5 Seasonal Cocktails to Wow Your Guests This Summer
5 Seasonal Cocktails to Wow Your Guests This Summer
There’s just something magical about sipping a refreshing cocktail outdoors — especially during the Minnesota summer months. Whether you’re hosting a backyard wedding, lakeside celebration, or just an intimate gathering, these seasonal sips are guaranteed to impress your guests.
Here are 5 of our favorite summer cocktails — each with easy-to-follow recipes, must-have tools, and ingredients that’ll have your guests asking for a second round.
🥂 1. Strawberry Basil Smash
Ingredients:
2 oz vodka
3–4 fresh strawberries
3 basil leaves
0.5 oz simple syrup
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
Club soda
Ice
Tools You'll Need:
Instructions:
Muddle strawberries and basil in your shaker. Add vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake with ice. Strain into a glass with fresh ice and top with soda. Garnish with a strawberry and basil sprig.
🍉 2. Watermelon Mint Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz tequila blanco
1 oz triple sec
1 oz lime juice (fresh)
3 oz fresh watermelon juice
A few mint leaves
Salt (for rim)
Ice
Tools You'll Need:
Instructions:
Rim a glass with salt. Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain over ice and garnish with mint and watermelon wedge.
🌸 3. Lavender Lemon Gin Fizz
Ingredients:
2 oz gin
1 oz lemon juice
0.75 oz lavender simple syrup
Club soda
Ice
Tools You'll Need:
Instructions:
Shake gin, lemon juice, and lavender syrup with ice. Strain into a highball glass, top with soda, and garnish with lavender or lemon twist.
Make your own lavender syrup: Simmer 1 cup water + 1 cup sugar + 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender for 10 mins. Strain + cool.
🥒 4. Cucumber Elderflower Collins
Ingredients:
2 oz gin
0.75 oz elderflower liqueur (like St-Germain)
0.75 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
Cucumber slices
Club soda
Ice
Tools You'll Need:
Instructions:
Muddle cucumber in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients (except soda) and shake with ice. Double strain into a Collins glass, top with soda, and garnish with a cucumber ribbon.
🍑 5. Spiked Peach Arnold Palmer
Ingredients:
1 oz bourbon
1.5 oz peach tea (chilled)
1.5 oz lemonade
Ice
Tools You'll Need:
Instructions:
Fill a glass with ice. Add all ingredients and stir gently. Garnish with a peach slice or mint sprig.
🍸 Cocktail Tool Kit Essentials
Want to upgrade your at-home bar? These are the exact tools we use at Wanderlust MN Mobile Bar to mix up magic:
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💬 Final Sip
Summer cocktails should be light, fresh, and full of flavor. Whether you’re mixing drinks on your patio or planning signature sips for your big day, these five recipes are easy, beautiful, and guaranteed to leave an impression.
Want to take the stress out of bartending for your next event? Let us bring the bar to you. Explore our services at Wanderlust MN Mobile Bar, where we serve joy—one pour at a time.
Cheers!
— Candice 🍸