Resolutions are a tricky thing — they involve breaking habits or starting entire new ones, and that's not easy. However, when it comes to booze, that can actually be a fun prospect. Here are five resolutions for 2013 you might actually keep.

1) Forget the cocktail list, go with the bartenders choice: Cocktail trends haven't hit Philadelphia quite as hard as some of our bretheren in Chicago and NYC, so going with the bartender's choice might be a nice way to experience some recipes or techniques that are popular within industry folk but haven't quite made their way down to consumers within Philly. If you find yourself at a reputable cocktail establishment, pick a base spirit and let the bartender make you something unexpected. (Caveat: If it's really busy behind the bar, shelve this one until your mixologist has a bit more time on their hands.)

2) Upgrade your home bar: if you've got a killer bar setup at home, up your game and start experimenting with making your own bitters, tinctures and ice balls. We highly recommending reading Bitters, A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All by Brad Thomas Parsons ($24) for easy to follow recipes and formulas. Grab some ice molds, because like any bar worth its salt, you need the right kind of ice to pair with your high end liquors.

3) Spruce it up: if you're a homebrewer, how about making some Viking inspired beer brewed with spruce? (Yes, we said Viking beer.) NPR has a great write-up on the history of spruce beer. Remember last year we recommended you try some, it goes great with spicy food. 

4) Partake in aperitifs: instead of thinking of happy hour as just a means to score affordable booze, how about using it as a way of opening up your apetite before dinner? Aperitis are typically made with a secret combo of roots, herbs and fruits, and feature clean and crisp flavors. Drinking aperitifs is a French custom that hasn't quite caught on stateside, but with French-themed cocktail bars like Emmanuelle, it just got easier to indulge. Try chilled Campari, Dubonnet, Lillet or vermouth.

5) Take in some history: We're lucky to live in one of the best drinking cities in the country and one steeped in history, before you go barhopping one Saturday, how about checking out  American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of the Prohibition at the Constitution Center. It runs through April 28 and tickets are only $18. 

Photos by Danya Henninger