52 Weeks of Cocktails Challenge

The 52 weeks of cocktails challenge continues for its third year! This cocktail challenge was suggested as I wrapped up the 2021 reddit 52 weeks of baking challenge with my chocolate peppermint spritz cookies.

I dabbled in cocktails in 2021. However, it wasn’t until I started making cocktails at home every week that I Iearned all about classic cocktails and bartending basics.

old fashioned cocktail with cube ice, orange twist, and coffee beans.

Making a new cocktail every week helped me to understand what I liked and how easy it was to create a great, well-balanced cocktail. In 2024, I started formalizing my cocktail education with a Level 1 Certification in Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

Join the cocktail challenge for a great all-around cocktail education and to expand your home cocktail bar. Or join just to play more with your favorite mixed drink and see how it changes when you use different simple syrup recipes. You can join at any time and for any number of weeks. But please join us!

Jump to:

How does the cocktail challenge work?
Cocktail of the week
Cocktail FAQs
What’s next
💬 Comments

How does the cocktail challenge work?

Below is the new list of cocktail challenges for 2024. It’s intended to be broad to get exposure to a variety of common spirits and styles of cocktails. It’s similar to last year, with some additional attention paid to amari and bitters.

Are there things missing? Absolutely. But, for example, if you really love a Sazerac, you should be able to find several weeks where you can have your Sazerac.

pale green cocktail in a coupe on a silver tray.

I should apologize in advance to any readers who are in the Southern hemisphere. That’s because the list has icy cocktails in summer for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. Feel free to adjust the list to your seasons.

And I feel compelled to say, “Please drink responsibly.”

white wine sangria jello in a standing and fallen wine glass.

Cocktail of the week

1	January 5	Martini
2	January 12	Amaro
3	January 19	Garnish
4	January 26	Mocktail
5	February 2	Clarified Cocktail
6	February 9	Champagne Flute
7	February 16	Tropical
8	February 23	Grapefruit
9	March 1	Fortified Wine
10	March 8	Non-Martini “Martini”
11	March 15	Baileys Irish Cream
12	March 22	TV or Movie-Inspired
13	March 29	Coffee or Tea
14	April 5	Old Fashioned
15	April 12	Brandy
16	April 19	Lowball (Rocks) Glass
17	April 26	Margarita
18	May 3	Mint Julep
19	May 10	Spritz
20	May 17	Gin
21	May 24	Use the Blender
22	May 31	Simple Syrups
23	June 7	Vodka
24	June 14	Punch
25	June 21	Layers and Floats
26	June 28	Jello
27	July 5	Mojitos
28	July 12	Moscow Mule
29	July 19	Wine
30	July 26	Frozen
31	August 2	Sour
32	August 9	Highball Glass
33	August 16	Berries or Stone Fruit
34	August 23	Rum
35	August 30	Purple
36	September 6	Tequila
37	September 13	Apple or Pear
38	September 20	Negroni Week
39	September 27	Martini Glass
40	October 4	Manhattan
41	October 11	Liqueur
42	October 18	Pumpkin
43	October 25	Spooky
44	November 1	Whiskey
45	November 8	Infusion
46	November 15	Creamy
47	November 22	Cranberry
48	November 29	Bitters
49	December 6	Absinthe
50	December 13	Fire!
51	December 20	Red
52	December 27	Bubbly

a cranberry negroni in a lowball glass surrounded by fresh cranberries.

Cocktail FAQs

Where and when will you post?

I will try to post the cocktail of the week on Instagram and my Facebook group every Friday of this 52 weeks of cocktails challenge. If you join, please feel free to share at any time. Just tag me @uglyducklingbakery and use the hashtag #52weeksofcocktails, so I see it!

Do you have a cocktail recipe book you can recommend?

I have the Cocktail Codex, which is fabulous, as well as a few others. Online, I recommend the Difford’s Guide as a resource. But mostly I would recommend learning what it is that you like in a cocktail and playing around with proportions and ingredients. That’s what this cocktail challenge is all about.

I don’t know where to start. Help!

For example – with the martini in week 1, if you don’t know whether you prefer a gin or vodka martini, make both and compare. Or compare gins to see how different they can taste. Or change the proportions and make a dry martini with a ratio of 5 parts gin to 1 part vermouth, and compare it with a wet martini and see which you like best.

Each week, I’ll try to share some of thoughts and suggestions for the following week.

What bartending tools do I need?

What bartending equipment you need will depend on what cocktails you like to make at home. Here is my list of essential bar tools for home cocktails.