10 DIY Summer Drinks You Need to Try
While many restaurants still remain closed, and many states are still imposing quarantine restrictions, there is little to do but spend time outside basking in the summer sun and stirring up our own drinks. Summer can be a great time to experiment with fresh squeezed juice and aesthetically pleasing drink displays, perfect for the ‘gram. Read on to learn the ultimate guide of recipes for creating your own summery drinks. Share amongst you and your family, at your Fourth of July bbq or on a night around the bonfire with the girls!
Strawberry Lemonade Martini
Nothing tastes like summer more than these fruity flavored drinks that take less than five minutes to make. You will need a few limes, strawberry lemonade, gin or vodka if you prefer and some white sugar. First take a lime and cut one open into slices. Take your martini glasses and rub the lime around the circumference of your martini glasses (number depends on how many people you are serving). Next, pour a small amount of white sugar onto a plate and begin to roll the edges of the martinis glasses into the sugar. Now for the fun part – pour a small amount of ice into a cocktail shaker and pour in your alcohol of choice about a fourth of the way to the top and fill the rest with strawberry lemonade. Shake your concoction and pour into the martini glasses. You may have to repeat this step more than once depending on how many glasses you have to fill. Finish off by dressing the martini glasses with a slice of lime and drink up!
Firecracker Wine
We all love to indulge in the red, white and blue popsicles during the summer time – watching it drip down our chin as we bask in the golden sun. Ever thought about taking these iconic popsicles to the next level? Introduce firecracker wine. All you will need is one of these patriotic desserts and your favorite white wine. Fill a wine glass about half way with your wine of choice and pop one of these popsicles in. It will allow you to sip on some wine and enjoy a sweet snack while you’re at it.
Virgin Mojitos
If you are not up to drinking booze one day, you can skip the alcohol all together for this fresh summer pick-me-up. You will need mint leaves, raw sugar, lime juice, simple syrup, ice and club soda or sparkling water. Begin by crushing 15 mint leaves, a teaspoon of sugar, an ounce of lime juice and an ounce of simple syrup in a glass. Next add some ice. Top with your club soda or sparkling water and fill to the top.
Tropical Smoothie
Again, another virgin go-to summer drink is a tropical smoothie, a refreshing snack to give you energy and nutrients. You will need a cup of plain yogurt, one can of peaches, two sliced bananas, ¼ cup of orange juice, ¼ cup of white sugar and two ice cubes. Blend all these ingredients together in a blender until you achieve your desired consistency. Decorate with a drink umbrella or orange slice and serve it up!
Mango Screwdriver
We have all heard of the traditional screwdrivers with orange juice and vodka but ever thought about taking this iconic beverage to the next level? Mix up with orange juice with another type of fruit juice like a mango or pineapple juice and serve over ice.
DIY Starbucks Strawberry Açaí Refresher
I don’t know about anyone else but all summer long my money seems to go to the sweet and tangy Starbucks refresher drinks. These drinks, however, can definitely add up. Ever thought about recreating these classic Starbucks drinks in your own kitchen? Surprise your friends and family at a summer barbeque with the classic, tasty and fruity Strawberry Açaí Refresher. To recreate the Strawberry Açaí Refresher you will need powdered green coffee bean extract, powdered freeze-dried strawberry and powdered freeze-dried açaí. Mix these ingredients in water until they dissolve. Combine this mixture with monin passion fruit puree and passion fruit concentrate. Keep this in the refrigerator overnight. Shake the mixture and top with dried strawberry pieces before serving.
Piña Coladas With a Twist
To add a twist to the traditional piña coladas with rum switch up the booze and add in vodka. For this piña colada recipe you will need two ounces of vodka, 1.5 ounces of cream of coconut, 1.5 ounces of pineapple juice, 0.5 ounces of lime juice, a pineapple wedge, a maraschino cherry and whipped cream. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice, strain into a glass and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry, if desired.
Virgin Raspberry Daiquiri
Another famous island drink in addition to the piña colada is the strawberry daiquiri. Add a twist to this sugary beverage by making it raspberry instead of strawberry. To make a virgin raspberry daiquiri you will need a 12 ounce bag of frozen raspberries, four ounces of lime juice, five tablespoons of sugar, a handful of fresh raspberries and whipped cream. Blend all but the last two ingredients in a blender until smooth, swirl some whipped cream on top and garnish with fresh raspberries.
Aperol Cocktail
To make this classic summery cocktail that reminds us all of beautiful sunrise, you will need Aperol, Prosecco, club soda and some sliced orange. Pour all of the liquid ingredients into a wine glass over ice and add some sliced orange for flavor and aesthetic.
Watermelon Water
One of the purest summer drinks is ice cold water infused with fruit or veggies. Try out a delicious combination of watermelon and water. Let this recipe sit overnight to let the watermelon flavor thoroughly mix into the water and serve all day long. Try out other infusers like kiwi, orange slices, mango, or veggies like cucumber.
These drink recipes are your go-to’s all summer long for backyard quarantine parties, a fun way to experiment with food with your friends and family and a quick way to add color and flavor to our unexpectedly “cancelled” summer. Be sure to share the recipes and experiment with new flavors and ingredients at your heart’s desire.
