Five Refreshing Summer Cocktails That Give the Classics a Modern Twist
Refresh your summer cocktail repertoire with drinks that embrace the unexpected by swapping traditional spirit bases with of-the-moment cider, saison beer, herbaceous liqueur, and sweet and rosé wines. Our thinking: There's no need to restrict yourself to old standards when you could be discovering something entirely new and delicious!
Cucumber & Cider Smash
Go beyond cracking open an ice-cold cider and enjoying it solo. Instead, try it in a lively and easy-to-make cocktail. This one is made by simply muddling cucumber and mint to add depth of flavour and aroma that continue to intensify as you sip.
Grapefruit & Rosé Spritzer
Both seltzer and the classic wine spritzer are enjoying a renaissance. It only makes sense that the two should go together in a beautiful and refreshing summer cocktail that takes nothing more than a moment to prepare.
Rhubarb & Fernet Sour
Fernet-Branca is a classic bitter digestive liqueur made from a unique blend of herbs and botanicals that often meets a mixed reaction at first sip. After the second however, a real fondness usually blossoms. In this cocktail, the liqueur is paired with soda and rhubarb for a delicious —and gorgeous! — cocktail that veers slightly from a typical sour.
Saison Collins
A standard Collins gets its sparkling dilution from soda, but using saison beer in its place adds crisp, hoppy and sometimes fruity flavours while still lengthening the cocktail with lively bubbles. Once you try this twist on a classic, you may never go back.
Hibiscus-Strawberry Shrub & Sweet Wine Soda
Sweet wines are usually enjoyed on their own, but their pleasing sweet and complex flavours make a fantastic base for a handcrafted beverage. Try mixing your favourite with a homemade shrub — a vinegar that’s been infused and sweetened — for a truly special summer sipper.
