Summer Cocktails: Recipes for the Perfect Summer Drink

With just three classic spirits in your bar, you’ll be ready to make some refreshing summer cocktails. Stock up on your favorite variety of rum, tequila, and vodka as the foundation for your refreshing summer cocktails. You’ll taste the difference when you choose high quality, fresh ingredients for your concoctions.  Now, just sit back and relax as we share four delectable recipes.

Premium Vodka Concoctions

Ice cold summer drinks start with an premium vodka like Tito’s Handmade Vodka. You can make a classic cocktail like a Seabreeze or Moscow Mule, or venture into new flavor profiles with infusions. Fruit flavors and vodka are the perfect partners. Add a bit of seltzer water or ginger beer to your your standard recipe for an extra fizz to cool you down.

Vodka can also be infused with fresh fruit, vegetables, or herbs. This is where you get to be creative and imaginative. Think summer peaches, or strawberry and basil for a unique flavor that you can add to your favorite mixers and fruit juices.

Sweet and Savory Tequila Beverages

When making a summer margarita, you’ll want to have fresh juice and a wonderfully smooth tequila on hand. Fresh juice is important because it enhances the look of the cocktail while naturally sweetening it. Choosing your favorite juice is where you make summer come alive in your cocktail. Watermelon or strawberry margaritas are a sure win on a hot summer day. Citrus flavors can also be invigorating.

Use an excellent tequila like Cazadores Blanco or Reposado. Blanco is best suited for strong citrus and agave flavors, and Reposado for mellow woody and spicy flavors. The next step in making the perfect margarita is to fill a shaker with plenty of ice and shake until you think you can’t shake anymore. You’ll have a nice cool drink with smooth flavors integrated into the best cocktail of the day.

Salting the rim doesn’t need to be done with regular salt. Stock your bar with different kinds of coarse salts including sweet and spicy flavors. When you add salt to the rim of your glass, you intensify the flavors within the margarita.

Tropical Rum Drinks

Rum naturally has a tropical feel and transports any drink into a toes in the sand moment. Try a spiced rum or a coconut rum like Malibu. Malibu Caribbean rum with coconut liqueur turns any plain juice or soda into a tropical destination. Its coconut flavor provides the island feel that instantly takes you and your friends to a happy place.

You can also try a pineapple daiquiri.  It is simple with lime juice, pineapple juice, simple syrup, and of course Malibu rum. Garnish with a slice of pineapple, and you have a mini island vacation in a glass.

Frozen Cocktail Pops

Perfect for the poolside, frozen cocktails make delicious popsicles. Take your favorite cocktail and freeze it for boozy treat. You can use a popsicle mold for a traditional look, or simply the base of a paper cup and insert a popsicle stick. Try adding gummy worms for a whimsical look, or fresh fruit for a more sophisticated dessert.

Summer is a great time to try a new and refreshing cocktail. With fresh fruit in season, it’s fun to purée some fruit and use it as your mixer. Watermelon, blackberries, and strawberries all make great flavors. For a sweet and savory cocktail, try a blackberry and jalapeno margarita. Your tastebuds will love this combination. As long as you have the basics, you’re on your way to a very summery happy hour. If you enjoy reading about summer cocktails, you’ll enjoy reading Top Shelf: The Essentials You Need for Cocktail Hour.