10 Ways to Upgrade Your Summer Cocktails

Get ready to beat the heat and take your mixology game to the next level with these 10 easy ideas to upgrade your summer cocktails. From specialty ice creations to homemade seasonal syrups and fresh garnishes, elevating your summer bar game doesn't need to be labor-intensive—and it certainly can be fun. We asked some of our favorite beverage professionals to share easy drink switch-ups for summer sips.

Shop for Farm-Fresh Ingredients

Celebrate the bounty of the summer season by taking advantage of all the wonderful fresh produce available this time of year. Next time you shop for your summertime cooking, look for fresh fruits, herbs, and even vegetables that could be used as cocktail ingredients. 

• Look for fresh herbs like mint, basil, or tarragon: These are fantastic to muddle and release their aromas and flavors in smash-style cocktails like mojitos and juleps. The herbal notes will add a refreshing, botanical twist to summer drinks (and let you use up any leftover herbs you didn't add to that heirloom tomato salad!).  
• Fruit is also fantastic in homemade fruit purees; blend fresh fruits like berries, peaches, or watermelon into purees, and use them as a base for fruity summer cocktails. 
• "Making a fun syrup using fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs from the farmers' market is a great way to explore new flavors," says Beth Serowsky, lead bartender at Chicago cocktail bar Meadowlark.

Use Your Freezer

When making fruity cocktails like sangrias or spritzes, a fun idea is to use chunks for frozen fruit instead of ice to keep your cocktail chilled.

1. Wash and cut fresh fruit into bite-sized pieces, removing any stems, pits, or seeds. 
2. Arrange the prepared fruit pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper—make sure they don't touch,
3. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and allow the fruit to freeze completely. 

Examples of fruits that freeze well include berries, stone fruits like peaches and plums, and tropical fruits like pineapple, guava, or papaya.

Another way to use your freezer is to mix your cocktails and pour them into popsicle molds to make frozen cocktail pops. You can't go wrong with these Mojito Ice Pops or Frozen Melon-Margarita Pops—or freeze booze-soaked fruit for a cocktail-appetizer hybrid. 

Make Cocktails Low-ABV

Summer days can be long, hot, and action-packed—and many of us crave refreshing, low-alcohol drinks as more spirit-forward cocktails make you feel drowsy by the pool. Take down the level of alcohol in your favorite cocktails by switching out tequila or vodka for a lower-alcohol base instead: "Using sherry or vermouth as the main base while using traditional base spirits like rum or brandy as a modifier ingredient is not only delicious but a game changer for responsible drinking," Serowsky says.

Upgrade Ice Shapes

Investing in high-quality ice molds to make decoratively shaped cubes is an easy trick to wow the crowd this summer, especially when icy drinks are a must. And it doesn't take an elaborate collection of molds to create some show-stopping drink options. "Just two molds will do the trick: I like a long spear of ice for highballs and summertime spritzers, as well as a large mold for neat pours," says Laura Unterberg, head bartender at The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club in Nashville. "Sometimes I fill this one with leftover coffee to drink with rich liqueurs!"

Pellet Ice

Another fun ice option that screams summer is pellet ice. "Pellet ice helps drinks stay frosty or can be used in a blender—think tropical," says Abigail Gullo, director of industry at Bartender's Circle. Heather Wibbels, owner of Cocktail Contessa, agrees: "Pebble or nugget ice works best in cocktails that traditionally have cracked or crushed ice in them—think juleps, swizzles, and mojitos." Countertop pebble ice machines can now be found at most major retailers and instantly make you feel like you're at a far-flung resort.

Add Flowers or Fruit to Cubes

Ice experimentation doesn't have to stop with the shape of the cubes—take it a step further by freezing decorative edible flowers, herbs, or fruit slices into your ice cubes. These visually stunning cubes will add great flair to your summer drinks.

Create Flavored Ice Cubes

Create flavored ice cubes by freezing fruit purees, coffee, or tea into your trays. As they melt, they'll infuse your cocktail with delightful flavors and add an extra touch of sophistication. Coconut water, for example, is fabulous when frozen into ice cubes. Add them to your tropical cocktails like pina coladas or painkillers; coffee cubes are delicious in a White Russian.

Are you wondering what size trays to use for these flavored cubes? "Personally, I love to use 1-inch cubes to freeze water or juices, coffee, and teas to melt in a cocktail in place of some or all of the ice," says Wibbels.

Make Homemade Seasonal Syrups 

Experiment with creating flavored syrups to add a personal touch to your cocktails. You can make simple syrups with ingredients like herbs, fruits, or spices, elevating the flavors and aromas of your drinks.

Tea Syrups

Many bartenders recommend starting with an ingredient you probably have in your cupboard: tea. "I make syrups using tea for different flavors, simply steeping the tea and then using that as my liquid base for the syrup with the sugar. This is very easily done at home, as well as in a bar setting," says Nichole Roberts, bartender at El Mero Taco in New York City. "Try using the tea syrup in your favorite classics (daiquiris, gimlets, old fashioneds) to see how the flavors of the cocktail change and how the tea plays together with different spirits,"  says Serowsky. 

Fruit Syrups

Brandon Ristaino, co-owner and beverage director of Good Lion Hospitality in California, seconds the idea of using tea—and also suggests utilizing the fruit juices in your fridge: "Simply combine 1 part sugar to 1 part tea or freshly squeezed and strained fruit juice (by weight), and emulsify/shake vigorously. Earl Grey tea syrups are fun in brunch cocktails, and take advantage of those fresh summer fruits in some berry syrups," Ristaino says.

Herb Syrups

And those herbs we mentioned muddling before? Try infusing them into syrups. They can add a layer of complexity to your cocktails and elevate their taste. Simply add some fresh herbs into your standard simple syrup recipe says Serowksy. "They don't need to steep for a long time, so make sure you're tasting as the syrup cools so you can strain the herbs out once your desired flavor has been reached."

Garnish With Edible Flowers

Bring the summer garden right into your glass by introducing edible flowers like hibiscus, lavender, marigolds, nasturtiums, violas, or rose petals as a garnish. They add a pop of color and lend a delicate floral essence to your beverages. Just make sure you're using edible flowers that are designated to be ingested and ensure they are safe to consume.

Make Large-Format Cocktails

When it comes to summer entertaining, big-batch cocktails mixed into pitchers or punch bowls are an absolute game-changer. They're a hassle-free way to quench the thirst of a large group of guests with minimal effort. This allows you to spend less time playing bartender and more time enjoying the company of your friends and loved ones.

Plus, big-batch cocktails can be prepared in advance, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify, resulting in perfectly balanced and refreshing drinks. Whether it's a fruity sangria or a zesty margarita, large-format cocktails take the stress out of hosting a summer gathering.

Rim Glasses With Creative Sugars and Salts

Spice up the presentation of cocktails by rimming the glasses with interesting flavored sugars or salts. Chili salt for margaritas is a classic—but how about lavender sugar for spiked lemonade (so seasonal!) or ginger sugar for a mule?

Smoke Your Cocktails

Smoked meats are a summer staple—so you should consider adding some savory flair to your drinks by making some smoked cocktails, too. If you don't have a smoking gun, some wood chips and a kitchen torch will do just fine. You can even use dried herbs like rosemary and thyme to infuse extra flavor and smolder.