15 Classic Cocktails Every Bartender Should Know

Starting your first bartending shift? Congratulations! Bartending is a fast-paced gig that offers the opportunity to meet new people, earn tips, and channel your inner mixologist.

If you haven’t worked behind a bar before, it might seem intimidating. There's a lot to learn when you're starting out -- the names of the liquors behind the bar, the rules for the perfect pour, and the precise measurements to make the right cocktail. 

To help you get a head start on the ins and outs of bartending, we’ve put together a list of the top 15 cocktail recipes every new bartender should know. As a bartender, you’ll likely find yourself making these drinks multiple times a day, so it’s best to brush up on these recipes. 

Let’s get started!

Aperol Spritz

• 3 ounces Aperol
• 3 ounces Prosecco
• 1 ounce of club soda or unflavored sparkling water
• Orange slice for garnish

Best served in a wine glass.

Instructions

• Add ice to a wine glass. 
• Pour in the Aperol, followed by the Prosecco. 
• Top off the drink with a splash of club soda or sparkling water. 
• Add an orange slice for garnish.

Bloody Mary

• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup of spicy tomato-vegetable juice
• 1 ounce of vodka
• 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash of hot pepper sauce
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 celery stalk for garnish

Best served in a highball glass.

Instructions

• Rim your glass with sea salt.
• Fill your glass with ice cubs. Add the vodka, tomato juice, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to a shaker. 
• Cover the shaker and shake vigorously for roughly 20 seconds. 
• Strain the mixture into your glass of ice. 
• Add a celery stalk, lemon wedge, and lime wedge for garnish.

Cosmopolitan

• 1.5 ounces of vodka
• ¼ ounce of lime juice
• ¼ ounce of triple sec
• ¼ ounce of cranberry juice
• 1 cup of ice
• Lime wedge for garnish

Best served in a martini glass. 

Instructions

• Add vodka, lime juice, triple sec, and cranberry juice to a cocktail shaker.
• Top off the shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until chilled. 
• Strain the mixture into a chilled glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Daiquiri

• 2 ounces of light rum
• 1 ounce of lime juice
• ½ ounce of simple syrup

Best served in a coupe or martini glass.

Instructions

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. 
• Shake vigorously for roughly 20 seconds. 
• Strain the mixture into a glass.

Espresso Martini

• 2 ounces of vodka
• ½ ounce of coffee liqueur
• 1 ounce of espresso or cold brew concentrate
• ½ ounce of simple syrup
• 2 to 3 espresso or coffee beans for garnish

Best served in a coupe glass. 

Instructions

• If using freshly brewed espresso, brew it first and allow it to cool completely. 
• Add ice to a cocktail shaker followed by the espresso, simple syrup, coffee liqueur, and vodka.
• Shake the mixture vigorously in order to form a foam. 
• Strain the mixture quickly into a martini glass. Top with coffee or espresso beans for garnish.

Gin and Tonic

• 2 ounces of gin
• 4 ounces of tonic water
• Lime wedge for garnish

Best served in a high ball glass.

Instructions

• Fill a glass with ice. Add gin, top with tonic water, and gently stir. 
• Add a lime wedge for garnish.

Long Island Iced Tea

• ¾ ounce of vodka
• ¾ ounce of white rum
• ¾ ounce of silver tequila
• ¾ ounce of gin
• ¾ ounce of simple syrup
• ¾ ounce of lemon juice
• 1 ounce of cola
• Lemon wedge for garnish

Best served in a highball glass.

Instructions

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec, then cover and shake. 
• Pour the mixture into a glass and top it off with the cola. 
• Add a lemon wedge for garnish.

Manhattan

• 2 ounces of rye whiskey
• 1 ounce of sweet vermouth 
• 2 dashes of Angostura bitters 
• 1 cherry for garnish

Best served in a martini glass.

Instructions

• Fill a glass with ice. Add the rye, vermouth, and bitters to the glass. 
• Stir completely before straining the mixture into a chilled glass. 
• Garnish with a cherry. 

Margarita

• 2 ounces of blanco tequila
• ½ ounce of orange liqueur
• 1 ounce of lime juice
• ½ ounce of agave syrup
• Lime wedge for garnish 

Best served in a margarita or rocks glass.

Instructions

• Fill a shaker with ice. Add tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave syrup to the shaker.
• Shake until chilled. 
• Moisten the edge of your glass and rim with salt. 
• Fill the glass with ice and strain the mixture into the glass.

Martini

• 2 ounces of dry gin or vodka
• 1 ounce of dry vermouth

Best served in a martini glass.

Instructions

• Add your liquor of choice and vermouth to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. For a Dirty Martini, add 1 to 3 teaspoons of olive brine.
• Stir the mixture for roughly 30 seconds until it’s cold.
• Strain the mixture into a cold martini glass.
• Garnish with a lemon twist or olives. 

Mojito

• 2 ounces of white rum
• 1 ounce of fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce of simple syrup
• Club soda or sparkling water
• Lime slices for garnish
• Mint leaves

Best served in a highball glass.

Instructions

• In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves gently. 
• Add ice, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. 
• Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice. 
• Top off with club soda.
• Garnish with lime and mint leaves.

Moscow Mule 

• 1.5 ounces of vodka
• ½ ounce of lime juice
• ½ cup of ginger beer
• Lime wedge

Best served in a copper mug.

Instructions

• Pour vodka and lime juice into a copper mug. 
• Add ice cubes and top off with ginger beer. 
• Stir the mixture.
• Add a lime wedge for garnish.

Negroni 

• 1 ounce of gin
• 1 ounce of Campari
• 1 ounce of sweet vermouth
• Orange peel for garnish

Best served in a rocks glass. 

Instructions

• Fill a glass with ice. 
• Add gin, Campari, and vermouth to the glass.
• Stir until chilled. 
• Strain the mixture into a glass with one large ice cube. 
• Add an orange peel for garnish.

Old Fashion

• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 1 teaspoon of water
• 2 ounces of bourbon 
• Orange twist for garnish

Best served in a rocks glass.

Instructions

• Add sugar, bitters, and water into a mixing glass. 
• Stir together until the sugar is nearly dissolved.
• In a mixing glass filled with ice, add the bourbon and stir until chilled. 
• Strain the mixture into a glass with one large ice cube. 
• Add an orange twist to the glass for garnish.

Whiskey Sour

• 2 ounces of bourbon
• ¾ ounce of fresh lemon juice
• ¾ ounce of simple syrup
• Orange wheel for garnish
• Cherry for garnish

Best served in a sour glass.

Instructions

• Add bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. 
• Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for roughly 20 seconds. 
• Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice. 
• Garnish with the orange wheel and cherry. 

Cheers to Your New Start

While each bar might have their own unique cocktail menu, these are standard drinks that you’ll encounter on a regular basis. Practice makes perfect and before you know it, you’ll be making these drinks with your eyes closed! 

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