It's summertime and the living is...thirsty.
The days are getting longer and hotter and our throats are getting parched. Why not say goodbye to the lemonade and water (Just kidding--keep drinking water, guys) and say hello to some thirst-quenching, day-friendly, alcoholic cocktails?
The key to daytime drinking is clear. Keep it simple and/or get low. Low ABV, that is. High noon is not the time for a Manhattan and no one wants to shake an eight-, nine- or ten-ingredient cocktail with the sun beaming on their back. To get the daytime drink session going right, here are five cocktails to try. And for those of you who can't live without that lemonade, there's a boozy recipe for you too.
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With fresh grapefruit juice and gin, the Greyhound is a nice daytime drink on its own, but why not try a different approach? Replacing the gin with VEEV—a light acai-flavored spirit—adding a touch of Aperol and throwing in a few dashes of bitters gives you a cocktail that’s still easy to make but with a touch of complexity.
Get the recipe for the Greyhound.
Get the recipe for the Greyhound.
C’mon, it’s hard to think of a better daytime drink than the Aperol Spritz. Low in alcohol content, bubbly and extremely easy to make, this cocktail personifies drinking in the sun. If you want to take the ABV even lower, ditch the sparkling wine and enjoy with soda water only. The Aperol Spritz is a great cocktail for brunches, weddings or any occasion where you want multiple drinks but don’t want to be drunk at 3 p.m. Just don’t have too many.
Get the recipe for the Aperol Spritz.
Get the recipe for the Aperol Spritz.
There’s nothing like lemonade in the middle of the day. Nice and tart, the simple concoction is a true thirst-quencher. While lemonade is great on its own, a little slip of liquor certainly doesn’t hurt. Usually, the go-to is bourbon, but the Boston Rum Punch goes with Jamaican rum instead. Finished with some nutmeg and a strawberry garnish, this might just be the finest glass of lemonade you’ll ever have.
Get the recipe for the Boston Rum Punch.
Get the recipe for the Boston Rum Punch.
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A classic Gin & Tonic isn’t just a daytime staple, it’s an anytime staple. The Garden Gin & Tonic adds a few more ingredients, like blanc vermouth and orange bitters, for a sophisticated upgrade that will enhance the flavors you already know and love. With a plethora of fresh fruits as garnishes, it’s almost too beautiful to drink. Almost.
Get the recipe for the Garden Gin & Tonic.
Get the recipe for the Garden Gin & Tonic.
Lavender, peach, gin. Need we say more? With lavender simple syrup and peach shrub, the Silver Cloud eschews the earlier “keep it simple” advice—but sometimes rules are made to be broken. Once the prep work is done, the Silver Cloud is a sweet-tart and fun drink to sip on a sunny day when you want to show off your inner bartender.
Get the recipe for the Silver Cloud.
Get the recipe for the Silver Cloud.
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15 Twists On Classic Cocktails
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