Learn how to up your home bar game from the country's best bartenders

Say goodbye to your sad Quarantini.

The home bar has taken center stage as New York City’s best bars are off limits these days—except for establishments selling alcohol to-go. But what do you put in the shaker when you have some vodka, a sad lemon and half empty bottles of liqueur guests brought to a dinner party last year?

Bartenders in New York and across the country have turned to social media—check Instagram, Twitter and Facebook—for sharing recipes, providing tips on making better cocktails and even taking requests in live time so we can all drink better while social distancing. As you’re “qaurantending” from your apartment, here are some thirst-quenching resources, whether you set up that virtual happy hour or simply want to pour yourself one.

Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana, MasterClass

Lynnette Marrero of Llama-San in the West Village joins Ryan Chetiyawardana, winner of the World Best Bartender award in 2018, lead a recently-launched series called Mixology for MasterClass. They share tips and techniques that the best bartenders across the world use every day to keep us hydrated.

Derek Brown, owner of the Columbia Room in Washington D.C.

Twitter may be the last place you want to troll these days, but for cocktail advice, respected bartender Derek Brown has been sharing recipes and fielding questions. So ahead and tweet before you tipple.

Liquor Lab

Photography: Courtesy of Liquor Lab

Buy your ingredients ahead of time before streaming this hour-long class at home ($10/session), where you can learn how to make cocktails with top bar talents across the country. Liquor Lab, which holds an extensive roster of mixology classes, has a few upcoming classes with Dev Johnson, where he’ll focus on cocktails using Santera Tequila (which also has more than 20 videos on its site). You’ll shake, sip and stir a few recipes in this interactive class. The best part? You’ll have plenty of booze left to keep the drinks flowing. 

Naomi Leslie, East Coast Brand Ambassador for The Balvenie

Photography: Courtesy of The Balvenie

On her IG account, Naomi Leslie launched a cocktail tutorial dubbed “Use What You’ve Got” to help you create concoctions without having to buy a bunch of new ingredients. She’ll be posting more videos in the coming weeks. 

Jordan David Smith, spirits director and head bartender at Hall, Odo and The Backroom

Struggling to figure out how to make the perfect martini or a low ABV cocktail to kick off your weekend? Jordan David Smith, who creates the balanced cocktails to complement chef Hiroko Odo’s Japanese cuisine, will answer questions via email (jordan@skyblue-hospitality.com).

Mattias Horseman, Brand Ambassador for Hendrick’s Gin

Photography: Courtesy of Hendrick's Gin

From his rooftop in Dallas, Hendrick’s Gin Brand Ambassador Mattias Horseman kicked off his Facebook Live series on St. Patrick’s Day. Every day at 6pm EST, he will go on Facebook for “Live @ Five with The Bar Poet” for cocktail shenanigans. 

Jeremy Downer, consulting bartender at Fish Cheeks

Photography: Andrew Bui

Jeremy Downer’s refreshing cocktails are a thirst-quenching counterpoint to the seafood-focused Thai menu at Fish Cheeks. He’s sharing recipes on his personal Instagram with innovative cocktails like the Vitamin C-packed Sally Sells Sea Shells (rhum, carrot juice, lime juice, ginger syrup and celery shrub bitters). 

Thyme Bar

Photography: Courtesy of Thyme Bar

At the newly-opened Thyme Bar in the Flatiron, they’ll be sharing tips and recipes on Instagram. Head bartender Colin Stevens will also answer questions if you slide into his DMs at his IG account or Thyme Bar’s.