© Syda Productions / Adobe Stock
Every garden party on a mild August evening needs a few incredible cocktails al fresco to impress the guests! The best thing about our selection of summer cocktails is that you can make them using ingredients grown in your own garden.
The secret is to pick the ingredients just before your party and pop them in airtight food storage containers in the fridge, ready to make fresh drinks on the night.
Nothing compares to making a cocktail using freshly picked produce from your own garden, so read on to learn how to make the five top summer cocktails, using seasonal fruit and veg.
- Celery Cup No 1
The Celery Cup No 1 is a bright and sweet variation of the Pimm's Cup - a summertime sensation best enjoyed in the garden. It adds an unusual blend of cucumber, celery and cilantro to the mix and always tastes better with fresh produce.
You will need a 1.2-inch piece of celery, a handful of cilantro and a 1.1-inch piece of cucumber, finely sliced. You'll also need 1.5 oz of cucumber vodka, 0.5 oz of Pimms No 1, 0.75 oz of agave nectar and 1 oz of lemon juice. The agave nectar provides most of the sweetness, so if you prefer dry and crisp cocktails, cut back on this ingredient.
Mix the vodka, Pimms, lemon juice and agave nectar together, float the celery, cilantro and cucumber on top and serve over ice for a refreshing summer cocktail.
- Strawberry gin and tonic
With strawberries being in season, strawberry gin and tonic is one of the most refreshing and pleasant summer cocktails in existence. Even better, it's one of the simplest to prepare.
First, fill tall glasses with ice and add 1.5 oz of strawberry gin. Then, add a shot of syrup or strawberry puree and top up with ice-cold tonic water. While the normal garnish for a gin and tonic is a twist of lemon, add a sliced strawberry in its place.
You can serve a strawberry gin and tonic in whatever type of glass you wish. Tall glasses work well for a long, refreshing drink, but you can also serve it in a tumbler or a large, stemmed wine glass.
- Garden Patch Smash
You will need six fresh raspberries or a handful of blueberries (or a mixture of both if you're feeling adventurous), 1.5 oz of raspberry-lavender syrup, 1.5 oz of tequila, 0.5 oz of freshly squeezed lime juice and two to three ounces of lavender soda, depending on how strong you like the taste.
First, mix the fresh fruit and syrup together. Half fill a tall glass with ice and pour the tequila and lime juice over it. Fill the glass almost to the top with lavender soda, add the blend of fresh fruit and syrup and then mix it all together. Garnish with more fresh fruit.
- Ruby Queen
Beetroot is in season and if you think this is an unusual ingredient for a cocktail, you've never tried a Ruby Queen! You'll need 1 oz of fresh beetroot juice, 1.5 oz of Scotch whisky, 0.75 oz of honey syrup, 0.75 oz of fresh lemon juice, a sprig of fresh dill or tarragon and a slice of lemon.
Pop the beetroot in a blender and strain off the liquid. Mix the beetroot juice with the Scotch whisky, lemon juice and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and vigorously shake the mixture for at least 30 seconds.
Serve icy-cold in chilled cocktail glasses garnished with fresh tarragon or dill and a slice of lemon.
- Raspberry Mojito
Pick fresh raspberries and mint to make a delicious raspberry mojito cocktail. Mix around ten fresh raspberries with one lime chopped into chunks and two teaspoons of granulated sugar. Gently crush the fruits, so the juice starts to soak into the sugar.
Divide the mixture between two glasses. Then, add the leaves from two sprigs of mint. Put a handful of ice in each, then pour 50 ml of white rum and sparkling water into each glass to make this punchy raspberry mojito - a perfect cocktail for summer garden parties.
Always drink responsibly
While it's refreshing to have a chilled cocktail on a hot day, it's important to drink responsibly in the sun. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it encourages the kidneys to lose extra fluid. It also makes you sweat more. This combination of side-effects makes it easier to become dehydrated when drinking alcohol in the sun. Make sure you replace any lost fluids by drinking plenty of water too.
That said, you should definitely aim to have the best time ever!