22 Cocktails to Make for Labor Day

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Summer might technically end on September 22, but for many of us, Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of the season and the last excuse to take the fun outside. Whether or not you’re hosting an outdoor bash, make the most of the weekend with cocktails that call for peak-season produce like blackberries and tomatoes, plus plenty of big-batch drinks and refreshing summer sippers.

Bramble

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First mixed up by bartender Dick Bradsell in 1984, this modern classic combines gin, the blackberry liqueur creme de mure, lemon juice, and simple syrup. It might not get as much attention as another Bradsell creation, the Espresso Martini, but it’s equally delicious.

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Averna Limonata

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The end of the season might feel bittersweet, much like this combination of the Italian amaro Averna and lemon soda. There’s nothing bittersweet about its simple construction: Just throw the two ingredients in a glass over ice, give them a gentle stir, and garnish with a lemon wheel and sage leaf for Italian sprezzatura.

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Figgy Smalls

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Infuse cognac with peak-season Black Mission figs for this rich Sidecar riff, which also includes Grand Marnier, lemon and orange juices, and simple syrup. The rim is dipped in vanilla sugar for an extra-luxurious touch.

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Rosé Sangria

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Summer is unofficially rosé season, and you should toast to its unofficial end with this bubbly mix of rosé wine, pamplemousse liqueur, raspberries, strawberries, lemon, and club soda. Pre-batch it for a gathering: The recipe yields four to six servings and can easily be multiplied even further.

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Whiskey Smash

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This refreshing and easygoing whiskey drink calls for bourbon, muddled mint leaves and lemon wedges, and simple syrup. It first appeared in print in Jerry Thomas’s 1887 Bar-Tender’s Guide, but legendary bartender Dale DeGroff helped popularize the classic in the late 1980s and ’90s at The Rainbow Room in New York City.

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Strawberry Basil Lemonade

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You might not have to go back to school, but you can still sip on childhood nostalgia with this gin-spiked lemonade. Muddled basil leaves, strawberries, and club soda make it extra-refreshing.

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Paloma

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Since it debuted in the 1950s, this fizzy and no-fuss cocktail has been a favorite in Mexico and beyond for its deliciousness and simple construction: Just combine tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda right in the glass.

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Tomato Spritz

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Mix up this drink from Katana Kitten managing partner and “director of deliciousness” Masahiro Urushido while tomatoes are still at their peak ripeness: He combines tomato water and a homemade cherry tomato shrub with gin, extra-dry vermouth, club soda, and prosecco.

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Fall & Summer

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Like the perfect jacket, this drink will help you transition into the new season. It’s both refreshing and warming, thanks to a combination of añejo tequila, fig preserves, orange juice, rosemary leaves, and ginger syrup.

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Blackberry Wine Slushie

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Frosé has become a summer staple, but this adults-only treat is arguably even tastier, not to mention a great use for your end-of-summer berry haul. Just combine blackberries with vodka, red wine, orange juice, agave nectar, and ice in the blender and give it all a whirl.

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Negroni Sbagliato

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Lighten up the Negroni format for a party with this crowd-friendly punch from bar pro Jacques Bezuidenhout. He swaps prosecco for gin in the classic combination of the spirit, Campari, and sweet vermouth, rendering a drink that’s both festive and low-ABV.

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Demi Peche

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Combine a homemade peach syrup and wheat beer or lager for this simple French beer cocktail, which is similar to a Shandy or a Radler. The recipe calls for just one ounce of the concentrated syrup, meaning you’ll have plenty left over for other drinks…or for spooning over ice cream.

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Tom Collins

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This quaffable classic calls for London Dry gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda. It was likely invented by an enterprising barkeep named John Collins in the 19th century, but patrons took to calling it Tom Collins after the Old Tom gin that was used at the time. Whichever gin you choose, this drink makes a fizzy and refreshing end-of-summer sip.

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Jungle Bird

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This bittersweet tropical cocktail dates back to the 1970s, when it was served as a welcome drink to guests at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in Malaysia. Your partygoers will indeed be happy to receive this mix of blackstrap rum, Campari, pineapple and lime juices, and demerara syrup upon entry.

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White Sangria

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This bright and bubbly punch calls for white wine, Lillet blanc, peaches, apples, lemons, and club soda. Opt for a dry white wine to balance the drink’s fruitiness.

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Summer Rye

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Name aside, this fruity and fizzy drink is delicious any time of year, thanks to a combination of rye whiskey, St-Germain liqueur, lemon and apple juices, simple syrup, and Champagne. Top it with apple cubes and toast to the apple-picking season ahead.

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Sweet Tea Smash

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Two Southern staples, sweet tea and Tennessee whiskey, join forces for this bittersweet cocktail from New York City’s Please Don’t Tell bar. To make it at home, combine whiskey and unsweetened iced tea with the Italian liqueur Strega, muddled lemon wedges and mint leaves, and cane syrup.

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Summer Tonic

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Like your end-of-summer wardrobe, this rum-based drink has layers. Bordiga Bitter Rosso amaro and Fever Tree aromatic tonic water lend bittersweet notes and an eye-catching hue to a mix of rum and lemon juice.

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Gin Buck

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Lemon or lime juice, ginger ale or ginger beer…This three-ingredient cocktail is endlessly riffable, but if you switch up the base spirit you might end up with a Moscow Mule (vodka) or a Dark ‘n Stormy (rum), which are also great options for a summer gathering.

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Rum Punch

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You can’t go wrong with this fruity combination of two rums, a bevy of fruit juices, and grenadine: You can easily scale up the measurements if you’re hosting a crowd, or swap in whatever spirits or juices you have on hand.

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Bulldog Smash

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Make the most of peach season with this fruity Whiskey Smash variation: Muddled peaches and Cointreau join the classic mix of bourbon, muddled mint leaves and lemon wedges, and simple syrup.

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High King Highball

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At his now-shuttered New York City bar Pouring Ribbons, Joaquín Simó proved that Irish whiskey can be as refreshing as lighter spirits when paired with the right ingredients. In the case of this fruity cocktail, those include Aperol, muddled raspberries, lemon and grapefruit juices, simple syrup, Peychaud’s bitters, and club soda.

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22 Labor Day Cocktails for the Last Long Summer Weekend

Savor the season with these drinks.