5 Refreshing Cocktails for Summer

With the weather warming up and leisurely nights on the patio to look forward to, it only makes sense to start compiling a list of perfect spring cocktails. We’ve put together a list of some of the best drinks out there that promise to dazzle your friends, tickle your taste buds, and put a seasonably appropriate spring in your step.

Kir Royale
Surprisingly simple and a guaranteed crowd pleaser, the Kir Royale is an effervescent way to toast the turning of the seasons. Served in a champagne flute, it promises to make even the most relaxed backyard barbecue just a little fancier, which is always a good thing.

©istockphoto/Ekaterina Molchanova

Ingredients

Champagne or Prosecco
1/3 oz creme de cassis

Directions
Add creme de cassis to flute and top with Champagne or Prosecco. Served chilled

Negroni
This refreshing aperitif is made with gin, Campari and vermouth, making it the perfect cocktail to sip on the patio while waiting for the barbecue to heat up. Simple and classic, you can’t go wrong with a Negroni.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negroni

Ingredients

1 oz gin
1 oz vermouth rosso
1 oz Campari
Orange peel for garnish

Directions
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with orange peel. Best serve chilled.

Mint Julep
Derby fans and cocktail aficionados alike will rejoice with this easy take on the mint julep, a classic warm-weather drink that looks as good as it tastes. To elevate your experience, serve it in a julep cup and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

©istockphoto/bhofack2

Ingredients

8-10 fresh mint leaves (plus some for garnish)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 oz bourbon
Simple syrup
Crushed ice

Directions
Place sugar and mint leaves in a julep cup or highball glass and mash until fragrant. Fill glass with crushed ice, add bourbon and a splash of simple syrup.

St-Germain Kir Blanc
This elegantly named cocktail couldn’t be easier to prepare but still packs a sophisticated punch. Requiring only two readily available ingredients, St-Germain Kir Blancs are the perfect thing to pull together when unexpected guests drop by or when you’re craving something a little fancier than a beer on a warm spring evening.

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz St Germain elderflower liquer
Sauvignon Blanc

Directions
In a wine glass, combine elderflower liquer and wine. Serve very chilled.

Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
A mainstay at cricket matches, the Pimm’s Cup is a classic warm-weather drink that any Brit worth their salt can whip up in a flash. Join their ranks by having the ingredients on hand so that you too can enjoy this perfect patio cocktail as often as you’d like.

Ingredients

2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
3 oz ginger ale
1 slice of cucumber
Ice

Directions
In a tall glass, add ice, ginger ale and Pimm’s. Garnish with cucumber.