Hooch Recipes

These are our favorite cocktail recipes. Sure, we know there are whole books of them, with thousands of recipes. But these are our very favorite cocktails and mixed drinks. And for each one, the perfect, bartender-proven recipe and ingredients. That way you can read books that are way more interesting than cocktail recipe books.

Featured Recipes

Caipiroska
A vodka drink with a burst of bright, fresh flavors
Upper Manhattan
Orange-flavored bourbon martini drink
Mint Julep
Classic Kentucky Derby bourbon and mint cocktail

All Recipes

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Absinthe
This anise flavored and often high-proof spirit has more fans than ever due to some amazing new productions from distillers all over the world. Try it in a Sazerac or Death in the Afternoon, or maybe a classic Absinthe Drip.
Aquavit
Aquavit is a caraway spirit popular in Norway and other Scandinavian countries. It can be aged or not, and is often used in celebration.
- Trident
Bitters
Think of these as the bartender's spice rack. They are the teeny little accent flavors that bring a delicious depth and complexity to your cocktail.
Brandy
Brandy includes many spirits with different flavors, so there's something for everyone. It can be aged like French Cognac, Armagnac and Calvados, or un-aged like grappa, pisco or eau de vie.
- Pisco
  This South American brandy is made from grapes in Chile and Peru. The world-famous Pisco Sour is certainly the first cocktail you should try when venturing into the land of pisco.
  - Pisco Punch
  - Pisco Sour
- Cognac
  The most well known brandy in the world is Cognac. It must be made from grapes and come from the Cognac region of France. While you may know of Hennessy and Courvoisier, this big French landscape has a lot more to share.
- Calvados
  This is an apple-based brandy from the northwestern region of France. Hooch Bartenders are embracing Calvados for its subtle apple, spice, and sometimes pear qualities it brings to the glass.
  - Jack Rose
  - Widow’s Kiss
- Armagnac
  Armagnac (pronounced ar-muhn-YAK) is a French brandy made from white wine grapes and gets its color from aging in casks.
  - D’Artagnan
  - Saratoga Cocktail
Gin and Genever
This centuries-old, juniper-based liquid tradition is back in a big way. From the original Dutch Genever, to Old Tom, London Dry, Plymouth, and the hundreds of new, American-style gins, The Hooch Life will help you discover the best gin for you and your cocktail.
- Gin
  This centuries-old, juniper-based liquid tradition is back in a big way. From the original Dutch Genever, to Old Tom, London Dry, Plymouth, and the hundreds of new, American-style gins, The Hooch Life will help you discover the best gin for you and your cocktail.
Liqueur
Although not new, the category of liqueurs currently gaining popularity and bartender acclaim are aperitifs and digestifs. And there's more to them than Jagermeister. Used well, good liqueurs can take an average drink and turn it into a complex cocktail.
- Digestifs and Aperitifs
  These include some pleasantly bitter liqueurs and fortified wines that are traditionally served before or after a meal. They are quite versatile and have found their place cozied up next to all sorts of other spirits in many a cocktail.
Rum and Cachaça
While the Caribbean is well known for its rum production, quality rum is being made almost everywhere these days—even right here in America. Brazilian Cachaca and France's Rhum Agricole are made directly from the juice of the sugar cane. Now many rums are barrel-aged (similar to whiskey), and are at their best enjoyed neat, with a couple rocks, or with a splash of water.
- Rum
  While the Caribbean is well known for its rum production, quality rum is being made almost everywhere these days—even right here in America. Now many rums are barrel-aged (similar to whiskey), and are at their best enjoyed neat, with a couple rocks, or with a splash of water.
- Cachaça
  Cachaca's (pronounced KA-SHA-SA) exotic name matches its rum-like but earthier taste. Brazil's national sugarcane-based hooch is one of the world's top consumed liquors. If you’re familiar with Cachaca, you probably know it from the Caipirinha cocktail, a refreshing cousin of the Mojito.
  - Caipirinha
  - Copacabana At Dawn
Tequila, Agave and Mezcal
Today’s fine tequilas are made of 100% agave—so good, they’re like sipping fine wine. Our Hooch Bartenders guide you through the different brands and aging, from silver (or blanco), to reposado, and añejo to help you choose the best tequila for your taste and cocktails. Mezcal (primarily made in Oaxaca, Mexico) is also made from agave, but is roasted and smoked for days or weeks. Agave spirits include anything made from the agave plant but aren’t made in Mexico.
- Mezcal
  Mezcal is tequila's bad-boy cousin. It’s smoky, earthy and at first blush, harshly irreverent to a tequila purest. But Hooch Bartenders are enamored with mescal cocktails—seriously enamored. Scotch-drinkers, in particular, have been known to become die-hard mezcal fans.
  - La Ultima Palabra
- Tequila
  Today’s fine tequilas are made of 100% agave—so good, they’re like sipping fine wine. Our Hooch Bartenders guide you through the different brands and aging, from silver (or blanco), to reposado, and añejo to help you choose the best tequila for your taste and for your cocktails.
Vodka
Beloved for its clean taste and easy mix-ability, vodka made a fashionably late entrance onto the American scene. Many classics like the Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, or James Bond's famous "shaken, not stirred" martini helped vodka become the number one consumed spirit in the U.S. Flavored and organic vodkas made with real fruit produce incredibly natural tasting spirits and cocktails.
Whisk(e)y
Dating back to the 1500s, whisk(e)y has been made all over the world with different rules and regulations, but is always made from three main ingredients: grain, water, and yeast. Whether you like Scotch, Irish, Bourbon, Tennessee, Rye, Corn, Wheat, Canadian, or maybe you are still trying to figure it out—you've come to the right place.
- Scotch
  Single malt whisky, blended whisky, blended malt whisky, and grain whisky are all types of Scotch. There are also many regions like Speyside, Lowlands, Highlands, Islay, and Campbeltown. The Hooch Bartenders provide recommendations to help you figure our your new favorite.
- Bourbon
  This is America’s national spirit, and an icon of flavor on its own or in a cocktail. The Hooch Life introduces you to some of the best bourbons, from small batch, to single barrel, and straight bourbons and how to mix a killer Whiskey Sour, Manhattan, Mint Julep, or Old Fashioned.
- American Rye
  Believed to be America's first aged whiskey, rye was most likely the base ingredient in many of the classic whiskey cocktails. To make a truly classic Old Fashioned, Sazerac, or Manhattan, you need a good rye whiskey.
- American Corn
  Moonshine, white dog, and white lightning are typically high-proof corn whiskies. Today, to be considered a corn whiskey, the distiller has to use at least 80% corn. If it goes into a barrel at all, it’s aged in used barrels or uncharred new ones, usually resulting in pale to no color.
  - White Manhattan
- Irish
  Irish whiskey is one of the fastest growing spirits in the U.S. Whether it's single malt, grain, pure pot still or blended, The Hooch Life has the best bartender recommendations for Irish whiskey.
  - Irish Coffee
  - Irish Shillelagh
Wine and Champagne
While not a spirit, it is included in many cocktails. The Hooch Life Bartenders can help you choose just the right wine for your Sangria to your Mimosas. We offer suggestions for the best wine for your cocktails.

Hooch Recipes

Featured Recipes

Caipiroska

Upper Manhattan

Mint Julep

All Recipes

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