Big Joe's top 5 favorite cocktails for a great summer

The weather this summer has been brutal. It has been hot, and we have had our expected thunderstorms that may have altered our summer plans just a bit.

In the dog days of summer, I always found respite in a good refreshing cocktail. It is an experience where the coolness of the drink pauses, refreshes, and makes you able to cope with the brutality of summer weather and rushing around.

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You would be surprised how much running around you do in the summer because you want to get it all in before another school year or enjoy your week off work.

A nice refreshing cocktail will allow you to decompress. I put together a list of my top 5 summer cocktails that I think will give you cause to refreshen, decompress, sit back, and enjoy the summer.

Remember ice management is key throughout the summer, always have plenty of ice ready to go. You will be happy you made that decision, trust me.

I try to make these cocktails simple enough so that you can enjoy it.

🍸Italian Spritzer

I am not a spritz guy! That is until I started drinking these absolutely refreshing cocktails that are easy to make and taste exceptionally good. The way I make them is so that they are not too sweet, and the bitterness and sweetness of the Aperol is balanced with the Prosecco and club soda.

This is a cocktail that is a fan favorite in Italy. If you take a walk through the piazza in Rome, Italy all you see at the cafés is the pink colored glass filled with an Italian spritzer. Forced to try one I have never looked back.

I use a big wine goblet for this as it serves it best (if no goblet use a pint glass)

Fill your goblet or pint glass with ice
Pour in 4 parts Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine)
Pour in 2 parts Aperol (Italian liqueur)
Pour in splash of club soda or seltzer (plain)
Stir very briefly and gently then garnish with a generous slice of orange.

🍸Big Joe’s Peach Sangria

I like a good sangria, it goes with most summer dinners and is a fan favorite before dinner, at the beach, for lunch and summer parties. Once it is ready the only thing you need for your next glass of sangria is ice. That gives you more time to relax or enjoy your summer party.

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The question you may have asked is why not use the standard sangria recipe with either white or red wine? The answer to that question is this peach sangria is more refreshing and enjoyable. I have had red sangria on occasions in the fall and with a good Mexican dinner, but a red sangria is more conducive to the fall and winter then summer.

White sangria is ok, and it certainly qualifies for a summer drink but again the added peach or white nectarine is the way to go.

2 (750-ml) bottles white wine, chilled
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup of Grand Marnier
1/2 cup peach liqueur
1/4 cup of silver tequila
2 white peaches, sliced if you prefer white nectarines work well
1/2 cup of white peach puree
2 cans of ginger ale

How to put it together:

I like to make the peach puree in a blender, but you could also buy fresh peach juice or puree in the store. To make it at home simply peel the skin, remove the pit and blend until smooth. Add the peach puree to a large pitcher.

Slice the other two peaches into slices and add to the pitcher. Now add everything else, the brandy, Grand Marnier, tequila, liqueur, and wine. Stir gently with a wooden or plastic spoon, do not use a metal spoon.

Chill for at least an hour; add a splash of ginger ale to each glass before serving. Enjoy.

🍸Espresso Martini

This is a new addition to my summer regiment because I always thought that it was tougher to make than it is. The wonderful thing about this cocktail is that the espresso coffee comes in cold brew and is readily available so that you do not have to make the espresso.

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One other ingredient that I found to be a good addition to this cocktail is a little chocolate syrup drizzled on top of the cocktail.

Here is what you need:

1 oz of good vodka
1 oz of coffee liqueur
1 oz of espresso coffee or cold brew
½ oz of simple syrup
Drizzle of chocolate syrup (optional)
Whole coffee beans

Pour all ingredients in a shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake very well. Once chilled completely, strain into a chilled martini glass (I always keep my martini glasses in the freezer) garnish with three coffee beans (odd number) and drizzle chocolate syrup if desired.

🍸Negroni

This is a great easy refreshing cocktail to make that allows you to feel a little elegant and the cocktail will take you to its origin of Florence, Italy.

For the summer you need to have a bottle of gin. If you do not have a favorite brand I recommend Gordon’s gin. It is very cost efficient, and it is not as perfumy as Bombay, Hendrick’s, or other higher end gins. Gordon’s is a dry gin and will go very well in this cocktail.

Three simple ingredients make it easy to “refresh” your drink when the time is right.

You will need:

Gin
Campari
Sweet vermouth
1 orange
How to make:

Pour in:

1 oz of gin
1 oz of Campari
1 oz of sweet vermouth

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks glass with ice and garnish with a slice or just the pel of an orange. Enjoy!

🍸Red Ruby Margarita

The summer screams a good cool margarita. A drink that you can enjoy by itself or pair with a great summer meal. It is the cocktail that keeps on giving. The trick to a good Red Ruby Margarita is the fresh squeezed red grapefruit.

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I know it is a pain, but you can do it ahead of time and leave it in the fridge till your company comes over or when you are ready to enjoy this very refreshing margarita. I like a red ruby margarita with chips and salsa and good guacamole.

Throw in small appetizers and you will be in paradise. Be careful though these margaritas go down awfully smooth and quickly. They are so good.

In a blender add the following:

The juice of 5-6 Red Ruby Grapefruits (depending on size) is about 2 cups (don’t use frozen grapefruit juice, you can prepare and squeeze ahead of time.)
4 ounces of Grand Marnier (some people like Triple Sec but I think the flavor of Grand Marnier is best.)
8-10 ounces of good tequila (I like Avion, smooth, but any 100% de agave tequila works wonderfully.)

Blend ingredients for about 30 – 45 seconds

Fill pitcher halfway with ice, cubes, not crushed, add blended ingredients to ice filled pitcher, stir well. You can salt the rims of your glasses or if you don’t like salt, you can lightly sugar the rims instead. Using a strainer pour into chilled glasses and garnish with a slice of lime or grapefruit.

Serve immediately and often. Enjoy!