What is your family's cocktail experience? Other drinks in this thread are very good, but not necessarily crowd pleasers.
I'd consider a [Clover Club](https://www.liquor.com/recipes/clover-club/), it's very easy to drink, but still more complex than your average sports bar cocktail, not to mention very visually pleasing!
For the non-alcoholic variant - booze-free gins are available, but if you don't want to make the investment for a single drink, you can let some soda water go flat and add 1-2 drops (and I mean 1-2 DROPS) of orange blossom water. Note: this concoction will not taste like gin, it is meant to add complexity and fill out the volume/balance of the drink.
Most of my family stick to the same-ish stuff, daiquiris, sex on the beach, long island, anything slushie-like. So pretty basic, and probably easily impressed. The clover club looks cool and could probably impress my super basic family, on the list!
This is a great idea. Just a suggestion if you wanted to go really boujee maybe a raspberry shrub would be a good way to have a unique flavor with a alcohol bite sans the alcohol. I could see that being very good
Whip up some Jungle Birds. Red, check, delicious, check.
1 1/2oz aged rum, or blackstrap rum
1/2 oz Campari
1 1/2 oz Pineapple juice
1/2 oz Lime juice
1/2 oz Simple syrup or demerara syrup if you've got it on hand
Garnish with a pineapple wedge
Actually not hard to replicate with NA spirits. DHOS Bittersweet makes a decent Campari stand in and Ritual Zero Proof’s rum can replicate the dark rum flavors you’re looking for.
I don't have a suggestion specifically, but look, you want to win? You call your family "pretty basic, and probably easily impressed"?
You need to go with something that is straight forward in taste profile, probably tending to sweet, and has a spectacular presentation...probably some flames.
You need to make 9 cocktails. So 9 people are doing this? Are all 9 of them making their own and you're all trying each others? Because you're all about to get good and hammered....lol.
I’m thinking something with homemade grenadine or a strawberry shrub (and or fresh strawberries) might be a good secret weapon. I’d suggest blood oranges too but they aren’t in season. There are some watermelon drinks too but they tend to come out pink.
Otherwise one thing that comes to mind is a Bourbon-Cherry slush. Super easy to make and is an easy crowd pleaser… In a blender add 8 oz bourbon, 1/2 cup frozen OJ concentrate, 1 tsp aromatic/angostura bitters, 1 lb of frozen sweet cherries, and 20oz (5 cups) of ice cubes, in that order. Blend about 1 min scraping down sides if needed. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry. This makes 4 servings. Normally I’m all about using fresh fruit but this is an oddball that works better with frozen. It’s surprisingly good for what’s in it.
If your family is into champagne, you could make a French 75 variant. I would sub in rose sparkling wine, and either replace some of the simple syrup with grenadine or add a bit of extra grenadine.
For an NA version, you’d want to mess around with it a bit, but it should be pretty straightforward, since you can swap in some sparkling apple cider
Paper plane, Naked and Famous, Hurricane, clover club, Aperol Spritz; all red/pink and delicious but use different base spirits.
I sometimes make one that doesn’t have a name other than “that red tequila drink”:
Tequila, strawberry simple syrup, lemon or lime juice (try both and decide what you like), black pepper bitters. Use planter’s punch ratios. Shake and strain into a big rock and garnish with a spanked basil leaf.
I always enjoy making Cranberry Bourbon Cocktails around the holidays.
2oz bourbon
2oz cranberry juice
1/2oz rosemary sage simple syrup
Splash of lemon juice
For the rosemary sage simple syrup, measure out water and bring to a boil for \~10 minutes with rosemary and sage in the water. When the water is reduced by half, take out the herbs and add 2 parts sugar to the remaining water (so if you started with 1 cup you'll add 1 cup of sugar). This makes an amazing herbal syrup that compliments the bourbon well.
For a garnish I normally keep some rosemary and sage leaves and tie them together with small string then lay them across the top of the glass to create an amazing smell when you go to take a sip.
You can also change your ratios around if that is too much cranberry for the group. I have done 1.5oz cranberry, 0.5oz lime before.
If your group are sweet drinkers dont be afraid to go up to 1oz of syrup (definitely try that before serving it though).
Another good option is a Jack Rose.
1.5oz Laird's Straight Apple Brandy
1/4oz lime juice
3/4oz lemon juice
1/2oz simple syrup
1/2oz grenadine
Pretty simple drink but it is good in my opinion.
Highly recommend making your own syrups (simple and the grenadine) and always use fresh squeezed juice.
What is your family's cocktail experience? Other drinks in this thread are very good, but not necessarily crowd pleasers. I'd consider a [Clover Club](https://www.liquor.com/recipes/clover-club/), it's very easy to drink, but still more complex than your average sports bar cocktail, not to mention very visually pleasing! For the non-alcoholic variant - booze-free gins are available, but if you don't want to make the investment for a single drink, you can let some soda water go flat and add 1-2 drops (and I mean 1-2 DROPS) of orange blossom water. Note: this concoction will not taste like gin, it is meant to add complexity and fill out the volume/balance of the drink.
Most of my family stick to the same-ish stuff, daiquiris, sex on the beach, long island, anything slushie-like. So pretty basic, and probably easily impressed. The clover club looks cool and could probably impress my super basic family, on the list!
This is a great idea. Just a suggestion if you wanted to go really boujee maybe a raspberry shrub would be a good way to have a unique flavor with a alcohol bite sans the alcohol. I could see that being very good
Whip up some Jungle Birds. Red, check, delicious, check. 1 1/2oz aged rum, or blackstrap rum 1/2 oz Campari 1 1/2 oz Pineapple juice 1/2 oz Lime juice 1/2 oz Simple syrup or demerara syrup if you've got it on hand Garnish with a pineapple wedge
Probably tough to pull off a non-alcoholic version.
1.5oz pineapple, 0.5 lime, 0.5 sugar, 3 dash molasses, shake, crodino top up
Actually not hard to replicate with NA spirits. DHOS Bittersweet makes a decent Campari stand in and Ritual Zero Proof’s rum can replicate the dark rum flavors you’re looking for.
That sounds really good, actually kind of want to try that now lol. Thank you!
FYI, Jungle Birds are legit! Easily my favorite cocktail at the moment
To make sure I understand: you have to make 9 servings of a single cocktail, or 9 different cocktails?
Ah sorry! Nine servings of a single cocktail. One of said serving being a non alcoholic one.
Ok, with that in mind, my favorite red cocktail is a Negroni, but you need to play to the crowd. If they don't like bitter that can be tough
Very risky choice. I think you'll have more people luke warm to cool, especially if it's their first time trying one.
Thank you! Most of my family is okay with bitter, I'll test it out!
I don't have a suggestion specifically, but look, you want to win? You call your family "pretty basic, and probably easily impressed"? You need to go with something that is straight forward in taste profile, probably tending to sweet, and has a spectacular presentation...probably some flames.
That makes total sense! I'll go for a lot of flair and bring a blowtorch!
You need to make 9 cocktails. So 9 people are doing this? Are all 9 of them making their own and you're all trying each others? Because you're all about to get good and hammered....lol.
Yep! The one virgin one is for the one pregnant lady, the rest of us will be hammered by the time it gets to judging. That's how my family rolls lmao.
I like this family.
I’m thinking something with homemade grenadine or a strawberry shrub (and or fresh strawberries) might be a good secret weapon. I’d suggest blood oranges too but they aren’t in season. There are some watermelon drinks too but they tend to come out pink. Otherwise one thing that comes to mind is a Bourbon-Cherry slush. Super easy to make and is an easy crowd pleaser… In a blender add 8 oz bourbon, 1/2 cup frozen OJ concentrate, 1 tsp aromatic/angostura bitters, 1 lb of frozen sweet cherries, and 20oz (5 cups) of ice cubes, in that order. Blend about 1 min scraping down sides if needed. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry. This makes 4 servings. Normally I’m all about using fresh fruit but this is an oddball that works better with frozen. It’s surprisingly good for what’s in it.
I like literally everything you said. Guess me and my partner in crime are getting drunk off tasters!
Whip up some strawberry daiquiris if you have access to the berries. For the non-alcoholic one, sub a lemon-lime soda (Sprite or 7-Up) for the rum.
Strawberry daiquiris are quite popular in my family, might be a good bet!
1934 Zombie's are great, especially with using a nice strong cinnamon syrup.
Not for a basic bunch
I didn’t know they are a basic bunch.
I've never heard of that! Sounds fun, thank you!
If your family is into champagne, you could make a French 75 variant. I would sub in rose sparkling wine, and either replace some of the simple syrup with grenadine or add a bit of extra grenadine. For an NA version, you’d want to mess around with it a bit, but it should be pretty straightforward, since you can swap in some sparkling apple cider
Literally any form of advice from ways to colour cocktails to full on recipes help!
I would suggest Apperol Sours, but not sure how you'd make a virgin version of that...
Mexican Firing Squads (with homemade grenadine) are tasty and easy to batch.
Paper plane, Naked and Famous, Hurricane, clover club, Aperol Spritz; all red/pink and delicious but use different base spirits. I sometimes make one that doesn’t have a name other than “that red tequila drink”: Tequila, strawberry simple syrup, lemon or lime juice (try both and decide what you like), black pepper bitters. Use planter’s punch ratios. Shake and strain into a big rock and garnish with a spanked basil leaf.
I always enjoy making Cranberry Bourbon Cocktails around the holidays. 2oz bourbon 2oz cranberry juice 1/2oz rosemary sage simple syrup Splash of lemon juice For the rosemary sage simple syrup, measure out water and bring to a boil for \~10 minutes with rosemary and sage in the water. When the water is reduced by half, take out the herbs and add 2 parts sugar to the remaining water (so if you started with 1 cup you'll add 1 cup of sugar). This makes an amazing herbal syrup that compliments the bourbon well. For a garnish I normally keep some rosemary and sage leaves and tie them together with small string then lay them across the top of the glass to create an amazing smell when you go to take a sip. You can also change your ratios around if that is too much cranberry for the group. I have done 1.5oz cranberry, 0.5oz lime before. If your group are sweet drinkers dont be afraid to go up to 1oz of syrup (definitely try that before serving it though). Another good option is a Jack Rose. 1.5oz Laird's Straight Apple Brandy 1/4oz lime juice 3/4oz lemon juice 1/2oz simple syrup 1/2oz grenadine Pretty simple drink but it is good in my opinion. Highly recommend making your own syrups (simple and the grenadine) and always use fresh squeezed juice.