Summer is the perfect time to get together for drinks in the garden, isn’t it? So, we’re taking a look at some cracking summer cocktails and marvellous mocktails to serve your guests.
Did you know…?
- Although the Americans claim cocktails as drinks they originated, their roots can be traced to classic British punches.
- The cocktail was refined in New York and its popularity really took off when ice became widely available. Cocktails became hugely fashionable in the 1950s.
- Whiskey Sours are the most popular cocktail with men, with Margaritas claiming the title with women.
- Negronis, Margaritas, Espresso Martinis, and Old Fashioneds are some of the most searched-for cocktail recipes in the UK.
- Edinburgh is the cocktail capital of the UK, followed by Belfast, Bristol, and London.
- There’s been a move away from super-sweet fruit based cocktails to more elegant drinks in recent years.
- Summer sees a spike in the drinking of the Aperol Spritz and Piña Colada.
- Classic British cocktails like the Gimlet are still very popular too. The Gimlet was named after Sir Thomas Gimlette, a Royal Navy physician. He recommended adding gin to lime to encourage sailors to drink it and prevent scurvy.
- Probably the most-ordered cocktail in UK pubs and bars is the good old gin and tonic.
- Mocktails became popular in the 1980s as people focused on health and wellness, though the word was coined as far back as 1916. During prohibition in the 1920s, many mocktails became ‘temperance drinks’.
Summery cocktail ideas
Aperol Spritz – Aperol, Prosecco, ice, and soda water make this a truly refreshing aperitif.
Frozen Margarita – A fantastic combination of tequila, triple sec, lime juice, sugar syrup, and ice. Serve with a wedge of lime.
Long Island Iced Tea – A heady mixture of gin, vodka, tequila, rum, triple sec, cola, lime juice, and ice. This one definitely gets the party started!
Frosé – Blend strawberries with rosé wine chilled in the freezer overnight, lemon juice, and caster sugar for a summer refresher.
Mojito – A true taste of the Caribbean with muddled mint leaves, white rum, lime, and sparkling water. Add strawberries for an extra taste of summer.
Sea Breeze – Vodka, cranberry juice, and grapefruit juice are blended and served over ice. A cocktail classic.
Elderflower spritz – We’re coming into elderflower season, so combine Prosecco, gin, and elderflower liqueur for a truly British summer drink.
Mocktails you’ll love
Pineapple and Lime – Mix pineapple juice, tonic water, lime, coriander leaves, ice, and a little edible gold glitter for a stunning summer drink.
Ginger Lemon Fizz – Mix chopped fresh root ginger, caster sugar, lemon slices and boil them until the sugar dissolves. Strain, pour into a pitcher, and add sparkling water and extra lemon slices.
Non-alcoholic G&T – Cardamom, chamomile tea, cucumber, mint leaves, lemon zest, cloves, rosemary, and tonic water gives you that botanical taste.
Rhubarb and Ginger No-gin Fizz – Combine rhubarb, rhubarb syrup, caster sugar, steam ginger, lime, crystallised ginger, non-alcoholic rhubarb ‘gin’, and alcohol free white wine.
Whiskey Sour Mocktail – Use an infusion of Assam leaf tea and vanilla extract to give you a bourbon-like flavour. Combine that with lemon juice, egg white, sugar syrup, and ice for a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink.
Gooseberry and Mint Lemonade – Make a cordial of gooseberries and mint with caster sugar and lemon juice and zest. Serve diluted with sparkling water over ice.
Fruit Punch – Add sliced strawberries, orange, and lemon to orange juice, pineapple juice, mint leaves, lemonade, and ice. Delicious!
Do all those summer drinks give you an appetite? Take a look at our sample menus.
