With the hot days of summer practically upon us and social distancing restrictions being relaxed, now’s the time to get your bartending skills dialed in so you can entertain in style! A delicious, refreshing cocktail is always a good idea on a sweltering day, but it’s especially a necessity if you’ll be socializing after very little human interaction for over a year. After you and your guest knock back a few of these libations, everything will be just like the old days.

Negroni

This Italian classic never goes out of style, but sometimes it’s especially in style. Now is one of those times. A Negroni consists of one part gin, one part vermouth, and one part Campari. We probably don’t need to say this, but you’re a grown-up now – you need to buy high-quality booze. That’s the only way this will be good. The mix of sweet and bitter is oh-so refreshing on a hot day. Trust us, you’ll love it! Here’s a recipe from Esquire.

Summer Treacle

This delectable drink is like an Old Fashioned for bright dining rooms, or even outdoors. Instead of picturing old people drowning their sorrows in a bucket of booze, picture a yellow drink being sipped by smiling millennials. The key is in a few interesting substitutions. Use dark rum instead of whiskey, add apple juice, but keep the bitters, the sugar syrup or crushed sugar cube, and the twist of orange peel. Yum! Here’s a recipe from delicious.

French 75

Another classic, this is the perfect celebration cocktail, and we’re all celebrating the return to normalcy. Right? Well, even if things aren’t totally normal, or your new normalcy isn’t the same as the old one, you’ll still love this cocktail. As long as you like gin and Champagne. This drink contains both, as well as fresh lemon juice, and sugar. Did we mention that too many of these will almost surely result in a head-splitting hangover? But that’s tomorrow you’s problem. Drink up! Here’s a recipe from Bon Appetit.

Other Options

One important thing to note: You don’t have to drink alcohol to have a good time. We know, the scenario we painted at the outset required alcohol, and lots of it. But there are now more options than ever for enjoying all the flavor of a classic cocktail without the booze. Check out Monday or Ritual nonalcoholic gins, Lyre’s Dark Cane Spirit for your dark rum drinks, and Free Spirits The Spirit of Tequila for, well, your tequila drinks.

For more tips on celebrating summertime in style, visit the Mirador & Stovall at River City blog!