Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Curacao / Daily Mix / Martini Monday / Schnapps / Vodka
by Keet · Published July 31, 2026 · Last modified July 30, 2026
The SOUR APPLE MARTINI, a.k.a. APPLETINI, originated in the ’90s with Ketel One vodka, DeKuyper Sour Apple Schnapps, and sour mix. Its sweet/tart apple flavor masked the alcohol content, leading to its rapid popularity. While often modified with apple juice,...
Bitters / Bourbon / Daily Mix / Demerara / Throwback Thursday / Whiskey (blended)
by Keet · Published July 28, 2026
The OLD FASHIONED remains a favorite 200 years after its introduction. It’s one of the simplest mixed drinks to make, and it may have been the first step into the world of cocktails. It enhances your favorite whiskey-on-the-rocks with bitters,...
Aperol/Campari/Cynar / Daily Mix / Orange Juice / Vodka
by Keet · Published July 24, 2026 · Last modified July 22, 2026
If you enjoy Campari cocktails like the Negroni or Boulevardier and want to explore a vodka-based alternative, the GENOA VODKA is an excellent choice. It’s also a great introduction for those who find Campari too bitter. This drink reimagines the...
Bourbon / Daily Mix / Grapefruit Juice
by Keet · Published July 21, 2026 · Last modified July 20, 2026
The BROWN DERBY is an excellent grapefruit-based cocktail for the bourbon aficionado. Using a sweet, juicy red grapefruit makes all the difference. The Brown Derby is easy to make: simply shake bourbon, grapefruit juice, and honey syrup together with ice....
The MATCHA HIGHBALL offers a refreshing twist on the classic whiskey highball, a cocktail especially popular in Japan. Incorporating matcha green tea powder not only lends a delightful earthy flavor, but also provides the rich nutrients and antioxidants in green...
Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Daily Mix / Orange Juice / Rum / Tequila / Mezcal
by Keet · Published July 14, 2026 · Last modified July 13, 2026
The GOLDDIGGER cocktail is a very smooth mix of golden rum, gold tequila, Grand Marnier and fresh orange juice. It’s quick and easy to make. It goes down like a rum punch, but adds the kick of tequila. It can...
Amaretto / Bitters / Daily Mix / Maraschino / Vermouth (sweet & dry) / Whiskey (blended)
by Keet · Published July 10, 2026
The STILETTO MANHATTAN adds a small portion of Amaretto to whiskey and dry vermouth, creating a dressed-up and well-balanced alternative Manhattan. The small amount of almond-flavored liqueur is just sweet enough to counter the dry vermouth without overpowering it, resulting...
The under-appreciated BETWEEN THE SHEETS cocktail warms the heart, or at least the palate, by essentially adding rum to a Sidecar. It starts good and ends great. Requirements: Brandy or cognac, light or gold rum, Cointreau, simple syrup (optional), lemon...
Bourbon / Daily Mix / Gin / Rum / Seasonal Sunday / Tequila / Mezcal / Vodka
by Keet · Published July 3, 2026
Toast to America’s 250th with a unique and delicious cocktail! This year, July 4th cocktails will lean toward cold and refreshing. Beyond the usual beer or margarita, a few others deserve recommendations. Those made with ice and mixers like ginger...
Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Daily Mix / Grapefruit Juice / Tequila / Mezcal
by Keet · Published June 30, 2026
The RUBY RITA is a grapefruit margarita, perfect for warm weather and July 4 holidays. It has the tequila and orange liqueur of a standard margarita, but adds fresh grapefruit juice for a refreshing twist. Lime juice is optional. Gold...
Bitters / Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Daily Mix / Gin / Orange Juice
by Keet · Published June 26, 2026
The MAIDEN’S PRAYER was originally the name of a popular lyric-embellished Polish piano solo from 1856. It appeared as a cocktail in American Bar by 1907 and evolved into a delicious gin, Cointreau, citrus and bitters cocktail around 1930. This...
The HOOPLA cocktail mix is simple and memorable: four ingredients, all in equal parts. For a tart drink, omit the sugar rim; for a sweeter one, add it. You can create a tasty Hoopla by starting with a Sidecar mix,...
If you’ve got a good bottle of London dry gin, the BOOMERANG offers an expanded and more flavorful variation of a Gin Martini. It’s really just a couple of adjustments: The proportions are slightly different and maraschino liqueur is added...
The classic version of the LEMON DROP is simply vodka, lemon juice, orange liqueur and simple syrup. There is much room for experimentation with ingredients such as muddled fresh fruit or citron vodka, but the original is delicious, light and...
If you’re looking for a simple, two-ingredient cocktail that sips nicely, look no further. The BATISTE is a very flavorful rum/Grand Marnier mix that can be tailored to your mood. For a lighter flavor, use golden rum; if you prefer...
The MELON DAIQUIRI offers two serving options for fans of melon-flavored cocktails: (1) shaken and poured over ice into an Old-Fashioned glass, or (2) blended and served frozen in a margarita glass. Both versions feature light rum, Midori melon liqueur,...
Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Daily Mix / Fizzy Friday / Gin
by Keet · Published June 5, 2026 · Last modified June 4, 2026
The GIN DAISY has two versions: an old-school and a new-school. I favor the old-school recipe, which sweetens lemon juice with orange liqueur, maintaining the classic lemony “Sour” profile. It’s refreshing, light, balanced, and an excellent precursor to dinner. Requirements:...
Aperol/Campari/Cynar / Daily Mix / Grapefruit Juice / Tequila / Mezcal
by Keet · Published June 3, 2026 · Last modified June 4, 2026
The SIESTA is a Campari and tequila mix that offers a sweet, citrusy tartness more likely to refresh than put you to sleep. The name is likely a nod to Mexico and tequila. The standout flavors are lime and grapefruit...
Bitters / Daily Mix / Maraschino / Tequila / Mezcal / Vermouth (sweet & dry)
by Keet · Published May 29, 2026 · Last modified June 3, 2026
The NEW YORK MINUTE has several cocktail renditions, my favorite being the recipe published by Difford’s Guide. The drink may have earned its name because it tastes like a tequila version of a Manhattan. It’s quick to prepare since it...
Daily Mix / Grapefruit Juice / Maraschino / Rum
by Keet · Published May 26, 2026 · Last modified May 25, 2026
The HEMINGWAY DAIQUIRI is known for its reduced sweetness, achieved by adding the bitter-tart qualities of grapefruit juice, omitting all sugar or simple syrup, incorporating maraschino liqueur and doubling the rum. Bartenders have since balanced Hemingway’s original recipe, often reducing...
Aperol/Campari/Cynar / Daily Mix / Maraschino / Vermouth (sweet & dry) / Whiskey (blended)
by Keet · Published May 22, 2026 · Last modified May 20, 2026
If you’re in the mood for a Manhattan, but would like a tasty variation, the BENSONHURST is a must-try. This cocktail replaces the sweet vermouth of a classic Manhattan with dry vermouth. Splashes of maraschino liqueur and the Italian aperitif,...
Aperol/Campari/Cynar / Daily Mix / Pineapple Juice / Rum
by Keet · Published May 19, 2026 · Last modified May 18, 2026
The SALTY BIRD is a great transition drink into warmer weather. It’s a tropical-style drink that uses black rum, preferably black-strap rum, which has more of a smoky overtone than white rum. A pinch of salt is added to the...
The tequila version of a Black Russian is the BRAVE BULL. Silver blanco tequila and coffee liqueur (Kahlua preferred) complement each other as if they were always meant to be. With only two ingredients and no bar tools necessary, this...
Bitters / Daily Mix / Gin / Maraschino
by Keet · Published May 12, 2026 · Last modified May 11, 2026
TheCASINO is an elegant gin-based cocktail featuring Maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and orange bitters. It is one of the few gin cocktails that suggests using a sweeter gin like Old Tom versus a London dry gin. Requirements:gin (Old Tom preferred),...
Aperol/Campari/Cynar / Bitters / Daily Mix / Tequila / Mezcal / Vermouth (sweet & dry)
by Keet · Published May 8, 2026
The ROSITA is a delicious tequila-based alternative to the ever-popular margarita, featuring Campari. The Rosita re-balances the Italian bitter Campari by using equal parts sweet and dry vermouth and adds Angostura bitters as an anchor. The bitter-sweetness of Campari, which...
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Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Curacao / Daily Mix / Martini Monday / Schnapps / Vodka
Sour Apple Martini (Appletini)
July 31, 2026
Bitters / Bourbon / Daily Mix / Demerara / Throwback Thursday / Whiskey (blended)
July 28, 2026
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