By Discount Liquor

The Unofficial Start to Summer Cocktail Season

May 10, 2023 | 8:33 AM

“The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Pattison Media and this site.”

Well, its almost here…summer is around the corner, and the unofficial start to summer is May long weekend.

Designated as the Monday before May 25^th annually, the monarch’s birthday has been celebrated on this weekend off and on since the coronation of Queen Victoria herself, and was used to celebrate the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II since 1953. There is no word at this point if it will be changed after this year, as King Charles III was born on November 14^th.

Now, enough with the history lesson and back to the unofficial start of summer. If the weather forecast is to be believed, we are potentially looking at a weekend in the 30’s temperature wise, and that means cabins and patios are going to be opening up everywhere. And nothing goes better with a hot day on a patio than a cold, refreshing drink. And I’ve got some recipes for you to try out this summer.

I’m not going to talk about beer and coolers, because lets be honest….all you have to do there is pick them up at Discount Liquor and keep them on ice. I’m thinking refreshing summer cocktails that will let you get your bartender on a little this summer. Some of those need a blender, some don’t, so if you have one this list is going to help you out even more!

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White Peach Sangria

Sangria’s are kind of a go to option when you talk about drinks at a resort in a warmer climate. This recipe is lighter than a classic red sangria and great on the patio.

– 1 bottle dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)

– ¾ cup peach flavoured vodka

– ¾ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

– ¼ cup white sugar

– 1 pound white peaches, pitted and sliced

– ¾ cup halved seedless white grapes

– ¾ cup halved seedless red grapes

This is a simple drink to make in the morning for an evening patio session. Simply mix the wine, vodka, lemonade and sugar in a large pitcher until the sugar is dissolved. Add your fruit and chill until your flavours are combined…this will be a minimum of two hours, but overnight is recommended.

Cherry Bomb

I believe there are a few local bars that have a drink/shooter of the same name on their menu. This probably is nothing like them.

– 1L lime soda

– 4 ounces white rum

– 1 lime, juiced

– Grenadine syrup to taste

– 1 lime, sliced

– Maraschino cherries for garnish

Like the sangria recipe, this recipe is as simple as combine, mix, garnish and serve. The original recipe calls for 4 ounces of grenadine, but many of the reviews said this made it way too sweet. Others suggested increasing the amount of rum in the mix. Both of these can be adjusted to meet your personal taste.

Summer Peach Iced Tea

This particular recipe was handed to me by my girlfriend, and has been tested on a back patio in previous summers. Unlike the previous recipes, this one is for a single glass, but can be easily multiplied to make a pitcher.

– 1 oz Canadian whiskey

– 1 oz peach liqueur

– 4 oz chilled iced tea

– Lemon wedge to garnish

Watermelon Vodka Slush

OK…here is where we start to need the blender. The next three recipes are all slushes when you need something extra chilled on a hot day

– 6 cups watermelon chunks

– 750mL vodka

– 3 oz simple syrup

– 3 tablespoons lemon juice

– 4 oz melon liqueur

First thing you want to do is turn your watermelon into a puree in the blender, then pour it into ice cube trays (or other small trays) to freeze your watermelon. I imagine already frozen watermelon would work as well, plus skip a step. Once your watermelon is frozen, put it back in the blender. At this point, add the rest of your ingredients and blend using the pulse function on your blender to get to the desired thickness.

Some of the comments on the article I got this recipe from said it was a large recipe and wouldn’t fit in their blender, so if you don’t have a big blender you may want to cut this one in half.

Frozen Margarita

When talking about summer drinks, you know margaritas are going to make the list. The only thing more iconic on a Mexican beach than a frozen margarita is a bucket of Corona on ice. No need to pre freeze anything for this recipe….just blend and serve.

– 200mL / 6 oz tequila

– 100mL / 3 oz triple sec

– 1 cup lime juice

– 4 tablespoons simple syrup

– 4 cups of ice

Start by prepping your glasses by rimming your glasses with salt. Put all of your ingredients into a high speed blender and use the pulse function to get to the desired thickness. Pour, garnish with a lime wedge, and serve before they melt!

Pineapple Rum Slush

One more summer favorite for you. The title on the article I found it in calls it a Pineapple Rum Slush, but reading the ingredients, this is going to give off some serious Pina Colada vibes.

– 4 cups frozen pineapple

– 1 cup coconut milk (any milk can be substituted)

– 1 cup gold or dark rum

– Maraschino cherries and/or pineapple wedges for garnish (optional)

Put your three ingredients into a blender, puree until smooth, and serve! The article also says that if you want to make this one in advance, you can pour your slush into a large one gallon freezer bag, and then serve when you are ready by scooping it like ice cream.

Stay cool this summer, my friends!