There's something about summertime that just makes you want to smile, isn't there?! The weather is (hopefully) lovely and warm, the days are extra long meaning you actually see the sun when you finish work, and you get to "spread your wings" and spend more time outside. One of the best accompaniments to the summer period is a well made cocktail. Cocktails aren't just for fancy occasions and there's now more DIY "kits" on the market than ever before, meaning even the average homeowner can throw together a refreshing cocktail that helps them unwind as the sun's warm rays touch their skin. As with any other type of food and drink there's about a zillion different recipes that you can follow, which can make it very difficult to decide what to make, especially for the more indecisive among us, which is why we've decided to put together a list of a few of our favorite summertime cocktails in this blog post.

Some of Our Favorite Summertime Cocktails

If you've been celebrating the good weather with a few cocktails this summer, which ones have you made? Take a look down this list and see whether you recognize any. If you've never tried these cocktails, make sure you do before the cooler weather starts to settle in.

The Moscow Mule

If you've read any of our blog posts, you'll know that we're all big fans of the Moscow Mule at Paykoc and it's with good reason. We aren't professional bartenders, although some of us like to think we are, so we like cocktails that are hard to mess up, and the Moscow Mule certainly falls under that category. It's incredibly simple to make with just three main ingredients (vodka, ginger beer and fresh lime juice) and it tastes amazing! It's got a bit of kick to it yet it remains refreshing, which is perfect during the warmer weather. For an authentic experience, buy a Moscow Mule copper mug too!

The Mint Julep

Ever heard of this one? If not, you've been missing out! It's actually been the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1938, and just like the Moscow Mule, it's served in its own special drinking vessel. Rather than a copper mug it's a silver cup, and kind of looks like something a medieval king and queen would use to drink their beverages. If you can though, we recommend you drink your Mint Julep from one, as this will provide you with an authentic experience (yeah...you'll feel like a million dollars) and helps to keep the beverage cool. Another similarity it shares with the Moscow Mule is that it's pretty simple to make and contains only a limited number of ingredients. These are liquor, mint, sugar and crushed ice. Start by muddling the sugar and the mint (this will release the mint's refreshing flavors), then later add the crushed ice and top the glass off with liquor.

Planter's Punch

Is rum your drink of choice? If so, Planter's Punch could become your new summertime favorite. It was first mentioned on record in 1908, but it's origins are disputed, not unlike loads of other drinks that are enjoyed by tens of thousands of people every single year. Some say that it's named after the Planter's Hotel that's located in St. Louis, while others believe that it was first produced by a planter's wife in order to keep the workforce cool and refreshed in the heat of the summer. There are actually many different versions of this drink, and if can be adapted to your own preferences, but the more traditional mix contains dark rum, grenadine and fruit juice (any one of the following or a mixture: orange, pineapple or passion fruit juice). We also like adding some club soda to finish it off, but that's totally up to you. Ah, lest we forget that seasonal fruit garnish to make it look good as well as taste good!

Hurricane

While hurricanes are generally something to be feared and normally one hopes that they will never, ever have to experience such a thing, this is one hurricane that you do want to experience. So why was this cocktail given such a name? It was actually named after the type of glass that it's typically served in, which is fairly tall and has a pretty quirky shape to it. The cocktail dates back to World War II times and was originally created in Pat O'Briens Bar. Bars at the time often had a surplus of rum due to it being so cheap and there being a requirement to buy it in high volumes if they wanted to get their hands on the real money maker at the time - whiskey. Sitting on all that rum, they had to find something to do with it and the Hurricane was born and is still served in Pat O'Briens today.The traditional recipe uses both dark and light rum, passion fruit juice, orange juice, lime juice, syrup, grenadine and is a dark red color when served. You should also add an orange slice and cherry to finish it off.

We've told you about some of our favorite summertime cocktails; now we would like to hear about yours. Leave a comment on our Facebook page and share the best cocktails you've had the pleasure of sipping on this summer.