15 Summer Gin Cocktails: Drink Your Way To A Chill Mood

July 26 2021

The summer is here, and it's hot! If you're looking for a way to cool down while still enjoying your favorite alcohol, then this blog post has the perfect gin cocktail recipes—all 15 of them! 

We have gin cocktails perfect for this season that will help you beat the summer heat. Best of all, they are easy to make.

1. Gimlet

A refreshing cocktail with a twist of lime and lemon, the gimlet is an old-school favorite. This gin-based drink can be enjoyed as both a nightcap or day drinking beverage.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ oz. Gin
• ½ oz. Lime juice, freshly squeezed
• ½ oz. Simple syrup
• Lime wheel for garnish

Steps to Make

1. In a shaker, combine gin and lime juice. Add ice to fill.
2. Cover with lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or until frosty in appearance.
3. Strain into an ice-filled glass over fresh ice cubes and top off with simple syrup.
4. Garnish with a lime wheel.

2. Cucumber Lemonade

The first sip of this gin cocktail recipe is crisp and exhilarating. It's not too sweet, but it still has enough sugar to give you that satisfying feeling when drinking fruit-flavored drinks. The gin adds more complexity to the taste, making it an exciting drink.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Hendrick’s gin
• 1 oz. Lemon juice
• 1 oz. Simple syrup
• 3 oz. Soda water
• Cucumber slices, thinly sliced

Steps to Make

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, lemon juice, and syrup.
2. Shake well for 30 seconds or until frosty in appearance.
3. Strain into an ice-filled glass over fresh ice cubes and top off with simple syrup.
4. Garnish with a lime wheel (optional).

3. Basilberry Smash

Gin and fresh basil are an effective counterbalance to Fords' botanical blend, complementing the soft juniper notes with stimulating effervescence. This drink is not too boozy, so you can enjoy it on the rocks or batch it for your friends who want some alfresco refreshment.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Gin
• 0.25 oz. Chambord
• 0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
• 0.75 oz. Simple syrup
• 2 oz. Sparkling water
• 3 Basil leaves

Steps to Make

1. Muddle the basil leaves and lemon juice in a shaker. Add gin, Chambord, simple syrup, and ice to the mix.
2. Shake well for 30 seconds or until frosty in appearance. Strain into an ice-filled glass over fresh ice cubes and top off with sparkling water.
3. Garnish with a lime wheel on the side of the glass (optional).

4. 50/50 Martini

A 50/50 Martini is a great starter drink that “sharpens” you for the rest of your evening. As its name suggests, this class of cocktail tones down the gin (often too strong) with low-proof dry vermouth, making it easier to enjoy while still maintaining all flavors and good times anticipated from drinking alcohol.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. Gin
• 1 1/2 oz. Dry vermouth
• 1 dash Orange bitters
• Lemon twist for garnish

Steps to Make

1. Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 
2. Shake and strain into an iced martini glass.
3. Garnish with a lemon twist on the edge of the drink, if desired.

5. Gin Fizz Cocktail

You can mix up a Gin Fizz in 5 minutes with these three ingredients: gin, lime juice, and maple syrup. The perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors is created when you add soda water to the cocktail! 

Top off this drink by frothing egg whites just before serving it for an extra-special sip that will impress your friends in less than 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Gin
• ¾ oz.  Lemon juice
• ½ oz. Simple syrup or maple syrup
• 1 Egg white
• Soda water
• Lemon twist for garnish (optional)

Steps to Make

1. In a cocktail shaker, pour the gin, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Add ice cubes to fill about halfway up the glass.
2. Use an egg beater or mixer until the egg white is frothy. 
3. Transfer the drink into a glass, fill with soda water, and top with beaten egg white.

6. Gin and Tonic

It’s hard to find an easier, more classic cocktail than the gin and tonic. Its crisp botanical flavor is straightforward but also intriguing: a feat using only two ingredients! No wonder this drink has become one of the world's most popular easy cocktails.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Gin
• 4 oz. Tonic water
• Garnish ideas: Lime, lemon, cucumber, mint, orange peel, juniper berries, blood orange slice, or rosemary

Steps to Make

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add gin and tonic water, then garnish with your desired toppings.

7. Tom Collins Cocktail

Sitting on a porch and watching the sunset with friends and family is an ideal way to spend any summer evening. To make this moment even more perfect than it already is, try whipping up some Tom Collins.

This tall highball drink made of gin sour mixed with lemon juice will have everyone feeling refreshed in no time!

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Dry gin
• 3/4 to 1 oz. Simple syrup or maple syrup
• 1 oz. Lemon juice
• ½ cup Soda water
• Ice
• Maraschino cherry and lemon wheel for garnish

Steps to Make

1. Add the gin, syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes. Shake well until chilled.
2. Strain the liquid into an ice-filled glass, and top off the glass with soda water. 
3. Garnish with a lemon wheel and cocktail cherry.

8. French 75 Cocktail

Ever wanted to spice up a party with your own bubbly concoction? Here's the perfect drink for you! 

The French 75 is made using gin and lemon juice, but that’s not all. It also includes champagne, making it especially festive. This tangy cocktail has just enough botanical flavors to keep things interesting while still being simple.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz. Gin
• ¾ oz Lemon juice
• ½ oz.  Simple syrup or pure maple syrup
• 3 oz. Champagne

Steps to Make

1. Place the gin, lemon juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 15 seconds until cold. 
2. Strain the liquid into a champagne flute.
3. Top off the glass with champagne and serve.

9. Southside

A Southside is a must-try gin cocktail that’s perfect for the summer. It combines sweet and refreshing mint, tangy lime, tart lemon, and the savory notes of gin to create an alluring flavor profile with plenty of personalities. This drink may be new, but it's already famous—try one today!

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Gin
• ½ oz. Lime juice
• ½ oz. Lemon juice
• ½ oz. Simple syrup or maple syrup
• 6 Mint leaves
• Lemon twist and mint leaves for garnish

Steps to Make

1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, shake the mint leaves until they’re bruised.
2. Pour in gin and juices to create an icy drink.
3. Add simple syrup or maple syrup for sweetness, then pour into a glass filled with fresh crushed ice. 
4. Garnish with a lemon twist and a sprig of fresh mint leaf.

10. Gin Rickey

The Gin Rickey is the perfect drink for all you classic lovers out there! The tall, tangy beverage has been popular since its birth in 1880. So if you love Vodka Soda or Gin and Tonic, this refreshing cocktail is made just for you. No-frills are needed to enjoy its sophisticated taste.

Ingredients

• 3 oz. Gin
• 1 ½ oz. Fresh lime juice
• 4 oz. Soda water
• Ice for serving
• Lime wedge for garnish

Steps to Make

1. Add gin, lime juice, and ice to a Collins glass.
2. Fill with soda water.
3. Garnish with a slice of the lime wedge on the rim of the glass or in cocktail pick if desired.

11. Greyhound Cocktail

This fancy summer cocktail has a unique name and is made up of grapefruit juice, gin, sugar syrup. This drink looks beautiful with its pale pink color! It’s perfect for serving at brunch or for happy hour as it provides the right amount of tanginess that will satisfy your taste buds.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz. Gin
• 3 oz. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1 tsp. Simple syrup or maple syrup
• Grapefruit wedge and rosemary for garnish (optional)

Steps to Make

1. In a shaker glass, combine gin and grapefruit juice.
2. Add sugar syrup or maple syrup to taste.
3. Shake vigorously with ice cubes until the drink is frothy on top (about 20 seconds).
4. Pour into an ice-filled cocktail glass and garnish with your favorite fruit wedge and rosemary sprigs if desired.

12. Gin Gin Mule

Gin and Mule? Sounds like the perfect cocktail for the summer! This drink combines elements of both Moscow Mule and Mojito to create something refreshing, bubbly, sweet-smelling concoction. It’s got all your favorite gingery flavors from mugs with ginger beer and citrusy lime juice. 

Ingredients

• 4 Mint sprigs
• ½ oz. Fresh lime juice
• ½ oz. Simple syrup
• 2 oz. Gin
• 2 oz. Ginger beer
• Lime wedges and mint sprig for garnish

Steps to Make

1. In an ice-filled cocktail glass, muddle together the mint leaves and lime juice.
2. Fill with ice cubes and add gin, ginger beer (or sparkling water), and simple syrup to taste.
3. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint or a lime wedge on top for presentation. Best served chilled but not frozen.

13. Hanky Panky Cocktail

Pairing a dry gin with an Italian bitter is nothing new, but this cocktail takes the combination to another level. A balance of sweet and tart flavors that will make you wanting more!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz. Gin
• 1 ½ oz. Sweet vermouth
• ½ tsp. Fernet-Branca
• Orange twist for garnish

Steps to Make

1. Shake all ingredients and strain over ice cubes in a martini glass.
2. Garnish with an orange twist

14. Negroni

The Negroni is a refreshing and bitter gin cocktail with an Italian vibe. This drink, which has three ingredients that are each made to be 1 ounce of the total, can make for either a stunning jewel-tone statement or just something you'll want to savor slowly.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Gin
• 1 oz. Sweet or semi-sweet red vermouth
• 1 oz. Campari
• Ice for serving
• Orange peel for garnish

Steps to Make

1. Place three ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the gin, vermouth, and Campari to the shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds or until it's as cold as possible without becoming slushy (which can water down your drink).
3. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with one large piece of fresh ice cubes.

15. Gin Martini

This timeless drink is cool, crisp, and clean. The gin martini has a unique history that includes a story of wartime espionage and one with Hollywood glamour!

It’s been around for centuries, but there are still plenty of variations: shaken or stirred, vodka or gin, straight up or on the rocks—from classic dry style down to dirty versions like Chatham county lemonade.

Ingredients

• 3 oz. Gin
• ½ oz. Dry white vermouth
• Olive or lemon peel for garnish

Steps to Make

1. Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice cubes.
2. Add the gin and vermouth. Stir well before straining into chilled martini glasses.
3. Serve immediately and garnish as desired.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoy these delightful summer gin cocktails! From fruity drinks that are easy enough to make all the way to more complex recipes made with liquor infusions and fresh ingredients, we have something for everyone! 

Which gin cocktail recipe will you try first? Let us know in the comment section.

Cucumber Lemonade

Rated 3.3 stars by 6 users

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Category

Cocktail Recipe

Servings

1

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

3 minutes

The first sip of this gin cocktail recipe is crisp and exhilarating. It's not too sweet, but it still has enough sugar to give you that satisfying feeling when drinking fruit-flavored drinks. The gin adds more complexity to the taste, making it an exciting drink.

Author:

Advanced Mixology

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Hendrick’s gin
  

• 1 oz. Lemon juice
  

• 1 oz. Simple syrup
  

• 3 oz. Soda water
  

• Cucumber slices, thinly sliced
  

Directions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, lemon juice, and syrup.
   

2. Shake well for 30 seconds or until frosty in appearance.
   

3. Strain into an ice-filled glass over fresh ice cubes and top off with simple syrup.
   

4. Garnish with a lime wheel (optional).
   

Tags

Cocktail Recipes Gin Cocktails

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