During the summer, you may find yourself headed to the beach for a tropical getaway. And if you’re looking for the perfect way to relax while you’re there, look no further than some of your favorite cocktail recipes. Of course, you may just be having a summertime beach-themed party in your own home, but these drinks are sure to help you entertain your guests better than ever before either way. Take your time and check them out, and don’t be afraid to try a few of them ahead of time to discover the perfect solution to your upcoming beach cocktail needs.
Blue Hawaii
Ingredients
• 1oz light rum
• 2oz pineapple juice
• 1oz blue Curacao
• 1oz cream of coconut
• 1 slice pineapple
• 1 maraschino cherry
• Ice
Directions
• Chill a highball glass while you prepare the drink.
• Add about 1 cup or so of ice to a blender.
• Add rum, Curacao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut to the blender.
• Blend on high until smooth and chilled throughout.
• Pour into a highball glass.
• Garnish with pineapple and maraschino cherry and serve immediately while still cold.
Mojito
Ingredients
• 2oz white rum
• 2 tbsp club soda
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp superfine sugar
• 12 mint leaves plus additional mint for garnish
• Ice
Directions
• In a highball glass, combine sugar, lime juice, and one mint leaf and muddle until sugar has dissolved into the lime juice.
• Fill partway with ice.
• Rub mint onto the rim of the glass and then tear the leaves in half, dropping them into the glass over the ice.
• Stir gently for a few seconds.
• Add rum and fill the rest of the way with ice.
• Pour club soda over the top and stir very gently once or twice.
• Serve garnished with mint leaves.
Pina Colada
Ingredients
• 2oz pineapple juice
• ½ cup frozen diced pineapple
• 2oz coconut cream
• 1oz dark rum
• 1-1/2oz white rum
• Ice
Directions
• Add about 1-1/2 cups of ice to a blender.
• Add pineapple juice, diced pineapple, coconut cream, dark rum, and white rum to the blender.
• Blend on high until smooth and chilled through.
• Serve in hurricane glasses.
• Optionally, garnish with additional pieces of frozen pineapple.
Mai Tai
Ingredients
• 1oz amber rum
• 1oz dark rum
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1 drop almond extract
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• Dash of grenadine
• Optionally, orange slices
Directions
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. At the same time, fill a highball glass with ice and let chill.
• In the shaker, combine amber rum, dark rum, orange juice, lime juice, Triple Sec, almond extract, and sugar.
• Add grenadine last and shake to combine well.
• Strain into the prepared highball glass and garnish with the orange slices if desired.
• Serve immediately.
Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients
• 2oz tequila
• 4oz orange juice
• 3/4oz grenadine
• Ice
Directions
• Fill a highball glass with ice and let chill while you prepare the drink.
• In a separate mixing glass, add tequila and orange juice.
• Add more ice and stir to combine and chill the drink.
• Strain the drink into the highball glass over the ice.
• Slowly, pour the grenadine over the top and allow it to settle in layers.
• Serve immediately. Drinks should be stirred before drinking, but it is best to let guests stir their own so they can enjoy the appearance of the beverage first.
Painkiller
Ingredients
• 2 oz dark rum
• 1oz cream of coconut
• 4oz pineapple juice
• 1oz orange juice
• Nutmeg
• Ice
Directions
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. At the same time, fill a highball glass with ice and chill it while you prepare the drink.
• Add dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and orange juice.
• Seal and shake well to combine all ingredients.
• Strain the drink into the chilled ice-filled highball glass.
• Sprinkle or grate over nutmeg as a garnish.
• Serve immediately.
Michelada
Ingredients
• 1 chilled bottle of Mexican lager beer
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 pinch celery salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/2oz lime juice (save lime for rim)
• Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
Directions
• Rub the lime around the rim of a pint glass.
• Dip the glass in a combination of the salt and cayenne pepper. Alternately, dip the glass half in the salt and half in the cayenne pepper.
• Directly in the glass, combine Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, celery salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Stir to combine well.
• Pour in beer and gently stir once or twice. Do not over-stir.
• Optionally, garnish with extra lime wedges.
Basic Margarita Pitcher
Ingredients
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¾ cup tequila
• ½ cup Triple Sec
• 1 sliced lime
• Kosher salt
• Ice
Directions
• Fill a large pitcher ¾ full with ice.
• Add tequila, Triple Sec, and lime juice.
• Add ½ cup water and stir to combine well.
• Rub the rims of serving glasses with a lime wedge and dip them in salt to coat.
• Serve the margaritas over ice in the salt-rimmed glasses.
Recipes
Ingredients
• 2oz vodka
• 2oz grapefruit or orange juice, your choice
• 2oz cranberry juice
• 1oz peach schnapps
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Ice
• Optionally, maraschino cherries
Directions
• Fill a highball glass with ice.
• Pour over vodka and schnapps.
• Add grapefruit or orange juice and top with cranberry juice.
• Squeeze in lemon juice and stir to combine all ingredients.
• Serve optionally topped with maraschino cherries.
White Russian
Ingredients
• 1oz coffee liqueur
• 2oz vodka
• ½ oz heavy cream
• Ice
Directions
• Fill a highball glass with ice and pour over the vodka.
• Add the coffee liqueur and then pour the cream on over the top.
• Stir gently a few times to combine the ingredients, but do not over-stir.
• Serve immediately.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned how to make some of the most popular basic beach cocktails, it’s time to branch out a little and get creative. Try changing up some of the ingredients listed above, or look for recipes that deviate from the norm a little bit. You never know when you might discover your new favorite drink or something that will help you stay cool during your upcoming trip to the beach.