As the mercury soars, keep your cool with these 6 easy-to-make summer cocktails.
As the mercury rises and summer arrives in all its scorching glory across the sub-continent, it’s time to ensure that we include something refreshing and cooling in our diets. Aside from providing some relief from the stuffy heat, it also goes a long way to ensure our internals are suitably hydrated and running cool. Now, whether it’s a balmy afternoon or stuffy evening, indulging in a chilled summer cocktail can work wonders.
Of course, in the current scenario, there’s little choice but to take up the role of mixologist ourselves, but then, this experience would stand anybody in good stead in the future, whether entertaining or simply whipping something up for oneself. There are plenty of enthusiasts though, as Indian consumers have taken to cocktail culture like never before across recent years. Clear spirits, long relegated to a tiny section of the domestic spirits market, have surged in popularity and the discerning drinker has many more options to choose from today.
Even as you put off visiting the bars, pubs and other cocktail hubs, for when it’s safe, here are six recipes to summer cocktails that you can make and enjoy, all in the comfort and safety of home.
Jameson, ginger and lime
Ingredients:
- 50ml Jameson Irish Whiskey
- 150ml ginger ale
- 1 large wedge of lime
Preparation:
Fill a high ball glass with ice.
Pour in the whiskey and top up with ginger ale. Stir to mix.
Squeeze the wedge of lime into the glass and drop it in.
Gordon’s G&T
Ingredients:
- 60ml Gordon’s London Dry gin
- 150-180ml Fever-Tree tonic
- 2 dashes of bitters
- 1 Mosambi wheel
- Sage leaves for garnish
Preparation:
Chill the glass, gin and tonic before starting to make the cocktail.
Pour in the gin and top up with ice.
Pour in the tonic water; as you do so, some of the ice will melt.
Add in the mixer according to taste; don’t overdo it with the tonic and add some more ice if required.
Jose Cuervo Margarita
Ingredients:
- 60ml Jose Cuervo Silver tequila
- 3-4 chunks of preferred fruit
- 30ml lime juice
- 20ml sugar syrup (or to taste, depending on how sweet the fruit is)
Preparation:
Muddle the fruit in a shaker.
Add the tequila, lime juice and sugar syrup.
Add in ice and shake. Strain into a glass of choice.
Garnish with a piece of fruit.
Absolut Grapefruit and Tonic
Ingredients:
- 45ml Absolut Grapefruit
- 120ml tonic
- Grapefruit or lime wedge for garnish
Preparation:
Pour Absolut Grapefruit and tonic into a copa glass filled with ice cubes.
Stir and garnish with a lime or grapefruit wedge.
Bailey’s On Ice
Ingredients:
- 60ml Bailey’s
- Crushed ice
- Coffee powder
- 30ml dark roast espresso
Preparation:
Fill an old-fashioned glass to the brim with crushed ice.
Allow the glass to cool a bit before pouring in Bailey’s.
Fill up on ice to keep it from melting too quickly.
Pour in the espresso to balance out the sweetness.
Garnish with instant coffee powder.
Belenkaya Vodka Holy Grail
Ingredients:
Pistachio soaked vodka (60ml per serving)
- 300ml Belenkaya Gold vodka
- Handful of pistachios
Coffee syrup (25ml per serving)
- 200gm instant coffee
- 200gm brown sugar
- 1 litre water
Saline solution (3 drops per serving)
- 20gm salt
- 80ml water
Garnish
- Twist of orange
Preparation:
Soak the pistachios in the Belenkaya Gold vodka for 1.5 hours. Strain and keep aside.
Add the coffee, brown sugar and water in a heated pan and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Shake all ingredients (using the per serving measures) over ice and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass or an old-fashioned glass with ice.
Garnish with a twist of orange and chopped pistachios.
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