11 easy cocktail recipes to try for a Zoom happy hour – or just for the joy of mixing it up
Exercise your creative spirit and mix some simple ingredients to pep up your drinking at home, where a lockdown lock-in is a sure thing
If you're looking for a new cocktail recipe to switch things up for your next Zoom happy hour, you probably have all the ingredients you need right at home.
Some cocktails require little more than a base spirit and soda, while others encourage you to include frozen or fresh fruits. If you're saving the sugar for a baking or cooking marathon and don't want to make simple syrup, you can use honey or agave nectar as a sweetener replacement. Adapt whatever you have on hand to fit your own tastes, and get creative with add-ins like fresh mint or basil.
Here are 11 unique cocktail recipes to try at home for a special occasion, created by spirit makers and expert mixologists.
Ritual's Zero-Proof Paloma
If you want a non-alcoholic, low-cal alternative that far outshines mixed fruit juices, try this recipe using Ritual Zero Proof's Tequila Alternative. This spirit alternative is “non-GMO, gluten free, and made of all-natural botanicals” that mimic the smell, taste and even the burn of traditional tequila, minus the alcohol and calories. Try it in a refreshing Paloma.
Ingredients: 2oz Ritual Tequila Alternative, 0.5oz lime juice, 4oz Jarritos Grapefruit Soda, Lime or grapefruit to garnish.
Instructions: Pour Ritual Tequila Alternative and lime juice into a tall glass, over ice. Top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with fruit slice.
Whisky highball
A “highball” is made from any spirit, poured over ice, and topped with a carbonated beverage. This could be a rum and Coke, gin and tonic, or Scotch and soda.
If you want to try your hand at this traditional drink, use this recipe from Japanese distiller The House of Suntory, featuring their Suntory Toki Whisky.