Pick Your Poison

Are you tired of always having to go to the beach or to a bar to enjoy your favorite drink? Instead of spending so much money at a bar or club ordering these exotic drinks, we've provided you with some recipes and tips on how to make them yourself. They are easy and quick to make and they are great to use for pre-gameing or even when you just want to relax with your friends. These are five of the most popular alcoholic drinks, and remember, you can add as much alcohol as you desire according to your taste.

Mojito
Ingredients -Fresh mint -Limes (one for each drink) -Clear rum (Havana Club is preferred, but if not you can get Bacardi Superior Light, or Captain Morgan's Silver Edition) -Club Soda -Pure granulated sugar -Bitters

How To -Start by making some simple syrup. To do this, put equal parts sugar and water into a pot and cook it on high (stirring the whole time) until it mixes together (you do not want it boiling!). **Make enough of this so you don't have to make it every time you need to make a mojito. -Place some of the fresh mint in the bottom of the glass, just enough to cover and a little bit more. -Pour in about a finger of the simple syrup. -Add a little granulated sugar into the glass to aid the muddling of the mint. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before serving. -Squeeze the juice of a whole lime into the glass, leaving half of the empty lime shell in the glass. -Take your bottle of bitters and just put a dash or two in. Mix that all together thoroughly. -Fill the glass about 3/4 full with ice. -Pour about 4 counts of the rum, and finish it with a splash of club soda. Make sure that you then mix the drink very well. -Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Cosmopolitan

Ingredients -1 oz vodka -1/2 oz triple sec (curacao, grand marnier and cointreau are popular) -1/2 oz Rose's lime juice -1/2 oz cranberry juice
How To -Shake vodka, triple sex, lime an cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. -Strain into a martini glass -Garnish with a lime wedge on the rim, and serve.

Long Island Ice Tea

Ingredients -1 part vodka -1 part tequila -1 part rum -1 part gin -1 part triple sec -1 1/2 parts sweet and sour mix -1 splash Coca-Cola
How To -Mix ingredients together over ice in a glass. -Pour into a shaker and give one brisk shake. -Pour back into the glass an make sure there is a touch of fizz at the top. -Garnish with lemon

**Blue Long Island Ice Tea** -

1 part vodka -1 part rum -1 part triple sec -1 part tequila -1 part gin
How To -Mix all the drinks adding Blue Caracao (triple sec) last -If made right, it will look fluorescent blue. -Serve in a glass and garnish with cherry.

Margarita

Ingredients -1 1/2 oz tequila -1/2 oz triple sec -dash of lemon or lime juice -3 oz Sour Mix -Lime wedge for garnish -Salt to rim the glass (optional)
How To -Pour the ingredients into a shaker with ice cubes -Shake well -If desired, salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass -Pour contents, with ice, into the glass -Garnish with the lime wedge.

Bloody Mary

Ingredients -1 1/2 oz vodka -3 oz tomato juice -1 dash lemon juice -1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce -3 drops Tabasco Sauce -1 wedge lime
How To -Shake all ingredients (except lime wedge) with ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice cubes -Add salt and pepper to taste -Add the wedge of lime and serve.

About the Author
Jared Izwar