Raspberry liqueur isn't hard to find, but the bottles you can buy are all over the map. Some options are candy sweet, while others are cough syrup-strong. Making your own liqueur gives you control over how sweet and boozy the end result is—you're likely to end up with something that better suits your sugar tolerance. More

DIY grenadine is as quick to make as simple syrup, and you are in control of how sweet it is. Pomegranate molasses and rosewater add a bit of complexity to the flavor of the final product. More

Amaretto is an Italian liqueur that tastes like almonds, though it's made from apricot kernels. More

Since this recipe doesn't have any sugar, it's a nice way to put a little coconut in your drink without adding sweetness. For more flavor, you could adding vanilla, peppercorns, grains of paradise, cardamom, ginger, basil, lemongrass, or chiles. More

If the urge for a Pimm's strikes you, it is ridiculously easy to make a DIY version with ingredients you probably already have at home. If you want to play with the flavor profile, add a little sherry to give it a sweeter touch or a little Campari to accentuate the bitterness. Add a little simple syrup and fresh herbs to play up the sweet, summery flavor or increase the amount of gin to up the alcohol content and juniper intensity. More

The true beauty of making this mix is having a fresh, versatile, and easy cocktail mixer for parties. There's no reason to buy sour mix when in 10 minutes you could hand-make something that's infinitely more delicious. More

Allspice dram is a simple liqueur flavored with allspice berries. It's also known as pimento dram, because allspice is a berry from the pimento tree. Allspice dram adds a dark, strong, and spicy counterpoint to rum and sweet ingredients in tiki drinks. For years, allspice dram was damn-near impossible to find in the states. Even though you can find it on store shelves now, it's still much more fun (and affordable!) to make it at home. More

A homemade pear liqueur made with brandy gives you the sweetness of a fruit liqueur and the dryness of brandy in one ingredient. This pear liqueur hits the "Do I DIY?" trifecta: easy, cheap, and better-tasting than the store-bought stuff. More

Falernum can be tricky to find commercially, but it's easy to make at home so that you can be ready to mix up lots of classic Tiki cocktails. More

Many commercial spiced rums use the spices to cover up inferior rum. At home, you can create a more elegant and bold version, tailored to your taste. More