The sun is out, the days are longer and the smell of barbecue fills the air. Summer gatherings and celebrations follow, with more time to kick back and enjoy a refreshing beverage. These summer cocktails are sure to add intrigue to your warm-weather gatherings — and will have all your friends inquiring about your drink secrets.
The summer season finds many of us swapping heavier drink options (like red wine and bourbon) to lighter, fizzier and spritzer drinks. Summer cocktails have plenty of garnish opportunities, so keep fresh fruit around and embellish your cup with whatever you have on hand. You can also play with fun, outdoor drinkware to liven up summer cocktails. Finally, some cocktail recipes call for flavored salts and sugars that can be added to the cup rims for a bit of extra flair.
1. Pacific Northwest Sparkler
Looking for a refreshing Pacific Northwest-inspired cocktail? Look no further than this sparkler.
Ingredients:
- 1½ ounces Grey Goose Vodka or vodka of choice
- ½ ounce elderflower liqueur, such as St. Germain
- ½ ounce drained juice from canned blueberries, such as Oregon Specialty Fruits
- ½ ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 to 4 ounces Segura Viudas Brut Cava Sparkling White Wine
- Blueberries for garnish
Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with three-quarters ice and add vodka, liqueur and juices. Shake well. Strain into a chilled glass, add blueberries to the bottom of the glass and top with sparkling wine. This recipe might even be better the next day, after the fruit has a bit of time to infiltrate the drink (although the wine will not be as sparkly as it was right after opening).
2. Chateau Ste. Michelle Devil's Margarita
This drink comes straight from Washington state itself. By selecting a cabernet sauvignon from Chateau Ste. Michelle, you shop locally and experience all that a Washington vineyard has to offer. Remember that it's called the devil's margarita for a reason, so imbibe with caution!
Ingredients:
1½ ounces Teremano blanco tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce simple syrup
½ ounce Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon
Directions:
Per a modified version of this recipe, fill the cocktail shaker with ice, adding tequila, lime juice and simple syrup. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Add red wine to the cocktail glass by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon. Garnish with lime wheel, if desired.
3. Huckleberry Mule
You can't go wrong with a mule in the summertime. Huckleberry adds an unexpected flavor that you likely haven't tried in other seasons, and ginger beer adds that subtle spice. This just might be your preferred drink of summer!
Ingredients:
1½ ounces Huckleberry Vodka
½ ounce lime juice
4 dashes of cardamom bitters
Bedfords Ginger Beer
Directions:
In a copper mug filled with ice, combine vodka, lime juice and bitters. Top the drink with ginger beer, and garnish with a lime wedge.
4. Peanut Butter S'mores
Summer isn't summer without s'mores, and this drink takes the summertime treat to an all-new level. You really won't even need a campfire, as this drink brings the flavor all on its own.
Ingredients:
1½ ounces Skewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
½ ounce vanilla-flavored vodka
1 ounce cold brew
3 dashes of chocolate bitters
Coffee Mate Vanilla creamer
Chocolate drizzle
Honey Maid Graham cracker crumbs
Directions:
A twist from this recipe, drizzle the rim of the glass with chocolate syrup and roll in graham cracker crumbs. Froth the vanilla creamer and set aside. Fill the drizzled glass half-full of ice. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Top with the vanilla creamer. For a lighter version, swap the vanilla creamer for oat milk, almond milk or skip it all together.
5. Ginger Rogers
Looking for a non-alcoholic option? Try this mocktail for a refreshing summer drink without the alcohol. Ginger Rogers is a delightfully bubbly option, and you can swap out the rosemary sprig for other herbs and additions based on what's in your fridge that week.
Ingredients:
½ cup Canada Dry ginger ale or Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 rosemary sprig
1 cup ice
Lemon twist
Directions:
Muddle the rosemary sprig and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice to the shaker and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into the glass and top with ginger ale and lemon twist. If you want to shake up this recipe, you can also swap the ginger beer with flavored sparkling water or add a splash of different juices in place of the lemon juice, such as cranberry juice.
Toast to Safe Summer Drinking
As fun as these summer cocktails are to make and drink, it's best to be mindful of your alcohol intake during the warmer months. Be sure to drink plenty of water between alcoholic beverages, as the sun and heat can have a dehydrating effect. Additionally, ensure you drink responsibly by having a plan for driving home from those weekend barbecues.
With a little planning ahead, you can confidently raise your glass to good times. Cheers to summer fun with these delicious cocktail recipes!
*Please drink responsibly.