We’d all love to have a fully stocked bar, but a fully stocked bar is expensive. Hosting a cocktail party can seem like an impossible task if you’re strapped for cash, but we’re here to tell you that it’s not. You don’t need three kinds of rum and a well-aged scotch in order to create cocktails to fit any taste. In fact, we’ve rounded up a list of 30 libations you can make using just four base spirits and a few essential ingredients. Done right and your cocktail party might even cost less than last weekend’s bar bill.
The Spirits
- Vodka: Don’t risk a serious hangover by settling for a bottle of $6 Monarch. Go mid-shelf with Smirnoff, New Amsterdam, or Svedka. Gin: The packaging may look cheap, but Seagram’s Extra Dry is classic for a reason. If you’re looking to upgrade, the company also has a Distiller’s Reserve for a few bucks more.
- Rum: If you’re only buying one kind of rum, we recommend keeping it light for the most flexibility. Try Captain Morgan White, Bacardi Superior, or Cruzan Light.
- Whiskey: No, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a palatable whiskey. Evan Williams, Rebel Yell, and Old Overholt all taste more expensive than they really are.
The Essential Ingredients
These ingredients are necessary to make a variety of cocktails. The list may look a bit long, but chances are you already have some of these at home - if you don’t, here’s where to pick these up:
From Your Neighborhood Grocery Store:
- Club soda
- Tonic water
- Ginger ale
- Orange juice
- Cranberry juice
- Lemons and limes
- Grenadine
- Milk
- Cream
- Sugar
- Nutmeg
- Eggs
- Ice
From Amazon or A Nearby Liquor Store:
The Cocktails
- _Acapulco: White rum, triple sec, lime juice, and sugar
- The Ace: Gin, grenadine, cream, lemon juice, egg white, and nutmeg
- Bourbon Rose: Whiskey, triple sec, orange juice, and grenadine
- Bourbon Sidecar: Whiskey, triple sec, and lemon juice
- Bronx Cocktail: Gin, vermouth, and orange juice
- Brown Cocktail: Gin, white rum, and vermouth
- Cape Cod: Vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, and club soda
- Cosmopolitan: Vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, and lime juice
- Daiquiri: White rum, lime juice, and sugar
- Gibson Martini: Gin and vermouth
- Gimlet: Gin and lime juice
- The Gilbert: Vodka, club soda, and orange juice
- Gin and Tonic: Gin, tonic water, and lime
- Hole in One: Vodka, cranberry juice, and orange juice
- Horse’s Neck: Whiskey, ginger ale, and lemon
- Hula-Hula: Gin, orange juice, and triple sec
- Kamikaze: Vodka, triple sec, and lime juice
- Lady’s Gentleman: Whiskey, triple sec, and orange juice
- Opal Cocktail: Gin, triple sec, orange juice, and sugar
- Orange Buck: Gin, orange juice, lime juice, and ginger ale
- Paisley Martini: Gin, whiskey, and vermouth
- Pink Polar Bear: Vodka, grenadine, and milk
- Quicky: Whiskey, white rum, and triple sec
- Rum Rickey: White rum, lime juice, and club soda
- Screwdriver: Vodka and orange juice
- Snakebite: Whiskey and lime juice
- Vodka Martini: Vodka and vermouth
- Vodka Tonic: Vodka, tonic water, and lime
- Whiskey Ginger: Whiskey, ginger ale, and lime
- Zentini: White rum, lime juice, and triple sec Looking for more ways to have fun without breaking the bank? Pick up Clinton Kelly’s book Freakin’ Fabulous on a Budget for money-smart ideas for your next soiree.