Simple Weekday Drinks

Whether you’re getting ready for GameDay or just coming home from a long day of work, sometimes you want a drink that’s tasty yet doesn’t take a lot of effort to make. Simple drinks don’t have to be bad! Sometimes a quick and easy to make drink is just what the doctor ordered. Of course, these recipes can always be enlarged if you’re having a party or even just a couple of friends over.

1. Classic Whiskey Sour:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon or whiskey
• 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup (mix equal parts sugar and water, then cool)
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Fill a shaker with ice.
2. Add whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
3. Shake vigorously.
4. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
5. Garnish with a lemon slice or cherry.

2. Margarita:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz tequila
• 1 oz triple sec or orange liqueur
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• Ice
• Salt (for rimming, optional)
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions:

1. Rim the glass with salt (if desired).
2. Fill a shaker with ice.
3. Add tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.
4. Shake well.
5. Strain into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice.
6. Garnish with a lime wedge.

3. Classic Martini:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 oz gin or vodka
• 1/2 oz dry vermouth
• Ice
• Lemon twist or olive for garnish

Instructions:

1. Fill a mixing glass or shaker with ice.
2. Add gin or vodka and vermouth.
3. Stir well (or shake for a “bruised” martini).
4. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
5. Garnish with a lemon twist or olive.

4. Mojito:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz white rum
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 6-8 fresh mint leaves
• Soda water
• Ice
• Lime slice and mint sprig for garnish

Instructions:

1. Muddle mint leaves and sugar in a glass.
2. Add ice, rum, and lime juice.
3. Stir well.
4. Top off with soda water.
5. Garnish with a lime slice and mint sprig.

The best part is that these drinks are versatile, and can be had either on the rocks or not. They’re also easy to batch ahead of time. If you’re making the Whiskey Sour for multiple people, simply make it with 6 ounces of bourbon, 4 ounces of lemon juice, and a full ounce of simple syrup.

Sometimes the best drinks are the simplest ones. There’s a reason these drinks remain some of the most popular drinks in America. Give one of these a try the next time you get home, and feel free to add your own spin on it!