Big Joe shares 5 more cocktails for a more entertaining summer

We are all waiting for the summer of 2025. Great sunshine, warmer weather, parties, entertaining guests or just hanging out on a summer night in your own backyard.

I was thinking of how I enjoy hanging out at my outdoor bar, watching a little baseball, having friends over and serving refreshing adult beverages that make the experience that much better.

I am into simple things this year. I am making cocktails that are enjoyable and easy to make, as to not remove me from the precious time that can take me away from my guests.

There has been an outbreak of the Spritz! I wrote about them last year and they are now more popular than ever. While I enjoy the classic Italian Spritz, it is time to turn the page.

The drinks that I will be listing are simple. One or two are a little complicated but worth the effort and can be made ahead of your guests’ arrival.

Here are my favorite summer cocktails for 2025

Pink Lemonade Vodka Fizzy

In a glass:

Fill glass with ice

Add 1/3 Vodka, I prefer Tito’s

Add Minute Maid Zero Sugar to almost top

Top off drink with club soda

Stir and enjoy

Note: The Minute Maid Zero Sugar Pink Lemonade has an exceptionally good taste without the sugar. Those watching their carbs can enjoy this beverage without guilt. I love it and always have it in my fridge.

It does not get any simpler than this. I love these, after a day on my radio show or in the backyard and they are so easy to make. In fact, you can make a pitcher of these in advance. Just do not add ice to the pitcher as it will dilute the taste of your cocktail. Always fill the glass with ice. If you really want to keep the pitcher chilled leave room in the pitcher and add a small Ziplock back of ice in the pitcher. It will cool your mixture without diluting it.

Moscow Mule

In an ice-filled vessel, see notes on the bottom of this recipe.

Add 2 parts of Vodka, I like Tito’s

Add 4 parts ginger beer (see notes on bottom of this recipe)

Add ½ part fresh lime juice

Add lime wedge for garnish

A Moscow Mule is frequently served in a copper mug. The reason for that is the copper mug will hold the coldness of the drink longer. You do not need a copper mug. Any thermal lined mug that you have will do. If you have a mug from your favorite donut shop, use it. My suggestion is that you chill the mug first so that it will hold the cold temperature of the cocktail longer.

A Moscow Mule calls for ginger beer. Many ask if you can substitute. Ginger Beer for something else. You can use ginger ale, but you will be missing out on the great spice kick that the ginger beer provides. That kick when chilled does amazing things to your palette!

White Sangria

Into a large pitcher:

2 sliced peaches

2 sliced oranges

1 sliced lemon

1 can of sliced pineapples with juice

1 sliced apple

5 cherries with stem and seed removed

1 bottle of white wine

1 cup of brandy

½ cup of silver tequila

½ cup of Grand Marnier

¼ cup of orange juice

¼ cup of pineapple juice

Add fruit first, with a wooden spoon muddle fruit so the flavor comes out, add liquid ingredients, stir with the spoon and place in the fridge for at least an hour.

While this calls for more ingredients, you can make this in a large pitcher before your guests arrive. I sometimes will make a couple of pitchers of the cherished Sangria because invariably the first one will run out quickly. I can keep the second or third pitcher in the fridge, depending on the number of people and it takes just as long to make one pitcher as it does two or three.

Notice I did not add Sprite, 7-Up or Ginger Ale to this recipe, I feel that those only add sugar and have no further redeeming value to the recipe. The sugar from the fruit included will do the trick.

Big Joe’s version of a Classic Bloody Mary

I know, before you tell me that Bloody Marys are not for summer, I’m going to share with you why you need to open your mindset.

In a pitcher add:

1/3 can Sacramento tomato juice,

1/3 can of V8 juice

¼ cup Worstershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle of celery salt

Dash of Cayenne Pepper

2 tablespoons of horseradish

3 tablespoons of ketchup

A few dabs of your favorite spicy sauce, I like Cholula Garlic Chili Sauce

Squeeze juice of a wedge of lemon

Stir all the ingredients in the pitcher with a wooden spoon, place in the fridge for at least an hour

For the garnish, any or all the following will do, be creative, assemble the garnish before your guests arrive.

Pickles, go great with Bloody Mary’s

Celery

Cooked, peeled deveined shrimp

Slice of lemon or lime if you prefer

Olives

Serve Bloody Mary’s in a glass half filled with ice and the garnish. For the ultimate experience I serve it with a small ice-cold beer. It is so good. Serve these up as a brunch get together or before lunch or dinner. Bloody Mary’s are just as good and enjoyable for your summer.

Big Joe’s Classic Margarita

In a blender half filled with ice:

Add 4 ounces of good tequila (use a decent quality tequila, it makes a difference)

Add 1 ½ ounces of Grand Marnier

Add the lime juice of 2 squeezed limes

Blend for about 30 seconds

Salt the rim of a margarita glass and you are all set

The king of summer cocktails is the famed margarita. There is no way around it, at some point it should be on your cocktail menu this summer. You cannot beat the simplicity of a good margarita. Real margaritas do not have simple syrup. Some recipes call for Cointreau instead of Grand Marnier. I like the smoothness of the Grand Marnier. You can add your favorite fruit to this recipe to make it more interesting, but I think it is just fine by itself.