As the sun sets a little earlier each evening, we’re reminded that it’s time to savor the last weeks of summer. Whether you're hosting friends or enjoying a quiet afternoon, this collection of summer cocktail recipes will help you make the most of the season.
Mexico City Mule
Ingredients:
- .75 oz Ancho Reyes
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- .25 oz agave nectar
- 1 oz De Nada Blanco
- 2 oz Fevertree ginger beer
- Garnish: dried ancho chili pepper, ginger candy
Method: Combine all ingredients, except ginger beer, into a shaker. Add ice and shake for ten seconds. Strain into a tall glass over ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with dried ancho chili pepper and ginger candy.
Bumblebee - The Connaught
Ingredients:
- 45 ml (1 ½ fl oz) berry and grapeseed oil-washed vodka and gin
- 5 ml concord grape vinegar
- 5 ml sugar syrup
- 50 ml champagne
- Blackberry half, to garnish
Method: Place a piece of ice into a coupette. Combine vodka, vinegar and sugar syrup in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain the mixture into the coupette and gently add the champagne. Garnish with a blackberry half and set on top of an ice cube.
Birds of a Feather
Ingredients:
- 2.5 oz lemongrass and lemon-peel infused Broken Shed Vodka
- .5 oz extra dry vermouth
- Garnish with one apple fan
Method: Stir all ingredients over ice for 30 seconds, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an apple fan.
Pineapple Bourbon Iced Tea
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
- 2 oz iced tea
- .75 oz Ooni & Four Roses Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey
- .75 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 3-4 Pineapple pieces
- Garnish: pineapple
Method: Muddle pineapple in a mixing tin then combine all ingredients (except iced tea) in the mixing tin. Add ice. Shake for fifteen seconds or until the cocktail is properly diluted and well chilled. Add iced tea. Double strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Birdcage - The Drexel at Esme Miami Beach Hotel
Image credit: Esmé Miami Beach Hotel
Ingredients:
- 1.75oz tequila
- 1.5oz fresh pineapple juice
- .5oz Aperol
- .5oz Heirloom Pineapple Amaro
- .5oz demerara
- .5oz lime juice
Method: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake hard, strain and garnish with dehydrated pineapple wheel.
Florence + the Revolution - Sartiano's
Ingredients:
- 1.5oz Ketel One Vodka
- .75oz lemon
- .25oz blood orange juice
- 1.5oz lychee
- .5oz Alpe Genepy
- Top with San Pellegrino Aranciata
Method: Shake all ingredients together and pour into a Collins glass over crushed ice. Garnish with green square/opal basil leaf clipped.
Horchata Daiquiri - Mr. Melo
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Ten To One White Rum
- .25 oz pineapple juice
- .25 oz coconut syrup
- .50 oz cinnamon syrup
- .50 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 dash of Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters (or vanilla extract)
Method: Chill your coupe. Dash bitters and add all ingredients into the shaker tin. Shake with 5 ice cubes. Double strain into the coupe and garnish.
** To make coconut syrup - Combine equal parts by weight in a blender: 500 grams of light can sugar, 500 grams of Vita Coco pressed coconut water. Add 220 grams Chao Thai coconut powder. Blend until sugar and powder is dissolved. Refrigerate.
** To make cinnamon syrup - Combine 2:1 parts by weight in a cooking pot: 400 grams of light cane sugar, 480 grams of water. Then 6-8 sticks of 3"- 6" Ceylon cinnamon sticks. Bring everything to a boil. Let the cinnamon sticks simmer for 3 minutes, then let the syrup cool to room temperature. Transport the syrup from the pot into a quart container and let the ingredients macerate for 12 hours. Strain and refrigerate.
Natsu Punch - Kero Bar by Osaka
Image credit: Osaka Miami
Ingredients
- Purple Pisco 1.5 oz
- Martini & Rossi Ambrato Riserva 1 oz
- Yuzu .25 oz (optional)
- Lime juice .75 oz (If Yuzu is not available, do 1 oz. lime and .75 oz simple syrup)
- Simple syrup 1 oz
- Pineapple Juice 1 oz
- Natsu foam (as needed)
Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker tin and shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Add Natsu foam to the top. Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted coriander powder, nutmeg or cinnamon.
