Classic Cocktail Recipes to Know

Cocktail trends tend to change frequently, influenced by popular culture, social media, and food fads. Some cocktails just never seem to make it back into the limelight, which is a shame because there are lots of “forgotten” cocktails” that are really great. Here are six cocktails we think you should explore and reconsider in the coming months. We’ll provide the classic recipe as the base but also suggest the Batch 22 hack in parentheses. That’s the variation we recommend. No surprise there! Maybe order one of these delicious lost cocktails next time you’re at a bar. Help us start a new trend!

Bee’s Knees [Honey Buzzer]

This simple cocktail—a mix of gin, lemon, and honey syrup—was originally developed during Prohibition, when “bathtub gin” was crudely made and rather overpowering. You can easily make a variety of substitutions with this formula; use lime juice instead of lemon, for example, or use agave instead of honey. You can also play around with the style of gin; see if you like it best with a London Dry, a Genever, or an Old Tom’s.

In a cocktail shaker with ice:

• 2 oz gin [1 oz. gin/1 oz. Batch 22]
• .75 oz lemon juice
• .75 oz of honey simple syrup

Shake well and strain into a rocks glass (you can rim the glass with syrup and a flavored sugar if desired). Garnish with lemon/lime peel or twist.

Hemingway Daiquiri [The Ex-Pat]

This classic cocktail recipe’s roots go back to Havana, Cuba in the 1930s, to the neighborhood where famed ex-pat writer Ernest Hemingway lived for many years. Evidently, Hemingway had stopped into the Floridita Bar to use the bathroom and noticed the bartender preparing daiquiris. Always intrigued by the sight of alcohol being poured, Hemingway asked for a taste. His verdict? Too much sugar and not enough booze. In response, the bartender created a daiquiri with double the rum and no added sugar, which eventually became known as the Hemingway Daiquiri.

In a shaker with ice combine:

• 2 oz. white rum [1 oz. rum / 1 oz. Batch 22)
• 1/2 oz maraschino liqueur
• 3/4 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 oz grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
• Garnish: lime wheel

Shake until well chilled and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

The Classic Sour [Sour Batch Kid]

The Classic Sour formula is 2 ounces of spirit, 1 ounce of citrus, and 1 ounce of sweetener (simple syrup). These three basic ingredients combine to form the classic sour, one of the oldest types of cocktails. It wasn’t until more recently that the egg white component was added to most versions, making the drink more silky, smooth, and mouth-filling. Today, bartenders are shying away more and more from the egg white additions—in many cases, aquafaba is used instead. Aquafaba is the protein liquid drained from a can of chickpeas or kidney beans. When shaken, it creates the silky, foamy component that made egg whites so popular.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. bourbon [or sub 1.5 oz. Batch 22 / .5 oz. bourbon]
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 1/2 oz. egg white or aquafaba (optional)
• Garnish: Angostura bitters

Combine Batch, bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white/aquafaba (if using) in a shaker and dry-shake for 30 seconds without ice. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass or a coupe and garnish with 3-4 drops of Angostura bitters.

Aviation [Flight 22]

The Aviation is a forgotten gin cocktail that dates back to the turn of the 20th century, but it was largely left behind in recent years because one of its primary ingredients, crème de violette liqueur, disappeared from the market during the 1960s.

In 2007, Haus Alpenz , an importer from Minnesota, made crème de violette available again. The ingredient’s improved availability led to a renaissance for the Aviation and it began to reappear on bar menus across the United States once again.

In a shaker with ice combine:

• 2 oz. gin [1.5 oz. Batch 22 / .5 oz. gin]
• .5 oz. maraschino liqueur
• .25 oz. creme de violette
• .75 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• Garnish: brandied cherry or lemon peel corkscrew

Shake until well-chilled and strain into a Nick & Nora or small martini glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry or a lemon peel corkscrew.

20th Century [Modern Times]

Gin has made a huge comeback in recent years. Artisanal versions, small batch bottlings, and infusions of every kind now dominate the category, offering drinkers an almost infinite variety of flavors and styles to choose from.

According to William J. Tarling’s 1937 “Cafe Royal Cocktail Book,” the 20th Century was created by British bartender C.A. Tuck and was named for the luxurious 20th Century Limited passenger train that ran between New York City and Chicago from 1902 to 1967. Tarling’s original recipe featured gin, Lillet blanc, white creme de cacao, and lemon juice.

Gin and Batch 22 are great partners; each contributes a delicious mix of botanicals and spices to a drink. This classic gin cocktail recipe is one of our favorites to adapt with a partial substitution of Batch 22.

In a shaker with ice combine:

•   1.5 oz. gin [.75 oz. gin / .75 oz. Batch 22]
•   .5 oz.  Lillet blanc
•   .5 oz. white creme de cacao
•   .75 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
•   Garnish: lemon twist

Shake ingredients until well-chilled, about 15 seconds, and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Bijou [Bijou 22]

This elegant gin cocktail dates back to the 1800s, probably to somewhere in France (“bijou” means “jewel” in French). Like the Aviation, the Bijou has fallen a bit into obscurity due to a worldwide shortage of one of its ingredients: chartreuse. Because Batch 22 and chartreuse share similar herbal and floral properties, a 1-for-1 substitution will work well.

Combine in a mixing glass with ice:

• 1 oz. London dry gin
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1 oz. green chartreuse [or 1 oz. Batch 22]
• 1 dash of orange bitters

Stir for 20 seconds to chill well and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with lemon peel or orange wheel.