Summery Cocktails to Celebrate the Solstice

June 20, 2013

Stuart Mullenberg

The longest, and hopefully the sunniest, day of the year is always a cause for celebration. And this year in particular, with June 21 falling on a Friday, there’s no reason not to raise a glass to everyone’s favorite time of year. Full of the flavors of the season, here are eight cocktails that will keep you cool and refreshed all summer long.

Barbadian Gin Punch Swizzle (pictured)

Lightly sweet coconut water meets lime juice, genever and rich Demerara syrup in this Caribbean cooler from cocktail historian and Imbibe contributor David Wondrich.

Photo: Stuart Mullenberg

Enchanted Dry Daiquiri

This combo of fresh grapefruit and lime juice lends a citrusy brightness, while fragrant basil syrup adds a refreshing herbal note to this twist on a classic Daiquiri.

Panache

Fresh and fizzy, this porch-perfect beer cocktail is light enough to drink on even the hottest summer day. Lemon juice brings out the zippiness of the IPA, while St. Germain highlights its floral notes.

Veronica Rose

Polite Provisions was one of Imbibe’s 2013 “Places to Watch” in the 2013 Imbibe 75 issue, and this delicious cocktail is one reason why.

Hummingbird

A splash of St. Germain and a glass filled with crushed ice lighten up the assertive combination of gin, Campari and vermouth in this sunset-colored cocktail.

California Bubble Bath

Inspired by the abundance of local produce in the land of the endless summer, Los Angeles bartender Matt Biancaniello created this Mediterranean-esque, bitter-meets-floral cocktail.

Clowns Cup

A mix of vodka, fresh lime juice and muddled cucumber, this summery drink couldn’t be easier to make.

Cucumber Cooler

With the addition of bittersweet Aperol and muddled cucumber, this twist on a classic Gin & Tonic will keep you cool as a cucumber.