3 Easy Summer Cocktails
Who doesn't love summer? The weather gets hotter, the days grow longer, and life seems a little bit easier. But all the sun and fun can leave you thirsty for a refreshing cocktail. The best summer cocktails are cool, delicious, and SIMPLE to make. No one wants to assemble complicated ingredients when it's hot outside. Here are my three favorite summer sips that are easy to make but bursting with flavor.
The Classic Gin & Tonic
It's hard to find a more effortless summer cocktail than the G & T. It's a simple mixed drink that requires just the two named ingredients and a hint of lime. It's an excellent choice for a night on the deck or a day at the beach.
The key to this drink is the gin. The best gin and tonic is made with a quality gin, especially those with a slight citrus flavor and a great blend of botanicals. My favorite gin is Monkey 47.
An unusual gin from the Black Forest in Germany, Monkey 47 contains a unique ingredient, lingonberries. It gets its name because it uses a whopping 47 botanicals, not because it's released at 47%.
Ingredients
3 oz. of Monkey 47 or the gin of your choice
3-4 oz. tonic water
garnish ideas: lime, lemon, cucumber, mint, orange peel, juniper berries, blood orange slice, or rosemary
Recipe
Fill a high ball or rocks glass with ice
Add gin and tonic water, then garnish with your desired toppings.
A Proper Aperol Spritz
Aperol spritzes are ultra-refreshing, not-too-sweet bubbly cocktails. I could drink these all summer; they're perfect for sipping as the afternoon heat dies down and you're trying to figure out where to go for dinner. If summer had a taste, this would be it.
Ingredients
Aperol-only Aperol will do here. Look for Aperol near the liqueurs or amaros at the liquor store.
Club soda
Slice of fresh orange
Recipe
Fill a wine glass with ice.
Add 2 oz. of Aperol.
Add 4 oz. of Prosecco.
Add 1 oz. of club soda
Stir
Add an orange slice for garnish.
Rosé All Day
If you are looking for easy and delicious, it doesn't get any better than this. The pink-hued wine has a crisp and refreshing taste and is an excellent pairing with your favorite summer recipes, from grilled seafood to light pasta to seasonal salads.
My go-to Rosé is Whispering Angel; it is fresh and fruity with hints of tangerine. Deliciously dry with a smooth finish, I keep a bottle in the fridge all summer long.
Ingredients
chilled bottle of Whispering Angel
wine glass
Recipe
Pour and enjoy
Whether you're hanging poolside or barbecuing in the backyard, there's nothing better than enjoying the warm weather with a summery cocktail in hand. So soak up the sun and enjoy!
Cheers!
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