5 Must-Try Cocktail Recipes for Your Next Home Bar Night
Whether you're a seasoned mixologist or just getting started behind the home bar, a great cocktail recipe is your best friend. We've pulled together five crowd-pleasing classics — each one easy to make and guaranteed to impress.
1. Classic Negroni
Ingredients: 25ml gin, 25ml Campari, 25ml sweet vermouth, orange peel to garnish.
Method: Stir all ingredients over ice until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.
Why we love it: Bold, bitter, and beautifully balanced. The Negroni is the ultimate aperitivo.
2. Aperol Spritz
Ingredients: 90ml Prosecco, 60ml Aperol, splash of soda water, orange slice to garnish.
Method: Fill a large wine glass with ice. Add Prosecco, then Aperol, then a splash of soda. Stir gently and garnish with an orange slice.
Why we love it: Light, refreshing, and endlessly sociable. Perfect for summer gatherings.
3. Espresso Martini
Ingredients: 50ml vodka, 25ml coffee liqueur, 25ml freshly brewed espresso (cooled), coffee beans to garnish.
Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.
Why we love it: The ultimate after-dinner drink — sophisticated, indulgent, and a little bit of a showstopper.
4. Mojito
Ingredients: 50ml white rum, 25ml fresh lime juice, 2 tsp sugar syrup, fresh mint, soda water.
Method: Muddle mint leaves gently in a highball glass. Add rum, lime juice, and sugar syrup. Fill with crushed ice and top with soda water. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Why we love it: Fresh, zingy, and endlessly refreshing. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
5. Old Fashioned
Ingredients: 50ml bourbon or rye whiskey, 1 sugar cube (or 1 tsp sugar syrup), 2 dashes Angostura bitters, orange peel to garnish.
Method: Place the sugar cube in a rocks glass and saturate with bitters. Add a splash of water and muddle. Add whiskey and a large ice cube. Stir until chilled. Garnish with an orange peel.
Why we love it: A true classic. Simple, strong, and deeply satisfying.
Stock Up Your Home Bar
Ready to shake things up? Browse The Bar Pantry for everything you need — from cocktail shakers and jiggers to glassware and garnish tools. Your best cocktail night starts here.