Have a New Year's party at your own house this year? Playing bartender for the night could mean your work's cut out for you, so instead, make simple cocktail mixers ahead of time, and let your guests mix them with an alcohol of their choice. I've toyed around with a few and come up with three that'd be perfect for New Year's Eve in fresh fruit flavors: cranberry mint, grapefruit basil and pomegranate citrus. 
All three of these mixers would marry well with a host of spirits, even sparkling wine. I mixed the cranberry mint in a shaker with rum for a refreshing holiday drink, while I mixed the grapefruit basil with vodka for a more herbaceous version of a salty dog. The pomegranate citrus served as an easy topper to a flute of sparkling wine (for extra flair, float in a few pomegranate seeds, too). I also recommend keeping sparkling water on hand to mix with as a nonalcoholic drink.
Set up a bar before your guests arrive with glasses, buckets of ice, pomegranate seeds, lemon slices and a couple of shakers to ensure your guests and yourself can celebrate into the midnight hour. Mix up your New Year's by reading more for this simple mixers.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1 bunch of basil
4 cups of grapefruit juice
Directions
- Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar, 1 cup water, and basil in a small sauce pan. Bring to boil, stir and ensure all of the the sugar has dissolved.
- Strain the basil from the simple syrup. Let cool.
- Mix the simple syrup with a grapefruit juice in a large container.
Makes 4 cups.
For a modern take on the salty dog: rub the rim of an old-fashion glass with lemon and dip in salt. Pour 4 ounces of grapefruit basil mixer and 2 ounces of vodka over ice. Stir gently.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons citrus zest, such as lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit
4 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional), for garnish
Directions
- Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar, 1 cup water, and zest in a small sauce pan. Bring to boil, stir and ensure all of the the sugar has dissolved.
- Strain the zest from the simple syrup. Let cool.
- Mix the simple syrup with pomegranate juice in a large container.
Makes 4 cups.
For an elegant Champagne cocktail, mix 2 parts sparkling wine to one part pomegranate citrus cocktail mixer. Float 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds in the flute.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1 bunch of mint
4 cups of cranberry juice
Directions
- Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar, 1 cup water, and mint in a small sauce pan. Bring to boil, stir and ensure all of the the sugar has dissolved.
- Strain the mint from the simple syrup. Let cool.
- Mix the simple syrup with cranberry juice in a large container.
Makes 4 cups.
To make cranberry mint cocktail, use a shaker full of ice with four parts juice and 2 parts vodka, shake until cold. Serve in a martini glass.
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