Top Drinks for Summer 2012

The best drinks for the summer time are always bursting with wonderful flavors. Whether you like a subtle, fruity, or invigorating taste, one of these popular summer drinks will certainly hit the spot. Great for parties, BBQs, or just hanging out with a few friends, these drinks will be enjoyed by everyone!

Summer Sangria
Do you like Sangria? Well here is a great summer twist on a classic drink!

Ingredients:

• 1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
• 1 Lemon cut into wedges
• 1 Orange cut into wedges
• 1 Lime cut into wedges
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• Splash of orange juice or lemonade
• 2 Shots of gin or triple sec (optional)
• 1 Cup of raspberries or strawberries (may use thawed or frozen)
• 1 Small can of diced pineapples (with juice)
• 4 Cups ginger ale

Directions
Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving. The best Sangrias are chilled around 24 hours in the fridge, allowing the flavors to really marinate into each other.

Champagne Punch
A fantastic drink for fruit lovers, this quick to prepare champagne punch will surely be a hit with your friends and family.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons grenadine
• 3 tablespoons Cointreau
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 3/4 cups champagne
• Raspberries, apples, or other seasonal fruit

Directions
Fill a small ice bucket halfway with ice. Pour grenadine, Cointreau, brandy, and champagne over ice. Stir gently, and ladle punch into 2 wide-mouthed stemmed glasses. Garnish punch with raspberries, apples, or any other fruit in season.

Watermelon Vodka Slush
One of your favorite summer snacks combined with a delicious drink! You’ll love the sweet taste of this Watermelon Vodka Slush.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups watermelon flesh, seeds removed
• 2 fluid ounces simple syrup
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup vodka
• 2 fluid ounces melon liqueur
• 4 twists lemon zest, garnish

Directions
Puree the watermelon flesh. Pour the pureed watermelon into empty ice cube trays and freeze for at least 4 hours. Also, freeze 4 martini glasses. Than, in a blender combine the frozen watermelon cubes, simple syrup, lemon juice, vodka, and melon liqueur; blend until smooth. Pour into 4 frozen martini glasses and garnish each with a lemon twist.

Malibu Summer Splash
The ultimate warm weather drink! Simple and easy to make, great to serve at summer parties.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Malibu coconut rum
• 6 oz canned pineapple juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 oz lime-flavored margarita mix

Directions
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a collins glass almost filled with ice cubes, and serve.