5 Summer Cocktails to Keep You & Guests Cool

The sunny weather is here, which marks the time for the beach and cool drinks! There’s no better time than summer to sip on a refreshing cocktail, whether you whipped up in your kitchen or bought from your favorite beach bar. This 2024, it’s time to learn new summer cocktails to serve for your summer soiree or relearn a few classics. 

1. Strawberry Daiquiri

A summer soiree isn’t complete without this classic rum cocktail. Elevate this iconic drink with frozen strawberries if you want to add it to your menu. It’s the most ideal summer cocktails to welcome the sunny days ahead. The best part? You only need four ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 4-ounce light rum
• ½ cup of fresh strawberries, chopped
• 1 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1 bag of frozen strawberries, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• Sliced lime for garnish

Instructions:

1. Add rum, both fresh and frozen strawberries, lime juice and sugar to a blender. Blend until smooth. 
2. Taste the drink and assess if you need more citrus kick. Add more lime juice to brighten up the flavor.
3. Pour into two glasses and garnish with whole strawberries and lime. 

2. Blackberry Mojito

This blackberry mojito is as bright as summer days. Bring a twist to the classic mojito with fresh blackberries. These superfoods offer a wealth of nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber and vitamin K. It’s an excellent drink to treat your body with goodness and coolness as the warmer temperatures arrive.

Ingredients:

• 8 fresh blackberries for the drink, add more for garnish
• 1 tbsp simple syrup
• 2 tbsp of fresh lime juice
• 6 fresh mint leaves and mint sprig for garnish
• Ice cubes
• ¼ cup club soda
• ¼ cup white rum
• Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions:

1. Muddle the blackberries. Put the berries, lime juice and simple syrup in a highball glass. Remember to muddle until berries are pulpy and mashed.
2. Add mint leaves and gently crush them against the glass side with a cocktail spoon or a muddler. Be careful not to shred them.
3. Pour the ice and rum.
4. Stir well using a cocktail spoon before topping with club soda.
5. Place the fresh blackberries, mint sprig and lime wheel. Gently slap the mint sprig against your hand to release more flavor.

3. Sour Cherry Mezcal Margarita

Margaritas only requires a few key ingredients — triple sec, tequila, lime juice and some sweet and sour mix. It’s the perfect drink for a lazy afternoon with friends by the pool or in your backyard. The simplicity of this cocktail is what makes it a standout, as you can easily customize it to your liking.

Combine the citrus, smoky and sweet flavor profiles into a cold drink. This sour cherry mezcal margarita is one of the best summer cocktails you’ll ever make. Making it requires patience as you’ll be making a sour cherry puree — that you can also use on ice cream and pancakes — from scratch.

How to Make Sour Cherry Puree

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds fresh sour cherries, pitted and stemmed
• ⅔ cup of granulated sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. On a large-rimmed baking sheet, combine cherries and sugar until fully coated. 
2. Roast in the oven until cherries appear soft and juicy. This should take about 10 minutes.
3. Let it cool for five minutes. Then, use a silicone spatula to scrape fruit and juices from the baking sheet.
4. Place the roasted cherries in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and discard the solids.

How to Make Sour Cherry Mezcal Margarita

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup of mezcal joven espadín 
• 1 tbsp orange liqueur, like Cointreau
• Ice cubes
• 1 large ice cube
• Optional: smoked coarse salt

Instructions:

1. If you’re using the smoked salt, sprinkle a bit on a small plate.
2. Lightly moisten the rim of a rock glass with water.
3. Mix orange liqueur, mezcal and 3 tablespoons of sour cherry puree in a cocktail shaker with three-fourths full with ice.
4. Place the shaker’s lid and shake until well combined. This should take about 15 seconds.
5. Pour the mixture into a rock glass with a large ice cube.

4. Tequila Sunrise

There’s something about tequila sunrise that makes it a crowd favorite, that’s why you shouldn’t miss out on making this drink this summer season. The contrasting colors of red and orange are purely immaculate and reminiscent of the warm weather. If you’ve been making cocktails for a while now, chances are you already know how to create this classic cocktail.

But, if you need a refresh, here’s everything you need.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz of tequila
• 1 oz of ice
• ½ oz grenadine
• 4 oz orange juice
• Maraschino cherry and orange slice for garnish

Instructions:

1. Put the ice cubes in a highball glass. Pour in the tequila.
2. Pour the orange juice slowly and let it settle on the alcohol.
3. Add the grenadine slowly. You’ll notice how it’ll settle at the bottom of the glass. It’ll slowly rise for that sunrise effect.

5. Oklahoma Prairie Fire

Do you want to go bold and brave this summer? Choose an equally bold drink to bring coolness to your summer. The Oklahoma Prairie Fire is just like it sounds — it’s fire enough to cool you down on sweaty days and its bright colors make it an ideal lounge drink to accompany party evenings by the pool.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz mezcal
• 1 oz blood orange juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 oz of fresh lime juice and 2 lime wedges
• 1 oz simple syrup
• ½ oz grenadine
• Chili powder
• Kosher salt
• 4 to 6 dashes of orange bitters

Instructions:

1. Combine orange juice, blood orange juice, mezcal, lime juice, grenadine, bitters and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice after.
2. Shake for eight seconds.
3. Mix equal parts of chili powder and salt on a small plate. Run over a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass. Dip into the powder and salt mix to coat. Garnish with the wedge.
4. Pour ice inside the glass and pour the mixture.

Create the Best Summer Cocktails Today

Time to bring some coolness to the warmer days! Prepare these cocktail drinks for yourself or a few friends to impress them with your classic and experimental drinks. Don’t hesitate to experiment in the bar and add your preferred ingredients to make your drinks your own.