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With the basics, you’ll be making merry cocktails from Tequila Sunrise, fruity punches to flavored gins and spirits. Here are 16 light cocktail recipes for the summer.
1. Tequila Sunrise
If you’re looking for a vibrant drink with multiple layers of color that sets the tone for summer, the Tequila sunrise is just for you.
Ingredients:
- Four tablespoons of Tequila.
- Four ounces of orange juice.
- One and a half tablespoons of grenadine syrup.
- Clear ice.
- Garnish- slice orange.
Instructions:
1. Mix the Tequila and Orange juice in a highball glass with ice.
2. Pour the grenadine syrup at the center of the mixture and settle at the bottom of the drink. Then stir to give it that gradient sunrise effect.
3. You can garnish the drink with a sliced orange or cocktail cherry.
2. Vodka Tonic
Another summer drink to go for is the Vodka Tonic. It's a classic choice that will always be timeless.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of Vodka.
- 4 ounces of tonic water.
- Clear ice.
- 1 lemon wedge.
- 1 lime wedge.
Instructions:
1. Get a highball and fill it with ice.
2. Pour the Vodka into the glass and stir the mixture. Get a bar spoon and pour the tonic water into the spoon, then into the glass to increase the bubbling effect.
3. Squeeze into the glass juices from lemon and lime wedges. Add the squeezed wedges into the drink with additional lime and lemon wedges for garnish.
3. Rose Spritzer
It’s a must-try summer drink with tons of refreshing bubbles.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of rose wine.
- one ounce of soda water.
- Thyme sprig-garnish.
Instructions:
1. Pour the chilled wine in a glass, add the soda, then garnish with a thyme sprig, and you are good to go.
4. Gin Basil Smash
The mix of peppery basil and botanical gin is one of the books for gin lovers.
Ingredients
- Ten large basil leaves.
- 1.5 ounces of gin.
- ¾ ounces of lime.
- Clear Ice.
- ¾ ounces of simple syrup.
Instructions
1. Put the basil in a cocktail shaker, and mash them up.
2. Add the simple syrup, like gin, to the shaker, plus a handful of ice, and then shake till it gets cold.
3. Strain the drink into a glass, top with soda water if desired, and garnish with basil leaves.
5. Lillet Spritz
The best refreshing drink to go for is the Lillet Spritz.
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons of chilled Lillet Blanc.
- 4 tablespoons of gin.
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
- 1 tablespoon of simple syrup.
- 4 tablespoons of soda water.
- Garnish sprig of lavender and thyme.
Instructions
1. Mix Lillet blanc, simple gin syrup, and lemon water in a glass and stir.
2. Fill the glass with ice water and top it with soda water garnish it with lavender or thyme.
6. Strawberry Daiquiri
The perfect drink for the summer and tastes way better than the Daiquiri in stores.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of frozen strawberries.
- 6 tablespoons of simple syrup.
- ¼ cup of like juice.
- 1 cup of light and white rum.
- A cup of clear ice.
- 1/8 kosher salt.
Instructions:
1. Blend everything until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
7. Watermelon Martini
It features sweet melon, tangy lime, and vodka, a great summer drink for sure.
Ingredients:
- ½ chopped water lemonade.
- 2 huge mint leaves.
- 2 tablespoons of Vodka.
- 1 tablespoon of Cointreau.
- 1 tablespoon lime juice.
- 1 tablespoon of simple.
Instructions:
1. Add melon and mint into a shaker. Mash them up to release juice.
2. Add lime, vodka, and simple syrup to the mixture, add ice, then shake it up.
3. Strain the drink into a glass, then garnish with watermelon wedges.
Garnish with a watermelon wedge.
8. Whiskey Highball
This is an excellent way to enjoy whiskey! Another classic that will never let you down.
Ingredients:
- Two ounces of whiskey.
- Four ounces of soda water.
- Lemon wedge.
- Clear ice.
Instructions:
- Put ice in a glass, add whiskey and soda water, and stir.
- Squeeze the lemon wedge to get juice and enjoy.
9. Bay Breeze Cocktail
It’s also referred to as the Hawaiian Sea Breeze cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of pineapple juice.
- 2 tablespoons of vodka.
- 6 tablespoons of unsweetened cranberry juice.
- 1 tablespoon of simple syrup.
- One lime wedge.
Instructions:
1. Add pineapple juice and vodka in a glass, and stir. Fill it with ice.
2. Using a shot glass, add cranberry juice and syrup, and then stir.
3. Tip over the glass and pour over the cranberry juice mixture to get a layered drink.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy.
10. Gin Rickey
It’s one of the easy cocktails to make, hands down.
Ingredients:
- Three ounces of gin.
- 1.5 ounces of fresh lime juice.
- 4 ounces of soda water.
- Clear Ice.
- Garnish with lime water.
Instructions:
1. Put gin and lime juice into a highball glass and stir.
2. Fill with ice and sparkling water to serve.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge.
11. Americano
Its inspiration stems from negroni, a perfect refreshing drink for the summer.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of Campari.
- 2 tablespoons of sweet vermouth.
- ½ cup of soda water.
- Garnish with either orange or lemon wedge.
Instructions:
- Put Campari and sweet Vermouth in a highball glass, add soda water and ice, then stir.
- Add garnish orange or a lemon wedge, then serve.
12. Best Free
It’s a mixture of frozen cocktails and summery pink wine.
Ingredients:
- 1 750ml rose wine.
- 8 large strawberries.
- 1 tablespoon of honey.
Instructions:
- Pour 2/3 cup of wine into a measuring cup.
- Cut the strawberries into halves while removing their top parts.
- Blend the remaining strawberries, rose, and honey until smooth, and then add the two together. Put the mixture through a strainer through a covered baking dish.
- Put the baking dish into a freezer for 6 hours to overnight. Blend it to have that fluffy texture 5. Put the mixture into the glass and pour some rose wine into it to serve.
13. Salty Dog
Looking for a citrusy cocktail that features a salted rim, well, the salty dog offers just that. This refreshing citrus cocktail is perfect for happy hour!
Ingredients:
- Sea salt.
- 3 tablespoons of gin.
- 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or simple syrup.
- Lime wedge.
- 6 tablespoons of grapefruit juice.
- Salt for the rim.
Instructions:
1. Start by rimming the glass with salt.
2. Take the gin and the grapefruit juice and stir them together using a cocktail shaker.
3. Strain the drink in a glass and then add the ice.
14. St Germain Spritz
Floral and bubbly, St Germain Spritz is your ideal refreshing cocktail with only three minutes required for preparation.
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons of St Germain.
- 6 tablespoons of sparkling wine like Champagne or Prosecco.
- 2 tablespoons of soda water and not tonic water.
- ice.
Instructions:
1. Start by stringing the St Germain spritz using glass also ice.
2. Add some soda water and Prosecco.
3. Finish by garnishing, which includes squeezing the lemon wedge and finally serving.
15. Madras Cocktail
This cocktail is your preferred tangy drink, staring vodka, orange juice, and cranberry. It is just perfect for easy drinking. This cocktail's refreshing nature will make you take a few glasses as you unwind.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ ounce of Vodka.
- 1 ½ ounce of orange juice.
- 1 Slice of lime.
- 2 ounces of Cranberry juice.
- 1 teaspoon of maple syrup.
Instructions:
1. Fill the glass with ice, pour the vodka in the ice and then add the cranberry juice.
2. Add the syrup and perfectly stir using a bar spoon.
3. This is followed by adding the orange juice to the mixture and squeezing the lime wedge.
4. Finally, garnish with additional lime.
16. Limoncello Spritz
Are you looking for a not only bubbly but citrus cocktail? Well, the limoncello spritz will just sort you out. It features pure lemon flavor and is perfect as an after-dinner shot.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of soda water.
- 4 tablespoons of Limoncello.
- 6 tablespoons of sparkling wine.
- Clear ice.
- Mint for the garnish.
Instructions:
1. Stir your limoncello in a clean glass with ice.
2. Add Prosecco and soda water.
3. Garnish by adding fresh mint and finally serve.
Author: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice regarding health or finances. It is not intended to endorse any individual or company. This article is AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should consult a qualified professional for personal advice.
