Summer Sips: Cocktails

By: Allrecipes Staff

Blended, shaken or stirred, there are spirits and punches to suit every taste.

Mixer Magic

To make your cocktail experience more special, prepare mixers from scratch. Simple syrup is a better sweetener than sugar, since sugar doesn't always dissolve completely in a cold drink. You can also infuse the syrup with other flavors, such as mint (for mojitos) or lemon (for iced teas and just about any other summer drink).

Simple Syrup

Sweet and Sour mix:

Add one cup freshly squeezed, strained lemon juice to Simple Syrup. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Think Snow

In the height of summer, the last thing most people think about is holiday gifts. Get a jump on your gift list by taking advantage of summer produce to make homemade liqueurs. Many require weeks or months of infusing fruit to get the best flavors.

Brandied Cherries: Place fresh pitted cherries in a wide-mouthed jar. Cover fruit with brandy and about a half cup of sugar. Store in a cool, dark place.

Videos

Summer drinks evoke the tropics. Rum, the sailor's grog, is a fermented byproduct of sugar cane. Produced primarily in the Caribbean, rum is the key ingredient in famous juice-based cocktails like daiquiris, Mai Tais, and piña coladas. The colonial British drank gin and tonics: the juniper flavor of the gin overpowered the bitterness of quinine, which was added to tonic water to prevent malaria. Tequila, from the desert agave plant, is restorative when taken with salt and lime. Whatever spirit you choose, relax on the patio with friends with these favorite summer sippers.

Gin Drinks

The quintessential hot-weather drink

(Note: for Tom Collins, see Vodka Collins, but substitute gin. For Ramos Fizz, you can use simple syrup for the rock candy syrup, and powdered egg whites for food safety)

Rum Drinks

Add a paper parasol, and serve in a pineapple or coconut shell

Vodka Drinks

Smooth and refreshing

Tequila Drinks

North America's first distilled spirit

Whiskey/Bourbon Drinks

No frills in these cocktail classics

(Note: for John Collins, substitute whiskey for vodka)

Beer and Wine Drinks

Some with spirits, some without

Dessert Drinks

Rich and sweet

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