Allrecipes
allrecipes.com › article › top-50-cocktail-list-and-recipes
The Top 50 Cocktail List and Recipes
October 24, 2023 - Sloppy Joe's was a famed bar in Havana and the Mojito only consists of ingredients native to Cuba. ... A classic brunch cocktail, the Bloody Mary is traditionally made with vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, celery salt, Tabasco, and lemon juice. There are numerous renditions that use different types of alcohol.
Liber & Co.
liberandcompany.com › home › liber archive › liber archive
Bar Basics: Core Cocktail Categories – Liber & Co.
July 19, 2017 - The base may be sometimes be shaken before the addition of carbonated water or built in the glass and stirred to combine. Highballs are served in a tall glass over ice. Iconic highballs include the Gin & Tonic, the Moscow Mule, and the Mojito. ... These are less common drinks but are becoming more and more popular with the craft cocktail resurgence. The flip has changed over the years but is now considered to be a shaken cocktail with egg and/or cream and is served up. A fizz is basically a sour with the addition of a small amount of carbonated water after being shaken.
Videos
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The 6 Famous Cocktails Volume 1 - YouTube
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How to Batch Delicious Cocktails for a Party | The Cocktail Lab ...
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10 Modern Classic Cocktails Everyone Should Know! - YouTube
10:35
The 10 Most Popular Cocktails On The Planet! - YouTube
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_cocktails
List of cocktails - Wikipedia
November 25, 2025 - A cocktail is a mixed drink typically made with a distilled liquor (such as arrack, brandy, cachaça, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey) as its base ingredient that is then mixed with other ingredients or garnishments.
Serious Eats
seriouseats.com › cocktail-style-guide-categories-of-cocktails-glossary-families-of-drinks
Tippler's Taxonomy: A Guide To Cocktail Categories
May 9, 2025 - Punch can be served hot or cold, ... and as basic as can be. There's so much that can be said about Punch, somebody should write a book about it. Oh, wait—someone has: check out Punch, by David Wondrich, for as much as you could possibly want to know about this expansive category of the drinks world. Green Devil, a beer cocktail...
Food Drink Life
fooddrinklife.com › home › news feed › the 6 types of cocktails everyone should know
The 6 types of cocktails everyone should know
November 8, 2023 - However, most recipes can be boiled down to just six main formulas, for which you won’t even need a cocktail mixer. The six types are the old-fashioned, daiquiri, highball, martini, sidecar and flip.
A Bar Above
abarabove.com › home › business of the bar › cocktail families: the top 6 types of cocktails and techniques you need to know to make hundreds of drinks
Cocktail Families: The Top 6 Types of Cocktails And Techniques You Need To Know To Make Hundreds Of Drinks - A Bar Above
There are sub-categories under each umbrella (a daisy cocktail— or fizzy sour– within the sour cocktail family, for example), as well as lots of varieties that are often added to lists (such as punches, tiki drinks, and layered cocktails), but we’re just focusing on the basics today. “As long as you understand the architecture and the techniques you could apply, the number of cocktails are limitless.” –Chris ... Think of these categories as one step back from a recipe, as they are more vague. While recipes show specific ingredients for craft cocktails, the formula shows the type of ingredient.
Published September 21, 2022
VinePair
vinepair.com › articles › 6-important-cocktails-recipe-guide
The Six Cocktails You Need to Know to Understand All Cocktails Ever | VinePair
October 6, 2022 - Much like “Salt Fat Acid Heat,” Samin Nosrat’s best-selling cookbook-turned-Netflix series, “Cocktail Codex” advises readers to take a holistic, scientific approach to flavors. By understanding how elements like bright, tangy lemon juice balance a rich, heavy ingredient, you can then swap in other sources of acid — grapefruit juice, say, or yogurt — for infinite iterations.
The Kitchn
thekitchn.com › types-of-cocktails-23634750
10 Types of Classic Cocktails You Should Definitely Know How to Make
March 23, 2024 - This cocktail is rumored to be a riff on another classic, the Americano, which is made with Campari, sweet vermouth, and seltzer. The story goes that sometime in the early 1900s in Florence, Italy, Count Camillo Negroni ordered an Americano with gin instead of seltzer, and the Negroni was born.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/cocktails › what are the classics?
r/cocktails on Reddit: What are the Classics?
November 12, 2022 -
What do you consider to be the classics? I am fairly new to making cocktail at home and am building up a bar based on the Modern Bar Carts 12 bottle bar episode plus some suggestions I have found on here. I am wanting to nail some classics before I start getting too wild but googling is giving me mixed answers. Recipes would be great but not necessary!
A Bar Above
abarabove.com › home › bar ingredients › what are the six basic cocktails?
What Are the Six Basic Cocktails? - A Bar Above
Below, we’ll take a look at the top six basic cocktails that every mixologist should know and understand. ... A Martini is a classic cocktail that is made with gin and vermouth. It is served in a Martini glass and garnished with an olive or a twist of lemon.
Published January 31, 2023
National Bartenders
nationalbartenders.com › blog
44 Cocktails Every Bartender Should Know 🍸
July 1, 2024 - A Long Island Iced Tea is a type of alcoholic mixed drink typically made with Vodka, Tequila, Light Rum, Triple Sec, Gin, and a splash of Cola, which gives the drink the same amber hue as its namesake. A popular version mixes equal parts Vodka, Gin, Rum, Triple Sec, with 1 1/2 parts Sour Mix and a splash of Cola. ... Method: Add all ingredients into a highball glass filled with ice. Stir gently. ... A Mai Tai is a tropical cocktail with a mix of rums, lime juice, orange liqueur, and almond syrup, offering a refreshing and exotic flavor.
The Mixer
themixer.com › en-us › learn › what-are-the-6-basic-cocktails
Asked & Answered: What are the 6 Basic Cocktails to Know?
October 9, 2025 - The time-honored Martini is also one of the main cocktails. The basic ‘layout’ of this drink paved the way for other true-blue classics like the Negroni and the Manhattan, and it’s exceptionally adaptable for all tastes. There are so many different types of Martinis to try, and at least ...
Difford's Guide
diffordsguide.com › encyclopedia › 1989 › cocktails › cocktail-categories › families
Cocktail categories/families
January 10, 2020 - Comprises: Spirit or wine base + fruit + sugar Glass: Collins or Cobbler glass Serve: Shaken and served over crushed ice garnished with lots of fresh berries and fruits Created: 1930s Example: Bramble More info: Cobblers · Comprises: Spirit + fruit juice + sweetener Glass: Poco Grande / Colada glass Serve: Blended with crushed ice Created: Pre-1922 Example: Piña Colada More info: Colada, Spanish for 'washed', or in this case 'strained', refers to a cocktail blended (or sometimes shaken) with fruit juice and often coconut.
WebstaurantStore
webstaurantstore.com › food service resources › consumables › types of cocktail mixes
Types of Cocktail Drink Mixers - WebstaurantStore
Typically served in a martini glass, this popular cocktail can be prepared using gin or vodka. Martini mixes come in a variety of different flavors, allowing you to get creative with your drink selection. ... Though they come in many different forms, martini mixes are typically prepared using these ingredients: ... Blended mixes do not encompass a single type of cocktail mix, but rather a collection of mixes.
Tripleseat
tripleseat.com › home › must know cocktails for bartenders: 16 you should know
Must Know Cocktails for Bartenders: 16 You Should Know
November 12, 2024 - This Italian drink is so appealing with its blend of bold bitterness and smooth gin. While the Negroni has many variations, it’s good to have the basics down. ... Add all the ingredients in a rocks glass. Add ice and stir until chilled, then garnish with the orange. The Old-Fashion cocktail was ...
Serious Eats
seriouseats.com › cocktail-101-cocktail-theory-recipes-families-and-formulas-how-to-make-cocktails
Cocktail 101: Families and Formulas
August 9, 2018 - Ancestrals: The ur-cocktails, usually just a base spirit, sweetener (sugar, simple syrup, or small amounts of liqueur), water, and bitters. Think here of the Old Fashioned, the Improved Gin Cocktail, or the Sazerac.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/cocktails › types of cocktails?
r/cocktails on Reddit: Types of cocktails?
November 17, 2018 -
I'm sorry if this question is too basic, but I'm not seeing any results in this sub's wiki or sidebar. I also did some googling to little avail.
I've recetnly been getting into cocktails and noticed that many of them are similar.
like how a martini is gin + vermouth(dry) (+ bitters) and a manhattan is Whisky + Vermouth(sweet) (+ bitters). Also like how an "old fashioned:mahattan::daiquiri:daisy" insofar as sweetening with liqueurs vs sugars and citrus vs no citrus generate categories.
Also how there seems to be tons of drinks based on the negroni. Also arguably highballs are a type of cocktail. Also fizz, fix, etc etc
anyway, I find categorization based on concept/construction to be an easier way to organize my head. Like "A scotch sidecar sweetened with benedictine" feels like a reasonable explaination to me. I can mix that drink, and I can roughly imagine how it will taste(trial and error will be required to get the exact ratios correct.)...
So here is the TLDR. Are there common categories based on construction/concept to help orient me in learning about cocktails? Any books, websites or videos that would help with this? or is this not something people do? Also are there any good lists of the "need to know" cocktails for those starting out? I've learned/know a bunch, but would like to make sure my bases are covered. I'm a nerd, so maybe I'm overthinking this.
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Elemental Mixology, by Andrew Willett is the book you're looking for. He breaks down the drink genres and the elements that make each one up, better than any book I've ever read. His technique and methodology are spot on, and his historical references are second to none. To briefly summarize, there are seven elements that go into mixed drinks: AROMATIC—bitters, spices, herbs, zests (the outer part of citrus peel), edible flowers, culinary perfumes (such as orange blossom water) SOUR—lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, most shrubs, acid phosphate, pure cranberry juice SWEET—sugar, simple syrup, gum syrup, rock candy syrup, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, grenadine (pomegranate) syrup, raspberry syrup, other flavored syrups STRONG—all alcoholic beverage products except petite bitters [strong products that are sweet, such as liqueurs, can also act as the sweet element] WEAK—ice, flat water, sparkling mineral water, seltzer water, soda water, fancy ‘pop’, brewed coffee, brewed tea THICK—milk, cream, eggs (including whole eggs, egg whites, egg yolks), condensed milk, butter, coconut milk, gelatin SUCCULENT—fruit and vegetables considered fit for consumption in their unsweetened state, such as orange, grapefruit, pineapple, etc. And here are the drink genres, note that there are sub-types that fall under each of the main drink genres, for example Cocktail would fall under the Sling genre, Daisy and Sour would fall under the Punch genre, etc. THOROUGHBREDS—Thoroughbreds are single strong element ingredients, generally unmixed (except perhaps with a little water or ice). EXAMPLES: Whiskey Neat, Gin "straight-up", Vodka "straight-up" ENSEMBLES—Ensembles are multiple strong element ingredients, generally unmixed (except perhaps with a little water or ice). EXAMPLES: Rusty Nail, B&B GROGS—Grogs are mixed drinks led by the weak element, in which the strong element is used as a fortifier. EXAMPLES: Irish Coffee, "Highballs"--Rum & Coke, Gin & Tonic, Vodka & Soda SLINGS—Slings are mixed drinks led by the strong element – being moderately sweetened, diluted, and usually aromatized. EXAMPLES: Manhattan Cocktail, Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail, Negroni Cocktail, Mint Julep, Martini Cocktail, Vesper Toddy POSSETS—Possets are mixed drinks in which the sweet, strong and thick elements are balanced. EXAMPLES: Brandy Alexander, White Russian PUNCHES—Punches are mixed drinks in which the sour, sweet, strong and weak elements are balanced. EXAMPLES: Margarita Daisy, Mojito Collins, Cosmopolitan Daisy, Long Island Iced Tea Collins, Lemon-drop Daisy, Side-car Daisy, Mai-Tai Fix, Whiskey Sour BLOSSOMS—Blossoms are mixed drinks in which the strong and succulent elements are balanced. EXAMPLES: Blinker, Blood & Sand, Brown Derby JUICE-HIGHBALLS—Juice-highballs are mixed drinks led by the succulent element, in which the strong element is used as a fortifier. EXAMPLES: Screwdriver, Salty Dog, Cape Cod So between these 7 elements and 8 drink genres, you can literally make any drink out there. And any existing drink will include at least one of those elements and fall under one of those specific genres. Learning the elements and drink genres makes it much easier to create your own drinks, as well as remember recipes. I think the current PDF edition of his 400+ page book is $7.50. Definitely worth it, if you want to get into the true DNA of what makes up a particular type of mixed-drink.
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Here is a summary of the Bitter Cube's Ira Koplowitz, Marco Zappia, and Nicholas Kosevich talk at Tales of the Cocktail on this. They break everything into 7 families: https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2016/08/seven-pillars-of-classic-cocktails.html
AMLI Residential
amli.com › blog › common-cocktail-categories
Common Cocktail Categories
Knowing the types of cocktails doesn’t do much aside from gaining some potential points for your next trivia night or impressing a master bartender. Otherwise, feel free to continue sipping your cocktails out of your Solo cup or Mason jar, because I know I will. ... Think of the early cocktails like the Old Fashioned: simple, tasty and strong. These cocktails are the earliest forms of mixed drinks we know of, and they all share the same basic formula for a classic cocktail.
Washington Post
washingtonpost.com › voraciously
7 essential cocktail recipes, including martini, Manhattan and Negroni - The Washington Post
October 31, 2022 - Master these seven cocktail recipes to open up a world of drink possibilities.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Fine_Art_of_Mixing_Drinks
The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks - Wikipedia
July 31, 2025 - Embury's six basic drinks are the Daiquiri, the Jack Rose, the Manhattan, the Martini, the Old Fashioned, and the Sidecar. Embury's preferred recipe for each is: ... Shake with much finely crushed ice and strain well into a chilled cocktail glass.