Mixing drinks is lost on too many people. No, I don’t expect your mother to rock my socks of with her Mojito, but that fancy bartender didn’t even seem to try. I guess it’s as they say: if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

But knowing how to make a perfect cocktail can be more than just yummy, it’s impressive. Better than any other party trick, knowing your drinks can win the people to your side.

Books were the go-to source back in the old days (only second to ‘trying them out‘ in the bar yourself), but you can save yourself the walk. Here are some of the best sites with free both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktail recipes to make the perfect drink.

Drinks Mixer – Free Cocktail Recipes

Drinks Mixer has an incredible database, with over 12,300 free cocktail recipes. Leave a comment when you’ve tried them all. Seriously.

You can further narrow it down to champagne, creamy, frozen, hot, long, short and tropical drink cocktails; or just browse the directory alphabetically. More interesting, perhaps, is to flick through the recipes by base-ingredient, flavor, or popularity.

To find yourself a free cocktail recipe, Drinks Mixer is by far the most incredible site I’ve encountered so far. You might be met with a few pop-ups, although those can be easily fended off by your browser.

On the same site, you’ll also find a lot of non-alcoholic cocktail recipes and – to keep the spirits up, pun intended – drinking games. Are you really serious about your mixing ambitions? Check out their bartender guide.

Drinkolic – Use What You’ve Got

Most people don’t have a liquor cabinet the size of a small room. A left-over bottle here and there is far more likely. When choosing a cocktail, first look at what you’ve got lying around in the kitchen, before barging off to the supermarket. With Drinkoholic, you can find a cocktail befitted to your supplies.

Browse the (equally impressive) cocktail database by liquor type, from (grain) alcohol to Whiskey. Alternatively, check out the ingredients and glassware. You can narrow your choices down to cocktails that contains a specific ingredient (e.g. fruit or syrup), or even by the kind of glassware that’s used.

Most of these categories can be further narrowed down into liquor or ingredient type. Mind you, not all listed ingredients and liquors have cocktails listed. Want to help out? You can submit your own recipes.

Cocktail Cost Calculator

Equally important is the price. Expensive cocktails are a quick way to get rid of all your money. With the Cocktail Cost Calculator, you can keep these expenses in hand. Check out how much money you’re going to loose before chosing those definite recipes.

Cocktail Cost Calculator will tell you the price of the most famous cocktails, or even of your own concoctions. If your own fancy brew isn’t listed, you can list the ingredients below, by selecting the type and quantity of liquors, fizz, mixes and juice. You can name it, and even add mixing instructions before you calculate the price.

Do you know any other great cocktail mixing resources? Don’t be shy, and let us know in the comments section below!