There are a lot of cocktails that are good for entertaining at home. For most classic cocktail recipes there are certain liquors that you will need. They include the following gin, rum, bourbon, brandy, whiskey, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, tequila, scotch, and vodka. The following are good to have for mixers. Tonic water, lime juice, orange juice, lemon juice, ginger ale, club soda, and bitters. The most common garnishes are limes, lemons, cherries, and olives:

1. Moscow Mule
The Moscow Mule was born in 1950 during the high peak of vodka. For this drink, you will need 2 ounces vodka, 3 ounces of ginger beer, the juice of half of a lime, and to garnish a lime wheel. Once you have all of the ingredients ready you will add the vodka, ginger beer, the juice of the lime and put it into a highball glass over ice. Then you put the wheel of lime on the rim for garnish. Serve to your guests.

2. Negroni
The Negroni was invented in Florence because an Italian count demanded that instead of club soda that gin was placed in his Americano. This created a whole new drink. You will need to gather these ingredients 1 ounce of gin, 1 ounce of Campari, 1 ounce of sweet vermouth, and a slice of orange peel for garnish. Add the gin, Campari, vermouth into a mixing glass with ice, and stir mixture until it is chilled. Strain into a rocks glass that is filled with large size ice cubes. Garnish the drink with the orange peel and serve to your guest.

3. Dry Martini
To make the dry martini you need to gather the following ingredients. You will need 2 ½ ounces gin, ½ ounce of dry vermouth, 1 dash orange bitters, and a lemon peel twist for garnish. Put the gin, the vermouth, and orange bitters into a mixing glass with ice in it and mix until it is very cold. Strain the drink into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist. Serve to your guests.

4. Gin and Tonic
The gin and tonic originated in the 19th century when it was given to British soldiers as an antimalarial medicine. These are the ingredients that need to be gathered: 2 ounces of gin, 4 ounces of tonic water, and 2 lime wheels for garnish. In a highball glass with ice poured in the gin. Top that with the tonic water and stir it gently. Garnish with the lime wheels in the glass and serve to guests.

5. Manhattan
This cocktail was invented in New York City’s Manhattan Club around the year 1880. To make this classic drink gather 2 ounces of bourbon or rye, 1 ounce of sweet vermouth, 2 dashes of Angostura bitters, 1 dash of orange bitters, and a brandied cherry for the garnish. Into a mixing glass with ice combine the bourbon, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters, and the orange bitters. Stir this mixture until it is well chilled. Strain the drink into a well-chilled coupe and garnish with the brandied cherry. Serve immediately to guests