I like a good glass of properly decanted wine as much as the next guy. But sometimes the mood calls for a cocktail, and for that, you can never know too many recipes.

The classics are classic for a reason, but branching out is never a bad thing. So in that spirit, here are a few for your home-bar arsenal that tweak the tried-and-true favorites for more unique results. They're all relatively simple, so you won't need to go crazy buying specialty bottles, and they only require a few quick steps to mix up.

Fire in the Hull

Instead of a whiskey sour

This is a traditional whiskey sour, but with one important tweak: the bourbon has been infused with serrano peppers, which lends a flash of heat to the final product. Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. bourbon

• 2 serrano peppers

• .5 oz lemon juice

• .5 oz simple syrup

• .5 oz egg white

Halve the serrano peppers and submerge them into a bottle of bourbon. Leave it for at least two days, or longer if you want an extra spicy batch. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and shake thoroughly. Strain twice. Serve up in a coupe glass.