16 Cocktails To Sip & Savor At The End Of Summer
- By: Ashley Joy Parker
Labor Day Weekend Libations…….
Summer is coming to a close, so before autumnal vibes totally take over (we’re looking at you pumpkin spice everything) take this opportunity to enjoy some ultra-refreshing sips. From hard twists on Arnold Palmers to summery Spritzes, check out 16 end of summer cocktails to mix up this three-day weekend.
Hendrick’s Unusual Frosé
Created by Hendrick’s Ambassador Mattias Horseman, the Unusal Frosé is far beyond your basic “frosé all day” summer experience.
- 1 ½ parts Hendrick’s Gin
- 1 ½ parts Simple Syrup
- ¾ parts Fresh Lime Juice
- 4 parts Rose Wine
- 5 Dashes Reagans Bitters
- 5 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
- Lime Zest & Cucumber slices to garnish
Method: Add all liquid ingredients to a blender with 2 cups of ice. Blend until smooth and pour into goblet. Garnish & enjoy.
Sailor Jerry’s Painkiller
Let Sailor Jerry help take the pain of summer ending away with its Painkiller cocktail. This traditional tiki style rum-based drink is just what the doctor ordered.
- 4 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
- 8 parts Pineapple Juice
- 2 parts Orange Juice
- 2 parts Cream of Coconut
Method: Add the rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and cream of coconut to a shaker with ice and quickly shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a hurricane glass or over crushed ice. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and a lime wheel. Serve with a straw.
Drambuie’s Coffee Tonic
Created by Drambuie Ambassador Freddy May, the Coffee Tonic is the perfect summer pick-me up with a kick.
- 1 part Drambuie
- 2 parts Tonic Water
- ½ part Coffee
Method: Start by making a Drambuie and tonic in a tall glass with lots of ice. Top with any coffee and stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Bombay Sapphire’s Gin Mule
- 50 ml Bombay Sapphire
- 15 ml Lime Juice
- 100 ml Ginger Beer (chilled)
- 2 Fresh Mint Sprigs
- 2 Lime Wedges
- Slice of Fresh Ginger (optional)
Method: Fill your copper mug to the top with cubed ice. Pour 50 ml of Bombay Sapphire over the ice. Squeeze and drop in 2 wedges of lime. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with fresh mint and a slice of ginger.
Dewar’s 12 White Peach Palmer
A hard twist on an Arnold Palmer, this peachy keen summer sipper is made with Dewar’s 12 Year Old and would be the perfect treat post a round of golf this Labor Day.
- 1.5 oz. Dewar’s 12 Year Old
- 0.5 oz. Peach Liqueur
- 0.75 oz. Lemon Juice
- 0.25 oz. Simple Syrup
- 2 oz Unsweetened Green Iced Tea
Method: Shake all ingredients and strain over fresh ice in a highball glass. Top with iced green tea. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with dehydrated peach and mint.
St-Germain’s Hugo Spritz
Enjoy the 2023 drink of the summer, the Hugo Spritz one more time before the season ends. The mint and lime combined with St-Germain elderflower liqueur create a refreshing summer sip.
- 1.5 oz St-Germain
- 2 oz Martini Prosecco
- 2 oz Soda Water
- 8-10 Mint Leaves
- Lime Wedge For Garnish
- Mint Sprig For Garnish
Method: Add ice into a wine glass. Pour in St‑Germain and add approximately eight mint leaves. Top with sparkling wine and soda water. Stir the drink to combine all of the ingredients. Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wedge.
Monkey Shoulder’s Fronds with Benefits
Gather your friends and toast to the end of summer with Monkey Shoulder‘s tropical Fronds with Benefits, created by Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador Anna Mains and made with whiskey, green tea syrup, pineapple juice and coconut water.
- 1.5 parts Monkey Shoulder
- 0.5 part Green Tea Syrup
- 0.5 part Pineapple Juice
- 3 parts Coconut Water
Method: Shake, strain over ice in Collins glass. Garnish with pineapple fronds.
BACARDÍ‘s Hotel Nacional
The bold flavors of BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Rum paired with the sweet and citrus flavors of pineapple juice and lime, the Hotel Nacional is sure to transport you back to your summer travels.
- 2 Oz BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Rum
- 0.75 Oz Pineapple Juice
- 0.25 Oz Lime Juice
- 0.25 Oz Simple Syrup
- 0.5 Oz Apricot Liqueur
Method: Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a pineapple leaf or a lime wheel.
Santa Teresa’s Heart Of The Sea
Mixing the bold flavors of Santa Teresa 1796 Rum with fresh flavors of coconut and hibiscus, Heart Of The Sea is the perfectly sophisticated cocktail to remind you of summer.
- 1.5 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum
- 0.25 oz Tempus Fugit Creme De Banane
- 0.5 oz Hibiscus Extract
- 0.75 oz Lime Juice
- 0.75 oz Coconut Cream
- 0.25 ozCinnamon Syrup
- 0.5 oz Pineapple Juice
Method: Shake all ingredients with a few pieces of crushed ice, strain into a glass and fill with crushed ice.
Cantera Negra Tequila’s Copa de Oro
A twist on the classic Mexican cocktail, the Cantarito, this Copa de Oro was created by mixologist Javier Ramirez using Cantera Negra Tequila, made from 40 years of family tradition in Mexico.
- 1.5 parts Cantera Negra Silver Tequila
- 0.5 part Campari
- 1 part Fresh Orange Juice
- 0.5 part Fresh Lime Juice
- Dash of Scrappy’s Bitters
- Top with Grapefruit Soda
- Garnish: Orange and Lime Slices, Tajín and Black Lava Salt
Method: Run a lime wedge around the rim of a Cantarito cup. Cover rim with Tajín and black lava salt. Combine all ingredients into Cantarito cup, fill with ice and top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with an orange and lime slice.
American Harvest’s Greyhound Grapefruit
Labor Day is a holiday to honor all the hard work Americans do throughout the year. So this three-day weekend, kick back with the simple Greyhound Grapefruit, made with American Harvest Vodka, which is distilled right here stateside in Idaho.
- 2.5 oz American Harvest Organic Vodka
- 4 oz Grapefruit Juice
- 1.5 oz Rosemary Simple Syrup
- 0.5 oz Lime Juice
Method: build all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake for 10 seconds, fill a glass with ice, pour contents from cocktail shaker into glass with ice, garnish with a rosemary sprig in a rocks glass.
Eric LeGrand Bourbon’s True 52
Made with Eric LeGrand Bourbon, the spirit helmed by former Rutgers University football star Eric LeGrand, the True 52 is a cool twist on a mule mixed with Campari, ginger liqueur, honey syrup, lemon juice, black tea and ginger beer.
- 1.5 oz Eric LeGrand Bourbon
- 0.5 oz Campari
- 0.25 oz Ginger Liqueur
- 0.25 oz Honey Syrup
- 0.5 oz Lemon Juice
- 1 oz Black Tea
- Ginger Beer
Method: Combine ingredients except ginger beer and shake, then pour into glass with ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lime wheel.
Mezcal Campante’s Spicy Pineapple Margarita
Muy Calitené! A little smoke, a little sweet and whole lot of spirt, you’ll want to enjoy Mezcal Campante‘s Spicy Pineapple Margarita well through the fall.
- 1.5 oz Mezcal Campante
- 1.5 oz Pineapple Juice
- 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.75 oz Orange-Flavored Triple Sec
- 2 to 4 Jalapeño Slices
- Ice
- Optional Rim: Tajín and/or Sea Salt
- Optional Garnishes: Pineapple Wedge, Pineapple Leaf, Jalapeño Slices, and/or Lime Wedge
Method: Run a lime wedge along the rim of the glass and then dip it into the Tajín and/or sea salt. Then, top the glass with garnishes of your choice. Lastly, pour and combine all liquid ingredients into the glass, add ice, mix in the jalapeño slices, and enjoy!
Mercer and Prince’s Mercer + Palmer
Mercer + Prince is a blended Canadian Whisky inspired by its founder rapper A$AP Rocky‘s sophisticated taste and cutting edge style. This ultra-refreshing Mercer + Palmer is made simply with the popular spirit, brewed black tea and lemonade.
- 1.5 oz. MERCER + PRINCE
- 2 oz. Brewed Black Tea
- 2 oz. Sweetened Lemonade
Method: Add ingredients into an ice filled Collins/Highball and stir to combine and chill. Garnish with fresh mint.
Reyka’s Basil Gimlet
Keep cool these last sweltering summer days with Reyka Vodka‘s Basil Gimlet. Distilled in Iceland, this crisp spirit is the perfect base for a simple sipper.
- 2 parts Reyka Vodka
- 1/2 parts Lime Juice
- 1/2 parts Simple Syrup
- Sprig of Basil
Method: Combine all ingredients and one basil leaf in a shaker. Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with basil.
The Lobos 1707’s Lobos Colada
Keep those summer vacay vibes alive with The Lobos 1707 Tequila‘s Lobos Colada cocktail. Best enjoyed poolside in a bikini.
- 2 oz Lobos 1707 Tequila, Joven
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- 1 oz Pineapple Juice
- 4 oz Coconut Water
Method: Build all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake for 10 seconds, fill a glass with pebble or crushed ice, pour contents from cocktail shaker into glass with ice, garnish with grated nutmeg, pineapple leaf and pineapple slice (dehydrated or fresh).
