Summer Cocktail Inspiration
While there are tons of delicious summer cocktails to choose from, these are a few tried and true Toad faves: they're fun, easygoing, no muss no fuss. Tip: When playing bartender, be sure to bust out the reusable cups and straws. Cheers to good times and protecting the planet!
Our CEO Gordon's Famous Margarita
If tacos are a perfect food (and they are), then margaritas are a perfect beverage. Tacos and margs together? Summer perfection.
- 2 parts reposado tequila
- 1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 part Triple Sec
- 1/2 to 1 part Grand Marnier to your sweetness liking (mixed in or as a floater)
Directions:
- Salt your glass: Pour some salt into a wide bowl or small dish. Take a wedge of lime and generously rub it around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim into the salt.
- Pour all ingredients into your shaker and then shake vigorously with ice. Strain into your glass of choice and garnish with a lime wedge.
Want more margs? (The answer is always "yes.") Here are three more recipes we love.
Mint Julep
Sure, Derby Day may have come and gone, but in our opinion, it’s always a fine time for a huge hat and a cool drink.
Ingredients:
- 4 to 5 mint sprigs, leaves only
- 2 sugar cubes, or 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey
- Mint sprig, for garnish
- Place the mint leaves and sugar or simple syrup into a julep cup, collins glass, or double old-fashioned glass. Muddle well to dissolve the sugar and release the oil and aroma of the mint.
- Add the bourbon. Fill the glass with crushed ice and stir well until the glass becomes frosty. Garnish with a mint sprig. [The Spruce Eats]
Daiquiri
Best served chilled with a healthy dose of sunshine, salty air and good friends.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups crushed ice, plus extra for chilling glass
- 2 ounces light rum
- 1-ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, strained of pulp
- 1/2-ounce Simple Syrup, recipe follows
- Chill your glass by placing some crushed ice in it and set it aside while you make your drink.
- Place the crushed ice into a cocktail shaker. Pour the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup over the ice, cover, and shake well. Remove the ice from your serving glass and strain the drink into it. Serve immediately.
- How to make the simple syrup: Place 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water into a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the saucepan and allow to cool completely. Syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. [Food Network]
Aperol Spritz
You don’t have to be in the Italian countryside to feel like you are. One sip of this and you’ll know it’s amore.
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces prosecco
- 2 ounces Aperol
- 1 ounce club soda
- Orange slice for garnish
- Add the prosecco, Aperol and club soda to a wine glass filled with ice and stir.
- Garnish with an orange slice.
Piña Colada
If you like…okay, we won’t sing it. This one’s a classic, rain or shine.
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces white rum
- 6 ounces cream of coconut
- 6 ounces pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 4 ounces golden or añejo rum
- Pineapple leaves or wedges for garnish, optional
- Place the white rum, coconut cream, pineapple juice and chunks, and 4 cups of ice in a blender. Process until totally blended.
- Pour into glasses and top with and top with a floater of golden rum. Serve with pineapple leaves or slices as garnish. [Simply Recipes]
More where that came from... Try these 10 twists on a classic Piña Colada.