Summer is the season for fun, sun and delicious cocktails. While visiting your favorite bar may be the first thing that pops into your head when you feel the summer heat, thereâs another way you can go about sipping your favorite cocktail â make it yourself. You donât need to be an expert in mixing, just follow the instructions weâve compiled below to create scrumptious concoctions you can share with your friends.
Before we begin, there are a few tools that you should have before creating any cocktail. These will ensure that your drinks are mixed well as well as making it easier for you to complete the task. Make it a point to have a blender, strainer and a shaker.
1. Cosmopolitan
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 2 parts of citron vodka, 1 part of orange liqueur, 1 part of cranberry juice, a splash (1.32 of an ounce) of lemon juice and a twist of orange.
Process: Add a liberal amount of ice cubes to a shaker and fill in all the ingredients. Next, shake and strain the cocktail into a cocktail glass and garnish with orange. It is advised that you chill the glass which will help keep the drink crisp and cool.
2. Brandy Crusta
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 5 parts of cognac, 2 parts of lemon juice, 2 dashes of bitters, 1 part of Maraschino liqueur, 1 part of orange liqueur and a spiral of lemon.
Process: Add ice cubes to a shaker followed by the ingredients. Shake and strain the mixture into a cocktail glass that has been chilled. Garnish with the lemon spiral.
3. West Indian Cooler
Complexity level: Easy
Time taken: 1 minute
Ingredients: 1 part of pineapple juice and 1 part of orange juice, a slice of pineapple and soda water.
Process: Add ice cubes to a rocks glass and pour in the ingredients. Then, add the soda water, stir and garnish with the pineapple slice.
4. Cranberry Cream Cocktail
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 2 parts of limejuice, 2 dashes of grenadine, 4 parts of apple juice, 5 parts of cranberry juice and a part of sweetened coconut cream.
Process: Add ice cubes to a blender and fill in the ingredients. Blend it well and pour into a chilled wine glass.
5. Sex on the Beach
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 1 part peach vodka, cranberry juice, orange juice and a wedge of peach.
Process: Put ice cubes into a shaker followed by the vodka. Then, pour in the juices and shake, straining the contents into a highball glass, preferably chilled. Garnish with the peach.
6. Von Matern Cooler
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 4 raspberries, 4 mint leaves, 1 part of citron vodka, lemon-lime soda and a wedge of lime.
Process: Muddle the raspberries and mint leaves in a highball glass and put in ice cubes. If you donât have a muddler, you can use the end of a pestle. Add the citron and fill the glass with the soda. Stir and garnish with the lime wedge.
7. Swinging Oriental
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 5 parts vodka, 3 parts of hot tea, 3 parts of peach nectar, a splash of lemon juice, a dash of simple syrup and 1 peel of peach.
Process: Add ice cubes to a highball glass and fill in the ingredients. Stir and garnish with the peach peel.
8. Vodka Martini
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 6 parts vodka, a twist of lemon, 1 olive and 1 part of dry vermouth.
Process: Add ice cubes to a mixing glass and pour in the ingredients. Stir and strain the mixture into a previously chilled cocktail glass. Garnish using the lemon and olive.
9. Bubble Margarita
Complexity level: Moderate
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 1 part of orange-flavored brandy, 2 parts of triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur), a splash of lemon juice, champagne and a twist of lemon.
Process: Add ice cubes to a shaker, followed by the lemon juice, brandy and liqueur. Shake the mixture and strain it out into a chilled cocktail glass. Add champagne and the lemon.
10. Raspberry Royal
Complexity level: Easy
Time taken: 2 minutes
Ingredients: 1 part of vodka, 3 parts of champagne and 3 raspberries.
Process: Mix all the alcohol ingredients into a cocktail glass that has been chilled. Garnish with the raspberries.
