8 Tangy Berrylicious Cocktails For Your Summer Evenings

Cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are at their peak ripeness and flavour, just waiting to be blended into the most mouthwatering elixirs. With a vibrant splash of cranberry, the Cosmopolitan's tangy zing will transport you straight to the beach. 

Muddle bright red strawberries into a mojito for a sweet twist on a classic refresher. Infuse gin with blueberries to create a Blueberry Gin Fizz. For a tropical escape, blend coconut rum with blackberries and pineapple juice in a Blackberry Colada. And for a romantic nightcap, gently mix Chambord liqueur with raspberries and lemonade for a raspberry lemonade cocktail that's as rosy as the sunset.  

The sweet flavours of berries pair deliciously with a variety of liquors. Vodka allows the natural berry flavours to shine through in drinks like Cosmopolitan or blueberry vodka lemonade. Gin also complements berries nicely in a gin berry smash, consisting of muddled blackberries and mint. For those seeking a bit more complexity, bourbon makes a fine match to blackberries in a bourbon berry smash, with blackberries, lemon juice, and mint. Rum also blends beautifully with strawberries in cocktails like a strawberry daiquiri.  

Berry cocktails are a huge hit during the summer. The juicy flavours of berries make for a refreshing cocktail that pairs perfectly with the warm weather. Their attractive appeal and tangy taste make them favourites for happy hours, beach bars, and poolside lounging. Make the most of summer's berry bounty by making cocktails that turn your evenings into a fruit-filled fiesta. With each sip of these berry-bursting beverages, let go of the daily grind and enter vacation mode under the stars. 

Basil Blueberry Cocktail  

This refreshing basil blueberry cocktail is the perfect light drink to sip on a hot summer day. The sweetness of fresh blueberries paired with the herbal notes of basil create a delicious combination.    

Ingredients   

1. ½ lime, juiced  
2. 2 shots of vodka or gin  
3. ½ cup blueberries, fresh  
4. 5-6 basil leaves, stemmed and whole  
5. Club soda  
6. Ice  
7. Pinch of sugar (optional)  

Method  

1. Gather all the ingredients. Put the limes, blueberries, and basil in a jar, glass, or cocktail shaker. Gently crush the ingredients together using a muddler or spoon.   
2. Press lightly so the juices are released, and the flavours blend together.   
3. Pour them over ice cubes in a rock or collins glass. Top off your drink with chilled club soda and give it a quick stir.   

Image credit: Freepik

Strawberry Gin And Tonic  

Ingredients  

1. 30 ml of chilled gin  
2. 90 ml of tonic water  
3. 30 ml of strawberry syrup  
4. 250 g strawberries  
5. 1 cup of water  
6. 1 cup of sugar  

Method  

1. Gather the syrup ingredients—fresh strawberries, sugar, and water—and place them in a saucepan with the sugar and water.   
2. Bring it to a boil and allow the strawberries to cook for 15-20 minutes.  
3. Keep the leftover softened strawberries, which can be used as a topping for ice cream or desserts.  
4. Add 30 ml of chilled strawberry syrup to a cocktail glass. Add ice cubes. Then pour the gin over the ice. Top it off with regular or pink tonic water and gently stir to combine.    

Image credit: Freepik

Cranberry Rum Mimosa  

The sweet coconut rum and tart cranberry juice make a delightful combination when mixed with bubbly champagne.    

Ingredients  

1. 2 cups of ice   
2. 30 ml of coconut-flavoured rum   
3. 30 ml of cranberry juice  
4. 60 ml champagne  

Method  

1. Place ice cubes in a cocktail shaker along with 60 ml of rum. Add 90 ml of cranberry juice to the shaker.    
2. Vigorously shake the cocktail shaker up and down for about 10 seconds. Strain the chilled mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a tall, narrow champagne glass.   
3. Fill the champagne glass about halfway with the strained rum and cranberry juice mixture. Slowly top off the glass with chilled champagne.   
4. Garnish with a lime wedge on the rim and serve.    

Image credit: Freepik

Fresh Strawberry Thyme Bellini  

This fruity and herbal beverage is a delightful way to enjoy a hot summer evening. This refreshing sipper with bright strawberry and herbal notes is a tasty way to enjoy the hot summer season.   

Ingredients  

1. 500 g strawberries   
2. 1 cup of sugar  
3. 1 large handful of fresh thyme sprigs  
4. 1 bottle of sparkling wine  

Method  

1. Cook down fresh strawberries with sugar, thyme, and water to make a concentrated strawberry syrup.   
2. Puree more fresh strawberries in a blender, then strain out the seeds, resulting in a smooth strawberry puree.  
3. Mix together 30 ml of chilled strawberry syrup and 30 ml of strawberry puree.  
4. Top with 120–180 ml of sparkling wine, cider, or water. Garnish with a strawberry fan or thyme sprig.    

Image credit: Freepik

Cosmopolitan Cocktail  

The cosmopolitan cocktail, commonly called the "cosmo," became widely popular in the 1990s. This fruity cocktail blends vodka, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, and cranberry juice into a tangy, refreshing drink.   

Ingredients  

1. 50 ml vodka   
2. 8 ml of lime juice  
3. 8 ml, triple sec  
4. 8 ml of cranberry juice  
5. 1 cup of ice  
6. 1 lime wedge for garnish  

Method  

1. Pour the vodka, lime juice, triple sec liqueur, and cranberry juice into the cocktail shaker. Shake it with ice to mix and chill the drink.    
2. Take the lid off the cocktail shaker and pour the drink through a strainer into the cocktail glass.    
3. Cut a thin wedge of lime, place it on the edge of the glass and serve.    

Image credit: Freepik

Blackberry Malt Cocktail  

The blackberry malt cocktail combines the smooth flavours of Irish whisky with the sweet tartness of ripe blackberries.   

Ingredients   

1. 5 fresh blackberries, divided  
2. 8 ml of simple syrup  
3. 50 ml Irish whisky  
4. 8 ml of freshly squeezed lime juice  
5. 90–120 ml of sparkling water  
6. Lemon peel, for garnish   

Method   

1. Use a cocktail shaker to muddle four juicy blackberries together with the simple syrup, crushing them to release their flavourful juice.    
2. Then, add in the whisky and fresh-squeezed lime juice. Fill the shaker the rest of the way with ice cubes to thoroughly chill and dilute the cocktail.  
3. Shake vigorously for at least 10–15 seconds. Strain the mixture through a strainer into a tall glass filled with fresh ice cubes.  
4. Garnish with a curl of lemon peel to brighten the flavour, and serve.  

Image credit: Freepik

Raspberry And Rose Spritzers  

A glass of bubbly, light pink rosé sparkling wine is the ideal drink to bring fun and celebration to any outdoor summer gathering or festive event.    

Ingredients  

1. 500 ml rosé wine, chilled  
2. 500 ml of pink raspberry lemonade, chilled  
3. A dash of rosewater  
4. Handful raspberries  

Method  

1. Mix the two main ingredients: rosé wine and pink lemonade. Use a pitcher or large glass measuring cup to combine equal parts wine and lemonade, stirring gently.  
2. Add a splash of rosewater to the mixture. Stir again after adding the rosewater evenly.  
3. Before serving, put a few fresh raspberries in each glass. Finally, pour the rosé spritzer mixture over the raspberries to fill each glass.   
4. Garnish glasses with extra raspberries or rose petals.    

Image credit: Freepik

Clover Club  

A clover club is a classic cocktail first mentioned in 1910. It mixes gin, vermouth, raspberry syrup, fresh raspberries, lemon juice, and egg whites to create a fruity drink with a frothy top.    

Image credit: Freepik

Ingredients  

1. 50 ml gin  
2. 1 tablespoon dry vermouth  
3. 5 fresh raspberries  
4. 25 ml of raspberry cordial  
5. 25 ml of lemon juice  
6. 1 tablespoon egg white  
7. Handful ice  
8. 3 raspberries  
9. Mint sprig  

Also read: Party Tonight? Instead Of The Regular Cocktails Try These 7 Biscoff Cocktails

Method  

1. Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, except for the ice and shake vigorously for 1-2 full minutes.  
2. Next, add the ice cubes to the shaker.   
3. Double-strain the cocktail into a stemmed glass. Add a fresh raspberry and mint leaf to garnish.