Summer Cocktails: 13 You Need to Try

Summertime calls for long days, breezy clothes, and getting in as much pool, lake, river, and beach time as possible. And if you’re like us, it also calls for a cocktail that pairs perfectly with all things summer vibes. The perfect summertime cocktail is refreshing, fruity, playful, and bursting with color.

There are an infinite number of options when it comes to summer cocktails, and somehow we managed to narrow down our top 13 of all time. These 13 cocktails are thirst-quenching, crowd-pleasing, and manage to cool you down and turn you up all at the same time.

Here they are for you.

13 Summer Cocktails You Need To Try

Many of these are unique, summery spin-offs of classic cocktails, but we’ve also included a handful of classics that don’t need to change a thing to fit in perfectly on a July afternoon.

Tinto de Verano

If you love Sangria, you need to know about Tinto de Verano. Believe it or not, you’re more likely to see this sparkling red wine cocktail in the local Spanish bars than you are Sangria. But when it comes down to it, it’s got a lot in common with its more famous counterpart.

You’re going to need a pitcher and bottle of red table wine for this one. We recommend Tempranillo.

Here’s how to make it: Add the entire bottle of red wine to your pitcher. Fill it almost to the top with lemon soda, but leave room for ice. Add orange and lemon wheels, mix and serve.

Deliciously refreshing, and you get your red wine fix all summer long.

White Peach Sangria

If you can’t live without Sangria, give it the summertime vibe it needs by using Albariño, a delicious Spanish white wine, as your base.

To prep, slice half a white peach and muddle in a bowl. Add this to a pitcher and then add your bottle of Albariño. Then add 3 oz of peach brandy, ice, and tons of fruit. Slice up the rest of your peach and add sliced strawberries, lemon and orange wheels. Top with ginger ale, mix and serve!

Aperol Spritz

It doesn’t get much better than an extra-large glass of sparkling wine spritzed with Aperol on a hot summer day. Aperol is an Italian bitter aperitif that adds fruit, aromatics, and a neon orange color to this summer sipper.

Here’s how to make it: in a wine glass, add ice, 2 oz of Aperol, 1 oz of club soda, and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange slice.

Frozen Watermelon Margarita

Watermelon is a classic summertime fruit, and the hottest months are the best to enjoy this light, incredibly hydrating fruit. It’s also frozen margarita season, so drink up!

Here’s how to make this cooling cocktail: add to a blender ice, half a sliced watermelon, and the juice of several limes, about ½ cup. Blend and then mix in 8 oz (1 cup) of tequila blanco. Mix and serve in mason jars or whatever cups you have on hand. Garnish with a lime wedge and salted rims if you please.

Don’t forget your straw for this one!

Blood Orange Sour

Bourbon lovers need a little cool-factor in their summer drinks, and this blood orange twist on a whiskey sour hits the spot every time. Plus, it has a gorgeous, bright pink/orange color.

Here’s how to make it: In a shaker, add 2 oz of bourbon, ¾ oz of freshly squeezed blood orange juice, ½ oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and ½ oz simple syrup. Shake and strain into a glass over ice, then garnish with a lime or a blood orange wedge.

Fruity and boozy, you’ll sip the afternoon away with this one.

Mojito

This minty, light rum-based cocktail is a summertime winner every year. Make it with white rum and get ready to feel refreshed and relaxed. There are tons of ways you can modify a Mojito recipe, but we think the classic is a perfect fit for hot, sunny days.

First, muddle a handful of mint leaves in a shaker. Then, add 1 ½ oz of white rum, ½ oz of simple syrup, and 1 oz of lime juice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wheel.

Bikini Martini

The Bikini Martini was invented in 1999 to pay homage to the two-piece swimsuit that everyone loves. These martinis are fruity and eye-catching with their bright yellow and red layers. They’re fun to make and a little too easy to drink, so tread lightly—these babies are strong!

Here’s how you do it: in a shaker, combine 1 oz of coconut rum, 1 oz pineapple juice, and ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Then, slowly pour ½ oz of grenadine into each glass so it settles at the bottom, creating a “two-piece” look.

Garnish a maraschino cherry. You’ve got yourself a martini version of a bikini!

Cranberry Basil Lemonade

Lemonade is a quintessential summer sipper for all ages, and which one can be fashioned into a delicious cocktail? Cranberry basil lemonade it is. It has a beautiful, deep cranberry flavor balanced by the sweet minty note of basil.

Here’s how to make it: in a shaker, Here’s how to make it: In a shaker add 1 ½ oz of vodka, 1 oz of cranberry juice, ½ oz of lime juice, ½ oz of lemon juice, and ½ oz of basil-infused simple syrup. Shake and strain over ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with a sprig of basil.

Can’t find basil-infused simple? Make it at home by slowly heating sugar and water in a pan on the stove. Then add a generous amount of basil and steep for several hours.

Chile-Lime-Pineapple Soda

Soda is another summer go-to, and there are so many variations on soda but this one is a must-try if you love a spicy/fruity combination. You can make this cocktail with vodka, or substitute tequila for more complexity.

Here’s how to make it: combine ice, 2 oz of vodka, 1 oz of freshly squeezed lime juice, ½ oz of pineapple juice, and ½ oz of chile-infused simple syrup in a shaker. Shake and strain into a salted glass with ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a lime wedge.

Tom Collins

If you love gin and you haven’t tried a Tom Collins, meet your new summer beau. Light, refreshing, and tart, this classic is a true thirst quencher.

Here’s how you can make it: in a shaker, combine 1 ½ oz of gin, 1 oz lemon juice, ½ oz simple syrup and ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass over ice and top with club soda. Add a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry to garnish.

Blackberry Mule

You can’t miss a mule when you see it; you’ll recognize its signature copper mug. A classic moscow mule is dangerously refreshing, and this Blackberry Mule adds a burst of flavor and pop of color.

Here’s how to make it: First, muddle 2 blackberries in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, 1 ½ oz of vodka, ½ oz simple syrup, and 1 oz lime juice. Shake and strain over ice into a copper mug (or any cup will do) and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a few berries or a lime.

To enjoy the gorgeous color, serve it in a clear mason jar instead of a copper mug.

Daiquiri

When you think of a Daiquiri, do you think slushy? You might be surprised to learn that the classic Daiquiri is not a frozen cocktail at all. It’s a Prohibition-era rum-based cocktail that was inspired by the gin gimlet. It’s easy to make and even easier to drink.

Here’s how you can make it: in a shaker, combine ice, 2 oz of rum, 1 oz of freshly squeezed lime juice, and ½ oz of simple syrup. Shake and strain in a martini or coupe glass and garnish with a lime twist.

Strawberry French 75

Another classic Prohibition-era cocktail is the French 75. Gin and sparkling wine, what more is there to love? This cocktail takes it one summery step further and adds strawberries into the mix.

Here’s how to make it: in a shaker, combine 1 ½ oz gin, ½ oz freshly-squeezed lemon juice, ½ oz of simple syrup, and a small bar spoon of strawberry puree. Shake and strain into a Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a strawberry.

Want something you don’t have to make?

If you haven’t tried canned cocktails they are the ultimate summer-sippers. You don’t have to think of anything and they easily fit into your cooler. But so many canned cocktails are high in sugar and other ingredients.

To make your summer days even easier, try the Spritz Sampler, a variety of lightly sparkling canned wine cocktails made with all-natural ingredients. They’re light, refreshing, and the best part? No prep.