Easy Beach Cocktails For A Stay Home Summer

Memorial day weekend was a welcome reprieve for everyone after feeling like they had been cooped up in their house for too long. With public pools and water parks closing, many folks were looking forward to heading out to the beach as temperatures keep climbing. Worried about you and your family’s health? Try out some delicious beachy drinks and cocktails at home to beat the heat while staying safe.

The Country Wine & Spirits team wanted to line up some of our favorite beachy cocktail recipes that are perfect for transporting you to white sandy beaches and clear blue waters. Whether you’re in the mood for something simple, frozen, or a picture-perfect cocktail to show off on social media, we have a recipe for everyone! Read on to find some great craft cocktail recipes to stay cool and safe indoors this summer together with family and friends.

Mermaid Punch

Tired of having to keep mixing drinks at your party or barbeque? Making a punch is a surefire way to keep everyone happy while letting them sip on a beautiful and refreshing drink that showcases the vibrant colors of mermaid scales. For this recipe, you will need ½ cup of Blue Curaçao, ¼ cup of Midori Melon Liqueur, 1 bottle of prosecco or your favorite sparkling wine, 1 and ½ cup of pineapple juice, 2 cans of seltzer water, and 1 cup of light rum. We suggest Bacardi Superior Rum for big batch drinks like this for a great rum flavor on a budget. For your garnish, keep it tropical! Topping your drink with a wedge of pineapple, a cherry, and a tiny umbrella will give you a picture-perfect drink that is sure to blow friends and family away when you post it online.

1. Fill a large punch bowl with ice before pouring in Blue Curaçao and Midori to give your punch that mermaid from the Blue Lagoon hue.
2. Top off the punch with pineapple juice, rum, seltzer water, and prosecco before tossing in a few cherries and pineapple wedges.
3. Stir your Mermaid Punch together and enjoy! 

Aperol Spritz 

If you’ve never heard of Aperol Spritz, you’re missing out! This long time Italian aperitif favorite has been making its way stateside as a popular, simple, and refreshing cocktail that’s perfect for a lunch get together or just enjoying on the porch on a cool summer evening. Transport yourself to the Italian Riviera with an Aperol Spritz, with only 3 simple ingredients! To make an Aperol Spritz you take 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, and 1 part soda water. Garnish with a half-wheel of orange to recreate the Italian sunset in this delightful drink.

1. Add ice to a wine glass until nearly full before pouring in 2 parts Aperol.

2. Next, pour in 3 parts Prosecco into your glass. Looking for a different experience? Highlight the taste of your Aperol by pouring equal parts Aperol and Prosecco into your glass.

3. Top off your drink with a splash of soda water before garnishing with a sliced orange wheel.

4. Enjoy!

Sex On The Beach Slush

There’s no better way to enjoy a Sex On the Beach than by upgrading it to a slush! This boozy cocktail is perfect for the hotter days where you just want to sit back and transport yourself to a hammock on some far off island feeling the gentle breeze on your skin. For this recipe, you will need all the typical ingredients for Sex On The Beach, ¾ cups of your favorite vodka, ⅓ cup of peach schnapps, ¾ cups of orange juice, ¾ cups of cranberry juice, 2 cups of ice, and a couple of extra ingredients; 2 cups of frozen sliced peaches, and a blender!

1. Put your frozen peaches into the blender along with your favorite vodka, peach schnapps, OJ, and ice.

2. Blend your drink for about a minute, or until you don’t see any more lumps in your slush. For a thicker cocktail slush just add more ice!

3. Pour out your cranberry juice into the bottoms of your 4 drink glasses.

4. Pour your peachy slush into each glass before garnishing with a maraschino cherry.

5. Enjoy!

Watermelon Cucumber Mojito 

There’s no better summer drink then a mojito, which is why we’ve paired it with another traditional summer staple: watermelon! As the weather gets warmer, we figured that we’d bring together the best of both worlds with this twist on the Havana favorite. Juicy ripe watermelon flavor is showcased together with refreshing cucumber and Blue Chair Bay Premium White Rum. Perfect for a barbeque or poolside party, Watermelon Cucumber Mojitos can be prepared in big batches for easy sipping throughout the evening. All you will need is 1 seedless watermelon, ½ of a cucumber, 2 limes, ½ cup of mint, 8 ounces of White Rum, 1 large bottle of sparkling water, and ice. 

Looking to try something a little different? Replace white rum with your favorite cucumber flavored vodka for a pseudo-mojito experience that’s just as delicious!

1. Peel your cucumber before putting it through a blender or juicer together with your seedless watermelon. If you’re using a blender, make sure to strain your watermelon and cucumber mix and separate the juice from the pulp. Set aside your juice to chill.

2. Juice your 2 limes and muddle together with mint before shaking in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour it out into a large pitcher.

3. Pour your chilled cucumber and watermelon juice in a large pitcher before adding rum and sparkling water along with more ice.

4. Serve in a chilled glass with ice before garnishing with a wedge of watermelon and sliced wheels of cucumber for a vibrant drink that’s refreshing and easy to sip.

5. Enjoy

For more cocktail inspirations check out our Mixtrology Cocktail Recipe Series for recipes inspired by the stars and astrology!