This is usually the time of year where I can’t stop mixing up delicious concoctions made from summer’s fruitful bounty, but I’ve been such a cocktail slacker this season! Well this week, I had a major FOMO moment and decided to do something about it. So, over the past few days I’ve been pulling together this EPIC list of our Top 12 Summer Cocktails that you should be making (and drinking!) right now…
1. vintage dot glassware | white wine opener | white napkins | 2. gold rimmed glasses | lemon stir sticks | yellow dot napkins | 3. pink glasses | heart party picks | green gingham napkins
Slushies are the new cool thing (pun intended) these days in the cocktail world, so it’s time to hop on the bandwagon and get your frosé fix! Let the ingredients dictate your color palette when it comes to serving up these summertime sippers!
RECIPES:
White Nectarine Frosé: Hop on the frosé bandwagon with this delicious take on the summer’s trending cocktail! I’m obsessed with nectarines, so I know I’m gonna love this one, and a little Lillet will go a long way here too.
Sweet Tea Vodka: A twist on this southern classic, with plenty of lemon and vodka, this recipe is dangerously drinkable.
Strawberry Kiwi Frozen Mojito: Who doesn’t love the combo of strawberry and kiwi!? SO perfect for a summer slushie, with a little hint of mint to make it even more refreshing.
1. low modern glasses | gold pitcher | banana leaf cocktail napkins | 2. modern punch bowl and ladle | jadeite glasses | liberty london napkins | 3. faceted glassware | modern pitcher | blue urn motif napkins
RECIPES:
Big batch drinks are essential for your summer repertoire. I love them styled with a bit more modern flair, as they always seem so old-fashioned to me! Mix some classics (like those jadeite glasses!) into the mix for that perfect balance of old and new.
Pineapple Rum Sangria: Never would I have thought of putting pineapple and rum into a Sangria form, so I’m extra curious to try this one out – plus it makes for such a pretty punch!
Strawberry Pisco Punch: Pisco is one of those underused, intimidating ingredients. Trust me, it works here so well – and it’s the perfect excuse to try it out!
Bourbon Peach Lemonade: Yes yes yes too all these flavors. I’m always looking for an excuse to enjoy bourbon, and the addition of peach here makes it so summery!
1. monogram copper mugs | stripe cocktail napkins | green glass straws | 2. juice glasses | floral vine napkins | cherry pitter | 3. natural cocktail napkins | moroccan tea glasses | gold jigger
Peaches, Cherries and Blackberries are probably my most favorite summer fruits – they just taste better when warmed by the sun, and fresh off the trees and vine. I like to serve these type of drinks with coordinating colors to enhance their signature ingredient – fruit!
Recipes ::
Frozen Peach Moscow Mule: While it does seem like a shame to freeze the peaches when they’re fresh, the flavor still comes out really nicely in this version of the classic Moscow Mule. Plus, if you have a plethora of peaches this time of year, freezing them to use for this is the perfect way to not let them go to waste!
Cherry Ginger Spiked Soda: The tart mix of cherry and ginger had me at hello on this one. A light, refreshing drink that’s the opposite of those sweet tropical mixes.
Blackberry Jalapeno Margaritas: Again, another one that I’m dying to test out here. Blackberry and jalapeno? Such a unique mix of flavors, and a sure way to not get sick of all the blackberry recipes this time of year.
1. ines napkin | umbrella picks | white opal glass | 2. pewter glassware | cheers picks | striped napkins | 3. gold rimmed glassware | gold straws | floral napkins
We couldn’t possibly do a roundup without mentioning some of our own favorites from around here! While it was tough to narrow down, these three selections were my picks because of the way they add a twist to a classic drink, and lend themselves to a little bit of a theme party! A mid-century modern fiesta, a preppy nautical cocktail hour, or a modern garden party.
RECIPES:
Mezcal & Fennel Paloma: In case you haven’t heard (I tend to instagram this drink a lot) this is hands-down one of my favorite drinks we’ve ever made for coco kelley. The tart grapefruit with mezcal and a hint of fennel is amazing!
Apricot Dark & Stormy: There was one summer where we just couldn’t’ stop drinking dark & stormies. That led me to find some new takes on this classic, and my favorite by far is adding just a bit of apricot liqueur to the mix!
Cherry Gin & Tonic with Lillet: I was inspired to create this drink by the many local cherry varieties we have here in Seattle, and what I love most about this recipe is how incredibly light it is, but still packs a punch!
Have you been binging on anyone cocktail this summer? I’d love to know what it is! And I hope this huge list inspires you to create some new ones too!
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