Father's Day is coming up. Which means it's time to put down that sixer of Bartles & Jaymes and learn how to make Dad a drink he'll really like -- a cocktail that harkens back to the days when men were men, fathers knew best and getting ripped at lunch actually meant something.

Here are a few suggestions:

Negroni

A pink drink? Didn't see that one coming, did you? The Negroni is one of the simplest, most classically straight-up cocktails around. Plus it's all booze: You're not going to find any of those wimpy mixers in this bitter Italian stallion.

1 ounce gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce Campari
Slice of orange

Pour ingredients into an Old-Fashioned glass, mix well with ice and garnish with an orange slice.

If you want to lighten it up a touch, swap out the gin with a dry sparkling wine like prosecco. Then it's called a Negroni Sbagliato.

Negroni
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Manhattan

For starters, it has "man" in the title. It's also whiskey-based (rye, to be precise) and darkly, deeply delicious. Just don't skimp on the vermouth.

2 oz rye whiskey
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
Maraschino cherry

Pour ingredients into a mixing glass, mix well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry.

Manhattan
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Old-Fashioned

The father of all cocktails, the Old-Fashioned is one that's rumored to have started it all. The backbone of this drink is two big old slugs of bourbon. If that doesn't put hair on Dad's chest, he's either already maxed out his follicles or he's secretly a woman. Either way, it's still good cocktail.

2 oz bourbon whiskey
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 splash water
1/2 tsp sugar
Maraschino cherry
Slice of orange

Place sugar in an Old-Fashioned glass, mix with bitters and a splash of water. Add ice and whiskey, stir and garnish with cherry and orange.

Old-fashioned
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Death in the Afternoon

You know who's drink this is? Ernest Hemingway's, the acclaimed author, avowed drinker and embodiment of manliness for the rest of time. It's pretty simple too. If you can't get absinthe, you can sub Absente or Pernod.

1 1/2 oz absinthe
4 oz brut champagne

Pour absinthe into a champagne flute, swirl and top with champagne.

Death in the Afternoon
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Shandy

If you want to have a Black & Tan, we're not going to stop you. (It's a half a glass of pale ale slowly topped with stout or porter.) But why not go for a beer cocktail that's a bit more summery? Beer cocktails are hot right now, and there are many more elaborate options. But if you're looking for something simple, a shandy should definitely do the trick.

Mix equal parts pale ale or pale lager with ginger beer in a pint glass. If you're feeling bullish, replace half the ginger beer with tequila.

Shandy
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- Contributed by Jordan Breindel

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