12 Summer Cocktails: Quick, Easy & Perfect For A Summer Party

These 12 summer cocktails are perfect for your summer garden party, afternoon tea, summer BBQ, or any kind of get together in the sunshine. Even just lazy summer afternoons with a friend or two. 

12 easy summer cocktails 

These fun and fruity tropical drinks are all easy to make with only a few ingredients. There’s something everyone will love, no matter if your favourite tipple is gin, vodka, rum or tequila. There’s also some kombucha cocktails thrown in for a lower sugar level than you’ll find in most cocktails. 

Let’s look at the best summer cocktails to make this year.

Cucumber Infused Gin & Tonic

A lovely way to serve summer gin cocktails is in a teapot. The idea is perfect for a girly afternoon tea, and a G&T goes so well with sandwiches and cakes. This cucumber infused version is very simple to make. The cucumber adds a refreshing, summery twist. 

CUCUMBER-INFUSED GIN & TONIC

Ingredients:

4 shots gin

As much tonic water as you’d like

Plenty of ice

1/6 of a cucumber

Lemon slices

Method:

Slice the cucumber into thin ribbons

Add them into the teapot with everything apart from the lemon

Allow the cucumber to infuse into the drink

Add lemon slices to teacups and serve the G&T from the teapot

Frozen Moscow Mule

A Moscow Mule is a classic cocktail. This frozen version turns this summer drink into an alcoholic slush puppie! Frozen drinks have got to be a summer essential. 

FROZEN MOSCOW MULE

Ingredients:

Vodka (double or single shot – up to you!)

375ml ginger beer

A dash of lime juice

Crushed ice

Lime to garnish

Method: 

Add everything but the lime to a cocktail shaker and mix

Pour into cups and garnish with lime (classic Moscow Mule mugs are ideal)

Orange & Pink Grapefruit Summer Punch

This big bowl of gorgeous punch is one of the best summer cocktails to serve at a big gathering. You can add any garnishes you want to the punchbowl.

ORANGE & PINK GRAPEFRUIT SUMMER PUNCH

Ingredients:

Bottle of Pimms 

Orange juice

Pink grapefruit juice

Ice

Mint

Lemon slices (or other sliced fruit to garnish)

Method:

Simply add the ice and the Pimms to the bowl and top up with the juices

Garnish with slices of fruit and mint

Raspberry Fresh

This summer cocktail recipe produces a very fruity and fresh tall cocktail.

RASPBERRY FRESH

Ingredients:

2 measures Raspberry Vodka 
1 measure Lime Vodka 
4 measures fresh Apple Juice
1 tbsp of Raspberry Puree (optional)

Ice

Method:

Just add everything into a glass, mix and enjoy.

Wild Berry Long Island Iced Tea

A Long Island Iced Tea doesn’t usually involve any tea, but this one does! 

WILD BERRY LONG ISLAND ICED TEA

Ingredients:

10ml Gin
1 shot of vodka
10ml Rum
10ml Tequila
Lemon juice
Cola
Berry flavoured fruit tea, cold

Method:

In a tall glass filled with ice, add the alcoholic ingredients

Add a splash of cold tea

Top up with cola

Garnish with lemon 

Kombucha Dark Mojito

Kombucha is a unique drink made from fermenting green tea. Naturally fizzy, it’s the perfect mixer with alcohol for a refreshing cocktail with health benefits. Kombucha is usually quite easy to find nowadays in supermarkets. 

KOMBUCHA DARK MOJITO

Ingredients:

One bottle kombucha

2 shots dark rum

1tbsp coconut palm sugar

Mint leaves and lime

Method:

Add everything to a tall glass filled with ice and stir

Citrus Sundowner

This is one of the most refreshing summer cocktails and perfect for ultra-hot days. It’s one of Demijohn’s summer cocktail recipes. 

CITRUS SUNDOWNER

Ingredients:

1 shot of Lime Vodka
Tonic water
1 measure of Ginger Wine
1 measure of Seville Orange Gin
Lemon segments
Lime segments
Orange segments
Orange juice

Method:

Add everything to a tall glass filled with ice and stir

Green Tea Spicy Mojito

Another mojito recipe, because who doesn’t love a mojito? They’re one of the best looking summer cocktails as well as the best tasting. This mojito is blended with a green tea cold brew.

GREEN TEA SPICY MOJITO

Ingredients:

Cold green tea

50ml spiced rum

1 tsp sugar

Mint leaves

Lime juice

Method:

Pour the rum over the ice 

Crush in the mint leaves, sugar and lime juice

Top up with the green tea

Kombucha Libre

This summer cocktail uses a ginger-flavoured kombucha. It’s a little like a Mojito but with that ginger kick you get from a Moscow Mule. The best of both worlds.

 

KOMBUCHA LIBRE

Ingredients:

50ml spiced rum

Ginger kombucha

Fresh lime

Ice

Method:

Add the ice to a glass

Add rum and kombucha

Finish with a lime garnish

Apple Cider Margarita

This apple cider version of the classic margarita is crisp and refreshing. This one has sugar on the rim, but you could also use salt if you want more tang.

APPLE CIDER MARGARITA

Ingredients:

1 shot tequila (or two if you’re brave)

Apple cider

Apple slices

Sugar

Method:

Run a slice of apple around the rim of an ice-filled glass and dip it into sugar

Add the tequila and top up with cider

Earl Grey Berry Vodka

This drink, like all summer cocktails, is best served ice cold.

EARL GREY BERRY VODKA

Ingredients:

Cold Earl Grey tea

1 shot vodka

Pink lemonade

Lemon slices

Method:

Add vodka to ice in a glass

Add splash of cold brew tea and top up with pink lemonade

Garnish with lemon

Orange Berry Kombucha Fancy

This summer cocktail is delightful for its colour, freshness and ability to cool anyone down on the hottest summer afternoon.

ORANGE BERRY KOMBUCHA FANCY

Ingredients:

50ml vodka

Berry-flavoured kombucha

25ml Cassis

25ml fresh orange juice

1/2 tsp sugar

Method:

Add everything to an icy glass

Top up with the kombucha and a squeeze of fresh lime

Garnish with a slice of fresh orange

Summer cocktails really don’t have to be complicated. These summer cocktail recipes, curated by SH Foodie, involve very few ingredients and just focus on flavour, as well as presentation. They’re all you need for a wonderful summer get together, alongside the outdoor essentials like citronella candles, a zapper for insect bite relief (just in case), and summer party songs. Enjoy!