Enjoying an ice cold, adult beverage with friends on a hot summer afternoon is one of my favorite activities. I have no bar tending training, but I have become the resident mixologist in my circle of friends. There are a few very simple concepts that go into making a refreshing summer cocktail, and if you know these tips you too can impress your friends with your skills.
1. Know your ingredients
For summer cocktails, you will need three types of ingredients almost every time: A juice base, your liquor, and a sweetener. You can use almost any juice you like. I prefer stronger flavors like cranberry, grapefruit, or orange juice. I avoid milder and sweeter juices like grape or apple. You also want to avoid juices from concentrate or juices with the label “cocktail.” These are usually lower quality and yield a poor final product.
The liquor you use for a fruity summer drink can vary. I recommend a vodka, white rum, or silver tequila. Rum is the generally the sweetest option, tequila slightly less, and vodka has no sweetness. Make sure you don’t buy the cheapest stuff, but you also don’t need to reach for the top shelf. If you stay away from dark liquors you should be safe.
Sweetener may be necessary to complete your drink. I recommend having simple syrup on hand when making drinks. Avoid any sweeter that comes in a granulated form, it won’t dissolve in your drink and you’ll be left with granules in the bottom of you glass. Alternatives to simple syrup could be maraschino cherry juice, honey, agave nectar, or any number of sweet liqueurs.
2. Know your quantities
The amount of liquor you use in a drink will make or break your cocktail. You need to be able to taste the alcohol but it should not be overwhelming. In a mixed drink, you are looking for between one and two shots of liquor to achieve that sharp taste without the alcohol being overpowering. For a short drink (small cocktail glass), one and a half shots usually works and for a tall drink (tall cocktail glass) two shots are usually best. The short drink will taste stronger than the tall, so keep that in mind.
3. Make it cold
I don’t like to add much ice to a mixed drink. If you do, it should only be two or three cubes. You want to be able to sit and enjoy the drink slowly without ice melting. The drink will become watered down. Keep all your ingredients in the refrigerator, aside from the liquor which should be kept in the freezer. For maximum chill, try putting you glasses in the freezer 20 minutes before you mix your drinks.
4. Keep it simple
Hot summer days shouldn't be complicated. Some of the best drinks you can make don’t require a lot of different ingredients. One or two juices and one type of liquor is your best bet for making a cocktail without a recipe. Doing too much can be your downfall.
5. Presentation matters
We taste with our eyes. You should see a drink and be excited to try it. Getting nice cocktail glasses can go a long way. I don’t care how good the drink is, it’s not as impressive out of a red plastic cup. You want to be able to see the drink clearly.
6. Learn some tricks to make it fun
There are all kinds of cool tricks you can do to make a cocktail more impressive. I am going to give you the recipe for the drink featured in the picture at the top. This drink employs some of these tricks and is sure to impress you friends.
You will need:
2 cocktail glasses (the short kind)
1 shot silver rum
1 shot Kinky Blood Orange Liqueur
Grape fruit juice
Cranberry juice
Simple syrup
Remember, all your ingredients need to be good and cold.
In a short cocktail glass, pour 1 shot of silver rum.
Add a splash or two of simple syrup.
Then fill the glass to the halfway point with grapefruit juice.
Mix well and set to the side. Make sure you do this in the glass you will serve the drink in.
In a second glass, pour one shot of cranberry juice and one shot of Blood Orange Liqueur by Kinky. Again, mix well.
Now, here comes the part that impresses people.
Take the cranberry mixture and very slowly pour it over a spoon into the grapefruit mixture. Place the spoon just on the surface of the grape fruit juice as you pour. If you do it right it should cause the two drinks to stay in separate layers.
Do NOT mix this. This is how we want it to look. Very carefully, add one to three ice cubes.
You should have some room at the top of the glass still. Fill the rest with club soda. Do this slowly, but you should not need the spoon technique. Let the club soda sit on top for a crisp refreshing start to the drink. As you drink the cocktail will slowly mix, giving you a clear change in flavor. I promise this will be a hit at any get-together, and all your friends will be looking to you for their second drink.
