Drinking on the beach is an important part of my summer ritual each year.
If I manage to procure a weekend to escape to a sandy beach and relax for a few, that relaxation is elevated when I have an ice cold cocktail in my hand. Unfortunately, many beaches don’t allow you to bring an entire collection of alcohol and mixers in your beach bag, so the best bet is to pre-mix some of your favorite warm weather cocktails in thermos bottles, throw them into a cooler, and enjoy your cocktails beachside.
Before you batch those cocktails and head out, there are a few things that you need to remember when packing. Most important is ice; nothing is less appealing than a piping hot cocktail in the sun. Second is a cooler; if you do remember to put ice in your drink before you leave for the beach, it will probably stay cold for about five minutes in the sun before the ice melts and your entire batch is ruined. Keep everything nice and cold, including any garnishes you want to bring. A chilled beach cocktail is a happy beach cocktail.
Photo courtesy of Christian Haugen via Flickr/cc
To make your beach time as enjoyable as possible, here are a few of our favorite cocktails that are simple to pre-batch for beachtime enjoyment. Leave any questions or comments in the comments section below, and give us your recipes for your favorite beach cocktails too!
Lemongrass Caipirinha
(From Esquire.com)Several halved limes
¾ parts lemongrass simple syrup (boil equal parts water and chopped lemongrass for 15 minutes, strain, cool)
2 parts Cachaca
In a pitcher, muddle limes and add lemongrass simple syrup and cachaca. Strain into a thermos. At the beach, add lots of ice, shake, and serve.
Tequila Sunrise
(From Esquire.com)2 parts Blanco Tequila
3 parts orange juice
¼ oz grenadine
Batch into a canteen. Add ice.
Lemon Shandy
(From Epicurious.com)1 cup sugar
3 cups water
Four 3-inch strips lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 fresh mint sprigs
Chilled beer, such as pale ale
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the zest. Cool the syrup to room temperature and transfer to a small pitcher. Stir in the remaining water, lemon juice and mint. Chill lemonade until cold. (Makes about 4 ½ cups). Pour mixture into a large thermos, and top with the chilled beer. Keep the thermos in the cooler to make sure it stays cold when you aren’t sipping on it.
Sweet Cherry Gin and Tonic
(From SpoonForkBacon.com)¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp sweet cherry juice
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups gin (Tanqueray Rangpur)
¼ cup fresh lime juice
8 cups tonic water
fresh lime wedges
Combine cherry juice, lime juice and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, allow to cool completely. In a pitcher, stir together the syrup, gin and lime juice. When ready to drink at the beach, fill a cup with ice and pour in ¼ cup of the gin mixture. Top with tonic water, stir, and garnish with lime wedges.
Grapefruit Rosemary Mojito
(From Drinkoftheweek.com)1 ½ oz white rum
1 oz simple syrup (or fruit-flavored syrup)
1 oz fresh red grapefruit juice, and slices
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Muddle the simple syrup. juice and rosemary. Add rum, then fill the glass with ice. Top with club soda, garnish with grapefruit slices.
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