32 Cocktails for the Dog Days of Summer

They’re all super refreshing and super easy to make at home. Sipping summer cocktails is fun whether you’re on vacation or at home.

Typically cold and sweet, the best summer cocktails cool things down when it’s hot outside. Plus, they’re fun to sip, either with or without a straw, at any time of the year.

Crafting Summer Cocktails at Home

Our favorite summer drinks are easy to craft without a lot of steps or ingredients.

Many are fruity and some are bubbly. Most important – they all taste like summer in a glass. We first discovered the pleasure of crafting refreshing summer cocktails at home when we crafted our first Porto Tonico during the summer of 2019.

We’ve since crafted dozens and dozens of refreshing summer cocktails featuring Campari, Gin, Rum, Tequila and Vodka. And we’re not done yet. Some people like to craft frozen summer cocktails when the thermometer goes up.

We’re not typically those people. While we have no problem pulling out our blender to whip up morning smoothies, we prefer to keep our summer sippers easy. Adding fresh juice is another story.

When given the choice, we always go the fresh juice route when a cocktail recipe calls for orange, lime, pineapple or even passionfruit juice. We recommend that you do the same.

What Are Summer Drinks? Summer drinks run the cocktail gamut. You’re probably familiar with classic summer cocktails like the Daiquiri and Margarita.

However, some popular summer cocktails like the Dirty Shirley, Garibaldi and Hugo Spritz may be new to you. We say try them all but not at the same time.

Don’t worry – there’s no rush. The summer season lasts for 13 wonderful weeks.

32 of the Best Summer Cocktails

1. Agua de Valencia

2. Aperol Spritz

3. Bahama Mama

5. Cuba Libre

6. Classic Daiquiri

7. Dirty Shirley

8. Fuzzy Navel

11. Gin Basil Smash

12. Hurricane

13. Hugo Spritz

14. Jungle Bird

15. Limoncello Spritz

16. Long Island Iced Tea

18. Malibu Sunset

19. Margarita

21. Orange Creamsicle

23. Pimm’s Cup

24. Pina Colada

25. Porto Tonico

26. Ranch Water

27. Salty Dog

28. Singapore Sling

29. Tinto de Verano

30. Tom Collins

31. Whiskey Smash

💡 Frequently Asked Questions

What are summer cocktails? Summer cocktails cool you down when it’s hot outside.

They’re often fruity, sometimes bubbly and always refreshing. What are the best summer cocktail? The best summer cocktail is the one that you like more than any other cocktail.

Popular contenders include the Dirty Shirley, Garibaldi and Hugo Spritz. When is the best time to drink summer cocktails?

Summer cocktails are ideal to sip during the months of June, July, August and September. Where is the best place to drink summer cocktails? While it’s fun to drink summer cocktails while on vacation, summer cocktails are also great to sip at home with friends.