Leap into At-Home Bartending

This isn’t quite the venue to discuss what a great idea it would be to make February 29th an international holiday – it is an extra day, after all, and a relatively rare occasion. For those lucky enough to get the day off, or just looking to use the extra time to try something new, we have a list of cocktails, some familiar, some not so much, to help you spend your Leap Day working on something you love: home bartending. 

The recipes are arranged based on time of day and the degree of difficulty is noted. It’s worth noting right up front that you can tweak these all to your taste. This includes experimenting with different spirits or different styles of the same spirit, as in tequila versus vodka, bourbon versus rye, and spiced rum versus dark rum. When the recipe calls for simple syrup, we have a handy how-to you’ll want to check out, because once you learn how to make your own, you can experiment with variations here too: cinnamon simple, demerara, lavender simple, etc. 



START YOUR LEAP DAY WITH THESE COCKTAILS

With an extra day on your calendar, you might as well start by trying to sleep in, and then work your way into a brunch cocktail. Instead of the standard Bloody Mary, try a simple variation, like the Red Snapper. The vegetables and cured meats you put on the skewers are up to you, and the recipe is straightforward. To spice it up, just add two teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce to the recipe.

Red Snapper (Difficulty: Medium, if only because of labor)

• 2 parts Ford’s Gin
• 1 small can of tomato juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 1 pinch cumin
• ¼ tsp. celery salt
• ¼ tsp. prepared horseradish
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 lemon wedge

Put all ingredients except lemon wedge in a shaker tin with ice. Cover and shake until well chilled. Pour contents, including the ice, into a large rocks glass or pint glass. Garnish with lemon wedge and skewers. 

Vodka Collins (Difficulty: Easy)

You can make this one with gin (Tom Collins) or vodka for variation, and either way it’s a lovely accompaniment to brunch or lunch. 

• 2 parts Grey Goose Vodka
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 3 oz. sparkling water or sparkling lemon water
• 2 Luxardo cherries
• 1 lemon slice

Fill a shaker tin with ice, and add vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Cover and shake for about 20 seconds. Strain over ice into a Collins glass. Top with sparkling water, and garnish with cherries.



LEAP INTO THE AFTERNOON

You’re two drinks and one meal into your free day, so have a nap. When you wake up, something zippy will get you moving again. You can get some variation on flavor a few different ways with this one, both with bitters and peppers, or even your choice of tequila.

Spicy Margarita (Difficulty: Medium)

• 2 parts Herradura Silver Tequila
• ½ part Cointreau
• 1 ½ oz. fresh lime juice
• 2 dashes Hella Citrus Bitters
• 1 ¼ oz. simple syrup (optional, and only if you want it sweet-ish)
• 1 jalapeño, sliced

In a shaker tin, muddle the jalapeño in the lime juice, but reserve one slice for garnish. Add ice and remaining ingredients, cover, and shake until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain over ice in rocks glass and garnish with a jalapeño slice. To add more impact and flavor, rim the glass with Tajin or black lava sea salt.

Clarified Milk Punch (Difficulty: Aspirational)

As you prepare for an extra afternoon ahead, it’s time for one of the more difficult cocktails. It will make a nice project of sorts with the background music of your choice. Clarified milk punches are finally back in style, and the cocktail world is better for it. Think of it as conducting a fun science experiment with a delicious payoff. Everything you need to know is right here. 

We’re confident that you nailed the clarified milk punch, and brimming with satisfaction, as you deserve, it’s time to work on one more difficult one as you move closer to dinner. That’s right. We saved the last easy one for the nightcap. Who wants to work hard after the sun goes down? 

Vieux Carre (Difficulty: Hard)

This one isn’t hard because of techniques or sourcing; rather, it’s a drink that challenges you to find the balance for your own palate. The ingredients do balance, but it’s easy to go off the rails one way or another, so have fun with it! When you get it down, use the good stuff, until then, think bottom-middle shelf.

• ¾ oz. Sazerac Rye Whiskey
• ¾ oz. Lo-Fi Aperitifs Sweet Vermouth
• ¾ oz. Hennessy V. S. Cognac
• 2 tsp. Benedictine Liqueur
• 4 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
• 2 Luxardo cherries 

Add all ingredients except cherries to a mixing glass with ice. Stir gently until well chilled. Strain over fresh ice – preferably a large cube or sphere – in a rocks glass. Garnish with cherries, or a lemon peel to change things up. 



A CLASSIC WAY TO FINISH THE DAY

The extra day on your calendar is almost done. One every four years means we have to make the most of it, and so we finish with one of the most popular classics in the world, one that most cocktail lovers tweak to suit their own palate. The variations are almost limitless in that you can use bourbon or rye, or even Japanese whisky, and then change things up with flavored syrups or different bitters (like smoked orange or cherry bark vanilla. We go slightly boozy on this one.

Old Fashioned (Difficulty: Easy)

• 2 oz. Woodford Reserve
• ¼ oz. Simple syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
• 1 Orange peel
• 1 Luxardo cherry (optional)

Combine bourbon, simple and bitters in a mixing glass with ice. Stir gently until well chilled. Strain over a single large cube or sphere in a rocks glass. Express the orange peel over your cocktail and discard. Garnish with the cherry, preferably skewered.

If you’re looking for more Old Fashioned and Whiskey recipes to finish your day with, you can explore our growing list of Bourbon and Whiskey Cocktails.

IN CLOSING

We hope that you make the most of this extra day on your calendar – don’t just use it to do more work, but spend time enjoying a favorite hobby or learning a new skill. With any luck, one of these cocktails will give you the inspiration to build your at-home bartending skills. You never know when you might need them.