11 Cocktails to Make for Pride Month

Red: Negroni

This century-old cocktail has gone from old man’s drink to hot men’s (and women’s) drink in the space of mere years. You can never go wrong with the equal-parts mix of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, rendering a drink that’s sweet and bitter simultaneously.

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Orange: Naked & Famous

How is this cocktail like the perfect Grindr match? The name, for starters. An equal-parts mix of mezcal, Aperol, yellow Chartreuse, and lime juice, it's a delicious and refreshing mix that you can't help but love.

Alternate choice: the ubiquitous Aperol Spritz. It's a bit overplayed by this point, perhaps, but you know you love it.

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Yellow: Harvey Wallbanger

This throwback disco drink is enjoying a recent revival, being spotted everywhere from bars to brunch menus. The combination of vodka, Galliano, and orange juice goes from day-drinking to dance floor with easy, boozy, retro elegance.

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Green: Mojito

Nothing says “beach” (or possibly “I’d rather be at the beach”) like this fun and perennially popular mix of rum, mint, lime juice, and simple syrup, topped with club soda. Muddling the mint takes a bit more effort than goes into many drinks, but it’s worth it when you get to smack the mint sprig garnish against the back of your hand to release its aromatic oils while maintaining smoldering eye contact with the person about to drink it.

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Blue: Adios, Motherfucker

This drink, basically a blue-hued Long Island Iced Tea with its mix of nearly every spirit under the sun, is surprisingly delicious when made properly with high-quality ingredients. Just make sure to use homemade sweet-and-sour mix rather than the store-bought stuff. And shout its name when toasting good riddance to someone with your pals. 

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Purple: Color-Changing Martini

Or as we prefer to call it this month and always, the Color-Affirming Martini. It’s shockingly easy to make this cocktail change from blue to purplish-pink, thanks to the magic of butterfly pea flower extract and the way it interacts with acidic ingredients—in this case, lemon juice. Gin, ginger liqueur, and simple syrup round out the mix, allowing you to impress your guests with the cocktail’s spicy-sweet flavor as well as its color-changing magic.

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Black: Black Manhattan

Take the classic Manhattan and give it a twist, mixing its rye whiskey and bitters with Averna, a bittersweet Italian liqueur, rather than the usual sweet vermouth. The result is delicious, elegant and 100% booze, guaranteed to get the job done in the fanciest of ways.

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Brown: Boilermaker

For the beer-and-a-shot types, there’s a simpler name for that combo. One word, actually: Boilermaker. Leave the juvenile move of dropping the shot glass into the beer back in college. The better way for adults to drink it is to do the shot, then drink the beer separately; no need to chug. 

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Light Blue: Blue Hawaiian

Not to be confused with its overly sweet predecessor, the Blue Hawaii, this improved version is basically a blue Piña Colada, a delicious tropical mix of rum, blue curaçao, pineapple, and lemon juices, and cream of coconut. It’s perfect for sipping poolside.

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Pink: Cosmopolitan

Never mind this cocktail’s trés 1990s “Sex and the City” connotations. It is actually a really good drink and entirely deserves its current resurgence in popularity. To make it properly, you’ll need citrus-flavored vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, and a splash of cranberry. As on the TV show, it’s ideally consumed with a few snarky besties nearby.

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White: Vodka Soda

If you’ve only been handed super-strong versions of this drink by a shirtless bartender, know that making it yourself at home is ridiculously easy (if perhaps not quite as fun). Pour a generous slug of vodka into a tall glass with ice, top with chilled soda water, and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a twist or slice of lemon or lime, if you like. It’s really that simple.

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