We share 9 (nine) of the most refreshing cocktails of all times, to remind you about the upcoming sunny summer days and your next vacation.
When I think about the summer, “the beach,” “a cocktail,” ” martini,” “Margarita” , “laziness” , “trip” and “vacation” come straight next in my mind.
What does this mean?
You guessed it — I am going to mix some juices, add some alcohol and flavors, and make the most popular well-crafted summer cocktails.
Just perfect for the season.
Surely, you can have a cocktail any time and season you like, but I think summer is just the best for these drinks.
And don’t worry — there are also few cocktails for those who prefer soft drinks.
Are you in a “vacation mode” and ready to start with mixing?
The most wanted cocktails to try this summer
I have selected for you some of the very best cocktails you can taste. Keep reading to see what are most wanted cocktails for the summer.
Mojito
Mojito is a favorite summer drink with a Cuban origin and refreshing taste. The Mojito is simple to make and doesn’t require some particular knowledge about cocktails.
What do you need to prepare a Mojito cocktail:
White rum, soda, lime juice, mint and spearmint, sugar, and crushed ice.
How to prepare classic Mojito
To make this cocktail, the first thing to do is to place a serving glass with some fresh peppermint and mint leaves. Then add two tablespoons of sugar and finally add the juice of a lime and about 50 ml of white rum.
To all this mix, you have to add crushed ice and then fill the mixture with sparkling water or sprite.
The exact Ingredients and measures for Mojito cocktail :
- 2 ounces light rum
- Two teaspoons sugar
- 3–4 fresh mint leaves and 3–4 Spearmint leaves
- Soda
- One lime
- Ice
Manhattan
A Manhattan is a nice classic cocktail that never gets old, made with whiskey, bitters, and sweet vermouth. It is one of my favorite drinks and is good for the warm summer evenings, but is also suitable for all other seasons.
What do you need to prepare a Manhattan cocktail :
Cherry syrup, red vermouth, narrow and bourbon, cherries for garnish.
How to prepare Classic Manhattan
Mix ice with two and a half glasses of bourbon shot and one of red vermouth.
Then add a few drops of narrow and a glass of cherry syrup. I recommend serving it in a frozen cocktail glass and garnish it with cherries.
The exact Ingredients and measures for Manhattan cocktail :
- 2 ounces bourbon(rye whiskey)
- One ounce sweet vermouth
- Two dashes Angostura bitters
- 1–2 cocktail cherries
- 1–2 drops of cherry syrup
- Ice
Piña Colada
Created in Puerto Rico, in the 50s, this tasty and refreshing cocktail is one of the longstanding classics. I can have it with or without alcohol, and I enjoy both versions equally.
What do you need to prepare the Piña Colada cocktail :
White rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream (or milk), and crushed ice.
How to prepare classic Piña Colada
To make a delicious piña colada, you will have to mix in the shaker a volume of rum and three volumes of pineapple juice.
To this mixture, you must add later the coconut cream and the crushed ice. I sometimes add a drop of vanilla extract, but this is a personal choice.
The exact Ingredients and measures for Piña Colada cocktail :
- 3 ounces (85g) coconut cream
- 6 ounces (170g) fresh pineapple juice
- 1 ½ ounce (43g) white rum
- Crushed ice
- Pineapple wedge (to garnish)
- A cocktail cherry (to garnish)
San Francisco
This flavorful cocktail is ideal for people who do not drink alcohol but also want to enjoy a cocktail drink.
If you prefer the alcohol version, rather than the mocktail — you can see the ingredients below. San Francisco cocktail can be prepared either with vodka or with gin.
I prefer the vodka-based cocktail more, even if the sloe gin version is enjoyable too.
Here you can see the ingredients for the gin version, which is the classic way of preparing this cocktail, but first, we’ll start with the mocktail version.
What do you need to prepare a San Francisco mocktail (no-alcohol):
Orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and peach juice. Also, you will also need grenadine, sugar, and slices of orange and lemon.
How to prepare San Francisco
I recommend mixing all the juices (orange, lemon, pineapple, and peach juice) in a cocktail shaker first. Then add grenadine, sugar, and a slice of orange or lemon as a garnish.
Finally, serve it in a cocktail glass to taste its super refreshing taste. If you want to mix the original recipe for this beautiful cocktail here, it is.
The exact Ingredients and measures for the classic San Francisco cocktail :
- 1-ounce sloe gin
- One-ounce dry vermouth
- 1-ounce sweet vermouth
- Dash of aromatic bitters
- Dash of orange bitters
- 1–2 cocktail cherries
Bloody Mary
This is one of the most popular drinks among all cocktails and is also famous as a hangover cure.
Do you know the story about the Bloody Mary and where the name of this cocktail came from?
What do you need to prepare the Bloody Mary cocktail:
Vodka, tomato juice, black pepper, salt, English sauce, lime juice, Tabasco and a fresh stalk of celery for garnish.
How to prepare classic Bloody Mary
To make it you will have to place ice in a cocktail glass and add first Tabasco, then the lemon juice. After this, so important detail put the salt and finally the black pepper with the rest of the sauces.
Mix all these and then fill the tomato juice in the cocktail glass. Finally, add the vodka and stir everything very well.
Additionally, for garnishing, I recommend serving this cocktail with a stalk of celery.
A note: Virgin Mary is a mocktail or the non-alcoholic version of Bloody Mary, so the preparation instructions are pretty much the same. Just skip the part where you pour Vodka in it.
The exact Ingredients and measures for Bloody Mary cocktail :
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
- 2–3 dashes Tobasco sauce
- 4–6 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1 tsp celery salt
- Lemon wedge
- Celery stick
Moscow Mule
Moscow Mule is one of my favorite refreshings on hot summer days with tasty ginger flavor.
Thus, if you like a balanced, fresh cocktail with spicy, sweet, and robust notes, then you must try it.
What do you need to prepare the Moscow Mule cocktail:
Vodka, lemon juice, ginger (must be fresh)or ginger beer, mint for garnishing, lime, or lemon to garnish.
How to prepare classic Moscow Mule
Add a quarter of ice in the shaker and then put another quarter of vodka, another quarter of infused ginger (or ginger beer), and a third of lemon juice.
Mix everything and sip it in a chilled copper mug.
Although this cocktail is popularly served in a copper mug, if you don’t have one around, a tall chilled glass is fine too.
To garnish, I would like to recommend using a few fresh lemon slices.
The exact Ingredients and measures for Moscow Mule cocktail :
- 2 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- 3 ounces ginger beer
- Two lime wedges for garnishing
Margarita
With no doubts, the Margarita is the most common tequila-based cocktail worldwide.
The tradition for this refreshing alcohol cocktail comes from Mexico, and you can serve it blended, straight up, or shaken, as you like.
What do you need to prepare a Margarita cocktail:
Triple sec, tequila, agave syrup, lime, salt, and lavender elixir.
How to prepare classic Margarita
I want to recommend you always to serve Margaritas in suitable glasses so you can enjoy better the fresh taste.
To prepare this favorite cocktail without the below given precise measures you need one-half tequila, three-quarters of the triple, three quarters more of lime juice, a little salt, and lavender elixir.
These ingredients should be mixed in a shaker, but the latter is optional.
Finally, add agave syrup to sweeten and place it in the glass with ice adding the lime as a garnishing.
The exact Ingredients and measures for Margarita cocktail :
- 2 ounces tequila (100% agave is preferred)
- 1 ounce Cointreau
- 1-ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- Salt (for garnish)
Cosmopolitan
A Cosmopolitan or only a Cosmo is one of my favorite refreshing alcohol-based cocktails for the summer days.
What do you need to prepare the Cosmopolitan cocktail:
Vodka, cranberry juice, orange rind, triple sec, and lemon juice.
How to prepare classic Cosmopolitan
To make it, vodka and triple sec, a famous French liqueur, are combined in the shaker.
Firstly add the lemon juice, orange juice, and cranberry juice and place it in a cocktail glass with ice. Next, as a garnish, you can add the lemon peel or a couple of blueberries to give even more color.
The exact Ingredients and measures for Cosmopolitan cocktail :
- 2 ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce triple sec
- 1-ounce cranberry juice cocktail
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- Orange twist (you need it for serving)
Caipirinha
If you find some similarities between Caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil, and Mojito, the Cuban version, this s normal.
The main difference between Mojito and Caipirinha is that Caipirinha is made with Cachaça — a spirit distilled from sugar cane.
In contrast, Mojito is prepared with rum. The rum is alcohol distilled from Molasses.
Furthermore, the Caipirinha has a more tropical flavor, compared to the Mojito with less of harsh sweetness.
What do you need to prepare the Caipirinha cocktail:
Limes, Brazilian cachaça, sugar, lemons, and ice.
How to prepare Caipirinha
My favorite version of the Caipirinha cocktail includes a combination of lime and lemon.
Lemon is usually not included in the drink as you will see in the classic recipe but only used to garnish the cocktail. I will leave this to you to decide, based on your taste.
To make this cocktail, you will have to mix the limes with white sugar and with the Brazilian liquor.
Afterward, remain to add the natural lemon and mix again with a lot of ice. If you prefer to use only lime for the cocktail, then you can add a few slices of lemon to garnish.
The exact Ingredients and measures for classic Caipirinha cocktail :
- One lime
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 60ml Cachaca
- Crushed ice
The summer is coming, and the heat is near. It’s time to get ready for the beach and the summer cocktails.
What is your favorite cocktail recipe for the hot summer days and nights?