between those components is key — much like a functioning engine.

If you plan to work on your cocktail-making skills, you definitely want to have some essential bartending tools. Consider whether your home bar has mixing glasses, shakers, jiggers (a cocktail measuring cup), strainers, a muddler, a citrus juicer, and a paring knife. These items can help you be precise and consistent while simplifying the process of bringing the cocktail elements together (via Time Out).

In addition to the right bartending tools, practice makes perfect. However, that doesn't mean trying countless versions of a cocktail to see which twist you like best. Instead, embrace the flavors and nuances of the cocktail's basic form before veering into adventurous territory. Flexing your bartending skills while staying true to the classic recipe will finetune your approach and work out the kinks of the final product.

When it's time to expand your arsenal and level up your game, here are cocktails any amateur bartender can perfect.

If you're planning on hosting brunch, it wouldn't be complete without mimosas. This refreshing cocktail is made with sparkling white wine and orange juice for a bubbly, citrusy concoction that rounds out any breakfast-centric meal. The good news is that mimosas are incredibly simple to make. A classic mimosa recipe calls for a 2:3 ratio of orange juice to sparkling wine, gently stirred together and served in a Champagne flute.

As you perfect your mimosa, keep in mind that this popular brunch drink can easily become too sweet. Depending on the type of sparkling wine and orange juice you use, you risk serving up a glass of sugar rather than a balanced cocktail. When choosing your ingredients, the best mimosas are made with quality Prosecco or Champagne that offer complex flavor notes rather than just sweetness. Likewise, don't shy away from being particular about your orange juice. While freshly squeezed is ideal, there are store-bought options that are a close second, providing that fresh tartness that will round out your mimosa.

Not a fan of orange juice? Although it might be tempting to switch it up for something else, you could end up with an entirely different cocktail by the end. For example, a Bellini is a similar drink consisting of sparkling wine and peach puree. When a drink only has two ingredients, you really should reconsider substitutions.

Another staple to have in your bartending arsenal is the old fashioned. This cocktail calls for bourbon or rye whiskey, sugar, and bitters, which is a combination that dates back to the late 1600s (via Difford's Guide). However, it wasn't until the early 1800s that whiskey cocktails began to gain popularity. As a way to differentiate the simple three-ingredient concoction from other more complicated whiskey cocktails, people would order the old-fashioned version to avoid the frills of added flavors.

The foundation of a classic old fashioned is quality bourbon, which is an American whiskey made with at least 51% corn as part of the grain mash (per Bourbon Country). With so many options on the market, it can be hard to choose the best bourbon to use in your old fashioned without some struggle. The key is to find one that isn't too sweet or too harsh. A balanced bourbon should have several flavor notes, including subtle sweetness from the corn and a rich oakiness from the barrel.

Not to be outdone, a good bottle of bitters can make or break an old fashioned. Bitters enhance the complexity of the cocktail by adding botanical flavors that balance the sweetness of the bourbon and sugar (per Town & Country). Combine the ingredients with ice in a chilled tumbler and garnish with an orange twist for the ultimate old fashioned.

There is a common misconception that a cosmopolitan cocktail is just a fancy vodka-cranberry. Made popular by HBO's "Sex and the City," the cosmo is actually much more complex when made the right way (via Chilled Magazine). A classic cosmopolitan combines citrus vodka, fresh lime juice, white or red cranberry juice, and typically Triple Sec or Cointreau. These ingredients are shaken with ice and strained into a chilled martini glass.

A well-made cosmo is sweet, tart, and refreshing. Much like many other cocktails, the key to finding this balance is in the quality of the ingredients. Always use top-shelf vodka, fresh lime juice, and good cranberry juice when making this drink. Be sure to avoid any product labeled as a cranberry juice cocktail, which is not 100% cranberry juice and is packed with added sugars and high-fructose corn syrup (per My Recipes). Since this cocktail is not served over ice, give the ingredients a good shake with ice to ensure the cosmo is nicely chilled before you pour it into a martini glass.

If you're looking for a refreshing cocktail to serve during the hot summer months, a classic mojito will add a pop of energy to any gathering. Also, because the recipe calls for soda water rather than tonic or sweetened juice, mojitos are comparatively low in calories and have less sugar than other cocktails (via Popsugar). This could add to its appeal for those who are watching their calorie intake.

This Cuban cocktail uses rum as its base, combined with lime juice, soda water, sugar, and mint. Although there is some debate over its origins, the mojito is thought to have evolved from a popular pirate drink called El Draque, which consisted of a sugarcane spirit, tree bark, cane sugar, lime, and mint (via Business Insider).

Because the mojito is fairly simple at its core, it's important not to mess with the components too much. A good bartender will limit substitutions and stick with high-quality ingredients. You'll need to have white rum, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda, and mint on hand, along with a muddler, cocktail shaker, and tall glass.

Now, it's time to test your skills. To make the perfect mojito, add mint leaves to the bottom of the shaker and muddle until fragrant. Combine the rum, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and ice, then cover and shake vigorously until the cocktail is mixed and chilled. Strain over a glass filled with ice, add a splash of club soda, and use mint leaves and lime as garnishes.

For an elegant party drink, a classic sidecar cocktail with cognac and orange liqueur is always a crowd-pleaser. While vodka and whiskey seem to get more attention when it comes to cocktails, the sidecar is made with brandy, a spirit traditionally made from grapes. It tends to have a fruity and mildly sweet flavor, which can vary depending on the origin of the brandy, according to MasterClass.

Tracing the source of this tasty cocktail points to its invention in either Paris or London shortly after World War I (per VinePair). The sidecar has managed to stand the test of time and survive decades in which candy-flavored vodka concoctions were all the rage, NYC bartender Julie Reiner tells Punch. If you're up for a challenge and want to switch up your party cocktail go-to's, it's time to add the sidecar to your repertoire.

To make a sidecar, rim a chilled coupe glass with sugar. Then, fill a shaker with ice and add cognac, lemon juice, and orange liqueur. Shake the ingredients with the ice until chilled and combined. Then, strain the cocktail into your prepared coupe glass and serve right away.

A Manhattan combines whiskey, vermouth, and bitters in a way that any classic cocktail lover will enjoy. While an old fashioned — another popular whiskey cocktail — typically features bourbon at its base, the Manhattan often highlights rye whiskey, which is made with at least 51% rye grain in the fermentation mash.

According to Drinks International, a survey involving 100 of the best bars around the world ranked the Manhattan as the eighth most-ordered cocktail of 2021. The survey results show that it was also a top-three pick in more than 10% of participating bars. That alone should give any amateur bartender a good reason to want to perfect this popular libation!

To make a classic Manhattan, you'll need rye whiskey, dry vermouth, bitters, and orange peel. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass with ice and add the cocktail ingredients. Gently stir the drink until all the elements are combined and chilled. Then, strain it into a cocktail glass and top it with an orange peel twist to round out the flavors. You can also run the orange peel over the rim of the glass to add an additional citrus element to the drink.

Although a good Bloody Mary may require more steps and ingredients than other cocktails, the results are worth the effort. A survey conducted by Drinks International found that the Bloody Mary was the 11th most-ordered cocktail at the top 100 bars around the world in 2021. It's definitely a popular drink staple that is often consumed in the morning, during a boozy brunch, or as a globally accepted cure for a hangover. Whether it actually does help in the latter case is still up for debate.

There are several variations and a never-ending array of garnishes you can add to the drink, but the perfect Bloody Mary consists of vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, black pepper, salt to rim the glass, and a celery stalk. First, combine the vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and pepper in a shaker over ice. Shake vigorously to make sure all the ingredients are properly integrated. Then, strain the contents into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice and add the celery stalk.