Summer Sips: 15 Killer Cocktail Recipes
- By: Ashley Joy Parker
- June 21, 2023
There’s nothing like a cold drink on a hot summer day….
Summer 2023 is officially here!
The sizzling season begins with the summer solstice on Wednesday, June 21, when the sun reaches its highest elevation in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the longest day of the year. So what better way to celebrate 17 hours of sunlight than with some good old fashioned day drinking. From tasty tropical drinks to refreshing frozen sippers, celebrate the start of summer with one of these killer cocktails.
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Feels Like Summer
The name says it all. The Feels Like Summer, on the menu at hospot Marion Miami, is a creative mix of rum, skinos (which is a white Greek spirit) orgeat and fruit.
- 1 oz Flor De Cana 7
- 1 oz Mastiha Skinos
- ½ oz Orgeat
- 1½ oz Mandarin
- 1 oz Lemon
Method: Combine all ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain into a Collins glass over crushed ice. Garnish with mint spring, two mandarin slices and three dashes of angostura.
Paloma Rosada
A bubbly spin on a traditional paloma, this Milagro Reposado-based cocktail is a delicious citrus sipper, perfect for ushering in the summer season.
- 1 ½ parts Milagro Reposado
- ½ part Fresh Lime Juice
- 4 parts Pink Grapefruit Soda
- 3 Pink Grapefruit Wheels
- Kosher Salt
Method: Pour all ingredients into a highball glass over ice and stir. Garnish with speared pink grapefruit segments and half kosher salt rim.
Paradise Awaits
Paradise in a glass? You bet. E11even Vodka’s Paradise Awaits is a creamy dream that will transport you beachside with just one sip.
- 1½ oz E11EVEN Vodka
- ¾ oz Umeshu
- ¾ oz Cream of Coconut
- ¾ oz Lime Juice
- 2 oz Soda Water
- Garnish: Lime Wheel
Method: Add all ingredients except soda to a shaker and add ice. Shake for 10-12 seconds. Add 2oz soda water to the shaker. Open pour into a Collins or pilsner glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Flora Adora Bubble Bees
Created by Erik Andersson, Hendrick’s Gin Brand East Coast Ambassador, the Flora Adora Bubbles Bees will have everyone buzzing this summer thanks to its flirty floral flavor and touch of honey.
- 1 ½ parts Hendrick’s Gin Flora Adora
- 3/4 part Lime Juice
- 3/4 Part Honey
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Splash Sparking Wine
Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and stir well to incorporate honey. Shake well with ice and strain into a chilled stemmed glass. Top with a splash of sparkling wine and garnish.
Watermelon Sugar High
On the menu at Jack Rose restaurant in New Orleans, the Watermelon Sugar High is a standout southern cocktail based with Cachaça, which is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice.
- 2 oz Cachaça
- 1½ oz Watermelon Mint Shrub
- 1 oz Cardamaro
- ½ oz Lemon Juice
- Barspoon Cane Syrup
Method: Build in shaker, pour into tall collins, garnish with Watermelon mint
Casa Teal
With its bright blue color and fresh juice parts, Casamigos‘ Casa Teal cocktail is certainly a summer standout.
- 1½ oz Casamigos Blanco Tequila
- ¾ oz Pineapple Juice
- ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- ½ oz Simple Syrup
- ¼ oz Blue Curaçao
Method: Combine all ingredients into tin shaker. Add ice, shake vigorously and strain into rocks glass. Add branded Casamigos large ice block.
Miami Peach
- 1 ½ oz Dickel Bourbon
- ½ oz Passion Fruit Liqueur
- 1 oz Peach Nectar
- ½ oz Fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz Honey Syrup (2 parts honey: 1 parts water)
- 2 Dashes of Aromatic Bitters
- 1 Orange Peel
- 1 Egg White
Method: Place all ingredients in a shaker, dry shake without ice to froth the cocktail; add ice, shake vigorously, and fine strain into a coupe; garnish with an edible flower.
When Birds Do Sing
Created by The Balvenie Ambassador Naomi Leslie, the When Birds Sing cocktail proves Scotch can be easily be enjoyed in the warmer months too.
- 2 parts The Balvenie Sweet Toast of American Oak 12 Year
- ½ part Lillet Blanc Aperitif
- ¾ part Simple Syrup
- ¾ part Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4 dashes Grapefruit Bitters
Spiced Rum Bloody
Nothing beats a good Bloody Mary for a summer brunch and this one made with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum is killer.
- 1 part Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
- 2 parts Bloody Mary Mix
Method: Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher (or for one, a large glass) and stir. Pour into ice filled glasses. Get creative with your garnish.
Coastal Tides
Summer is all about those enjoying these beach days and now you can give back to the waves. Every purchase of Gray Whale Gin gives back to 1% for the Planet and Oceana, the largest organization in the world devoted to ocean conservation, so mix up the Coastal Tides which is extra refreshing with its coconut water base.
- 2 oz Gray Whale Gin
- 1½ oz Coconut Water
- 1 oz Lavender Syrup
- ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- Garnish: Lemon Wheel
Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake for 3-4 seconds and strain over fresh ice. Top with lemon wheel.
Old Cuban
Beat the summer heat with the Old Cuban cocktail. Combining prosecco, mint and BACARDI Reserva Ocho Rum, this drink offers a refreshing taste that will keep you cool, even in Havana-style heat.
- 2 oz BACARDI Reserva
- Ocho Rum
- 2½ oz Martini & Rossi Prosecco
- 4 Mint Leaves
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- 2 Dashes Bitters
Method: Combine all the ingredients (except prosecco) in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Double strain, and top with prosecco. Garnish with a mint leaf float.
Roe & Co Sour
You can’t go wrong with a whiskey sour and Roe & Co‘s recipe is great as it or allows you to get creative with some fun extras.
- 50ml Roe & Co
- 20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 15ml Sugar Syrup
- 1 Egg White (to make it vegan use instead 30ml Aquafaba)
Feeling Fancy?
Add one of the following to the above recipe to get creative with your whiskey sour.
- 1 heaped tsp of Good Jam or Marmalade
- The pulp of 1 Passionfruit
- 3 dashes of your Favorite Cocktail Bitters
Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake hard and double strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with lemon twist.
The Glenfiddich Highland Cooler
This might be one of the simplest, and most delicious, drinks you can make this summer. Made with Glenfiddich 14-Year-Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve, this watermelon-based cooler can also be frozen for an extra fun treat.
- 1 part Glenfiddich 14-Year-Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve
- 5 parts Watermelon Juice
- Garnish: Watermelon & Mint
Method: Simply cool the juice (pureed fruit) of a ripe, seedless watermelon, and mix it five to one with Glenfiddich 14 Year Bourbon Barrel Reserve. Pour into a highball or rocks glass and garnish with a small watermelon wedge and some mint. For extra credit, stick the 5:1 mixture in the freezer. Once it’s set, scrape it out with a fork to create a delicious watermelon Glenfiddich snow cone.
Tommy’s Margarita
It wouldn’t be summer without a margarita. This easy breezy marg, made with Cantera Negra Silver, is just the perfect amount of sweet thanks to the agave nectar component.
- 2 oz Cantera Negra Silver
- 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- ½ oz Agave Nectar
- Blood Orange Slice for Garnish
Method: Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain over ice in a half salt rimmed rocks glass and garnish with blood orange slice.
Strawberry Daiquiri
Has there ever been a better poolside drink than the Strawberry Daiquiri? Prob not, so fire up those blenders and mix up this classic made with Captain Morgan.
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- ¾ oz Demerara Simple Syrup
- 3-4 Strawberries
Method: Add Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Strawberry puree, lime juice and simple syrup to a blender, top with ice (around 8 cubes). Blend until smooth. Serve in a glass and garnish with a strawberry.
