5 Strong but delicious drinks for the tipsy girly

I’m all about cocktails that pack a punch — full of flavor, with just the right amount of booze! While I have my usual go-to drinks, sometimes I’m in the mood to shake things up with something a little stronger and more unique. If you’re craving bold, refreshing cocktails that aren’t overly sweet, here are a few of my favorites to order — or whip up at home!

1. French 75

This drink just recently became my new personal favorite! In my opinion, a French 75 tastes like a lemon drop, but is stronger and tastier. I do love myself a good lemon drop, but sometimes those drinks can have too much pucker and sugar in them, and we all know that sugary cocktails result in the WORST hangovers. A French 75 is usually served in a flute and makes you feel like a real classy girly that wants to sip with her pinky out in the air, but at the same time, you drink one too many of these and you’ll be on the floor before brunch is even over! I rarely see this drink on a menu, but when I do, I know that there is no helping myself from caving in to my cravings. This drink is made with gin, simply syrup, lemon juice, and sparkling wine. If you are immediately turned off by the idea of gin in this cocktail, you can always substitute for your spirit of choice. Personally, I don’t like gin, but when I tried this cocktail for the first time, I was surprised to find that I could hardly taste the gin. I still have yet to try another spirit in place of gin myself, but one of these days I’ll get around to it. I highly recommend you give this cocktail a try and if you’re interested, test out the recipe I concocted myself below!

Ingredients:

2 oz GIN (Bombay Sapphire or The Botanist taste the best in my opinion.)

1/2 oz Simple Syrup (Make your own by boiling even parts water and sugar.)

1/2 oz lemon juice (I muddle about half of a lemon. I think muddling the lemon tastes way better!)

3 oz Sparking Wine (Champagne, Prosecco, etc.)

Directions:

Muddle the lemon in a cocktail shaker. Add the simple syrup, gin, and top with ice. Shake vigorously until the shaker becomes cold (10-20 seconds). Strain the cocktail into a flute or glass of choice and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon peel and enjoy!

2. Irish Trashcan

The Irish Trashcan, otherwise known as a Trashcan, is quite literally both heaven and hell in a glass! I always describe this drink to the bartender if they don’t already know about it as basically an AMF with a red bull in it. In all honestly, an actual AMF with a red bull in it is probably more dangerous than an actual trash can, but hey I’m not complaining! If you live near or in the same city as a Buffalo Wild Wings, then you need to get yourself one. Seriously. These are absolutely delicious, and the buzz is strong with this one! Buffalo Wild Wings is absolutely to blame for my developed taste buds for this cocktail. They also have different flavor red bulls, so you can get a blueberry trashcan, tropical trashcan, and possibly others depending on what they have in stock! I have personally tried a Trashcan with a watermelon red bull in it before and it is life changing. This can definitely be both a party starter and party finisher drink if you know what I mean. It’s a bit of a creeper considering the red bull masks the alcohol, but it is surely one of my personal favorites to order, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. Just prepare yourself for everyone to ask you what you’re sipping on!

3. Margarita

The Margarita is a classic and if you are a tequila lover, then you more than likely enjoy one these babies especially on a hot summer day! Margaritas can come in many different flavors and are always refreshing. If the margarita doesn’t have a salted rim with extra lime, then I don’t want it! If you’re adventurous and want to spice things up, add a beer to your margarita! If the restaurant you’re at serves drinks in schooner glasses like Applebee’s, then chances are you can order a margarita with an upside-down beer in it to create a Coronarita. Not everyone is a fan of margaritas or beer, but somehow these flavors combined complement each other perfectly and I’m not complaining about it. The best part about margaritas are that you can either get them on the rocks or blended. Either way, you can’t go wrong, but if you prefer your drinks strong, then you most definitely want to get yours on the rocks. This is the kind of drink that personally I feel is always better to order at a restaurant, rather than ordering from a bar. Especially a dive bar, but then again who can really judge. One of the best margaritas I’ve ever had was at a country bar believe it or not!

4. Whiskey Smash

The Whiskey Smash is a boozy classic made with whiskey (bourbon preferred), mint, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Anytime I visit my hometown, there’s a little spot I have to stop by during happy hour for their Peach Smash. After my first sip, I was hooked! I loved it so much that I had to learn how to recreate it at home. Let’s just say I became a little obsessed. It’s strong, refreshing, and the kind of cocktail you can sip slowly to really savor its flavor. I used to be more of a vodka girly, but whiskey has grown on me over time — thanks to my wife. Fair warning: these drinks go down very smooth, but they pack a punch! If you’re not careful, you’ll feel that buzz creeping up before you finish your first glass — especially if you’re a lightweight. If you live in or near Stockton, CA, do yourself a favor and check out Midgley’s in Lincoln Center. Their Peach Smash is the OG that sparked my obsession. Their happy hour is amazing, and the vibe is always friendly and fun. Just don’t blame me if you end up tipsy on a random Tuesday before 6 PM!

Ingredients:

2 oz Peach Bird Dog Whiskey (Trust me on this one…)

1/2 Lemon

(3-5) Mint Leaves

1 oz Simple Syrup

Mint sprig (for garnish)

Ice

Directions:

Muddle lemon and mint leaves in a shaker. Add in whiskey and simple syrup. Shake until well-chilled. Pour over ice and garnish with a mint sprig.

Pro Tip: To make your mint garnish really aromatic, gently slap the sprig between your palms or against the back of your hand before adding it to the drink. This releases the mint’s essential oils, giving your cocktail a fresh, minty fragrance.

Prefer a more laid-back approach? You can muddle the lemon and mint directly in your serving glass, add the rest of the ingredients, and give it a good stir. I don’t judge!

5. Sazerac

Not to be confused with an old fashioned, the Sazerac is a combination of Rye Whiskey, sugar cube, Peychaud’s bitters, and Herbsaint garnished with a lemon twist. I would have never been introduced to this cocktail if it were not for our recent vacation to New Orleans! This is definitely a potent drink, but the flavors combined complement each other well and result in a strong, but tasty concoction. If you ever plan to visit New Orleans, I highly recommend taking a trip to the Sazerac House where you can taste different cocktail creations and learn about the history associated. This is the kind of drink that you want to savor and sip at a pace where you can admire the way the flavors merge together. This might not be a cocktail for everyone, but it is definitely an experience nonetheless! Give this cocktail a try with the official recipe from the Sazerac House as listed on their website!

Checkout https://www.sazerachouse.com/ for more.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Sazerac Rye Whiskey

1 sugar cube

3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

.25 oz Herbsaint

Lemon twist

Directions:

Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice. In a second Old-Fashioned glass, place a sugar cube and add three dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters to it. Crush the sugar cube. Add 1.5 oz Sazerac Rye Whiskey to the glass with the Peychaud’s Bitters and sugar. Add ice and stir. Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with .25 oz Herbsaint. Discard the remaining Herbsaint. Strain the whiskey / bitters / sugar mixture from the glass into the Herbsaint coated glass and garnish with a lemon peel.