20 Best Summer Cocktails You Need to Try
Boozy summer cocktail
We can almost hear the fireworks, 4th of July is so close. And what would a holiday weekend be without festive summer cocktail recipes to celebrate? Tropical libations garnished with fresh fruit and herbs are always perfect for sipping on warm summer evenings and we've rounded up 20 fun twists on classic drinks every partygoer will enjoy.
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Best Summer Cocktail Recipes
Not sure how to make a shrub when you're playing bartender for your backyard bash? Find out with one of the easy recipes in this lineup. Need a large-format cocktail for a huge soirée? We've got you covered. From red, white and berry drinks and Pimm's Cups, to vodka poptails, Bellini spritzes and tequila cucumber tipples, check out these boozy thirst-quenchers for inspiration for your Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day parties and don't forget to save them for later!
Kelli Acciardo
There’s nothing to send you straight on a voyage to the Amalfi Coast, faster that one sip of an Aperol Spritz.
Get the full Aperol Spritz recipe here.
• 2 oz Aperol
• 3 oz Cinzano Prosecco
• 1 oz soda water
• Ice
• Slice of orange, for garnish
Woodford Reserve
To make this delicious, bourbon-based porch sipper, simply fill a tall glass with ice, pour in your bourbon, then add your peach iced tea, lemon and honey and stir. Garnish with a peach slice and/or lemon wedge.
• 1.5 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon
• 6 oz peach iced tea
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz honey
Sandra Lee
This summery and refreshing cocktail is the perfect way to cool off. The watermelon Margarita features Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka and apricot nectar, adding a fruity flair.
Get the recipe: Watermelon Margarita Recipe
Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line
Pineapple and mint make this summer cocktail a drink to remember when paired with Belvedere Vodka.
• 2 oz Belvedere Vodka
• 1 oz Monin Chipotle Pineapple Syrup
• 1 oz Pineapple Juice
• ½ oz Simple Syrup
• 6 to 8 Mint Leaves
Select Aperitivo
Stay cool and imagine you're sunning on a beach in Italy with this classic Italian Spritz cocktail.
Get the full Select Spritz Cocktail recipe here.
• 3 oz La Marca Prosecco
• 2 oz Select Aperitivo
• 1 oz soda water
• Ice
• Orange slice
The Vice
Rosé o'clock begins with an Aperol rosé spritz with a homemade summer strawberry shrub. PS—shrub is a term for a concentrated syrup of fruit, sugar and tart vinegar.
Recipe Courtesy of The Vice:
• .5 oz strawberry shrub (plus fresh strawberries for garnish)
• 1 oz Aperol
• 3 oz The Vice Pinot Noir Rosé
• 1 oz seltzer
The Rickey
Rizzo is the perfect cocktail for a gin lover.
Recipe Courtesy of The Rickey at Dream Midtown:
• 1.5 oz Principe De Los Apostoles Gin
• 1.25 oz passion fruit
• .75 oz lemongrass syrup
• .5 oz grapefruit
• .5 oz coconut water
• 4 dashes aromatic bitters
• Egg white
SVEDKA
Big pitchers of cocktails you can make ahead of time are a hostess's best friend. Just combine all these ingredients in one with plenty of ice and garnish with strawberries and blueberries. As the party grows, keep adding ice and fruit.
Recipe Courtesy of SVEDKA:
• 1 ¾ oz SVEDKA Vodka
• ½ oz triple sec
• ¾ oz lemonade
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
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Dream Midtown
This might just be the prettiest aperitivo we've ever seen. This cocktail gets its stunning violet color from Crème de Violette and a nice fizz from Prosecco and club soda.
Recipe Courtesy of Dream Midtown in Manhattan, NY:
• 1 oz gin
• 1 oz Crème de Violette
• .5 oz lemon
• Top with splash of Prosecco, splash of club soda and flowers
WM Mulherin's Sons Philadelphia, PA
Cognac, yellow chartreuse, fresh lemon and a base of a simple syrup make a refreshing summer drink. Garnish with a few sprigs of mint leaves for a summer cocktail.
Recipe Courtesy of Wm. Mulherin’s Sons in Philadelphia, PA:
• 2 oz Cognac
• 3/4 oz yellow Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz lemon
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 3 sprigs of mint
Ketel One Vodka
A delicious blend of summer fruits and vodka in the ultimate whimsical mold: popsicles.
Recipe Courtesy of Ketel One:
• 10 oz Ketel One Vodka
• 24 oz lime club soda
• Fresh lemon juice
• 10 popsicle molds
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup pineapple
• 1/2 cup blueberry
• 1/2 cup cucumber
• 1/2 cup blackberries
Belvedere Vodka
Not only is celeb chef Candice Kumai's party-appropriate cocktail pretty to look at, it's beyond delish to drink. The matcha tea ginger beer and vodka combo gives it a bold kick that's perfect to kick off the 4th.
Recipe Courtesy of Belvedere:
• 1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka
• .75 oz lemon juice
• .75 oz honey syrup
• 1 oz matcha tea ginger beer
• dried roses for garnish
Lobby Bar at Line LA
Rum infused with Schisandra berry and St George Spiced Pear Liqueur are mixed with honey syrup and lemon juice to create this cocktail to make this summer for your BAE (before anyone else).
Recipe Courtesty of Lobby Bar at Line LA in Los Angeles, CA:
• 2 oz rum infused with Schisandra berry
• 5 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
• 1 oz honey syrup
• .75 oz lemon juice
Smirnoff
Red, white and berry drinks should always be on the menu on the 4th of July. This mix of cherry, citrus and blue raspberry flavors blend perfectly into any cocktail.
Recipe Courtesy of Smirnoff:
• 1.5 ounces Smirnoff Red, White and Berry
• 4 oz raspberry lemonade
• 2 oz lemon-lime soda
• lemon wedges and fresh raspberries for garnish
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Grey Goose
What's red, white and blue and tastes like 4th of July spirit? This American flag in a glass, that's what.
Recipe Courtesy of Grey Goose:
• 1.5 oz Grey Goose Le Citron
• .5 oz Bacardi Pineapple
• Soda water
• Raspberries and blueberries for garnish
D'Usse Cognac
Large-format cocktails are the easiest way to entertain when you have a big group coming over and this festive floral punch bowl is pretty epic if you ask us.
Recipe Courtesy of D'Usse Cognac:
• 1 750ml bottle D’USSE Cognac
• 20 oz St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 20 oz lemon juice
• 12 oz simple syrup
• 1 bottle Martini & Rossi Prosecco
• Lemon wheels and edible flowers for garnish
Effen Vodka
Rosé vodka has arrived and when mixed with sparkling wine, muddled raspberries and a little lemon juice and simple syrup, you have yourself a winning 4th formula.
Recipe Courtesy of EFFEN Vodka:
• 1 oz Effen Rosé Vodka
• 3 oz Sparkling Wine
• .5 oz lemon juice
• .5 oz simple syrup
• 6 raspberries (muddled) or .5 oz raspberry liquor
Hotel San Jose Austin, TX
Before you head out to the patio, mix some Topo Chico or sparkling water, with Jardesca Apertiva and shrub to taste.
Recipe Courtesy of Hotel San José in Austin, TX:
• 4 oz Topo Chico or sparkling water
• 2 oz red Jardesca Apertiva
• 1-2 oz shrub (to taste)
Hotel Saint Cecilia Austin TX
If you are planning to watch a cricket match this summer with some British sport fans, you need to have a solid recipe for a proper Pimm's Cup. Pimm's, Jardesca Blanc and a lemony soda makes this a summer favorite for everyone on either side of the pond.
Recipe Courtesy of Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, TX:
• 1.5 oz Pimm's
• 1 oz Jardesca Blanc
• A few splashes of Sprite
• Cucumber slice for garnish
• Lemon wedges for garnish
• 3 mint sprigs
Related: 85 Poolside-Worthy Summer Cocktails
DiAnoia's Eatery Pittsburgh, PA
What do you get when you cross summer's popular white wine spritz with a bellini? This creative cocktail. It combines a dry white wine, vanilla syrup and passionfruit juice for what will become a new warm-weather favorite.
Recipe Courtest of DiAnoia's Eatery in Pittsburgh, PA:
• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz cranberry syrup
• 1 whole grapefruit juiced
• Grapefruit twist and half a salt rim for garnish
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