With summer upon us, things are really starting to heat up around here. Fortunately, there are many ways to stay cool, and one of the most delicious is with a refreshing cocktail. Read on for a few favorites that we think you’ll like as well. And remember, a glass of water here and there is never a bad idea, either.

Richmond Gimlet

This gin masterpiece was developed by bartender and mixologist extraordinaire, Jeffrey Morgenthaler. This simple drink calls for 2 oz Tanqueray No. 10, .75 oz fresh lime juice, .75 oz simple syrup (recipe here), and one large sprig of mint.

Directions: Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake until cold, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Mojito

A classic cooler with its tropical roots in Cuba, this sweet, herbaceous libation uses white rum as its backbone combined with just four other ingredients. The mojito is a highball – a simple mixed cocktail containing a one part alcohol topped with a mixer. This one contains 2 oz white rum, .75 oz fresh lime juice, .5 oz simple syrup, and 3 fresh mint leaves. Top with soda water and garnish with mint and lime.

Directions: Lightly muddle the fresh mint in a drink shaker, then add the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup and shake till cold. Strain into a glass over ice, top with soda water, and garnish.

Paloma

This Mexican refresher known colloquially as “the working man's drink,” is a riff on the classic margarita. It traditionally consists of 2 oz blanco tequila, .5 oz fresh lime juice, and 4 oz grapefruit soda. However, many modern cocktail slingers swear that substituting 2 oz fresh grapefruit juice, 2 oz club soda, and .25 oz simple syrup for the grapefruit soda leads to a superior experience. Try both and decide for yourself.

Directions: Fill a glass with ice, add the tequila and lime juice, then top with the grapefruit soda or fresh grapefruit juice, soda water, and simple syrup and stir briefly. You can also salt the rim of the glass, if you like.

Michelada

For those who haven’t experienced this amazingly refreshing beer cocktail, the thought of adding tomato juice to a lager may be cringe-worthy, but it really is something worth trying. Typically, this delicious concoction contains a light Mexican lager like Tecate, Corona, or Pacifico, 2 oz tomato juice, 1 oz fresh lime juice, .25 oz Worcestershire, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Optionally, you can add any of the following: soy sauce, Tajín, Worcestershire sauce, and even Clamato (tomato juice mixed with clam juice). Yum!

Directions: Add all the ingredients except the beer to an ice-filled glass with a salted rim (optional) and stir carefully. Then slowly add your beer and garnish with a wedge of lime.

Mango Mule Mocktail

Lastly, we’ve included one delicious drink that’s designed to be good without the inclusion of alcohol (though, you could certainly add some – we won’t tell). We pulled this one from Town & Country, and they have plenty of other mocktail options as well. A play on the classic Moscow Mule cocktail, this nonalcoholic rendition contains 1.5 oz, 1.5 oz mango puree, 1.5 oz fresh lime juice, 1.5 oz ginger beer, 1 oz honey syrup, and 4 to 5 slices of cucumber.

Directions: Add the cucumber and honey syrup to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Then add the mango puree and lime juice and shake vigorously with ice before straining into an ice-filled copper cup. Top with ginger beer, stir, and serve!

We hope you find something delicious in this list to wet your whistle. For more tips on living life to the fullest, visit the Olympus Boulevard blog.