32 Cocktails for the Dog Days of Summer

August 17, 2026
Food & Drink

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Discover 32 summer cocktails ideal for the dog days of summer. They’re all super refreshing and super easy to make at home.

Garibaldi Cocktail from Above with Black Background — Image: ©2foodtrippers

Sipping summer cocktails is fun whether you’re on vacation or at home. Typically cold and sweet, the best summer cocktails cool things down when it’s hot outside. Plus, they’re fun to sip, either with or without a straw, at any time of the year.

White Port and Tonic Cocktail and Mint on Ledge — This Porto Tonico was the first summer cocktail that we crafted at home. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Our favorite summer drinks are easy to craft without a lot of steps or ingredients. Many are fruity and some are bubbly. Most important – they all taste like summer in a glass.

We first discovered the pleasure of crafting refreshing summer cocktails at home when we crafted our first Porto Tonico during the summer of 2019. We’ve since crafted dozens and dozens of refreshing summer cocktails featuring Campari, Gin, Rum, Tequila and Vodka. And we’re not done yet.

Caipirinha from Above — Fresh fruit is a must when crafting summer cocktails like this Caipirinha at home. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Some people like to craft frozen summer cocktails when the thermometer goes up. We’re not typically those people. While we have no problem pulling out our blender to whip up morning smoothies, we prefer to keep our summer sippers easy.

Adding fresh juice is another story. When given the choice, we always go the fresh juice route when a cocktail recipe calls for orange, lime, pineapple or even passionfruit juice. We recommend that you do the same.

Cuba Libre Cocktail with Striped Straw — This Cuba Libre was as easy to craft as it was to sip. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Summer drinks run the cocktail gamut.

You’re probably familiar with classic summer cocktails like the Daiquiri and Margarita. However, some popular summer cocktails like the Dirty Shirley, Garibaldi and Hugo Spritz may be new to you.

We say try them all but not at the same time. Don’t worry – there’s no rush. The summer season lasts for 13 wonderful weeks.

32 of the Best Summer Cocktails

1. Agua de Valencia

Agua de Valencia may be a Spanish cocktail but you don’t have to fly to Spain to enjoy the fruity summer sipper. The easier option is to follow this recipe and craft one at home in just a few minutes.

Agua de Valencia Recipe

2. Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz is the quintessential aperitivo cocktail in Italy. (Sorry Negroni fans!) Discover the story behind the classic Italian cocktail and learn how to craft one at home.

Aperol Spritz Recipe

3. Bahama Mama

The Bahama Mama isn’t classic or sophisticated but, despite those limitations, the sweet rum cocktail tastes like tropical bliss. Plus, it’s easy to craft and fun to sip wherever you happen to be in the world.

Bahama Mama Recipe

4. Caipirinha

The Caipirinha is so popular in Brazil that it’s the country’s national drink. You can easily make the potent potable at home with just four ingredients.

Caipirinha Recipe

5. Cuba Libre

The Cuba Libre cocktail takes Rum & Coke to new heights with the simple addition of fresh lime juice. It’s so easy to craft that you’ll want to drink the Cuba Libre again and again.

Cuba Libre Recipe

6. Classic Daiquiri

Leave any preconceptions about the Daiquiri behind when you follow this easy recipe. Cuba’s most classic cocktail is a sophisticated summer sipper made with just three ingredients that you probably already have at home.

Classic Daiquiri Recipe

7. Dirty Shirley

The Dirty Shirley isn’t just a grown up version of the popular Shirley Temple drink. It’s also a refreshing summer cocktail that’s super easy to craft at home in just five minutes.

Dirty Shirley Recipe

8. Fuzzy Navel

A relic of the 1980s, the Fuzzy Navel has become a bit of a joke to serious mixologists. But it’s actually a tasty tipple that’s almost too easy to sip. How easy? Follow this easy Fuzzy Navel recipe and find out for yourself.

Fuzzy Navel Recipe

9. Garibaldi

The Garibaldi, one of the summer’s hottest drinks, is a sophisticated Italian tipple. Follow this super simple recipe and craft a refreshing Garibaldi at home.

Garibaldi Recipe

10. Gin and Tonic

The G&T is a global phenomenon that can’t be stopped. Follow this easy recipe with gin and tonic water plus a couple surprises. It’s a summertime staple.

Gin and Tonic Recipe

11. Gin Basil Smash

Ideal for summer, the refreshing Gin Basil Smash is simultaneously sweet, sour and herbaceous. It’s also also delightfully easy to craft and even easier to sip.

Gin Basil Smash Recipe

12. Hurricane

Drinking a Hurricane cocktail at Pat O’Brien’s is a rite of passage for first-time visitors to New Orleans. However, you can craft a better version of the fruity cocktail at home no matter where you live. It’s fruity and fun!

Hurricane Recipe

13. Hugo Spritz

Italy’s Hugo Spritz is an ideal summer sipper that’s ready for its moment. You’ll understand once you take your first delicious sip. Consider yourself warned that your first sip won’t be your last.

Hugo Spritz Recipe

14. Jungle Bird

Go wild and craft a Jungle Bird cocktail at home! Despite its surprisingly simple recipe, the sophisticated tiki cocktail is a delight whether you live in an actual jungle or an urban one.

Jungle Bird Recipe

15. Limoncello Spritz

The Limoncello Spritz screams summer with its bright flavor and equally bright yellow color. You can sip one in Italy or craft one at home. The choice is yours.

Limoncello Spritz Recipe

16. Long Island Iced Tea

Leave your jaded impressions of Long Island Iced Tea behind. Not only is the potent potable popular with 20-somethings looking for a quick buzz, but it’s also a summertime sipper that tastes great if you’re in your 30s or beyond.

Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

17. Mai Tai

The Mai Tai isn’t just the most iconic tiki drink. It’s also a classic rum cocktail that’s easy to craft at home and even easier to sip. It’s ideal for summer too!

Mai Tai Recipe

18. Malibu Sunset

The Malibu Sunset is a gorgeous summer sipper that will transport you to the Caribbean without a plane ride. And the best part – the layered coconut rum cocktail is super easy to craft at home without any exotic ingredients or special bar tools.

Malibu Sunset Recipe

19. Margarita

The classic Margarita is one of the most popular cocktails in the world. It’s also one of the easiest cocktails to craft at home with just three ingredients and no special bar tools.

Margarita Recipe

20. Mojito

The Mojito is ideal for summer. You can whip up this Cuban cocktail favorite at home with just five ingredients plus ice.

Mojito Recipe

21. Orange Creamsicle

This Orange Creamsicle Cocktail is as easy to craft as it is to drink. But make no mistake – this decadent creamsicle drink is a boozy, grown-up version of the summertime ice cream treat.

Orange Creamsicle Recipe

22. Paloma

The Paloma tastes like summer in a glass. The refreshing tequila tipple is simultaneously sweet, sour and salty. It’s also easy to craft at home regardless of the season.

Paloma Recipe

23. Pimm’s Cup

The Pimm’s Cup may hail from London but the refreshing tipple is equally popular across the pond in New Orleans. Learn the story behind the transcontinental cocktail and then craft one at home in just five minutes.

Pimm’s Cup Recipe

24. Pina Colada

The Pina Colada is more than the subject of a 70s hit song. Puerto Rico’s national drink is also a frothy, fruity cocktail that’s surprisingly simple to make at home either with or without a blender. This recipe goes blender-free route. It’s a winner any time of year but especially during the summer.

Pina Colada Recipe

25. Porto Tonico

Drinking a white port and tonic cocktail is popular in Portugal all year but especially during the warm summer months. Follow this recipe and craft a Porto Tonico at home with just five ingredients.

Porto Tonico Recipe

26. Ranch Water

Ranch Water may not be on your cocktail radar unless you live in Texas. However, this tequila highball cocktail is so easy to craft and refreshing to drink that it may become your favorite summer sipper.

Ranch Water Recipe

27. Salty Dog

The Salty Dog cocktail is essentially a Greyhound with a salt rim. Simultaneously salty, sour and surprisingly sweet, it’s an ideal drink to sip during the dog days of summer.

Salty Dog Recipe

28. Singapore Sling

The Singapore Sling is a fruity and fun cocktail that’s sweet, herbaceous and tart. It’s also easy to make at home despite its long laundry list of ingredients.

Singapore Sling Recipe

29. Tinto de Verano

Spain’s Tinto de Verano is a refreshing red wine cocktail that’s super easy to craft at home in mere minutes. If you love drinking Sangria but hate cutting up fruit, then this summer sipper is for you!

Tinto de Verano Recipe

30. Tom Collins

Simultaneously sweet and tart, the Tom Collins cocktail is a delightful drink that tastes like spiked lemonade. It’s also super simple to craft at home with just a few ingredients.

Tom Collins Recipe

31. Whiskey Smash

The Whiskey Smash is a refreshing pre-prohibition cocktail that’s more sweet than sour. It’s also super easy to craft at home with just a handful of ingredients.

Whiskey Smash Recipe

32. Woo Woo

The Woo Woo cocktail is a tasty vodka drink with a quirky name. It’s also easy to craft at home and even easier to sip.

Woo Woo Recipe

💡 Frequently Asked Questions

What are summer cocktails?

Summer cocktails cool you down when it’s hot outside. They’re often fruity, sometimes bubbly and always refreshing.

What are the best summer cocktail?

The best summer cocktail is the one that you like more than any other cocktail. Popular contenders include the Dirty Shirley, Garibaldi and Hugo Spritz.

When is the best time to drink summer cocktails?

Summer cocktails are ideal to sip during the months of June, July, August and September.

Where is the best place to drink summer cocktails?

While it’s fun to drink summer cocktails while on vacation, summer cocktails are also great to sip at home with friends.

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Funding
We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.

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Mindi Hirsch