It’s time to get into the summer mode! Pool, beach, or even your backyard; there’s always time to sit back in the sun and relax with your favourite cocktail. Whether you have friends over for a backyard pool party, heading out to the local beach spot, or just relaxing in your outdoor oasis; here’s our take on the best poolside cocktails for this summer of entertaining, as well as a few key pieces to help set the scene!
A Refreshing and Easy White Wine Spritzer!
With 3 simple (and cheap) ingredients, you can create the ultimate crisp, easy-drinking summer cocktail. Nothing beats the first cold sip of a white wine spritzer. Cold, crisp, refreshing, and you won’t have a headache the next day.
What you need:
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup club soda
- Lemon rind for garnish
- Ice
How to make it:
- Simply add wine to a tall wine glass semi-filled with ice (to your liking) and top with club soda. Twist lemon rind over glass and add.
Our tip: Make it as cold as possible by putting your wine and soda in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before serving. Perfect!
Pair it with: Lay back on the luxurious Nardi ‘Alfa’ Sunlounge with this drink in hand, and keep cold refills close by with our stylish wine cooler, which has room for a few of your favourite wine bottles! If you’re socialising on the beach or out on the water, these wine glass stabilisers and an absolute lifesaver, too!
Tequila Sunrise
Now, this is a fun and colourful cocktail that screams summer! Don’t let the word tequila scare you off, this treat is bold and sweet, yet refreshing and will keep you happy all afternoon! It’s also another simple one, with a few staple ingredients which are layered to create a stunning ‘sunset’ visual cocktail.
What you need:
- 45 ml tequila
- 90 ml orange juice
- 15 ml grenadine
- Ice
- Optional: Orange slices or maraschino cherry to garnish
How to make it:
- Pour tequila and orange juice into a tall glass filled a quarter of the way with ice.
- Stir these two ingredients (only) to mix the tequila
- Slowly pour in grenadine. It will sink to the bottom, so do not stir the drink; otherwise your ‘sunrise’ will become a pink juice!
Pair it with: You can’t have a tequila sunrise without a full beach theme (in our opinion). So, grab your turkish beach towel, one of these adorable beach umbrellas, and a few ‘Tropicana’ napkins; you’ll be the most vibrant person around (and with good reason).
Mojito
You really can’t go past the classic mojito during cocktail hour(s). With the delightful taste of mint, lime and sugar; it’s the perfect blend of sweet and sour. We envision all your close girlfriends, sitting by the pool or in the back garden, pretending its 1970 in sophisticated hats and striped bikinis.. (or is that just me?).
What you need:
- 90ml Bacardi or white rum
- ½ a fresh lime
- A handful of mint leaves (about 12) + a sprig for garnishing
- A teaspoon of caster sugar
- Soda water
- Cubed or crushed ice (crushed really makes this cocktail)
How to make it:
- Put the lime wedges and sugar into a tall glass.
- Use a muddler (or the end of a rolling pin) to squish the ingredients together and release the juice of the lime.
- Put the mint leaves on one hand and clap to release their aroma. Then use a spoon to push the mint down into the lime juice.
- Half fill the glass with ice, pour in the white rum and stir the mix together until the sugar dissolves.
- Top up with crushed ice, a splash of soda water and garnish it with a sprig of mint
Our tip: Add some cold fresh blueberries into the glass before muddling for a fruity mojito twist!
Pair it with: Create the ultimate garden party with this hyacinth white tray table, festive garden party jug, your favourite rug and a bunch of these NF Yellow Stripe Outdoor Cushions. Alternatively, you can opt for a full Nardi sofa setting and be ready to host your backyard cocktail-hour all year round.
Need help creating your ultimate backyard oasis? At Daydream Leisure Furniture, we know just what your space needs to become the ultimate spot for summer entertaining and poolside cocktails. You can shop the range online or visit us at our Warana or Noosa stores to see our outdoor dining, seating, poolside furniture and accessories, including our huge range of Italian Nardi Outdoor furniture.
Image: Supercall