Unconventional Budget Cocktails For Unconventional Budget Times (3 Ingredients Or Less)

Most of us are in quarantine. If you’re like me, you really don’t want to interact with hoards of people at the grocery store, and therefore your pantry is looking pretty bleak. However, you really need a drink. Here are some tested recipes I used in college when I really needed to make a bunch of cocktails for really cheap. Yes, some of these might sound a little strange but they’re really not as bad as you’d think. Pour up one of these while you rewatch the Tiger King.

1. Hard Tea

8oz your favorite tea (preferably cold)
1.5oz vodka
0.5oz simple syrup or honey (optional)
Ice (optional)

– Stir tea and vodka together

– Optional: Stir in honey or simple syrup ( link to make your own simple syrup)
– Optional: Top it off with ice

2. Tequila and Emergen-C Sunrise

1.5 oz tequila
8oz Emergen-C
Splash of grenadine

– Mix tequilla and Emergen-c together

– Add a splash of grenadine

Photo by Christian Benseler via Wikimedia Commons

3. Poorman’s white claw

12 oz can of your favorite sparkling water
2oz gin or vodka

– Open your can of sparkling water and pour your gin/vodka in there.

– Add more or less gin/vodka to your taste or how your day has been going.

4. Poorer mans white claw

12 oz flavor enhanced water (like MiO)
1.5oz gin or vodka
Ice (optional)

– Combine the flavor enhanced water together with the gin or vodka – Add ice to your liking
– Note: I’m not even sure if they make those flavor enhancing liquids anymore but I know it’s sitting in some of your cabinet

Photo by theimpulsivebuy via Wikimedia Commons

5. Leftover Coffee White Russian

2 oz vodka
1 oz coffee liqueur made from leftover coffee (click here for recipe)(use leftover coffee instead of coldbrew)
0.75 oz heavy cream (milk or half and half if you don’t have)
Ice

– Stir all ingredients together and top with ice – Adjust cream, coffee liqueur and vodka to taste

6. Spiked Hot Chocolate