Cocktails to Drink During COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people are working from home. This means that they are their own bartenders in charge of making their own cocktails at the end of the day. We pulled together some of our favorite recipes for refreshing cocktails and hope they give you some inspiration and make your day a little more fun.

The Sunshine Seeker

This refreshingly tart cocktail is the perfect way to fill up on Vitamin C, especially since we all need extra immunity right now. It can also be made into a mocktail (just leave out the vodka!)

Ingredients:

1.5 ounces of vodka (or more based on your preference)
Half of a lime, fresh squeezed
One orange or grapefruit, fresh squeezed
Sparkling water, about 1/2 cup
Tajin or salt

Use the lime to slightly wet the rim and dunk the glass in either Tajin seasoning or salt. (Remember to do this step first because it’s much harder to do at the end!) Then pour one shot of vodka into the glass. Next add the juice of 1/2 lime. Cut the orange or grapefruit in half and use a citrus juicer or fork to get the fresh juice from both halves. You can use a strainer when pouring the citrus juice into the cup if you want to make it with less pulp. Finally, fill the rest of the glass up with sparkling water, usually about 1/4 -1/2 cup. Then stir and enjoy!

Aperol Spritz

This is a classic drink that makes for a great sunset beverage. Grab an Aperol spritz and head out on your patio, balcony, or front yard. This drink is on the sweeter side so it pairs nicely with salty snacks like mixed nuts, potato chips or popcorn.

Ingredients:

1.5 ounces Aperol
3 ounces prosecco or champagne (or more!)
Ice
Splash sparking water

While we give you specific amounts above, the Aperol spritz is all about personalization. Start by filling your wine halfway or more with ice. Then depending on how much you enjoy Aperol add 1.5 ounces (one shot glass) or more to the glass. Next you add about 1/2- 3/4 cup of the prosecco or champagne. Prosecco is more traditional and tends to be on the sweeter side, while champagne makes the drink less sweet and more dry. It also depends on how large your glass is. Finally top it off with a splash of sparking water and stir. You can garnish with an orange slice if you’d like.

Masked Margarita

Margaritas are perfect for Taco Tuesday, but during the “Stay at Home” ordinance everyday is Tuesday since they all feel the same! This is our twist on a classic margarita.

Ingredients:

1.5 ounces tequila
1 lime, fresh squeezed
1/2 tablespoon agave syrup
Slice of watermelon
Small jalapeño
Ice
Salt or Tajin for rim

Start by rimming the glass with salt or Tajin using lime juice to make it stick. Then add a few cubes of ice. Next pour in one shot of tequila and the juice of one lime, freshly squeezed. Mix it together with 1/2 tablespoon of agave syrup, or more if you like it sweet. Then cut up one slice of watermelon and a couple of slices of a small jalapeño. Mix well and enjoy. This can be made in a shaker and then transferred to the prepped glass.

Classic Quarantini

This cocktail has been all the rage since Coronavirus started to impact us all. While this drink started out as more of a joke, it is actually quite tasty. Let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

3 ounces vodka or gin
2 ounces lemon juice
1 packet of Emergen-C
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons water
Ice

There are two ways to make this drink. You can either use the Emergen-C to rim your drink or you can add it instead of the lemon juice. Start by filling a cocktail shaker with ice, then add in the 3 ounces of vodka or gin. Next you either add 2 ounces of lemon juice or 1 packet of Emergen-C. If you choose to use the Emergen-C in your drink, you can substitute 2 ounces of water instead of 2 tablespoons. Finally, microwave the honey with a splash of water for a few seconds to make it more easily mixed. Then shake the concoction and pour into a chilled martini glass (with Emergen-C on the rim if you didn’t use it in the drink itself.)