Summer Cocktails To Enjoy At The Cottage

What would a relaxing weekend at the cottage be without a few good summer cocktails? If you’re a fan of a refreshing beverages and hoping to try something new – look no further. Here are a few of our favourite summer cocktails from around the internet that are great at the cottage, and even at home:

Refreshing summer cocktails for hotter days

Ginger-Peach Soda

For creative summer cocktails, ginger-peach soda definitely makes the cut. Summer brings peaches, especially in southern Canada. If you have more peaches than you know what to do with, why not add a good cocktail to your usual peach cobbler and peach muffins? This recipe combines mint, ginger, peach, and seltzer for the perfect sweet summer drink.

What You’ll Need

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons of minced fresh ginger
• 2 very ripe peaches
• 2 liter of chilled Seltzer
• Ice cubes
• 16 fresh mint leaves; get a few extra if you want to garnish

It does take a little more effort to create this beverage with the added step of creating a simple syrup using sugar, fresh ginger and water. Want a little kick to this beverage? Add a splash of rum to this non-alcoholic recipe! 

Country Living magazine offers a detailed recipe including how to make the simple syrup.

Rosé Sorbet

Be classy and drink classy! For awesome summer cocktails that look as pretty as they taste, you’ll want to try this this rosé sorbet from Delish. Enjoy a sweet rosé drink accented with fresh strawberries or raspberries. Nothing says “summer” like vibrantly coloured berries. 

What You’ll Need

• 1 cup of rosé (plus extra to top off the drink)
• 1 ¼ cup of sugar
• 3 cups of frozen raspberries, or 3-5 cups of frozen strawberries (or mix both!)

Serve this tasty sorbet into a flute glass and top it off with more sparkling rosé to enjoy poolside. Add a little mint as a pretty garnish! 

Sunset Punch 

For refreshing summer cocktails during a hot outdoor barbecue, sunset punch is a great crowd-pleasing beverage. With a bourbon base and a fresh lemon flavour, it will definitely quench any thirst. This recipe from Food & Wine serves up to 8 people, so it’s easy to make for bigger groups. 

What You’ll Need

• 1 cup of bourbon 
• 1 cup of white vermouth 
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice; leave a few extra slices for garnish 
• ¼ cup simple syrup (¼ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of water)
• 12 ounces chilled ginger beer

A fun presentation makes this drink even better – whether you serve it in a punch bowl or a large mason jar dispenser for that rustic look. One key thing is to not skimp on the lemon slices as a garnish! It really helps elevate the overall flavour.

Plum-Cherry Ice Pops 

For fun drinks, plum-cherry ice pops are an awesome option. Popsicles may be for the kids, but this drink is certainly for adults. This cool cocktail does take a little advance planning. As the name implies, you’ll need to create your own ice pops using various fruits and sugar. While the cherries, grapes and plums are mainly blended and pureed together, you can add other fruits into the ice pop moulds for a fruitier treat. 

What You’ll Need

• 3 plums (pitted and cut into quarters)
• 1 cup of fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries (about 40 cherries)
• 1/2 cup of red seedless grapes (about 16 grapes) 
• 1/3 cup of confectioners’ sugar 
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract 
• Champagne

Once the ice pops are completely frozen, add them into a wine glass and top it off with some fizzy champagne! Enjoy it on the dock or by the pool on a hot summer day to keep you cool and hydrated.

Food Network has a great recipe for this childhood favourite treat with a twist!

Michelada

Trying to convince your beer-loving friends to branch out? A Michelada is a great summer cocktail to encourage this change. With ingredients like beer and hot sauce in the mix, it’s definitely not your average fruity summer drink. A perfect drink at barbecues, you’ll want to pair a Michelada with burgers and steaks right off the grill. 

What You’ll Need

• Salt
• Chili pepper
• ½ ounce of lime juice; 1 wedge for garnish
• 2 drops Tabasco sauce
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 pinch celery salt
• Mexican lager beer (chilled)

It also makes for a perfect drink option for a boozy brunch with your best pals. Whip up a couple of these drinks to really impress your friends. With the salted and chili pepper rims, and the combination of flavours mixed in, it will really show off your cocktail making skills! One important thing to keep in mind is to serve the drink immediately for the best tasting experience. 

Isabel Eats has a picture-filled recipe that will help you master this cocktail.

Pink Bikini

The Pink Bikini is a super simple cocktail to make, which gives you time to get creative with its presentation. It’s a sweet, yet refreshing beverage for the summer and the flavours will transport you into a tropical paradise. All you need for this drink is some lemonade, coconut rum and amaretto liqueur.  

What You’ll Need

• 1 ¾ litres of raspberry lemonade juice
• 1 ¾ cups of coconut rum
• 1 cup of amaretto liqueur
• Optional: Fresh coconuts for serving the drink

If you’re preparing it for a group of friends, serve it up in a unique way that will surely impress them. One popular way is to serve it all up in empty coconut shells. Don’t want to let all that fresh coconut meat go to waste? Add it into the drink as a tasty garnish!

Check out MyRecipe’s simple directions for this fun and flavourful cocktail.

Mango Jalapeno Margaritas

For fun summer cocktails with an extra kick to it, mango jalapeno margaritas are the way to go! If you love margaritas and spicy food, this may quickly become a favourite. Summer is the perfect season for mangos, so adding it with the heat of peppers will have your tastebuds dancing.

What You’ll Need

• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups of mango juice
• 1 ½ cups of tequila
• ½ cup of fresh lime juice; 1 wedge for garnish
• ¼ cup of agave nectar or honey
• 1 jalapeño, halved

The above recipe serves up enough for 4 people, but it’s super easy to make a batch for a larger group. And trust us, you’ll want to, since this cocktail recipe will be a definite hit.

Follow Good Housekeeping’s simple recipe for this delicious cocktail.

Grass is Greener 

Sometimes you just want a little something extra in your daily wheatgrass shots! While it’s definitely not healthier than a wheatgrass juice from your local smoothie shop, the Grass is Greener cocktail is definitely a healthier alternative. Plus, it’s delicious!

What You’ll Need

• 1 ½ ounces of Absolut Citron
• 1 ounce of wheatgrass juice
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice
• ½ tablespoon of agave nectar
• 2-3 mint leaves
• Optional: Slice up watermelon radish for garnish

Made with a quick mix of wheatgrass, agave nectar, citron, and mint leaves, you’ll be Instagramming your summer sipper in no time. It’s a perfect addition to any boozy brunch for those tired of mimosas, or looking for a healthier option.

Find out the directions here on Marie Claire’s website.

White Claw Sangria

What list would this be without a cocktail that incorporates White Claw. If you manage to get your hands on a couple of these tasty drinks, try making a sangria. Swap in a can of White Claw, instead of a club soda, to add a unique flavour to a classic sangria recipe. 

What You’ll Need

• 1 bottle of white wine (dry)
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 can of raspberry White Claw
• ½ cup of orange liqueur
• Optional: Add raspberries for garnish

The best part of any sangria is you can adjust the recipe to your liking. Add more fruits as garnish for a prettier presentation and to enhance the flavour.

Check out Buzzfeed’s take on sangria with White Claw here.

Classic cocktails for any day of the week

Aperol Spritz

Originating from Italy, Aperol spritz almost looks like a warm sunset in a glass with its bright orange colouring. When it comes to classic drinks, nothing beats a hot summer day like this refreshing cocktail! Also, if you’re looking for easy signature cocktails for a party or even a wedding, Aperol spritz are a great option. It requires only four simple ingredients, so it makes it really easy to prepare and serve – even for a larger crowd.

What You’ll Need

• 3 parts Prosecco
• 2 parts Aperol
• 1 part club soda 
• Ice cubes
• Optional: Slice of orange for garnish

While the recipe is meant for a single serving, you can easily adjust for more, keeping in mind the ratio of each ingredient. Aperol can be bitter for some people, but don’t be discouraged. Just adjust by adding more Prosecco. If you find the alcohol too strong, there’s an easy fix for that too! Just simply add more club soda.

For a more detailed recipe, you’ll want to check out this blog by Cookie + Kate.

Moscow Mule

For easy drinks to make at home, a Moscow Mule only requires 3 ingredients and is simple to prepare. After a long day at work, you can whip this drink up in no time to help you unwind. The spicy kick from the ginger beer, paired with the vodka and lime juice, really brings this drink to a whole other level. 

What You’ll Need

• ¼ cup of vodka
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice
• ½ cup of ginger beer
• Ice cubes (crushed)
• Optional: 1 wedge of lime for garnish

When it comes to a Moscow Mule, you don’t want to skimp on the ingredients. It does make a world of difference for your taste buds. It’s worth finding a premium vodka and ginger beer to really appreciate this cocktail. For the lime juice, the key here is that it is fresh. There is a big difference in flavour when it comes to using bottled lime juice versus a freshly squeezed one. Plus, it makes for a pretty garnish! 

Serve it all up with crushed ice in a signature copper mug, which helps keep the drink insulated and refreshing – even on a hot day.

For a great recipe on this cocktail, check out Gimme Some Oven’s take on the classic drink.

Traditional Pimm’s Cup

When it comes to popular cocktails, Pimm’s Cup has a long history of being a well-liked alcoholic beverage. The cocktail dates all the way back to 1832 in London and originally was used as a digestion aid. Nowadays, it is famously served up to spectators at Wimbledon. 

What You’ll Need

• ¼ cup of Pimm’s No. 1
• ½ cup of lemonade or lemon-lime soda
• 1 slice of cucumber
• 1 slice of apple
• 1 slice of strawberry
• 1 sprig of mint
• Ice cubes

For a group gathering, it’s easy to whip up this fruity cocktail in a pitcher! The combination of citrus, cucumber and mint flavours makes for an incredibly refreshing beverage. Serve it all up in a tall glass and enjoy. 

To read up on this history of Pimm’s No. 1 and its recipe, check out WineEnthusiast’s post on the traditional British beverage. 

Classic Mojito

When you think of “summer signature cocktails,” a classic mojito is usually on the list. There are many iterations of the mojito, but the classic version consists of only 5 ingredients. It is a slightly more labour intensive cocktail, but well worth it. The key to this beverage is muddling the mint. For those of you unfamiliar with the term “muddling,” it is a technique that means to press ingredients into the sides of a glass. This allows flavours to be released. 

What You’ll Need

• ¼ cup of light rum
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 6 to 8 mint leaves
• Splash of club soda
• 1 lime (cut into two halves)
• Optional: Add a sprig of mint for garnish

This rum-based cocktail is often served up in a highball glass with mint to top it off as a garnish. While it looks like a simple drink, it absolutely bursts with flavour – thanks to the mixture of lime juice and mint. Rumour has it that even famed writer, Ernest Hemingway, was a fan of the beverage.

Learn more about how to make the perfect classic mojito with The Spruce Eats. 

Gin & Tonic

Simple and refreshing is exactly how you would describe a traditional gin and tonic. The ingredients required are literally in the name, which definitely makes it one of the most easy drinks to make at home. While a lime wedge is often the standard garnish used with most gin and tonics, you may want to spruce it up a bit and add an orange peel, mint leaves or even grapefruit slices.

What You’ll Need

• ¼ cup of gin 
• ½ cup of tonic water
• 1 lime wedge to garnish

While it only utilizes two ingredients, what really sets apart a high quality version of this famous cocktail is the use of a premium tonic and gin. If you plan to make this a staple in your household, don’t skimp on the quality of these two ingredients. Avoid using old lime wedges, a fresh one goes a long way with this beverage. 

Platings + Pairings offers 3 really great ways to customize this traditional cocktail.

Lemon Drop Cocktail

For classic summer cocktails with lemon, look no further than the lemon drop cocktail. Often incorporated into many recipes, the lemon finally gets a starring role in this classic drink. You’ll want to bring out that cocktail shaker to really get all the ingredients mixed together before serving it up. 

What You’ll Need 

• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 tablespoon of orange liqueur
• 2 tablespoons of simple syrup
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• Optional: Garnish with a sugar rim

While it’s optional, you should really consider spending that extra time to create a sugar rim on your glass before serving this tasty cocktail. Not only does it look pretty, but the sweetness pairs well with the tart flavours from the orange liqueur and lemon juice.

Liquor.com offers a bit of back history on this classic cocktail, along with a simple recipe to follow.

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Summer cocktails, friends and fun always go together. You may even want to pair it with your favourite cottage games to really get the party started. And it goes without saying, please drink responsibly.