A basic mixed drink repertoire

[cowdery]

I was trying to think of a good basic mixed drink repertoire. I came up with this: Brandy Sour, Cosmopolitan, Daiquiri, Gin and Tonic, Martini, Manhattan, Margarita, Rum and Coke, Rum and Tonic, Screwdriver, Whiskey and Coke, Whiskey Sour, Vodka and Tonic.

Honorable Mentions: Bloody Mary, Mojito.

The criteria was mixed drinks a good host should be prepared to make, both in terms of knowing how and having all the ingredients. What would your list be?

[jwrussell]

Hmmmm...I like your list, but knowing the folks that would be at my party I'd switch the Brandy Sour to an Amaretto Sour and include Scotch in the list.

Rum and Tonic, really? Never heard that before.

[mier]

Laguna,1 part whisk(e)y,1 part calvados,2parts orange juice a drop of blue curacao,stir and enjoy.Rusty nail,1part Scotch,1 partDrambuie mix & serve with ice,Black Russian,1part vodka,1partcoffeeliquer,vodka bitterlemon and 7-up Dutch redberry jenever with a dash of limejuice.Also my wife`s favorite,1 part gin, 1part malibu,a small pour curacao shake with ice serve with a cherry.All nice pre or after dinnerdrinks.Eric.

[BourbonJoe]

The criteria was mixed drinks a good host should be prepared to make, both in terms of knowing how and having all the ingredients. What would your list be?

For the people who frequent my house it goes like this:
7&7, Martini, Manhattan, Margerita, G&T, Mezcal (Straight), Bourbon (Straight), Rye (Straight) and lots of different red and white wines. Once in a while "boat drinks".
Joe

[ILLfarmboy]

Most of my friends are strictly beer drinkers. Most of the few do drink whiskey drink it mixed with Coke. My wife's friends tend to drink mostly alcopops. Arrgg! 40 year old women drinking kiddie coolers. Among the in-laws we have a few G&T drinkers, and a couple rum and Coke or whiskey and Coke drinkers but again mostly beer. When we all get together we might make a couple pitchers of Margaritas or Daiquiris but that is a rare occurrence.

Sadly, I don't have much call to practice mixoligy, or keep many ingredients on hand. But If I did, I think an adequate list would be: Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Margarita, Daiquiri, G&T, Martini, whiskey sour, Rum and Coke, whiskey and Coke, Screwdriver and Bloody Mary (my wife is particularly fond of those. She uses "hot and Spicy V8 juice".

[camduncan]

A great list chuck....
I personally only do a bourbon and coke, scotch and coke, vodka and lemonade, vodka and orange juice, bubbly and orange juice, half wine - half soda, and the occasiaonal Irish or Mexican coffee.

If you're after anything else, the bars yours to try what you like.

I do plan on learning and perfecting mint juleps though - they're definately a personal favourite.

[Gillman]

I can do a Martini (vodka or gin), Manhattan, Sazerac, Old-Fashioned, Margarita. I can't do mixed drinks because even if I have soda in the house it is diet and not suitable for mixed drinks I find. I should, but don't normally, keep tonic water, so G&T is out.

I would say these days, I tend to offer Manhattans and most people are willing to try them and always say (sometimes to their surprise) they like them.

Gary

[jburlowski]

I'd change the brandy & sour to a whiskey & sour ... but that's just me (or perhaps the result of regional preference).

Other than that, a great list!

[TomH]

At our parties mixed drinks are either super simple (rum and coke, bourbon and ginger ale, screwdrivers, etc) or blended drinks with ice (hummingbirds, mudslides, various versions of margaritas, etc).

However, I was surprised that no one had a Rob Roy on their list.

Tom

[T47]

I was trying to think of a good basic mixed drink repertoire. I came up with this: Brandy Sour, Cosmopolitan, Daiquiri, Gin and Tonic, Martini, Manhattan, Margarita, Rum and Coke, Rum and Tonic, Screwdriver, Whiskey and Coke, Whiskey Sour, Vodka and Tonic.

That list covers it pretty darn well. I think your generous putting Daiquiri's or Margarita's on the list unless maybe they are unblended. But I guess that is semantics with the word basic.
Besides my stash of Bourbon and Irish whiskey, I like to have bottles of Red and White wine, Scotch, Rum, Tequila, Vodka, and Gin available with a variety of simple mixers.

I tend to have a rotating "seasonal" cocktail which involves a little more effort. Last summer it started out as Carmel Appletini's, then moved to Mojito’s, then Lemon Drops. During the colder weather it rotated between Gingerbread men, And California Gold Rushes. The current treat is a Sidecar but I am about to change that to try a recipe I found for a Mojito Diablo.
My neighbors really appreciate the effort at cocktail time so it's fun to treat them with new things when I can. We have a pretty social neighborhood and most of it revolves around food and drink.