Craft Cocktails Recipe

Chill & prepare tools

Chill glasses in the freezer or with ice water for 5–10 minutes. Fill an ice well or ice bucket and ensure large ice cubes are ready. Have garnishes prepped: peel orange strips, slice lemon wheels, rinse mint and pat dry, and have cherries at hand.

Measure all spirits and modifiers with a jigger to maintain consistency. Keep simple syrup and honey syrup at room temperature for easy mixing.

Build & shake

In a cocktail shaker, combine 3 oz gin, 2 oz fresh lemon juice, 1 oz simple syrup and 3 dashes of orange bitters. Add a large handful of ice, cap the shaker and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until chilled and slightly frothy.

Strain & garnish

Double-strain into two chilled coupe glasses (or serve over ice in rocks glasses). Express an orange peel over each drink (twist to release oils) and drop the peel in. Garnish each with a cocktail cherry or lemon wheel as preferred.

Build

In a mixing glass, combine 3 oz bourbon, 1/2 oz simple syrup, and 3 dashes Angostura bitters. Add one large ice cube to each serving glass to be used later.

Stir & finish

Add ice to the mixing glass and stir gently for 20–30 seconds until the liquid is well chilled and slightly diluted. Strain over the prepared large ice cubes into two rocks glasses. Express an orange peel over each drink and rub the rim before dropping it in. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

Shake

In a shaker, combine 3 oz aged rum, 1 oz fresh lime juice, 1 oz simple syrup and 1/2 oz honey syrup. Add ice and shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds.

Strain & garnish

Double-strain into two chilled coupe or coupe-style glasses. Garnish each with a lime wheel or a small mint sprig slapped to release aroma.

Build

In two large wine or stemmed glasses filled halfway with ice, divide 2 oz amaro (Campari or Aperol) evenly. Add 1 oz sweet vermouth divided between the two glasses and 1/2 oz triple sec split between them.

Top & garnish

Top each glass with a splash (about 2 oz) of chilled soda water if desired or leave slightly more spirit-forward without. Stir once gently with a bar spoon. Garnish each with an expressed orange peel and an optional lemon wheel.

Taste a sample of each cocktail and adjust future batches: increase simple syrup by 1/4 oz if too tart, add 1/4 oz lemon or lime if too sweet, or adjust bitters to taste. Serve immediately while well chilled.

Clean and dry tools between different spirit families to avoid cross-flavoring when preparing subsequent rounds.