Nov. 12 is National Happy Hour Day. Sadly, like with all very important holidays, this one will be a little different this year. There’s a pretty good chance you won’t be visiting your local watering hole to grab discounted drinks and half-priced appetizers this year. But, especially in the midst of a pandemic, who doesn’t want another reason to have a few cocktails, beers, or glasses of wine? We sure do.
Since there’s nothing exciting about opening a bottle of wine or cracking open a can of beer, we’ll turn our attention to cocktails. Even though many of us are still working from home, that doesn’t mean we have limitless time to shake up extremely complicated mixed drinks with a dozen ingredients. We’re all about simple and easy when it comes to cocktails. Below, you’ll find 10 of our favorite easy, DIY cocktails.
Photo: Mario Gutiérrez (Getty Images)
Doctor Pays $93K For Lamp From ‘Aladdin’: What He Got Was Actually Worse Than the Reboot
The McRib is Back (Again): We Attempt to Mansplain the Appeal of This Strange Sandwich
Visit the Mandatory Shop for great deals on your very own Mandatory merch.
Follow Mandatory on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
10 DIY Cocktails
-
Moscow Mule
Honestly, to make a Moscow Mule, you don’t need a copper mug. All you really need is ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice.
Photo: nzphotonz (Getty Images)
-
Old-Fashioned
To make a classic old-fashioned, you only need to muddle sugar, add a dash of bitters, a dash of water, ice, and bourbon or rye whiskey.
Photo: Rafael Elias (Getty Images)
-
Gin & Tonic
With a name like gin & tonic, you can be pretty sure this drink is simple. It’s made up of gin, tonic, and a lime wedge. That’s pretty much it.
Photo: Cavan Images (Getty Images)
-
Manhattan
If you enjoy the old-fashioned, you’ll probably also like the classic Manhattan with its combination of rye or Canadian whisky, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
Photo: Bradley Olson / EyeEm (Getty Images)
-
Daiquiri
There’s a good chance that when you think of the daiquiri, your mind goes to frozen, cloyingly sweet beach drinks. The classic daiquiri is simple, tart, and sweet with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Photo: Cris Cantón (Getty Images)
-
Highball
This is one of the easiest, most refreshing, perfectly balanced cocktails of all time. It’s simply 2 ounces of whiskey and 6 ounces of ginger ale or soda water.
Photo: Lumina Imaging (Getty Images)
-
Cuba Libre
You might know the Cuba Libre by its simpler name: rum and cola. The recipe is as simple as that name. You need cola, lime juice, and white rum.
Photo: jonathansloane (Getty Images)
-
Martini
The martini is as easy to make as it is to drink. It’s gin (or vodka if that’s your jam) and dry vermouth. The best part? The ingredients can be adapted to fit your tastes.
Photo: Imstepf Studios Llc (Getty Images)
-
Margarita
Possibly the most popular happy hour drink of all time, authentic margaritas aren’t frozen. They’re simply made with tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.
Photo: Anne Stephneson / EyeEm (Getty Images)
-
Negroni
A popular after (or before) dinner drink, the negroni consists of three simple ingredients: vermouth, gin, and Campari.
Photo: Christian Kargl (Getty Images)
