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Cocktails can seem complicated from the outside, but they are hardly rocket science. In fact, most people with some skill in making cocktails will tell you they’re all about the ingredients.

 

And remember, while you can put all sorts of things into a cocktail, the ingredients themselves boil down to two things: Flavoring and alcohol. So, don’t overthink it, and let’s go over the five cocktail ingredients that you will want to have around whenever you want a cocktail.

1. Citrus

Whether your citrus of choice is limes, lemons, oranges, or even kiwis, everyone is familiar with the sweet taste of citrus mixed into their cocktail. When bonded with the alcohol of whatever spirit you are using, the outcome is that it mellows out to something sweet rather than sour.

 

Don’t be afraid to get heavy with it either. Some people like their cocktails smooth, while others practically make a slushy with blended citrus and alcohol in it.

1. Vodka

Vodka is probably the most fundamental alcohol to cocktails, particularly to what are known as “well cocktails”. These are cocktails made from the cheapest alcohol the bar has to offer.

 

But you can make an amazing cocktail out of unremarkable alcohol. All you need to do is look up a guide to well cocktails to see how many different varieties of vodka are viable. 

 

It is that versatility that makes it a fundamental part of making a cocktail. Just remember to use unflavored vodka if you can, as flavored vodka has the chance of

1. Soda

What does Coke taste like? Or Dr. Pepper? One of the incredible things about sodas is that most of them are completely synthetic. They do not taste like anything in the natural world. They are flavors designed to be pleasing to human beings, meaning their flavors “show” quite well.

 

A sugary soda might be uncomfortably sweet by itself, but like citrus, it can be mellowed out.

1. Syrup

We definitely wanted to throw something unexpected in here, and syrup is our wildcard of choice. People generally don’t try putting it in alcohol because of its thick texture. And in any other liquid, it would maintain that thick texture. But alcohol is unique.

 

Alcohol is a strong base, while syrup is mildly acidic. That means the slick parts of the alcohol will cancel out the sticky parts of the syrup, making the drink about the thickness of water. At the same time, the sweetness will remain, as will the musk of the syrup’s flavor.

1. Tequila

Of course, if you want to make a good “dessert cocktail”, then why not try mixing sweetness with even more sweetness? Tequila is the best alcohol for making a cocktail where people notice the flavor. Just be sure not to mix in too many flavors or it will be overwhelming.

 

You can also go the opposite direction and mix your tequila with something bitter like salt. The end result will be extremely flavorful, but because the flavors are different it won’t be overwhelming in the same way that mixing sweet with more and more sweet usually is.

Conclusion

Of course, there are tons of other cocktail ingredients you can get for cheap. The definition of cocktail is really up to you to decide. As we mentioned earlier, some people prefer their cocktails mixed with crushed ice and blended with fruit.

 

If that’s the case, there’s nothing stopping you from making an ice cream cocktail, or just about anything else you can imagine. So long as you drink responsibly.