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A successful dinner party is comprised of three things: fun company, great food and delicious cocktails. While figuring out the invite list and the main menu is important, nothing transforms a simple get-together into a memorable occasion quite like pinpointing a festive libation. If you need some help in the drink department, serving refreshments that work for your particular theme is easier than you might think. Whether it's your first time acting as a host or you're a dinner party pro, these cocktail recipes will give your guests a reason to celebrate.

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Kick Off a White Sangria Summer

The beginning of warmer weather is the perfect excuse to dust off your deck and host an outdoor dinner party for all of your family and friends. Pair any of these three white sangria recipes with grilled meat or seafood, and everyone will be in for a flavor explosion.

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Serve Gimlets at a Romantic Dinner for Two

Who said a dinner party can't be an event for two? If you're looking to spoil your S.O. with a home-cooked meal, a spin on a classic drink is in order. Put this cucumber-garnished gimlet next to the main dish, and you'll have everything you need for a romantic night in.

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Cheers to Fruity Gin and Tonics at a Housewarming Party

Congrats on the fresh digs! But now everyone's coming over for dinner to celebrate your abode, and you're not sure what to do. You'll want to make a cocktail that wows everyone as much as your fancy new place will, and a pomegranate-flavored gin and tonic is the answer. Don't forget to pick up some cured meats and cheese to nibble on, too!

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Mix Hand-Crafted Mai Tais for Game Night

Inviting your neighbors over for a game night is a no-fuss way to get to know them better and establish yourself as the MVN: Most Valuable Neighbor. Serve these craft Mai Tais with Hawaiian-inspired fare just before breaking out Yahtzee or Clue, and everyone will feel like a winner.

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Eat Brunch for Dinner with Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters

Just because the sun has set doesn't mean that you can't serve brunch fare at your next dinner party. Try making these Bloody Mary oyster shooters to complement a seafood platter. Once you post a photo of these shooters on your Instagram, all of your followers will experience some serious FOMO.

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Clink Classic French 75 Cocktails on New Year’s Eve

Lemon + gin + champagne = the secret to a smashing New Year's Eve dinner party. This bubbly cocktail combination, known as the French 75, will pair perfectly with decadent hors d'oeuvres and a juicy prime rib just before midnight.

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Have Hot Cider at Your Holiday Soirée

The holiday months are prime time for dinner parties. You'll be ready for both the company and the hosting, inviting your guests in from the cold for a hot cider made from ale and spices. Try serving this drink with a hearty casserole, and your guests will feel cozy and warm.

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Drink Unique Margaritas at Girls’ Night

You're hosting dinner for your #squad at your house, so you know what that means — margaritas are a must. Mix up some cucumber-mint grapefruit margaritas for the fiesta, and don't forget to whip up tacos and extra guac.

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Make Ginger Beer for a Barbecue

If your dinner party guests want to skip the alcohol, no worries — you can still serve a delicious beverage that makes barbecued dishes taste even better. Stir up lemon, ginger and mineral water for a non-alcoholic ginger beer that will keep your drink situation on lock. Pro tip: for the guests that do want a little booze, use the ginger beer to make a Moscow Mule.

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Put Together a Family Movie Night with Old Fashioneds

You're ready to spend some time with family by watching beloved movies, and you need a cocktail that is as classic as the chosen films' characters. After a big steak dinner, serve old fashioneds with popcorn and press play.

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For centuries, yeast has helped produce our favorite alcoholic drinks.

Wine and beer makers have been using yeast, a single-celled fungal organism, to help make their alcoholic drinks for centuries. If sealed in a container into which no air can enter, yeast cells digest sugar and produce carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. This process is called fermentation. If you are dabbling with fermenting your own drinks, using the right amount of yeast in the fermentation process is critical. Knowing how much yeast to use involves one simple calculation.

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Step 1

Determine the volume of the container in which you will be fermenting your drink. Write the volume in liters. If you are using a container measured in gallons, you can convert it to liters using the following the formula:

N gallons x 3.785 = N liters

For example, if you are using a 5 gallon barrel:

5 gallons x 3.785 = 18.9 liters

Step 2

Multiply the number of liters by 1.5, which is the recommended amount, in grams, of yeast necessary to ferment 1 liter of fluid (reference 1). An 18.9 liter barrel would therefore require:

18.9 x 1.5 = 28.4 grams of yeast

Step 3

Ferment your measured amount of yeast in the liquid at a constant temperature. Tony Ackland of Home Distiller.org recommends fermenting your mash or wash at a constant temperature of 25 degrees C (45 degrees F).

Wine is for sipping, but slushies are for slurping. And that's just what you'll get if you freeze rose´ wine – frose´ – a frosty pink wine slushie that practically exudes summer vibes. We guarantee this recipe will have you saying, "Yes way, frose´" all summer long.

Ingredients:

• Bottle of rose´ wine
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 ounces elderflower liqueur
• Lemon wedge (for garnish)

Tip: Choose a full-bodied rose with a darker hue, as the color will hold up better once it's frozen and blended. Feel free to experiment with your own recipe. For example, strawberries would be delicious and make it slightly sweeter while pink grapefruit would give it some zip.

First, pour the rose´ into ice cube trays. A standard bottle of wine should fill up two trays. Place the ice cube trays in the freezer and allow the wine to freeze. It'll take about four hours or so.

Add the frozen wine cubes to a blender as well as the simple syrup, lemon juice and elderflower liquer. Blend, pour and garnish each glass with a lemon wedge.

Don't forget the straw – it's a must-have for slurping up this slushie. Just watch out for the brain freeze!

Things You\’ll Need

• Saucepan

• Cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg (optional)

• Honey (optional)

• Vanilla extract

• Mugs

• Flavored coffee syrup

• Frothing wand (optional)

Milk steamers provide a caffeine-free alternative to a warm, soothing cup of coffee. Whether you use it to replace a morning cup of coffee, or as a relaxing bedtime hot drink, steamers require only a few minutes and a few simple ingredients to prepare. Steamers are traditionally prepared by steaming milk in an espresso machine and mixing the milk with flavored syrups. A basic saucepan and your stove can replace the fancy machine and create steamed milk that's just as warm and flavorful as your favorite coffee shop concoction.

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Step 1

Pour the milk into a saucepan, using 1 cup for each serving. Whole milk, lowfat milk, and milk alternatives, such as almond milk, all work equally well.

Step 2

Season the milk, if desired. Add about 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg per cup of milk. For a sweeter drink, stir in up to ¼ teaspoon of honey and vanilla extract per cup of milk.

Step 3

Heat the milk over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn't form. Heat slowly until the milk is heated through and steaming.

Step 4

Pour 1 tablespoon of flavored coffee syrup in the bottom of each coffee mug, such as vanilla, caramel or Irish cream flavored syrup. Pour the milk over the syrup, filling the cup.

Step 5

Stir the milk and syrup together to blend. For a frothier drink, insert a frothing wand or a small immersion blender into the cup and blend for a few seconds, or just until a froth forms.

Tip

Sprinkle ground cinnamon or add a drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce to the top to garnish the steamer.

Steam the milk in your espresso machine instead of on the stovetop.

Belly shots can liven up any gathering.

Belly shots, also called belly button shots and body shots, are a method for drinking. Typically the drink of choice is an alcoholic beverage. As a rule of thumb, belly shots are certainly not appropriate at a classy affair. But in a laid back environment, they can help you get acquainted with other party goers very quickly.

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Step 1

Have your subject lie down on his or her back. They should be on top of a flat, stable surface such as a table or counter rather than a couch or bed.

Step 2

Pour alcohol into the subject's navel until a small well has formed. Keep a towel on hand in case it overflows.

Step 3

Make sure the subject is relaxed. You don't want to miss out on your shot because of a laughing fit or nerves.

Step 4

Slurp up the alcohol quickly to drink the belly shot. You'll have to press your lips against the subject's navel and slurp all in one motion in order for this to happen the right way.

Things You\’ll Need

• Keg of beer with carbon dioxide tank

• Beer tap line

• Beer tap

• Large cup

Most beer tap systems are not very complex, consisting of little more than a pressurized tank, a hose and a spigot. They can require some troubleshooting at times, though. If large air pockets form in the beer line, or if the line is full of nothing but air when you start pouring, it can impede the flow of beer through the line and cause unpredictable spluttering and splashing, making it difficult to pour without foam getting everywhere. Fortunately, this is a relatively easy problem to solve.

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Step 1

Connect the tap line to the tap itself. Leave the line disconnected from the keg, or disconnect it. The line should be clean and ready for use at this point if you have not been pouring beer already. Make sure the line is securely attached to the tap and is undamaged so that air cannot leak in.

Step 2

Place the cup underneath the tap to catch any liquid coming through it, and open the tap.

Step 3

Raise the disconnected end of the tap line above the level of the tap and pour cold water into it. This will be easiest if you can lower the level of the tap and raise the line to a sink spigot; otherwise, use a large pitcher and funnel. Continue pouring water in until water starts flowing out the end of the tap, then close the tap and keep pouring the water in until the line is completely filled with water. Check to make sure there are no large air bubbles remaining in the line.

Step 4

Connect the disconnected end of the line to the keg. Try to avoid spilling the water out of the line as much as possible while doing so, and make sure to attach it securely to avoid air leaks.

Step 5

Connect the carbon dioxide tank to the keg. Open the valve on the tank and set it to the normal pressure level you use for dispensing the beer.

Step 6

Open the tap and let all the water flow out. Do not open the tap all the way while you are doing this, as the tap will most likely sputter and may spray when the water ends and beer starts pouring out. Keeping the tap only partially open will help minimize splashing. Leave the tap open until only beer is flowing, then close it again. You will naturally waste a small amount of beer doing this, but the tap line will be free of air and ready for use.