As we are entering the month October the people living in the Northern Hemisphere are on their last days of summer. And before the winter depression really kicks in we hope you enjoy these last few long days. And what better way to do that than with some fresh summer drinks right?! These five classics might just give you the warm memories to get you through the cold months ahead of us. As for the people living in Southern Hemisphere, the season of beach parties is about to start, so make sure you own them. Cheers!

1. Pitcher of Mojitos
The mojito is one of the most popular cocktails in the world, especially when the temperatures go up. The drink that has its origin in te Cuban capital Havanna may just be the number one alcoholic summer drink in the world. It’s sweet, sour and minty, but if you drink enough, it can get you pretty sauced as well.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of white sugar
35 leaves of fresh mint
3 limes, cut in quarters
1 cup of rum
1 liter of club soda
Preparation:
Put the mint leaves and sugar in the pitcher and muddle them till the leaves are broken down. Add the lime and muddle till the limes are juiced. Now stir the rum into the sugar mixture. Finally add the club soda and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Bowl of Caipirinha
This Brazilian cocktail is similar to the mojito, but less mainstream. And since it’s prepared in a bowl and not a standard-sized pitcher, you might find this drink a bit more adventurous to prepare for your friends. Keep in mind that the proportions that we give you are just a guideline, till you find the recipe that is perfect for your taste.
Ingredients:
6 limes, each cut to 8 wedges
2 cups of cachaça
1 cup of cold water
3/4 cup of simple syrup
5 cups of ice
Preparation:
Put the limes and syrup in a bowl and muddle till the limes start to break down. Add the cachaça, water and ice and stir well. Let it rest for 5 minutes, so the ice can melt a bit and your cairpirinha is ready to serve.

3. Pimm’s Cup
A typical traditional English cocktail that is named after the liqueur it’s made with. This refreshing beverage is more or less the official drink of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, but also quite popular in general during the short summers in the United Kingdom.
Ingredients:
250 ml Pimm’s No. 1
500 ml sparkling lemonade (for example ginger ale)
1/2 orange, peeled and cut
5 fresh strawberries, cut
10 cm cucumber, sliced
20 leaves of fresh mint
10 ice cubes
Preparation:
Place the ice cubes, fruit pieces, cucumber and mint leaves in a pitcher or a bowl. Pour in the Pimm’s liqueur and stir. Now add the lemonade, stir again and you’re done.

4. Pitcher of Pisco Sour
Worldwide pisco sour is still a pretty unknown drink, but in Peru it’s THE drink for every festive occasion. A bit harder to make than the previous 3 drinks, but no rocket science either and definitely worth the effort. It might be hard to find the key ingrediënt, Peru’s traditional spirit pisco, in many countries, but any good liquor distilled from grapes is a good substitute.
Ingredients:
1 cup pisco (or for example Italian grappa)
1/2 cup lime juice
1/3 cup white sugar
2 egg Whites
4 cups of ice cubes
cinnamon for garnish
Preparation:
Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a blender. Blend on high speed till it’s finely pureed. Pour the pisco sour in glasses and garnish with cinnamon.

5. Watermelon filled with Sangria
To catch the summer vibe it’s not just about the taste, the sight of a watermelon filled with booze will get everyone in a great mood. The Spanish drink sangria can be made in so many ways. As long as the drink contains wine (red or white), some kind of fruits and fruit juice it counts. With this recipe we went student style, since it’s easy to make with simple and cheap ingredients. And since it’s pretty strong, it’s guaranteed to get your party started.
Ingredients:
Whole watermelon
750 ml red wine
1,5 liter orange juice
700 ml vodka
1/2 cup grand marnier
1/2 cup lime juice
2 apples, sliced
2 oranges, peeled and cut
250 grams of red grapes
2 liters of 7-up or Sprite
Preparation:
Cut a large hole on the top of the water melon and make it hollow, like natural bowl. Pour in the rd wine, orange juice, vodka and grand marnier and add all the pices of fruit, including some left over pieces of watermelon. Stir well and let the mixture rest for a few hours, preferably in the fridge if it fits. After the fruit flavours soaked into the liquids, you can take it out and add 7-up to taste. This way the sparkles are preserved, which gives the drink more freshness.

Micky Bumbar

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