5 Delicious Summer Cocktails to Refresh You

It’s the height of summer heat. Do you need a little sip to cool you off? What could be more refreshing than 5 delicious summer cocktails to refresh you?

Cool, refreshing, and delicious summer cocktails hit the spot. Whether you are by the pool, the lake, or the beach, a mouthwatering thirst-quincher is just the thing to bring down the summer temperatures. These 5 delicious summer cocktails are just the thing to cool you off.

Fortunately, I have an in-house bartender who loves to make drinks for his Number 1 customer, family and friends.

Over the years, Sweet Shark has perfected many wonderful cocktails for year-round enjoyment. I have shared many of them here at Bluesky at Home.

I decided to gather 5 of his delicious summer cocktails for you to make for your own, to share and enjoy.

5 Delicious Summer Cocktails to Refresh You

It’s time to share some wonderful summer beverage recipes. Since we are in the deep heat of summer, we all can use a refreshing cocktail to cool us off.

All 5 of these delicious summer cocktails have one thing in common – they are delicious. Maybe two things – they are pretty, too.

Let’s start with a classic margarita.

The Best Margarita Ever

The margarita is the most popular cocktail in America. It even has its own national day – in February!

Sweet Shark makes the best ever. So good, in fact, that I don’t even order one in a restaurant. I have my margaritas at home – made for me by my personal bartender.

Celebrate the Marvelous Margarita, America's favorite cocktail with this delicious version perfect for summertime by the pool. Get the recipe and the how~to from an expert bartender. BlueskyatHome.com #margarita #tequila #grandmarnier #summerdrinks #cocktails #summercocktails #cocktailrecipes #howtomakeamargarita

Margaritas do require a bit of finesse and the freshest ingredients and really good tequila. Sweet Shark and I take you through making his marvelous margarita from start to finish. Just follow the post and the recipe. Save the recipe for all your future celebrations.

A Drink with Some Heat – The Clementina Cocktail

If you like some heat in your drink – not the temperature kind, but the spice kind – then this cocktail is for you. Sweet Shark found the recipe for this cocktail in our local newspaper – way back in 2015. It’s become one of his and our older daughter’s favorites.

A pretty combination of red pepper and green basil makes the colorful garnish. The pepper adds the heat and the basil provides a pretty green color and a lovely scent.

cocktail shaker and basil leaves and tabasco peppers

I can’t take the heat, so I just admire how pretty this cocktail is.

Clementina cocktail yellow with red pepper on a green basil leaf

Do you know what you need to stock your bar? Get this Checklist for Bar Essentials.

Let’s Enjoy Summer with the Tropical Piña Colada

I love the sweetness and the tropical flavors of the Piña Colada. This recipe is Sweet Shark’s version – he loves to tweak recipes that he finds.

Tropical cocktails often feature rum. I love the slushy, frosty texture. The combo of coconut and pineapple flavors evokes the breezes of a tropical beach.

ingredients for pina colada bottle of rum, can of pineapple juice and coco lopez

Visit the Piña Colada post to get the recipe and all the details, ingredients, and tool information.

pina colada

Yummy Watermelon Cocktail

If fruity sweetness is more your cocktail style, then this yummy watermelon cocktail is perfect for sipping by the pool. It’s a refreshing and light fruit-forward cocktail perfect for sipping by the pool on a hot summer day.

We had some extra watermelon in the fridge that needed to be used before I left for Atlanta a few weeks ago. Sweet Shark said he would figure out something to make with it.

He came up with this simple recipe that was delicious. After some tweeking and tasting, he came up with this perfect summer cocktail.

I didn’t take any pictures of the process, so this past weekend, we re-created it with fresh watermelon.

Of course, the star of the show is an iconic summer fruit – the watermelon.

Our Central Market has all kinds of fruit pre-chopped and ready to go. He bought a pint (two cups) of cubed watermelon

It’s so simple to make and has just a few ingredients. In addition to the watermelon, you will need:

  • 3 ounces vodka
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey or Agave Nectar. Begin with just a drop and taste for sweetness.
  • Garnish with a slice of watermelon or a few mint leaves for a color contrast.
ingredients for watermelon cocktail

Gather your equipment.

equipment for summer watermelon cocktail

Step 1 – Place the watermelon in the blender.

watermelon in blender

For 2 servings, you want 1 cup of watermelon juice.

Step 2 – Strain the watermelon through a fine mesh sieve into a 1 cup liquid measuring cup.

TIP: Use the back of a spoon to press the watermelon and juice through the sieve.

Step 3 – Use a citrus juicer to juice 1/2 lime.

watermelon juice, lime and citrus juicer

Place the lime juice in a small pyrex container.

ingredients for watermelon cocktail

Step 4 – Place the watermelon juice, the vodka, the freshly squeezed lime juice and a tablespoon of the honey or Agave Nectar in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until blended and cold.

Step 4 – Fill your glass of choice (wine, martini or margarita) with ice.

Step 5 – Using the cocktail strainer, pour the drink into the glass with ice. Garnish with a mint sprig or a thin slice of watermelon.

summer watermelon cocktail

Isn’t this the prettiest color? And, remember, it’s fruit, so it’s healthy!

red watermelon cocktail in a wine glass by the swimming pool

Yummy Watermelon Cocktail

summer watermelon cocktail
A refreshing and light fruit-forward cocktail perfect for sipping by the pool on a hot summer day.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Serving Size 2 servings

Equipment

  • medium fine mesh strainer
  • 1-cup liquid measuring cup
  • cocktail shaker with strainer
  • wine, highball, or cocktail glass

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh watermelon cubed
  • 3 ounces good quality vodka
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey or Agave Nectar to taste

Instructions

  • Place the cubed watermelon in the jar of a blender and pulse until liquified.
  • Strain the watermelon through a fine mesh strainer into a 1-cup liquid measuring cup.
  • Place the vodka, lime juice, watermelon juice, and the honey or Agave Nectar into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until blended and cold.
  • Fill glasses of choice with ice and pour the liquid through the cocktail strainer into the glasses.
  • Garnish with a slice of watermelon or a mint sprig.

Notes

Add honey or Agave nectar to taste.

Best Summer White Wine Sangria

If you like your beverages light and wine-based, then this white wine sangria is for you.

I remember the first one I had. It was at lunch in Old Town Barcelona. Sweet Shark had a red wine sangria and I had the white wine sangria.

I thought it was one of the best, most refreshing drinks I’d ever had.

A wite wine sangria features light fruit, such as peaches, oranges, apples or pears.

summer white wine sangria

Summing Up the Summer Cocktails

Please PIN this post to save these awesome summer cocktails. Check out my Pinterest Board, Beverages and Cocktails.

pin for later graphic in blue
5 Amazing Yummy and pretty summer cocktails

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3 Comments

  1. Hi Carol
    Yum! Great cocktail ideas for the month of August!
    Happy Day! Loved see your grandgirls in your post earier this week! laura

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