As August gracefully concludes its chapter, we mourn the summer that never came. Here at Exquisite cocktails, we believe in unwavering hope and with the August bank holiday looming what better time to pour a bit of summer spirit. So, dust off your shaker and your environmentally sustainable straws and let’s welcome in an Indian Summer with 8 Unique summer cocktail recipes and 2 mocktail recipes, that will elevate any event. Bring on the barbies, we won’t give up the fight yet.
Vodka
1. Peach Moscow mule.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 8 oz. peach puree
- 12 oz. ginger beer
- 6 oz. vodka
- 2 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 oz. cinnamon simple syrup
Method
Step 1
Combine water and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring them to boil, then remove from the heat.
Step 2
Add cinnamon sticks, cover them, and let the simple syrup and cinnamon sticks steep for 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on how strong you want the cinnamon flavour.
Step 3
When the syrup finishes infusing, pour through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate until it’s time to mix a cocktail.
Step 4
Puree the peach in a blender.
Step 5
In a copper mug add the peach, ginger beer, vodka, lime juice and cinnamon simple syrup, stir and top with ice.
Step 6
Garnish with a peach slice.
Bourbon
2. Strawberry Jalapeño mint julep
Infusing drinks with chilies is a great way to get creative with your cocktails. Not to be feared, the jalapeño-infused simple syrup mellows out once it hits the cool mint and sweet berries.
Ingredients
Serves 1
- 1/2 cup. water
- 1/2 cup. granulated sugar
- 2 jalapeños, halved
- 1/4 cup. chopped strawberries
- 8 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- 2 oz. bourbon
- Ice
- 1 (12-oz.) can seltzer
- Strawberry, for garnish
- Red jalapeño, sliced, for garnish
Method
Step 1
To make the syrup combine water, sugar, and jalapeños in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Discard the jalapeños.
Step 2
In a cocktail glass, muddle strawberries and mint. Add the bourbon and 1 tablespoon of the jalapeño simple syrup, then fill with ice and top off with seltzer.
Step 3
Garnish with mint, a strawberry, and red jalapeño slices.
Rum
3. Keylime mojito
The tart juice of Key limes injects a sharp and citrusy flavour into the usual mojito recipe, softened by the cream to deliver a creamy and tangy sensation.
Ingredients
Serves 2
- 1/4 cup crushed digestive biscuits.
- 3 tbsp. simple syrup, plus more for glass
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, plus more for serving
- 3 tbsp. fresh Key lime juice
- 4 oz. white rum
- 1 tbsp. heavy cream
- Key lime rounds, for serving
Method
Step 1
Place crackers on a plate. Pour simple syrup onto another plate. Dip rims of glasses into simple syrup, then into crackers.
Step 2
In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint and lime juice. Fill the shaker with ice and add the rum, cream, and simple syrup. Vigorously shake until the outside of the shaker is very frosty, this should be about 20 seconds.
Step 3
Fill the glasses with ice and strain the mojito mixture into prepared glasses.
Step 4
Garnish with more mint and a Key lime round.
Tequila
4. Spicy watermelon margarita.
With a kick of heat from the fresh jalapeños and refreshing sweetness from the watermelon juice this cocktail recipe achieves a harmonious balance. Salt accentuates the inherent sweetness of watermelon and also complements the tart margarita base. The lime zest rim is part sugar and part salt enhancing this sweet and salty experience.
Ingredients
Serves 2
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. finely grated lime zest
- 1 tbsp. plus 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 lime wedge
- 6 oz. store-bought or homemade watermelon juice
- 3 oz. tequila
- 2 oz. fresh lime juice
- 2 oz. triple sec
- Ice
- 6 thinly sliced jalapeño rounds, divided
- Watermelon wedges and lime rounds, for serving
Method
Step 1
On a shallow plate, combine granulated sugar, lime zest, and 1 tablespoon salt. Rub rims of 2 glasses with lime wedge, then dip rims into sugar mixture to coat, pressing with your fingers to adhere.
Step 2
In a cocktail shaker, combine watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, and triple sec. Fill shaker with ice, then add 4 jalapeño rounds and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Vigorously shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds.
Step 3
Strain into prepared glasses. Garnish with watermelon wedges, lime rounds, and remaining jalapeño rounds.
Gin
5. Rhubarb Fennel gin cocktail
Blending the sweet embrace of rhubarb with the herbal allure of fennel, this cocktail recipe is sure to come together in pure harmony.
Ingredients
Serves 8
- ¼ fennel bulb, untrimmed, coarsely chopped
- 375-ml bottle dry vermouth
- large rhubarb stalk, thinly sliced, plus more, shaved, for serving
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup gin
Method
Step 1
Combine fennel and vermouth in a glass container (save vermouth bottle). Cover and chill for 2 days before straining through a fine-mesh sieve back into bottle.
Step 2
Bring rhubarb, sugar, and ½ cup water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the mixture is pink and slightly syrupy, roughly 14–16 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a blender and purée until smooth (you should have about ½ cup rhubarb purée).
Step 3
Combine 12 oz. fennel-infused vermouth, rhubarb purée, lemon juice, gin, and 2 cups ice in a large pitcher. Stir until cold. Pour cocktail into ice-filled old-fashioned glasses and garnish with shaved rhubarb.
Vermouth can be infused and rhubarb purée can be made up to 1 week ahead! Be sure to cover and chill separately.
6. Butterfly pea Gin sour
This cocktail playfully reinvents the classic gin sour, making it a visual and flavour delight and is sure to impress guests at any event. The addition of butterfly pea adds a beautiful indigo colour to the drink as well as a subtle sweetness, while grapefruit-flavoured Malfy Gin Rosa adds a refreshing citrusy twist and pink peppercorn and lavender bitters enhance the floral undertones.
Ingredients
Serves 1
- 2 oz Malfy Gin Rosa (grapefruit flavoured gin)
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz butterfly pea flower infused simple syrup*
- 1 egg white
- 2 dashes lavender bitters (optional)
- Pink pepper
Method
Step 1
Add the first five ingredients to a cocktail shaker (without ice) and shake hard for about 1 minute to build foam.
Step 2
Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe and top with freshly cracked pink peppercorns. Garnish with an edible flower, if desired.
*For the butterfly pea flower simple syrup:
Step 1
To make the syrup, simply use all equal parts. Steep 1/2 cup of butterfly pea flowers in 1/2 cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Strain out the flowers and add 1/2 cup of white sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pitchers:
7. White Sangria
Leave some fruit soaking overnight, to provide a light and refreshing alternative recipe at your private event the next day.
Ingredients
Serves 8-10
- 3 cups mixed fruits, such as pineapple, honeydew melon, grapes, and kiwifruits, cut into ½-inch pieces; plus, frozen fruit, for serving (optional)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup vodka or blanco tequila
- ¼ cup St-Germain or other elderflower liqueur
- 1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine, chilled, for serving
- Seltzer or citrus soda, for serving (optional)
Method
Step 1
Toss fresh fruits with sugar, vodka, and St-Germain. Cover and refrigerate tossing occasionally; at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
Step 2
Fill a glass halfway with frozen fruit, if desired. Add macerated fruits, and top with wine and a splash of seltzer, if desired.
8. Pineapple raspberry bellini
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
- 2 cups raspberries, plus more for serving
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 bottle (750 milliliters) chilled brut sparkling white wine
- 1 cup chilled seltzer
Method
Step 1
Blend raspberries, pineapple juice, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 2
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids; pour into a pitcher. Top with wine.
Step 3
Let foam settle; top with seltzer and stir gently to combine. Put a few raspberries in each glass, pour, and serve.
Mocktails:
9. Indian spiced lemonade
This Indian spiced lemonade will undoubtedly leave you craving for seconds. The alcohol-free cocktail recipe is a combination of sweet and tangy flavours coupled with the intriguing essence of roasted cumin, tangy amchur, and black salt that adds a unique twist to the classic lemonade.
Ingredients
Serves 5
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
- 4 cups water
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kala namak (black salt)
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon amchur
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- mint leaves garnish
- ice cubes
Method
Step 1
Combine the lemon juice, water, sugar and spices together in a pitcher. Taste and adjust sugar if needed.
Step 2
Serve over ice and garnish with mint.
10. Bakewell Fizz
These ingredients combine to provide the distinct Bakewell flavour, offering an exciting alcohol-free beverage at your private event.
Ingredients
Serves 1
- 100g frozen cherries (defrosted)
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- Ice
- Soda
- A cherry to garnish
Method
Step 1
Push 100g defrosted frozen cherries through a sieve.
Step 2
Stir in 1/2 a teaspoon of almond extract and pour over ice.
Step 3
Top with soda and a cocktail cherry garnish.
Eat ya heart out BBC weather. Summer has arrived, and boy is it hot!
