4 Summer Cocktail Recipes to Beat the Heat

For reasons scientists are yet to explain to us fully, there's just something about having a drink near a sizable body of water that makes it taste much more delicious. Whether you’re seaside, along a river, lounging at the lake, or chilling by a pool, you can take your experience to the next level with a well-mixed summer cocktail.

If you want some ideas on getting your cocktail mojo going, read on because we’ve got some surefire party-starters here.

Frosé

One of the simplest, yet most refreshing, poolside cocktails ever invented is the Frosé. This delectable concoction was all the rage last year, but you can’t keep a good thing down—it’s still sure to impress and refresh your poolside party. All you’ll need is:

• 1 750 ml Bottle of Rosé
• ½ cup of Dry Vermouth
• ¼ cup of Berry Syrup

Take all your ingredients and place them in a large ziplock bag and squeeze it so the air is pushed out. Tightly seal the top and shake it vigorously so it mixes well. Place it in a freezer, until it gets to a slushy consistency, then serve at your leisure. You won’t look at Rosé the same way again. Serves 4 to 6.

Kale Martini

For the majority of us mere mortals, getting into the right shape for poolside fun is a year-round struggle, and the last thing we need are high-calorie cocktails to pile the pounds right back on. That’s where the Kale martini comes in. It delivers all the alcohol we need without heaping in the sugar we’ve been avoiding. If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, this is the way to do it.

• 1 oz of Cucumber Juice
• ½ oz of Celery Juice
• 1 oz of Lime Juice
• ½ oz of Lemon Juice
• ½ oz of Kale Juice
• ½ oz of Ginger Beer
• 1 ½ oz of Absolut Apple Vodka
• Soda Water
• Grapefruit Slice and Kale Leaf to Garnish 

Start by mixing your soda water with your ice and leave it to one side. Take all of your juice, mix it with the Absolute Apple Vodka, and shake vigorously. Add the ginger beer to this mixture and stir it in gently. Empty everything into a pitcher through a strainer. Top off your slimming concoction by pouring it into a glass and adding the grapefruit and kale garnish.

Santorini Sunburn

This drink was made to be enjoyed in the sun. There’s no way around it. Inspired by the sublime blues of the Aegean and Caribbean seas, this sweet yet punchy creation pays homage to true seaside tradition and almost seems like it should come with a warning label: ‘To be enjoyed in the breeze.’ Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 oz of Pisco
• 1 oz of Jamaican Rum
• ½ oz of Mastiha
• ½ oz of Blue Curaçao
• ¾ oz of Coconut Water Syrup
• ¾ oz of Lime Juice
• 7 Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
• Mint Sprigs and Orange Wedges for Garnish

Place all of the ingredients (except the garnish) into a shaker and mix vigorously. Take a tiki mug and fill it up to three-quarters of the way with crushed ice chips. Strain the mix into the mug until it’s full, then complete your creation with an orange wedge and mint garnish.

Pinewood Social Sangria

Sangria is all about giving your choice of red wine an extra kick to fight off the summer heat, and this Pinewood specialty certainly does the trick. You’ll need:

• 1 750 ml bottle of Red Wine (we like to use Beaujolais) 
• 16 oz of Applejack
• 16 oz of fresh-squeezed Orange Juice
• 8 oz of Grapefruit juice
• 16 oz of Simple Syrup
• 8 oz of St. Germain
• 6 oz of Dry Curacao
• 16 oz of Sprite
• 30 oz of Water
• 0.5 oz of Orange Blossom Water  
• Ice to taste

All you’ll need to do here is add all of the ingredients listed above, except the ice, into a pitcher and stir liberally to get everything mixed well. Pour this mixture into a blender with the ice and blend until you reach a slushy consistency. Serve your creation up in some tumblers or pool-friendly cups. Serves 10.

Time to Dive In

Everyone has their strategies for beating the summer heat, but none of them are more fun than spending time by the water. These refreshing, medium-to-low strength cocktail recipes contain just enough alcohol for a good time without going overboard, literally and figuratively. Give them a try. You won’t regret it.