Picture it: lazing in the sun, hat on head, drink in hand. It’s perfection. Except…what drink is actually in your hand? Do you even know how to make a good cocktail? Daydreamers can now rest easy, because we have plenty of boozy summer cocktails that are easy to make at home.
Cherry Blossom Margarita (Courtesy of 21 Club & Qui Tequila)
2 ½ oz. Patron
1 ½ oz. Cherry Purée
1 ½ oz. Triple Sec
1 ½ oz. Lime Juice
¼ oz. Lemon Juice
Splash of Orange Juice
Dash of Cherry Bitters
Place all ingredients and ice in a mixing glass, and shake vigorously. Strain into a Rocks glass filled with ice.
Ginger Cosmo (Courtesy of Belvedere Vodka)
50 ml Belvedere Mango Passion
15 ml Domaine de Canton
10 ml fresh lime juice
20 ml cranberry juice
Combine all ingredients in a tin and shake with ice. Fine strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with an orange twist.
The S.O.L. (Courtesy of Logan Ronkainen, Trattoria Il Mulino)
2 parts Solbeso
2 parts lemonade
Earl Grey Bitters
Mint sprig garnish
Build all ingredients except bitters in a mixing glass or tin. Shake and strain into a rocks class over fresh ice. Dash bitters on the surface of the drink. Garnish with a mint sprig.
The House Warming (Courtesy of Courvoisier)
1.5 parts Courvoisier VSOP
.75 parts DeKuyper Pomegranate
.5 parts fresh squeezed lemon juice
.5 parts hibiscus tea syrup
Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnished with a hibiscus flower and pomegranate seeds.
Tumba (Courtesy of Favela Cubana)
2 slices of fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
1 1/2 oz. Mezcal
1 1/2 oz. Canton, ginger liquor
1 oz. grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon lime juice
Garnish with ginger candy
Place sliced ginger and agave nectar into a shaker and press the ginger several times with the muddler until slightly smashed and juices are released. Add the remaining ingredients and ice cubes. Cap the shaker, and shake vigorously until well combined, about 20-30 seconds. Fill a lowball glass with a big ice cube and garnish with a ginger candy.
Surfer Sangria Rosé (Courtesy of Ditch Plains)
1 bottle rosé wine
4 oz. orange juice
4 oz. peach nectar
4 oz. guava
4 oz. pineapple
8 oz. fresh watermelon juice (blended watermelon cubes from blender)
8 oz. tanteo jalapeno tequila
Top with fresh slice of jalapeno or watermelon cube. (serves 6-8)
Pineapple Chipotle Margarita (Courtesy of Sauza Tequila)
1 part Sauza Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila
1 part frozen limeade
2 parts pineapple juice
1-2 dashes Tabasco Chipotle Hot Sauce
Pineapple slice (for garnish)
In a glass filled with ice, combine Sauza Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila, limeade, pineapple juice and Tabasco Chipotle Hot Sauce. Stir gently. Garnish with a pineapple slice (optional).
The Lumberjack (Courtesy of Nicole Trzaska, The Liberty NYC)
1 ½ part Portón
¼ part Crown Maple Syrup
¾ part apple preserve
¼ part egg white
Dash fresh lemon juice
Red chili flakes
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and dry shake (no ice!). Add ice and shake again, strain in to a martini glass and garnish with red chili flakes.
Silver Peach Lemonade Punch (Courtesy of Nolet’s Gin)
1 bottle (750 ml) NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
2.25 L Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
375 ml Elderflower Liqueur
2 Bags Frozen Peaches
Mix all ingredients in a pitcher or infusion jar and stir. Serve over ice in a highball glass and garnish with a peach slice or raspberry skewer.
Honey Julep (Courtesy of The Derby)
2 oz. Jack Daniels Honey
.5 oz. Honey syrup
Sprite
Mint leaves
Angostura bitters
Add Jack Daniels and honey syrup in shaker. Slap & drop 6-8 mint leaves in shaker. Shake drink and drop into Collins glass, add ice and stir. Add soda to shaker to collect residual mint and add to top of drink. Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.
Kiwi-Tini Bikini (Courtesy of Pinnacle Vodka)
2 parts Pinnacle Kiwi Strawberry Vodka
1 part DeKuyper Triple Sec
1 part Cranberry Juice
½ part fresh squeezed lime
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Blossom Mule (Courtesy of Mulberry Project)
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)
2 oz. sake
4 oz. Ginger Beer
4 Dashes of Pechaud Bitters
Cherry Blossom garnish
Pour the Lime juice/Maraschino/Sake into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain contents over fresh ice, into a tall glass. Add the ginger beer followed by the the Pechaud Bitter, Stir and Garnish with Cherry Blossom flower.
Beso Picante No. 2 (Courtesy of Solbeso)
2 parts Solbeso
1 part lemon juice
.75 part simple syrup
2-3 jalapeño slices
Muddle jalapeño with fresh lemon juice. Add Solbeso, simple syrup and shake with ice. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with jalapeño slice.
The Collector’s Punch (Courtesy of Hendrick’s Gin)
4 cups Hendrick’s Gin
2 cups Fresh Lemon Juice
2 cups Simple Syrup
1 cup Lillet Rouge
5 cups Cherry Green Tea
3 cups Sparking Water
Berries to garnish
Orange Bitters to taste
Build ingredients in a punch bowl over a large ice block. Garnish with berries. Stir well for one minute to dilute. Serve to your guests and enjoy.
Azoteas Verdes Margarita (Courtesy of Milagro Tequila)
2 parts Milagro Reposado Tequila
1 part Fresh Lime Juice
0.75 parts Agave Nectar
2 strips of green Bell Peppers
1 D’Avignon Radish
1/5 Kale Leaf
Combine the pepper, radish and kale leaf in the mixing glass of a Boston shaker and muddle. Add remaining ingredients and ice and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass and garnish with a kale leaf and lime wheel.
Georgia Peach and Basil Bourbon Slushies (Courtesy of Andrea Correale)
12 mint leaves
3 fresh Georgia peaches, sliced and frozen overnight
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup Simple Syrup
1 cup Black Tea Bourbon
Slice peaches and freeze overnight (can use packaged frozen peaches for easy preparation). In a food processor, add frozen peach slices, mint leaves, lemon juice, simple syrup and bourbon and blend, adding ice until a slushy consistency forms. Scoop slush into glasses and garnish with basil and peaches. Serve immediately.
Strawberry Smoothie Picnic (Courtesy of Altaneve)
Muddled frozen strawberries
4 oz. Altaneve Prosecco
4 oz. St. Germain
Garnish with (you guessed it) strawberry.
White Sangria (Courtesy of Chelsea Wine Vault)
1 bottle of dry white wine
1 ½ tablespoons superfine sugar
1 ½ cups sparkling water
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 lime, half thinly sliced and half juiced
The creator of this sangria, Krista Lee, says that the base can be refrigerated for up to a day, with the ice and sparkling water added just before serving. (Serves 4-6)
Trouble Maker (Courtesy of Kingside)
Muddle 4 slices of English cucumber and 2 whole Strawberries
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.75 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1 oz. Bonal
1.5 oz. Belvedere Vodka
Top with Cucumber Soda
Served in a highball and garnish with a half of strawberry and a cucumber slice on a bamboo pic.
Artichoke Sour (Courtesy of American Cut)
2 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
.25 oz Tuaca Liqueur
1.25 oz Cynar Artichoke Liqueur
.75 oz Pedro Jimenez Sherry
.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg white
Add all ingredients. Dry Shake. Add ice. Shake again. Strain and serve up in a coupe glass. Add bitters to taste.
Twisted Talk: Which summer cocktail are you most looking forward to trying? What other cocktails do you want to try? Discuss below!
