The $30 Albertsons Shopping experience

Updated: May 5

Ok so recently I was asked by a friend, who works at a supermarket, to help put on a cocktail class. The parameters were, they had $30 a person to go shopping in the store, we wanted to make spring / summer cocktails, in the largest variety possible and across all spirit types so no matter what you had in your liquor cabinet you would be able to make a couple drinks. Below Is what I came up with:

 

The Cocktail set

• Lemon drops and variations
• Mules and variations
• Mojitos and variations
• Sours and variations
• Fizzes and variations

Tools you’ll need:

• Shaker set
• Jigger
• Strainer
• Juicer
• Knife
• peeler
• Cutting board

Shopping list:

So I set out to the store to go by everything just like anyone else would do

These are the spindrift soda waters we found. We wanted to use these because they are real fruit juice added to soda, you're able to get an extra dimension of flavor without extra ingredients. and the best part is they're no sugar added

• House made ginger syrup $14
• 4 Spindrift soda water (mix and match) $.99 /can
• 3 Lemons $.89 each
• 4 Limes $.59 each
• Mint .66oz. $2.00
• Bob evens egg whites 16oz. $2.99

Cost: $27.98

Tax $1.68

Total $29.66

When I purchased this stuff I worked under a couple assumptions that might not be true for you.

First, I assumed you didn’t have eggs at your house. But if you do you could save $2.99 and turn that into more citrus or more sodas, or event put it towards more booze.

Second, I assumed you have sugar in your pantry but not totally necessary for these recipes however if you made a simple syrup you could get even more variety out of these cocktails.

Third, I assume you already have simple syrup, if you don't we sell a bad ass original cocktail syrup that you can use in it's place.

 

Mise en Place:

(That's french for Prep)

Mise en place (MEEZ ahn plahs) is a French term for having all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, grated, etc. before you start cooking. Pans are prepared. Mixing bowls, tools and equipment set out.

 

• Peel your lemons to get the peels, should get 6-8 peels per lemon
• Juice your 3 lemons should yield about 4 – 5oz. of juice
• Juice 3 of the 4 limes, should yield about 3 oz. of juice
• Cut your 4th lime into wedges you should get 8 wedges
• Open your syrup bottle
• Open your egg whites
• Open the booz
• Keep your mint nice and cold so it doesn’t start to wilt

You can check out this Mise en Place video here

Ok from here down are the recipes and variations of the above recipes depending on what spirit you have at home or what spirit you're going to buy.

I also should mention that most of these recipes I have listed are for just a single bottle of alcohol, however I also listed the variations using an orange liqueur for a greater depth of flavor.

They are seperated in:

• Vodka
• Gin
• whiskey
• tequila
• Rum

Vodka: would recommend an unflavored vodka

Moscow mule:

• 1.5 oz. vodka
• .5 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• 6oz. of spindrift (could make different flavored ones depending on the can)
• Stir well, add ice and garnish with mint and lime.

Ginger Lemon drop

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain. Garnish with sugar rim

If you have simple, you can make a standard lemon drop by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, and if you have Cointreau or triple sec available you could elevate your lemon drop like so:

Not enough soul:

• 1.5oz vodka
• .5 oz. triple sec
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup Shake, strain. Garnish with sugar rim

Ginger Vodka sour:

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, garnish with lemon peel

If you have simple, you can make a standard sour by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, or you could make a fizz (also known as a colins) by adding a flavor of spindrift to your sour cocktail:

Fizz / colins:

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, top with 4-6oz, of a flavor of spindrift soda, garnish with lemon peel

Ginger Mojito:

• 1 sprig mint
• 1.5 oz. vodka
• .5 oz. lime juice
• .5 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain over ice, top with 6oz. spindrift soda
• Garnish with mint sprig and lime wedge

 

If you have simple, you can make a standard mojito by subbing simple for the ginger syrup.

This guy won’t be as good with vodka as it would be with rum, but you can pretty much sub any spirit in here to make a great drink.

Gin: would recommend a London dry, but any gin will do

London mule:

• 1.5 oz. gin
• .5 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• 6oz. of spindrift (could make different flavored ones depending on the can)
• Stir well, add ice and garnish with mint and lime.

Ginger Lemon drop

(we think it’s even better with gin)

• 2 oz. Gin
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain. Garnish with sugar rim

If you have simple, you can make a standard lemon drop by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, and if you have Cointreau or triple sec available you could elevate your lemon drop like so:

Not enough soul:

• 1.5oz Gin
• .5 oz. triple sec
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup Shake, strain. Garnish with sugar rim

Ginger Gin sour:

• 2 oz. Gin
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, garnish with lemon peel

If you have simple, you can make a standard sour by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, or you could make a fizz (also known as a colins) by adding a flavor of spindrift to your sour cocktail:

 

 

Fizz / colins:

• 2 oz. Gin
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white

Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, top with 4-6oz, of a flavor of spindrift soda, garnish with lemon peel

Ginger Mojito:

• 1 sprig mint
• 1.5 oz. gin
• .5 oz. lime juice
• .5 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain over ice, top with 6oz. spindrift soda
• Garnish with mint sprig and lime wedge

Although not a standard mojito with gin, it still beats the vodka version.

If you have simple, you can make a standard mojito by subbing simple for the ginger syrup

Whiskey: would recommend a Kentucky straight bourbon, or a rye for funky flavor

Kentucky mule:

• 1.5 oz. bourbon
• .5 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• 6oz. of spindrift (could make different flavored ones depending on the can)
• Stir well, add ice and garnish with mint and lime.

Ginger Box car:

(This is a whiskey sour without egg white or a whiskey lemon drop)

• 2 oz. Bourbon
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain. Garnish with sugar rim

 

If you have simple, you can make a standard box car by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, and if you have Cointreau or triple sec available you could elevate your box car like so:

Ginger whiskey sour:

• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, garnish with lemon peel

If you have simple, you can make a standard whiskey sour by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, or you could make a fizz (also known as a colins) by adding a flavor of spindrift to your sour cocktail:

Fizz / colins:

• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, top with 4-6oz, of a flavor of spindrift soda, garnish with lemon peel

(although I think this is better with gin the whiskey is no chump in this drink)

Ginger Mojito:

• 1 sprig mint
• 1.5 oz. bourbon
• .5 oz. lemon juice
• .5 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain over ice, top with 6oz. spindrift soda
• Garnish with mint sprig and lemon peel

Although not a standard mojito, with whiskey this is almost a whiskey smash, if you leave out the soda water topping.

If you have simple, you can make a standard julep by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, leaving out the soda water and serving this on crushed ice, garnished with a mint sprig

 

Tequila: would recommend a Blanco tequila

Mexican mule:

• 1.5 oz. Blanco tequila
• .5 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• 6oz. of spindrift (could make different flavored mule depending on the can)
• Stir well, add ice and garnish with mint and lime.

Ginger margarita:

(by using tequila and lime, instead of vodka and lemon we can turn the lemon drop into a margarita)

• 2 oz. Blanco tequila
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain. Garnish with salt rim and a lime wedge

If you have simple, you can make a margarita by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, and if you have Cointreau or triple sec available you could make the most bad ass variation of a margarita:

Ginger margarita:

• 1.5oz Blanco tequila
• .5 oz. triple sec
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup Shake, strain. Garnish with salt rim, and lime wedge

Ginger tequila sour:

• 2 oz. Blanco tequila
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, garnish with lemon peel

If you have simple, you can make a standard tequila sour by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, or you could make a fizz by adding soda, but if you added grapefruit spindrift you would essentially make a paloma.

Paloma:

• 2 oz. Blanco tequila
• .5 oz. lime juice
• .5 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• Shake, strain over ice, top with 6oz, of grapefruit spindrift soda, garnish with lime wedge.

(This drink way awesome if you shake it with mint, thus creating a ginger mint paloma)

Or sup simple syrup out for the house made ginger to make a standard paloma

Rum: would recommend a silver unflavored rum

Cuban mule:

• 1.5 oz. Rum
• .5 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup
• 6oz. of spindrift (could make different flavored ones depending on the can)
• Stir well, add ice and garnish with mint and lime.

Ginger Daiquiri

(essentially a lemon drop just rum and lime juice)

• 2 oz. rum
• .75 oz. lime juice
• .75 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain. Garnish with lime wedge

If you have simple, you can make a standard daiquiri by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, and if you have Cointreau or triple sec available you could elevate your daquiri to almost Mai Thai status.

The almost ginger Mai Thai:

• 1.5oz rum
• .5 oz. countreau
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup Shake, strain. Garnish with sugar rim

Ginger rum sour:

• 2 oz. rum
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice,

If you have simple, you can make a standard sour by subbing simple for the ginger syrup, or you could make a fizz (also known as a colins) by adding a flavor of spindrift to your sour cocktail:

Fizz / colins:

• 2 oz. rum
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. house made ginger syrup.
• 1 oz. egg white
• Dry shake, wet Shake, strain over ice, top with 4-6oz, of a flavor of spindrift soda, garnish with lemon peel

Ginger Mojito:

• 1 sprig mint
• 1.5 oz. rum
• .5 oz. lime juice
• .5 oz. house made ginger syrup
• Shake, strain over ice, top with 6oz. spindrift soda
• Garnish with mint sprig and lime wedge

This is a standard mojito, well with ginger but If you have simple, you can make a standard mojito by subbing simple for the ginger syrup

Then if you add whatever flavor to the top with the spindrift you can make any flavored mojito. Our favorite was the pineapple.

If you found this interesting or helpful, we have also made several supporting youtube videos for all this content.

-cheers!