Who doesn’t love a long weekend?
It’s a chance to unwind and let loose, and a well-earned break after a summer spent hard at work.
In the spirit of the long holiday weekend, we’ve pulled together a handful of our favorite summer cocktails for you to enjoy this labor day weekend.
We’ve got vodka cocktails, whiskey cocktails, and tequila cocktails guaranteed to please everyone, so keep on reading for these lip-smacking libations!
Paloma
Prep: 10 minutes
There’s a reason that this no-fuss cocktail is a big favorite south of the border. The Paloma combines sweet and salty flavors with a fruity mix of grapefruit and lemon-lime to help your favorite bold tequila or mezcal go down nice and smooth!
Yields 2 servings.
You will need:
- 2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 lime, juiced
- Simple syrup to taste
- 2 oz. mezcal or tequila
- Lemon-Lime Soda
- Salt & lime to garnish
Take your lime and use it to rim a glass of your choosing in salt. Set aside.
Combine grapefruit juice, the juice of half of a lime, tequila, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake to combine, not stopping till your shaker goes cold (about 30-60 seconds).
Deposit mixture in your salt-rimmed glass till half full, filling the rest of your glass with the lemon-lime soda of your choosing.
Salty Dog
Prep: 5 minutes
If you loved the Paloma, then the Salty Dog will have you doing a double-take! Swap out your tequila for some gin for a smoother, more aromatic mouthfeel and make the flavors of this drink pop with a heavily salted rim.
Yields 2+ servings.
You will need:
- 2 oz. grapefruit juice
- 2 oz. pineapple juice
- 2 oz. gin
- Salt & lime to garnish
Directions:
Take your lime and use it to rim a glass of your choosing in salt. Set aside.
Combine grapefruit and pineapple juice with gin in a shaker. Add ice, shake, empty into your rimmed glass, and enjoy!
Hawaiian Breeze
Prep: 10 minutes
Although we can’t hop on a flight to Maui right now, we can make our backyards feel like the Big Island with this easy breezy cocktail! Pineapple and cranberry juices add sweetness to an easily adjusted shot of vodka to make this refreshing cocktail easy to throwback for the rest of the summer.
Yields 1-2 servings.
You will need:
- 1.5 oz vodka
- 1.5 oz pineapple juice
- 3 oz cranberry juice
Directions:
Combine pineapple and cranberry juice in a glass, stirring in vodka as desired. Use larger cubed ice to prevent dilution, and enjoy!
Virgo Rye-zing
Prep: 10 minutes
Even those who aren’t fans of whiskey can enjoy this complex and refreshing cocktail inspired by the Jekyll Island Club Resort in Georgia’s signature Rockefeller Rye and named after the astrological season. Bright and bold ginger liqueur offsets the bitter floral taste of the whiskey, making the drink take on a tangy, savory zing that’ll have you craving more.
Yields 1 serving.
You will need:
- 1.5 oz. rye whiskey
- 1 oz. ginger liqueur
- 1 lemon, juiced
- .5 oz. lime or grapefruit juice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, shake, shake, pour, and enjoy!
Pineapple Margarita
Prep: 10 minutes
Who among us doesn’t love a good margarita!? Whether you take yours shaken, stirred, or blended, this pineapple margarita is the epitome of a classic summer cocktail.
Yields 2 servings.
You will need:
- 2 oz. pineapple juice
- 1 oz. orange juice
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 oz. triple sec
- 1.5 oz. mezcal or tequila
- Salt & lime to garnish
Directions:
Rim a glass of your choosing with salt using the lime and a shallow dish.
Combine your liquid ingredients in your blender, shaker, or glass before stirring, blending, or shaking together to combine. Transfer your drink to your rimmed glass and garnish as you like.
As always, we've made a handy dandy PDF of all of this week's recipes.
Whatever your Labor Day plans may be, we hope you’ll take some time for yourself and enjoy one of our delicious cocktails before the long weekend is over.
We advise taking your booze on the go with one of our handy dandy novelty flasks and soaking up some sun before you go back to your office 9-to-five, at home or otherwise.
See you next week, and until then, enjoy carpe that weekend!
