Three Ingredient Cocktails

Three.

The perfect combination of brevity and rhythm. Often used to represent the concept of “completeness.” Beginning, middle, end. Third time’s a charm. Eat, drink and be merry. And… three-ingredient cocktails — the most lasting and constant of cocktail constructions. Three truly is a magic number!

Not only are three-ingredient cocktails some of the most enjoyable classic cocktails, they’re an excellent choice for those who are just starting to explore the world of mixology. They’re approachable and a great starting point for making cocktails at home. An advantage of three ingredient cocktails is that they often use ingredients that are widely available and easy to find. This makes them a convenient choice for budding home mixologists who may not have a fully stocked bar or those who are looking for a quick and easy cocktail to make with ingredients they already have on hand.

Mixing drinks at home can be intimidating, not to mention time consuming. With our busy evening routines, most of us want a drink that’s easy to assemble. Don’t get me wrong — I love a layered and complex drink. But frankly, most of the time, simple is better. Ask me any day what my favorite cocktail to make at home is, and I’ll reply with my favorite three-ingredient cocktail: the Negroni. It’s as straightforward as cracking open a beer or pouring a glass of wine.

In general, three-ingredient cocktails are made with a base spirit (such as gin, bourbon or rum), a sweetener (which can mean syrups, sodas, vermouth or liqueurs), and either citrus or bitters. Sparkling wine is sometimes used in place of a base spirit, as you’ll see in one of the cocktail recipes I’m sharing. Generally, garnishes or water (ice or plain soda water) aren’t included in the three-ingredient rule, even though they’re integral parts of a drink. By using just a few ingredients, you can really highlight the flavors of each component and create a balanced, harmonious drink.

It’s been suggested that a trio of entities is more satisfying or effective than other numbers. And when it comes to cocktails, it’s true! There are many delicious and perfectly balanced classic drinks that only contain three ingredients. There are the familiar favorites: the Margarita, Old Fashioned, Negroni or Daiquiri.

Here are a few of my favorite three ingredient cocktails and mocktails to try at home. Maybe you’ve had one (or a few) of these but I’m hoping you’re inspired to shake up something new this year!

Negroni Sbagliato

1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Campari
2 oz sparkling wine
Orange slice

Place a large cube of ice in a rocks glass. Add sweet vermouth and Campari and stir. Top with Prosecco and stir again.

Garnish with an orange slice.

Paloma

1 1/2 oz blanco tequila
1/4 oz lime juice
4 oz pink grapefruit soda
Grapefruit slices

Make it a mocktail by subbing the tequila with Wilderton Lustre NA Spirit

Add the tequila and lime juice to the glass and fill with ice. Top with grapefruit soda and stir briefly to combine.

Garnish with grapefruit slices.

Gold Rush

2 oz bourbon
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz honey syrup
Lemon twist

Make it a mocktail by subbing the bourbon with Spiritless Kentucky 74 Bourbon or strong brewed chai tea.

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

Sidecar

2 oz cognac
3/4 oz triple sec
3/4 oz lemon juice
Sugar for garnish
Orange twist

Rub a lemon wedge around the edge of a nick & nora glass and dip the rim in sugar. Set aside. Add the cognac, triple sec and lemon juice to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into the prepared glass.

Garnish with an orange twist.

Elderflower Daiquiri

1 1/2 oz light rum
1/4 oz elderflower liqueur
3/4 oz lime juice
Lime wheel

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Resources

All of these spirits can be found at any local liquor store. Trailhead Liquor on the North End, 3rd Street Beverage in Midtown, or Bend South Liquor on the South End of town are some of my favorites.

Non-alcoholic options can be found at these stores, but in particular you can find both alcohol free spirits listed above at Market of Choice, and Central Oregon Locavore stocks Wilderton Spirits, too.

—Alyson Brown is a botanical photographer and stylist with an appreciation for a well-built cocktail. Her passion for cocktails led to her first book, “The Flower- Infused Cocktail: Flowers With A Twist,” available Feb. 1 with Globe Pequot. Pre-order wherever books are sold. Brown currently resides in The Stacks Studios in The Old Mill District.

To see more of her work, visit folkcreates.com.

This article appears in Cocktails and Mocktails Guide 2023.