A home bar provides a convenient and relaxing space for entertaining friends and family. Once you're ready to use your bar, you might wonder what drinks to make. There are several simple recipes that require few ingredients yet taste delicious. Here are a handful of easy cocktails that include gin as the primary spirit. 

4 Simple Gin Cocktails

1. Martini

Briny and herbaceous, a classic martini is clean and refreshing on the palate. Pour two-and-a-half ounces of your favorite gin and one-half ounce of dry vermouth into a shaker filled with ice. Stirring causes less dilution for a more booze-forward taste, while shaking allows more ice to melt for a lighter flavor. After stirring or shaking, pour the concoction into a chilled martini glass and garnish with olives. For a dirty martini, add extra olives and a splash of their juice.

2. Gimlet

A gimlet is a sweet and sour hand-crafted cocktail with a zesty lime finish. Pour two ounces of gin, one ounce of simple syrup, and one ounce of lime juice into an ice-filled tumbler, and shake until the mixture thoroughly chills and forms a frosty head. Strain into a champagne coupe, which can make this drink look more elegant and allow the bright citrus flavors to hit your nose with each sip. Garnish with a lime or cucumber slice before serving.

3. Negroni

Campari® is the key ingredient in a negroni, which gives it a gorgeous red color and perfect balance of sweet and bitter notes. This Italian aperitif features alcohol, sugar, and distilled water blended with oranges, rhubarb, and herbs. Combine one-and-a-half ounces of Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth into a glass filled with ice. Stir to combine and chill the mixture before garnishing with an orange peel. 

4. G & T

Cocktails don't get much simpler and more refreshing than the traditional gin and tonic. Pour two ounces of the spirit and one ounce of freshly-squeezed lime juice into a glass over ice, and top with three to four ounces of tonic water. Stir gently, garnish with a lime slice, and serve. 

Get the liquor you need to make delicious hand-crafted cocktails at home from Western Reserve Distillers. Located in Lakewood, OH, this distillery makes small-batch spirits using grains from Ohio farms. They specialize in making vodka, bourbon, gin, and organic reposado and blanco spirits. Call (216) 333-9291 to ask about premium organic gin in stock, and visit the website to browse their selection of house-made liquors.