What are some named drinks and what are they made from?

Well, a Cape Cod is vodka and cranberry, with a slice of lime. It’s tart and sweet and yummy. A mint julep is mint muddled with sugar and water, fill the glass with ice, add bourbon. It’s traditionally served in pewter, but that’s bonus points. A Tom Collins is gin, lemon, sugar and club soda.

There area any number of bartending websites and Youtube videos that can teach you how to make mixed drinks. I think bartending is terribly fun, and it’s a great way for us introverts to have something to do at a party, so it’s not so obvious that we aren’t really holding small-talk conversations.

A good thing to do would be to try a few different spirits and see what you like. I like gin (Bombay Sapphire, please) and whiskey (Jameson) best, myself. Vodka is the easiest to mix and is the best crowdpleaser. And since I’m in the subtropical South, you have to have rum and tequila at any party – though I don’t really care for them myself.

From the wiki, “A cosmopolitan, or informally a cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed or sweetened lime juice.” These things can totally sneak up on you – way too easy to drink.

Have you heard of Kir? French cocktail made with white wine and crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur). Kir Royale is cassis and champagne. I just learned that there is a Kir Breton which is cider (or should I say cidre?) and cassis. I’ve never tried it but I plan to when I go to France in the summer

I drink 7&7’s when I’m in a place where I have a choice (function where there is a bar). It’s a drink I picked up from watching Saturday Night Fever (now I am really dating myself). The first time I went to a bar, around age 16, I didn’t know what drink to order, and Tony Manero drank them so I knew it was something I could order. I like them and on the very rare occasions when I drink and have a bar of stuff to choose from, about 3 times a year, that’s what I still choose. Sweet, not too strong, tastes like an adult soda. Seagrams 7 and 7-up.

Cocktails and shots

Spritz – Apercol & prosecco

A Slow Comfortable Screw Up Against the Wall – Sloe Gin, Southern Comfort, Vodka, Orange Juice, and Galliano.

Tequila Sunrise – Orange Juice, tequila, grenadine.

A White Russian is equal parts Vodka, Kahlua, and half & half, mixed with ice.
It’s a favorite of this gentleman

I would also like to say:

A Martini is Gin, Vermouth, and a couple of Big Damn Olives. If you are James Bond you can make yours with Gin AND vodka, with a lemon slice.

There are no chocolate Martinis, coffee Martinis, cranberry-kahlua Martinis, or tequila Martinis. Serving a cocktail in a Martini glass does not a Martini make.

@dabbler “A cosmopolitan”

Those things are dangerous! They taste like a soft drink, but they’re mostly alcohol.

My first cosmopolitan experience was bad. I confused the cocktail with a Cape Cod, which is cranberry juice with some vodka. A cosmo is vodka with a little cranberry juice. I downed a couple and later learned why they’d hit me so hard.

Brandy Alexander.

Like drinking brown velvet.

Agreed @Seek

Putting various liquids into a Salud does not make a Martini.

@Seek Gin is my favorite alcohol. I don’t drink very often though. A glass of Tanqueray is a nice treat every once in a while.

Gin without too much Juniper (Beefeater) makes a great Bloody Mary.

Oyster shooters:

Pepper vodka, raw oyster, garnish with coctail sauce.

Veriasian on the theme:

Sake, raw oyster, garnish with wasabi.

Pink Russian.

Vodka, cream, Strawberry Quik mix.

@SecondHandStoke Pink Russians sound interesting. During the fall I found some pumpkin vodka and pumpkin cream liquor. Made “Pumpkin Russians”, they were great.

An Arnold Palmer is half lemonade and half iced tea. One of my favorites.

I also invented a drink called Hula Brew which is half beer (I use non alcoholic) and half pineapple juice. Very refreshing on a hot day.

My grandmother, when she was in her 90’s, would ask me to fix her what she called a “Cincinatti”, which is 4 oz beer and 4 oz 7-Up.

My favourite is a Moscow Mule. Vodka, ginger ale and lime juice.

@Kardamom You mention the Arnold Palmer.

There’s also the John Daly: One part lemonade, three parts vodka.