3 Classic Summer Cocktails

The guests are invited to your BBQ, the food is prepared for the BBQ and your smokeless LotusGrill is waiting to be glowing.  Now the question?  What should we drink, I want something different – below are 3 ideas, classics but always good and pleasing for your guestsJ     

A great summer drink should be cold, delicious, and relatively easy to make.

In order to scale up each cocktail without the flavours going wrong, just take the ratios specified in each recipe for one drink and then multiply. Eyeballing and tasting as you go along is totally fine, and encouraged even, although keep in mind that the more tasting you do the less able you are to figure out the nuances of the drink. (But summer is not a time for nuances anyway?)

You'll find 3 of the summer classics on this list.

One thing you won't find on this list: Super-sugary boozy slushies—the caloric equivalent of booz-ified semi-liquid candy. The best summer cocktails don't need a ton of sugar to taste great. In fact, if the quality of your ingredients is high, you rarely need anything beyond a little simple syrup to help balance all the flavours.

So, this summer, raise a glass to a return to simple pleasures: easy cocktails, with friends, family and your smokeless LotusGrill BBQ . Because, really, what else do you need to feel satisfied in life?

Sangria  (serves 6-10 persons)

• 1 bottle red table wine (Don’t spend too much!)
• 3/4 cup brandy (Don’t spend too much!)
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2 cups sparkling water*
• ½ cup simple syrup -boil one part water, with one part syrup until sugar crystals have dissolved (Optional if you don´t like sweet drinks)

Mix all together and add the *sparkling water after you have mixed the other drinks together.

• Orange slices, apples, pomegranate seeds, and/or almost any other fruit you have around.

Can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days providing it is stored in an airtight container.

Combine it all in a pitcher with ice and fruit.

Aperol Spritz

• 2 parts Aperol
• 2 parts prosecco
• 2 parts club soda or sparking water

TIPP:  Make an Aperol how you like it.  I find that in many bars they put too much Aperol and not enough prosecco or sparking water and it has this horrid bitter/sweet taste.  I have tried the above measurements and it is normally spot on!

Combine over lots of ice in a wine glass or any glass you’d like. Garnish with an orange wedge and add a metal straw – please stay away from paper straws as they really do destroy a perfect cocktail.

Caiprinha

• 2 oz (56 grams) cachaça (a Brazilian white rum made from sugar cane.)
• 1 lime, in wedges (per drink) or more if desired
• 1 tsp. sugar

TIPP:  Before cutting the lime into wedges, roll the lime on a board with your hand to get the juices flowing.

Squash the lime wedges (with a pestle if you have one) and sugar in a glass until the juice is out, add cachaça, crushed ice and stir.

Here are 3 ideas to inspire you for your next LOTUSGRILL BBQ.

Article : Parts of this article are courtesy of Mens Health