Refreshing Flavors for Summer Cocktails
The best summertime cocktails are made with fresh ingredients and filled with unique flavors inspired by nature. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, enjoying a sunny day relaxing by the pool, or gathering around a bonfire on a chilly summer evening, a cocktail packed with refreshing fruits and botanicals makes any occasion more festive. Today we at Advanced Biotech are taking a look at the flavors that are ideal for creating refreshing and memorable cocktails perfect for the summer.
Citrus
Synonymous with the summer, citrus fruits add a vibrant pop of juicy, tangy flavor to any cocktail. Lemon is a fan favorite, often associated with summer’s favorite drink lemonade, and can be successfully paired with a variety of sprits and flavor components. Pimm’s Cup is a British favorite that pairs the spiced fruit flavor of Pimm’s with lemonade, and combined with fresh strawberries and spiked with vodka, lemon creates the perfect mature lemonade drink. Grapefruit offers beer a fresh flavor in tart beer shandys, while orange mimosas sweetened with tropical flavors like pineapple make for a fun twist on a bubbly favorite. Rich in vitamins and low in calories, citrus fruits are the perfect ingredient for any refreshing summer cocktail.
Berries
By the time summer rolls around many berries are at peak ripeness. Strawberries, the crown jewel of summer berries, are loved for their striking red color and perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. Muddled and added to mojitos, strawberries put a fun twist on a classic refreshing favorite and make the perfect accent to frozen cocktails like margaritas and daiquiris. Blueberries are also a fruit that comes alive in the summer, and is a popular pairing with natural ingredients like mint, lemon, and citrus to create craft cocktails such as sangrias and spritzers. When paired with sour and fresh lime, the addition of raspberry makes for an updated version of the beloved gin-based gimlet, and makes a classic Tom Collins more warm weather appropriate.
Herbs
Not to be overshadowed, herbs fresh from the garden can be more than just garnishes! Easy to grow and endlessly versatile, basil pairs surprisingly well with sweet components like strawberries and blueberries, lemon, and even cucumber to create surprisingly delicious artisan cocktails. Lavender lends a light and refreshing floral flavor to mojitos, gin sours, and even rose-based cocktails, while sage pairs perfectly with honey to create gimlets and tequila drinks. A customized craft cocktail imbued with the flavor of nature is just a short walk to the garden, with enough left over for summery salads and sauces.
Delicious summer cocktails imbued with the benefits of nature are easy to create and customize to fit every personal preference. Refreshing cocktails are easy to achieve with fresh fruits and botanicals.