What's new

Cocktails

Favorite Cocktail


  • Total voters
    23

emoo

Hyper Poster
I enjoy the finer things in life with cocktails and rollercoasters high on the list (also featuring decent rockwork, theming and my cats in the mix)

Even got a Negroni at Legoland Windsor the other day! It was pre-mixed and the bartender still had to go to the back to look up the recipe but a leap for Merlin in my lapsed experience.

>>> What are your favorite cocktails? Recipes given as examples but all have variations. Almost always add ice

20th Century - Two parts gin, one part white Creme de Cacao; dry vermouth and fresh lemon juice. Garnish with a sprinkle of cocoa powder or a lemon slice.
Amaretto Sour - Amaretto, Lemon juice and sugar water
Bloody Mary - Full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death... which I hope is soon. Add tomato Juice with Worcester sauce and ideally a celery garnish. Rarely mixed well but the best breakfast if done well. Add pickle juice and use Clamato juice instead for a Caesar.
Brandy Alexander - Equal parts Brandy, crème de cacao & cream with nutmeg on top
Corpse Reviver - Brandy/cognac with 1 part Calvados and Sweet Vermouth. There is another version with gin, and the numbering system is inconsistent with the internet and my cocktail book so I wet with the one I am into tonight.
Cosmopolitan - 2 parts Vodka, 2 parts Cranberry, 1 part Cointreau, 1 part Fresh lime juice
Daiquiri - 2 parts Rum, 1 part Lime, sugar water with lime garnish. Mixed with crushed ice is widespread but neat also good.
El Diablo - Tequila, Crème de cassis, lime juice and ginger ale. suggested by @Ben
Espresso Martini - Propa Espresso, Vodka & Coffee Liqueur. Add 1 to 3 pointless coffee bean(s) for some class.
Gin Fizz / Tom Collins - Gin, Lemon & Soda Water. The difference is how much foam you create with shaking or a cheating egg
Godfather - Bourbon with Amaretto suggested by @Will
Long Island Iced Tea - Vodka, Tequila, light &/or dark rum, triple sec, gin, and as little cola as you cant manage
Lynchburg Lemonade - 2 Whiskey, 1 Cointreau, 1 lemon juice. Even Weatherspoons can make this bearable
Manhattan - 2 parts Whiskey or Bourbon & 1 part Vermouth (sweet and/or dry) with bitters and an optional cherry
Margarita - 2 parts tequila, 1 lime & 1 Cointreau. Special ingredient suggested by @LiveForTheLaunch is Apple juice
Martini - Gin or Vodka (both if you want to have a really good time) with a splash of Vermouth of your choice. Always stirred - James Bond didn't have a clue. Can be dirtied up with olive juice but I wouldn't
Michelada - Use lime juice to add a chili salt rim to a glass, then fill with Beer, more lime and something spicy like Tabasco sauce
Mint Julep - Muddle mint with sugar syrup then add Bourbon
Mojito - Rum & Soda water with sugar, mint and lime
Moscow/Gin gin mule - Vodka or Gin with Ginger Beer and lime. Add mint.
Negroni - Equal parts Gin, Sweet Vermouth & Campari - garnish with Orange peel/slice/spray (exchange Gin for sparkling water for an Americano)
Piña Colada - Rum, cream of coconut or coconut milk, and pineapple juice all blended or shaken with lots of ice. Garnished with pineapple wedge and/or maraschino cherry. suggested by @Nicky Borrill
Planters Punch - Lots of Rum, bit less Lime, even less sugar water and dash of bitters. Top off with (sparkling) water to taste.
Old Fashioned - Dissolve a Sugar Cube in bitters, add water & Whiskey or Bourbon. Add optional cherry or orange slice
Pornstar Martini - Vodka & passion fruit purée with lime juice & sugar water. Add a shot of prosecco because why the f**k not and it goes well.
Sangria - Wine and Fruit - the Spanish will have more to say on this and do it right
Sazerac - Absinthe rinse, Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Peychaud’s Bitters, Sugar Cube - suggested and not doctored by and authoritarian @Hyde (which would have saved me the trouble). Will be a while before I have over half those ingredients to try.
Sex on the Beach - Vodka, peach schnapps, orange and cranberry juice
Sidecar - 2 parts Cognac, 1 part Lemon juice, 1 part Cointreau
Tequila Sunrise - Tequila, orange juice, and grenadine. If you carefully layer in a martini glass with a cherry at the bottom it can look like an actual sunrise
Whiskey Sour - Whiskey (although I prefer borbon ) ,lemon juice & sugar. Shake with optional egg white.
Zombie - Light Rum, Dark Rum, darker rum, bitters, Pineapple/Orange/Lime/grapefruit/etc juice, grenadine and whatever else you have to hand. For special occasions serve with something on fire such as a hollowed out passion fruit filled with a sugar cube dissolved in absinthe. Thank you Steve & the Dragon Bar at Phantasialand ❤ Another head hangs lowly
?? Vodka, sarsaparilla syrup and cream soda suggested by @rob666

Beer / Cider / Rosé made of white and red wine - This poll is not for you but I may still drink with you.
Any Spirit with any mixer is not a cocktail for this list - but do try gin with bitter lemon or fresh grapefruit juice, but never coke.


There's oh so many more. Will happily add to this list, even if just for a recipe reference.
 
Last edited:

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
Tequila Sunrise... It’s the safe bet, can’t really make a bad one, and tequila never fails to make anyone (who likes it) happy!

Local (ish) secret / hidden bar in Nottingham does one called RUN Q.M.C (the name a play on Run DMC and the Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham) I quite enjoy it, it tastes great and the gimmick factor is 11 out of 10...

BD1A2F5E-1E93-4936-8E5E-CBC14DBB0A07.jpeg

And yes, the syringe is full of grenadine!!!

I quite like a good Piña colada, but rarely do you get a ‘good’ one!
 

Anthony K

Roller Poster
Never been a big cocktail person. I used to drink White Russians now and then, probably when I'd watched The Big Lebowski. Long Island Ice Teas are pretty reliable if the plan is to get messy. I remember (barely) making blue cocktails with triple sec at uni which were nice (I think).
 

Fi

Mega Poster
Strawberry Daiquiris are the best. Near version is boring, much better with crushed ice!
 

FarleyFlavors

Mega Poster
Nice topic! I do enjoy a cocktail or three.
Bloody Mary - Full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death... which I hope is soon. Add tomato Juice with Worcester sauce and ideally a celery garnish. Rarely mixed well but the best breakfast if done well.
...or even better, a Caesar, with clamato juice instead of tomato juice. Yes to worcestershire sauce but also Tabasco, a squirt of fresh lemon juice and salt and black pepper. Not a celery fan so I'll have pickled green beans as a garnish instead, ta.
Manhattan - 2 parts Whiskey or Bourbon & 1 part Vermouth (sweet and/or dry) with bitters and an optional cherry
Rye whiskey and always sweet vermouth for me, in particular Carpano Antica - the king of vermouths.
Martini - Gin or Vodka (both if you want to have a really good time) with a splash of Vermouth of your choice. Always stirred - James Bond didn't have a clue. Can be dirtied up with olive juice but I wouldn't
No olive juice in a gin Martini but fine in a vodka Martini. It's too bland otherwise. I like more vermouth than a splash though - 4:1 ratio is better.
Whiskey Sour - Whiskey (although I prefer borbon ) ,lemon juice & sugar. Shake with optional egg white.
I've got fond memories of my introduction to the Whiskey sour. Getting rat-arsed on them with a mate at a casino bar in Vegas until the small hours. This was back in the day when drinking at a casino bar wasn't just affordable, it was really cheap. In this case, a dollar a glass.

One of my favourite cocktails is the 20th Century. Two parts gin to one part each of white Creme de Cacao, dry vermouth and fresh lemon juice. It's an ideal blend of sweetness from the chocolate liqueur and bitterness from the lemon juice. Garnish with a sprinkle of cocoa powder or a lemon slice.
 

emoo

Hyper Poster
Anticaslim.jpg
Carpano Antica - the king of vermouths.

<< This is all I have left of a small bottle - it was fantastic and hope to come across it again. Sweet vermouth all the way for me too on Manhattans, even in some Martinis when feeling spicy.

If only quality cocktails were a dollar - without the gateway to gambling.

Had to look up Clamato as its mostly found in the America's - makes sense for a Michelada as well.

Most cocktail books I have seen don't put the measurements for Martinis, everyone will have their own preferences. My favorite ones so far were at Naples airport where they were not even trying and looked confused at the tip.


Will try a 20th Century & Godfather when I have stocked up with the right ingredients. Adding those and Piña Colada to the list.


@Nicky Borrill Is that not a Halloween special as it looks concerning - but would absolutely try it.

@Will I clearly need to spend more time at Europa Park just savoring the environment, and put a dent in the bar scene.

@Fi I've had had a blender full of daiquiri before and it was fantastic now I remember, so will adjust that listing slightly.
 

FarleyFlavors

Mega Poster
Had to look up Clamato as its mostly found in the America's - makes sense for a Michelada as well.
The Caesar is mostly a Canadian thang - I believe it's the most popular cocktail in Canada. You can get clamato juice from Ocado.

Good shout on the Michelada - must try that some time!
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
@Nicky Borrill Is that not a Halloween special as it looks concerning - but would absolutely try it.
No... Genuinely think this ‘cocktail focused’ secret speak easy found some cool containers and went with it.... I approve though. Hoping to try some cocktails at Bar 1919 tonight... Son fell asleep last night.
 
When I have mixed drinks, I usually only like rye/whisky and a bit of water with ice. But, in terms of cocktails I like caesars (worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, clamato juice, pickle juice), margaritas, manhattans, or cosmopolitans. The secret to an amazing margarita is to also add in a little bit of apple juice. Cosmos sound girly but they're actually pretty potent, the ones we sold at the restaurant I worked at had 2 full shots in them for $4 so they were hard to resist.
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
When I have mixed drinks, I usually only like rye/whisky and a bit of water with ice. But, in terms of cocktails I like caesars (worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, clamato juice, pickle juice), margaritas, manhattans, or cosmopolitans. The secret to an amazing margarita is to also add in a little bit of apple juice. Cosmos sound girly but they're actually pretty potent, the ones we sold at the restaurant I worked at had 2 full shots in them for $4 so they were hard to resist.

For some reason the first time I read this I read Mojito and was cery confused ??
 

Ben

CF Legend
Margaritas will always be the king, they’re my fave.

But my speciality is something called an El Diablo which are tequila, Crème de cassis, lime juice and ginger ale. So good. Tequila is my number 1 spirit, so anything with that in will always be a winner.

I really like making and drinking cocktails, I have quite a lot of stuff to make them at home. Next year I’ll be building a bar in our shed in the garden which I’m excited for. The only ones I don’t really like are anything with whiskey in because I just find it takes over, and I hate whiskey lol.
 
Margaritas will always be the king, they’re my fave.

The only ones I don’t really like are anything with whiskey in because I just find it takes over, and I hate whiskey lol.

Squeezing limes to make homemade margz was the best. So desperate to get the lime juice!

Also you hate whiskey so I have to kind of hate you a little bit.
 

Ethan

Strata Poster
Local (ish) secret / hidden bar in Nottingham does one called RUN Q.M.C (the name a play on Run DMC and the Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham) I quite enjoy it, it tastes great and the gimmick factor is 11 out of 10...
Am I right in thinking this is Boiler Maker, with the hidden entrance through the staff toilet? I miss living in Notts for uni </3

It's Long Island for me all the way though. Tastes great and leaves you absolutely tw*tted within 30 minutes.
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
I might have to use my admin privilege to go back in and add the Sazerac. ;)

Of those listed, here's my choice in no particular order:
  • Manhattan
  • Old Fashioned
  • Side Car
  • Gin Fizz
  • Martini
If I could create my own top choices (also in no particular order, and with my preferred dressing):
  • Pimm's Cup - Pimm’s No.1, Cucumber, Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice, Ginger Beer
  • Sazerac - Absinthe rinse, Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Peychaud’s Bitters, Sugar Cube
  • Seelbach - Makers Mark Bourbon, Cointreau, Angostura Bitters, Peychaud’s Bitters, Champagne
  • Waldorf - Absinthe rinse, Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Bitters
  • French 75 - Absinthe rinse, London Dry Gin, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Champagne
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Americans mix Pimms with Ginger Beer?

Y’all have done some shady **** over the years but that takes the biscuit.
It might be a lost in translation kinda moment - ginger beer here stateside is most typically something like this: https://products.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/belvoir-organic-ginger-beer-105278

Essentially a carbonated lemon juice with ginger extract and some other spices. I googled "British Ginger Beer" and was finding some pretty funky stuff that is definitely not what I use. ?

The perks of the ginger beer I linked; doubles for both Pimm's Cup and Moscow Mules!

Also to your point on whiskey @Ben, absolutely loud and clear, especially anything extra oaky/smokey. I've been really high on Bulleit Rye Whiskey, as it is a naturally sweeter whiskey thanks to the higher rye content, and airs more on the side of bourbon for flavor profile; basically plays a lot nicer with other ingredients, especially a Sazerac. Promise whenever we have a Cedar Point rendezvous, I shall take you to a favorite speak easy in town. ?
 
Top