18 Father’s Day cocktails because cheers to dad

Father’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate every father figure in your life, who is there to wipe your tears, take out the trash, remind you to change your oil, and support you in your greatest moments. To show that special man in your life how much he means to you, start the celebrations with an alcoholic drink. From a classic old-fashioned or whiskey and coke to brunch favorites like mimosa or bloody mary, dad will finally get a chance to do what he loves most — kick back and relax.

Our best Father’s Day cocktails

1. Zingy Michelada with Celery Salt

This is the perfect drink for a hot summer day and quite frankly the ultimate dad drink. Think of a Michelada as a more refreshing, lower ABV version of a Bloody Mary – this one is equal parts homemade Bloody Mary blend and light lager.

2. darkness on the outskirts

In one of our many reader-voted recipe contests, this three-ingredient cocktail – made with gin, Aperol and a porter-style beer – was crowned the winner.

3. Manhattan

There are a few things my dad enjoys doing – raking leaves, checking the weather, “lighting the grill”. . . and drink the occasional Manhattan. This classic cocktail will never go out of style (even if Papas Merrells did).

4. The perfect Negroni

If dad can’t stop watching Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy, he’ll love it if you give him a freshly made Negroni on Father’s Day.

5. Old-fashioned

For an old-fashioned guy, there’s this old-fashioned drink. Give your dad the makings of this cocktail—mainly a bottle of good rye whiskey and Angostura bitters—so he can make one himself.

6. A very good Bloody Mary

This isn’t just a “very good” Bloody Mary. . . We could go so far as to call it the very best. It’s made with tomato juice, dill pickle juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.

7. Session Manhattan

This lower ABV version of a Manhattan cuts down on the rye whiskey (but don’t worry – it’s still there) and includes two flavors of vermouth and sherry for a delicious Father’s Day drink.

8th. Our best classic mimosa

Hosting a Father’s Day brunch? Mix the mimosa template with different juices: “Some of our favorite players are pomegranate juice, grapefruit juice, watermelon juice, guava juice, pineapple juice, and mango juice,” writes recipe developer Ella Quittner.

9. Bourbon old fashioned

A classic old-fashioned cocktail is traditionally made with rye whiskey, but we love how well the caramel-vanilla notes in the bourbon balance with the simple syrup (which is so easy to make yourself).

10 Tom Collins

Father’s Day is just days away from the official start of summer, but get in the mood a little earlier with this super refreshing cocktail that’s reminiscent of a moist lemonade.

11. coffee old fashioned

If there’s one brunch cocktail Dad wrote all over, it’s this one — made with Scotch whiskey, coffee liqueur, PX sherry, and mole bitters.

12. Bourbon Orange Fizz

A lot of people think of bourbon as the kind of drink you sip while cozying up by the fire, but it’s actually pretty sweet. That’s why we love this tangy cocktail, which combines bourbon with freshly squeezed orange and lemon juices and champagne.

13. Maker’s Mark Old Fashioned Highball

This refreshing bourbon cocktail will quench dad’s thirst on a hot June day.

14 Rosemary Vodka Tonic

My father-in-law loves drinking a vodka and tonic, so I have a feeling he’s going to love this earthy, slightly lemony upgrade.

fifteen. Whiskey and Coke with Orange Bitters

Recipe developer Shelley Worrell spiced up this classic with orange bitters, a squeeze of lime juice and fresh mint leaves, “which complement the flavors of the cola and whiskey and add an extra dose of freshness”.

16 Coffee Manhattan

Start dad’s day off with a celebratory brunch drink like this Manhattan, made with coffee liqueur and amaro.

17 Pineapple Paloma

Take dad to the tropics for Father’s Day (metaphorically, at least) with this fruity tequila cocktail that’ll inspire him to blast Jimmy Buffet all day.

18 penicillin

Penicillin is a modern drink for the modern man in your life. It’s a tangy-sweet drink that balances the taste like it’s nobody’s business. “By spritzing the peaty-smoky Scotch over the finished cocktail, the drinker first gets that intense, salty, and aromatic hit, giving way to the sweet, tangy mix of the rest of the ingredients,” explains recipe developer (and Food52’s resident beverage expert!) John DeBary .