5 Home Cocktail Bar Hacks

Stuck in a cocktail rut? We've got you covered.

You don't need to spend a ton of money on specialty liqueurs or waste time carving a piece of melon into the shape of a parrot in order to master the home bar. Here are five painless ways to seriously improve the way you make drinks at home, presented by Cayman Jack cocktails.

Save time by making the drinks in advance. Certain cocktails lend themselves to batch preparation, including Negronis (try them with mescal!) and sangrias (such as this peach jalapeño number).

No time to batch your cocktails? Stock up on Cayman Jack Cuban Mojitos—your pals won't know you didn't hand–squeeze the limes or pick the mint yourself. And as any avid host knows, faking it until you make it is an essential part of entertaining.

Never show up with tepid drinks again! To cool down room–temperature beverages, submerge them in a mixture of water and ice that's been sprinkled with a bit of salt. This hack works particularly well on beer and wine.

Perfect one or two go–to cocktails, like the old–fashioned or Aperol Spritzer, and be sure you have all the ingredients stocked, all the time. The next time your friends drop by unexpectedly, you'll be ready—and they'll be thrilled.

Jealous of those huge ice cubes served at trendy cocktail bars? All you need to make them at home is an inexpensive specialty ice cube tray, which you can buy online. It's a small but easy upgrade to your favorite bourbon or mescal. Take it one step further and infuse the ice with your favorite seasonal fruit.