Cocktail & Other Recipes Occasion Summer

10 Summer Cocktails to Make Right Now

Cool down with a tall drink of something sensational.

By
Olivia French
Olivia French
Olivia French is writer and content creator based in Charlotte, N.C., whose experience spans cocktail trends, travel and lifestyle.
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Updated 07/1/20
Cucumber, Basil & Lime Gimlet cocktail
Cucumber, Basil & Lime Gimlet Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Ah, summer. The weather gets hotter, the days grow longer and life seems a little bit easier. The season’s adventures can leave you parched, though, so be sure you’re armed with one of these thirst-quenching cocktail recipes.

From a classic Mojito to a ruby-red riff on a Highball that uses fresh summer raspberries, to a bright and bitter spritz, this list of drinks is chilled for maximum refreshment and, well, fun. No one wants to assemble complicated ingredients when it’s hot as nuts outside. You just want a simple, cooling and tasty cocktail to sip as you while the long, sweaty hours away. These 10 cocktails will help you do precisely that.

  • Whiskey Smash

    Whiskey Smash cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog 

    When people think of summer drinks, they tend to think of clear spirits––gin, vodka, tequila––but brown spirits can be equally refreshing. Take this bourbon, lemon and mint classic. It’s zesty, sweet enough and as full of flavor as a whiskey drink should be. Just because all you want to do is take a nap, that doesn’t mean it’s what your tastebuds want, too.

    Get the recipe.

  • High King Highball

    High King Highball cocktail

     Jenny Adams

    New York City cocktail destination Pouring Ribbons created this drink with the intention of making a summer hit. Success! Irish whiskey and Aperol provide a bracing backbone to the drink, letting the muddled raspberries, lemon and grapefruit shine.

    Get the recipe.

  • Land of Happy

    Land of Happy cocktail

     312 Chicago

    Don’t let the homemade shrub made with honeydew, basil and white balsamic scare you away from this cocktail. It’s as easy as blending ingredients together, then letting them simmer on the stove. What are you doing with all your summer melon rinds, anyway––throwing them out? Once the shrub is made, assembling the drink is as easy as one, two, three.

    Get the recipe.

  • Blackberry Wine Slushy

    Blackberry Wine Slushy cocktail

    When it’s too hot for a glass of red wine, this blender drink will cool you down. Vodka, blackberries, orange juice and wine are sweetened with agave then, after a whir, garnished with yet more blackberries. Because during this season the motto is: More berries, please.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 5 of 10 below.

  • Mojito

    Mojito cocktail

     Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    The iconic Cuban cocktail is a breath of crisp air on a hot summer day. Muddled mint imparts an invigorating zing to the sweetened mixture of lime juice and rum. Club soda to top adds just the right amount of effervescence to keep you on your toes when the heat is dragging you—and your feet.

    Get the recipe.

  • Golden Gate Spritz

    Golden Gate Spritz

    Claire Sprouse 

    Lazy summer afternoons are asking for this easy three-ingredient spritz variant, the genre being the potable version of a summer anthem. For this spritz, finish amaro and grapefruit juice with sparkling wine, garnish with a grapefruit peel, then kick back and chill.

    Get the recipe.

  • Vida Paloma

    Vida Paloma cocktail

    Olivia Romano

     

    This twist on a traditional Paloma from Fat Baby Tacos in Chicago uses mezcal instead of tequila to give the fruity cocktail a smoked touch. Fresh grapefruit juice, simple syrup and club soda replace the traditional grapefruit soda, and the chile-piquín-rimmed glass adds a layer of spice.

    Get the recipe.

  • Por Mi Amante

    Por Mi Amante cocktail

     Will Thompson

    Strawberry-infused rum is summer in a glass on its own, but it’s especially seasonal when mixed with lemon juice and a fresh-strawberry-demerara syrup that’s a breeze to make. Add a few dashes of Tabasco for kick, to keep it lively.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below.

  • Aperol Spritz

    Aperol Spritz cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This classic spritz is an Italian happy-hour tradition and has gained its own following this side of the pond. Low-ABV Aperol gets hit with prosecco and soda water for a gulpable aperitivo. Serve it with finger foods, like olives and charcuterie, and you won’t feel guilty for having your second glass. This one is as sessionable as it gets.

    Get the recipe.

  • Cucumber, Basil & Lime Gimlet

    Cucumber, Basil & Lime Gimlet cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This ultra-refreshing take on a Gimlet has all the best parts in the name, so you know exactly what to expect: Hydrating cucumber, fragrant basil and lime. Plus, vodka and lemonade––you know, in case your thirst needs extra quenching. Pure sunshine in a glass.

    Get the recipe.