Bourbon Cocktails...
A Manhattan cocktail can be made two ways: Sweet or Dry.
Manhattan (sweet)
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) Bourbon or rye whiskey
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
Dash of Angostura bitters (optional)
Stir with cracked ice; strain into glass. Add a cherry.
Manhattan (dry)
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces Bourbon or rye whiskey
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Dash of Angostura bitters (optional)
Stir with cracked ice; strain into glass. Add a cherry.

Mint Julep, the official drink of the Kentucky Derby
Begin by making a simple syrup.
Make more than you think you will need for your gathering.
It will keep in the refrigerator.
Simple syrup
Bourbon
Mint leaves
Angostura bitters
Crushed ice
Simple Syrup
Boil one part water with two parts sugar until it has a syrupy consistency. See, it really is simple!
In a tall glass, muddle a few mint leaves with a dash of Angostura bitters. Add a tablespoon of simple syrup and fill glass with crushed ice. Pour Bourbon almost to the top. Garnish with mint leaves.
Sip slowly. This drink is potent! Serve with a short straw
Note: Choose a high-quality bourbon for the best results

Gin and Vodka Cocktails...
Why don't you slip out of those wet clothes and into a dry martini? ~Robert Benchley
Classic Martini
2 1/2 oz gin or vodka
1/2 oz dry vermouth
A green olive or lemon twist for garnish
Shaken or stirred? That is the question!
Shaken: Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with 5 or 6 ice cubes. Shake for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an olive or lemon twist.
Stirred: Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the olive or lemon twist.

Gin and tonic is a refreshing classic. You can't go wrong with this one!
4 cubes ice
2 ounces gin
4 ounces tonic water (diet tonic can also be used)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 lime wedge
Place ice cubes in a cocktail glass. Poor gin, tonic water, and lime juice over ice. Stir and garnish with lime wedge.
Tom Collins
2 ounces gin
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ ounce simple syrup or 1 teaspoon super fine sugar
2-3 ounces soda water
Layer ingredients over ice in a short highball glass, otherwise know as a "Collins glass." Garnish with a cherry, lemon, lime, or orange slice.
Special note: Make this a "skinny" cocktail by using 1 package of stevia instead of sugar or simple syrup.

Screwdriver
The Screwdriver, the simplest of all the cocktails was first referenced in the October 24, 1949 issue of Time magazine. The article read, "In the dimly lighted bar of the sleek Park Hotel, Turkish intelligence agents mingle with American engineers and Balkan refugees, drinking the latest Yankee concoction of vodka and orange juice, called a 'screwdriver'."
The drink reportedly got its name because American petroleum engineers in Saudi Arabia secretly added vodka to small cans of orange juice and stirred the mixture with their screwdrivers. Who knew?!
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounce) vodka
orange juice
Put ice cubes int a 6 ounce glass. Add vodka; fill with orange juice and stir.

Scotch Cocktails...
Rob Roy or (Scotch Manhattan)
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounce) Scotch whiskey
1/2 jigger (3/4 ounce) sweet vermouth
Dash of angostura bitters
Stir with cracked ice. Strain into cocktail glass; add a twist of lemon peel.
Rusty Nail
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounce) Scotch
1/2 jigger (3/4 ounce) Drambuie
lemon twist for garnish
Pour ingredients into a cocktail glass and stir; garnish with lemon twist

Rum Cocktails...
Mary Pickford
The Mary Pickford cocktail was reportedly the favorite cocktail combination of the silent picture star of the 1920's.
Hence the name!
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) light rum
1 ounce pineapple juice
1/2 teaspoon maraschino liqueur
1/2 teaspoon grenadine syrup
1 maraschino cherry
Combine the rum, pineapple juice, maraschino liqueur, and grenadine in a shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschio cherry.

Rum Swizzle
Juice 1/2 lime
2 1/2 ounces light rum
1 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes bitters
Mix in a glass pitcher with lots of crushed ice. Stir vigorously until the mixture foams. Serve in double Old-Fashioned glass.
Special note: For a "skinny" version, substitute 1/2 package stevia for 1 teaspoon sugar.
Cuban Mojito, from Havanah, Cuba
This is the orginal Mojito recipe that Hemingway loved.
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
4 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint
2 ounces white rum
2 ounces club soda
Place the mint leaves in a Collins glass. Squeeze the juice from a cut lime over it. Add powdered sugar and gently smash the mint into the lime juice and sugar with a muddler. (or use the back of a spoon) Add crushed ice, rum and stir. Top off with club soda. Garnish with mint sprig.

Dessert Cocktails...
Stinger
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounce) brandy
1/2 jigger white creme de menthe
Shake well with cracked ice and strain into glass.
Alexander
1 part fresh cream
1 part creme de cacao
1 part Southern Comfort or gin or brandy
Shake with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass
Grasshopper
3/4 ounce fresh cream
1 ounce creme de cacao
1 ounce green creme de menthe
Shake with cracked ice or mix in electric blender; strain into glass.

It's your favorite bar, the genius of its barman... the hum of the friendly crowd unwinding at the magic hour, when nothing pleases a Happy Hour fan... like a (Southern) Manhattan can!
~ From an advertising booklet by Southern Comfort

The Mermaids ask that you please drink responsibly! Always use a designated driver. Mermaids are not pretty swimming on their lips!
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