With the exam week finally over, we are in desperate need of some relaxing ways to enjoy the summer. Therefore, we provide you with some cocktail recipes for you and your friends to make and enjoy your hopefully hot summer evenings!
Remember: if you want to skip the alcohol, just replace the alcoholic parts of the cocktails with nonalcoholic alternatives.
Moscow Mule
We start off with my personal favorite; the Moscow Mule. For those who never tried this one before, I would describe it to be the most refreshing cocktail, that might even be a little spicy. To understand why it’s so popular, we go back to America in the 1940’s. At this time, Vodka was not popular at all since some thought that its taste was far too dominant. Therefore, some called Vodka, “White Whiskey”. John Martin, the president of Heublein Company under which Smirnoff is, sold Vodka in the U.S. Although to no one because no one actually liked it. His friend Jack Morgan sold Gingerbeer but this drink was even less popular. They made a plan to mix their drinks to have more buyers. And yes, the Moscow Mule was born. Why the name? Well both Gingerbeer and Vodka originated in Russia. Mule refers to an ancient term for mixtures that contain ginger, citrus and alcohol.
How to make it?
For 1 cocktail, you need
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Vodka 45 ml
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Ginger beer 1 can
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Lemon juice from half a lemon
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Mint 1 twig
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Crushed ice
Fill a copper cup with crushed ice. Then add the Vodka and the juice of half a lemon. Now, fill the cup with more or less half a can of Gingerbeer and stir carefully. Last, add the mint and enjoy your Moscow Mule!
Mojito
Next, a public pleaser; the Mojito. This cocktail was most likely first made on the sugar plantations of Cuba. This cocktail used to be a medicine, but these days, the Mojito stands in every club’s menu. One person in particular has given this cocktail some extra fame: the revered American novelist Ernest Hemingway. He frequently went to a Cuban bar named Bodeguita del Medio and always ordered a Mojito. He even wrote the text “My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in El Floridita” on one of the walls of this bar, which now is a hotspot for tourists visiting Cuba.
How to make it?
For 1 cocktail, you need
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Bacardi Carta Blanca 50 ml
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Sparkling water 60 ml
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Sugar 2 tablespoons
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Lemon juice from half a lemon
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Mint 2 twigs
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Crushed ice
Fill a copper cup with crushed ice. Then add the Bacardi, the sparkling water, the sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Now, place the mint twigs between both hands and crush the leaves. Drop the twigs in the glass and enjoy your Mojito!
Pina Colada
Whether you like or dislike pineapple on your pizza, pineapple in a cocktail is always a good idea. Pina colada literally means sieved pineapple in Spanish. Can you imagine laying on a white beach underneath a palm tree, looking over the blue ocean with a Pina Colada in your hand? It’s a tropical vibe.
How to make it?
For 1 cocktail, you need
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White rum or Cocos rum 30 ml
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Coconut milk 30 ml
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Pineapple juice 30 ml
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Condensed milk 1 tablespoon
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Crushed ice
For this cocktail you will need a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with the rum, pineapple juice, coconut milk and condensed milk. Then you gotta shake it baby! Fill the glass with ice and add the mix. Enjoy your Pina Colada!
Sex on the Beach
In every beach club, this might be the most ordered drink. However if you ask a bartender where this cocktail and its name come from, you will likely be met with a slightly disdainful look. Well, I will narrate one of many tales behind it. Some people believe that this drink is attributed to a bartender at Confetti’s Bar in Florida in the early 90’s. One of the bartenders was challenged to sell the most peach shots as part of a promotion. He created this fruity cocktail and named it after the reasons why he thought tourists would visit the area: sex and the beach. And so the name was born.
How to make it?
For 1 cocktail, you need
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Peachtree 40 ml
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Vodka 20 ml
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Orange juice 40 ml
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Cranberry juice 20 ml
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Slice of orange
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Crushed ice
Fill a wine glass with crushed ice. Then, add the Peachtree, Vodka, Orange juice and cranberry juice. Now, mix the cocktail gently with a spoon and add the slice of orange. Enjoy your Sex on the Beach!
Pornstar Martini
Next level; the Pornstar Martini. A little more difficult to make and more ingredients are required but it will be worth the try. This cocktail was invented in the Townhouse Bar situated in London. People called the cocktail Maverick Martini which is still used for people who prefer not to pronounce the word porn. Because indeed, with the cocktail world being all fun and provocative, the Pornstar Martini became the name that stood the test of time. Maybe to reassure the public, the inventor claimed he used the “pornstar” name to evoke “a stylish and confident drink that is pure, sexy and fun”.
How to make it?
For 1 cocktail, you need
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Vanilla vodka 25 ml
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Passoa 25 ml
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Prosecco 25 ml
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Tropical juice 50 ml
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Lemon juice half a lemon
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Eggwhite 1 tablespoon
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Crushed ice
For this cocktail you will need a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with the Vodka, Passoa, Tropical juice, eggwhite and crushed ice. Then you gotta shake it baby! Fill the glass with the mix. Then, fill a shot glass with Prosecco. Enjoy your Pornstar Martini!
Enjoy your summer!