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15 summer gin drinks fruit and citrus FI

15 Amazing Gin Cocktails for Summer

I’ll be brief and get down to it – these are 15 amazing gin cocktails for summer! No chatter, just recipes. Happy summer!

#1 The South Side

The South Side - Lemon, Simple, MInt, Gin
The South Side – Lemon, Simple, Mint, Gin

South Side Gin Cocktail

The South Side

Gin and citrus and mint. The daiquiri of gin drinks, if you will. Do yourself a favor and muddle things up instead of using juice.

Equipment

  • Mixing glass or shaker, muddling spoon, strainer. Enjoy your drink from a coupe glass.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Oz. Gin
  • 1 Oz. Simple syrup
  • Half a lemon, sliced up
  • Some mint – start with about 6 or 7 leaves.
  • Garnish with some more fresh mint.

Instructions
 

  • In your mixing glass, combine your lemon slices and mint.
  • Muddle lemon and mint, then add ice, gin, and simple syrup.
  • Shake well, and double strain into your glass.
  • Top off with some fresh mint.

More on the South Side here, or check out the Cherry South Side variation.

#2 Aperol and Gin Sour

Aperol and Gin Sour with Orange
Aperol and Gin Sour with Orange

Aperol and Gin Sour

Aperol and Gin Sour

This easy and delicious, yet barely bitter, cocktail is the Aperol and Gin Sour. Option to use egg white for a frothy and foamy head if you like.

Equipment

  • Cocktail Shaker!
  • Coupe glass.

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 Oz. Aperol
  • 1.5 Oz. London dry gin
  • .75 Oz. Lemon juice
  • tsp Simple syrup
  • Egg white optional for foam

Instructions
 

  • In your cocktail shaker, combine all of your ingredients.
  • Add ice and shake up.
  • Strain into your coupe glass.
  • Garnish with your choice of fruit!

Notes

If you are using egg white to create foam, dry shake the ingredients first to create the foam. This takes a bit. Longer than a normal shake.
Then add some ice for a quick shake and cool down.

More on the Aperol and Gin Sour, or check out these Aperol drinks:

No Spritz For You

Aperol 75

Apropos

Rye Be Bitter

#3 Adult Cherry Limeade

Adult Cherry Limeade with Sparkling Water
Adult Cherry Limeade with Sparkling Water

Adult Cherry Limeade with Sparkling Water

Adult Cherry Limeade

Two different ways to make the Adult Cherry Limeade! Fresh cherries and limes, with gin and optional soda.

Equipment

  • Barglass and muddling tool, or you can muddle in your cocktail shaker.
  • Cocktail Shaker!
  • Two strainers.
  • Rocks glass or collins glass

Ingredients
  

  • .5 Whole Lime cut in 4 pieces
  • 6 Whole Cherries – fresh! Not from a jar.
  • .5 Oz. Simple syrup
  • 1.5 Oz. Gin
  • Soda or seltzer to top, for one version of this drink.

Instructions
 

  • In your glass or cocktail shaker, muddle your six cherries (pits removed) and your 1/2 of a lime, cut into pieces. Add the .5 oz. of simple sugar to the muddling mix.
  • Add your gin to the muddled fruit mixture.
  • Shake vigorously! REALLY vigorously.
  • Double strain into your rocks glass.
  • If you want a longer lasting and more diluted adult cherry limeade, use a collins glass and top with soda or seltzer or sparkling water.

More on the Adult Cherry Limeade

#4 Old Tom Punch

Old Tom Punch with Sugar and Lime
Old Tom Punch with Sugar and Lime

Old Tom Punch with Sugar and Lime 2

Old Tom Punch

Whip up some Old Tum Punch with gin, Campari, lime, and turbinado.

Equipment

  • Cocktail Shaker!
  • Coupe glass.

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 Oz. Old Tom Gin
  • .75 Oz. Lime juice
  • .25 Oz. Campari
  • 1 Barspoon Turbinado sugar

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of your ingredients, including the sugar, into your cocktail shaker.
  • Add ice, and mix thoroughly. Really thoroughly to dissolve the sugar.
  • Strain into your coupe glass, garnish with lime peel.

More on the Old Tom Punch, or check out these Old Tom Recipes:

The Martinez

The Martinez with Orange

Old Tom Gin and Tonic

#5 Strawberry Bearcat

Strawberry Bearcat with Garnish in Rocks Glass
Strawberry Bearcat with Fresh Lemon and Strawberry

Strawberry Bearcat with Garnish in Rocks Glass

Strawberry Bearcat Gin Cockatil

The Strawberry Bearcat Gin Cocktail pairs gin, orgeat, strawberries, and lemon with a smidgen of bitters for some sharpness.

Equipment

  • Cocktail shaker and muddling device.
  • Strainers
  • Rocks Glass

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Strawberries, you can leave the tops on.
  • 2 Oz. Gin
  • .75 Oz. Lemon juice
  • .75 Oz. Orgeat syrup
  • 2-4 Dashes Aromatic bitters

Instructions
 

  • Start by chilling your rocks glass.
  • Combine your strawberries and liquid ingredients (except the bitters) in your cocktail shaker.
  • Smash up your berries in the shaker.
  • Then add ice to the shaker and go to town.
  • Double strain into your rocks glass.
  • Bitters on top if you like! You can also add bitters when you are shaking.
  • Garnish with a fresh berry and/or lemon.

Deets on the Strawberry Bearcat, and more orgeat drinks for you:

Army Navy

The Slow Friday

Almond Gin Sour

#6 Pavan Peacock

Pavan Peacock Gin Cocktail
Pavan Peacock Gin Cocktail with Mint

Pavan Peacock Cocktail

The Pavan Peacock

Satisfy your need for sweet, floral, and tart and GIN with this amazing Pavan and gin cocktail.

Equipment

  • Shaker and coupe glass!

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 Oz. Pavan Liqueur
  • 1 Oz. Gin The Pavan takes center stage, so maybe don't use your most expensive gin here.
  • .5 Oz. Lemon juice Squeeze your own!
  • Mint For a lovely botanical garnish.

Instructions
 

  • Let your coupe glass chill a while.
  • Pour all of your ingredients into your shaker with ice, and get to shaking.
  • Throw your hips into it, if you like.
  • Strain as you fill your coupe glass with Pavan goodness.
  • Garnish with mint.

The Pavan Peacock is just one of a few great Pavan drinks:

The Best Heather

The Violette Pavan

Pavan Aviation

#7 Key West Side

Key West Side Cocktail in Coupe Glass
Key West Side Cocktail

Key West Side Cocktail in Coupe Glass

The Key West Side

A version of the South Side gin drink, made with key limes. Pucker up for this tart and refreshing drink.

Equipment

  • Mixing glass or shaker, muddling spoon, strainer. Enjoy from a coupe glass.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Oz. Gin
  • 1 Oz. Simple syrup
  • 2 Sliced Key limes to muddle
  • 6-7 Mint leaves to muddle
  • Fresh mint to garnish

Instructions
 

  • In your mixing glass, use the flat end of your bar spoon to muddle your sliced limes and mint leaves.
  • Add your gin and simple syrup to your shaker and get it all mixed up.
  • Double strain into your coupe cocktail glass.
  • Garnish with fresh mint.

More on the Key West Side here.

#8 Pimms and Gin

Pimm's and Gin with Fernet Branca
Pimm’s and Gin with Fernet Branca

Pimm's and Gin with Fruit and Fernet Branca

Pimm’s and Gin

The Pimm's and Gin cocktail takes the Pimm's Cup into another level, with added gin and Fernet Branca, in addition to the fruit flavors.

Equipment

  • Collins glass.
  • Bar spoon.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Oz. Pimm's No. 1
  • 1 Oz. Gin
  • 1 Barspoon Fernet Branca
  • Ginger ale to top
  • Lemons, limes, berries, cucumbers

Instructions
 

  • Make this delightful Pimm's and Gin in the glass.
  • Add in your chopped fruit. Two chunks of cuke, lemon, lime, strawberry, whatever you have.
  • Option to muddle the fruit just a bit to release more flavor.
  • Stack your glass with ice.
  • Pour in your Pimm's No. 1, Gin, and then top with ginger ale.
  • Add a bar spoon of Fernet Branca liqueur.
  • Gently stir with your bar spoon.
  • Garnish with fresh fruits.

For deets on the Pimm’s and Gin, and if you like Fernet Branca, you may also like the Hanky Panky.

#9 Salty Dog

The Salty Dog Gin Cocktail Ingredients
The Salty Dog Gin Cocktail Ingredients

The Salty Dog Cocktail

The Salty Dog Gin Cocktail

Salt, grapefruit, and gin make this tart and bold drink delicious.

Equipment

  • Collins glass.
  • Cocktail stirrer.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Oz. Gin
  • 4 Oz. Grapefruit juice
  • Salt For the rim
  • Lemon or lime or grapefruit As a garnish

Instructions
 

  • Salt the rim of your Collins glass.
  • Add ice to your glass.
  • Layer your drink with gin first.
  • Add your grapefruit juice.
  • Stir in the glass.
  • Garnish with your choice of fruits.

The Salty Dog is sort of, but not really, like the Gin Paloma.

#10 Elderflower Aviation

Aviation Gin Cocktail with Luxardo Cherries in Coupe Glass
Aviation Gin Cocktail with Luxardo Cherries

Aviation Gin Cocktail with Luxardo Cherries in Coupe Glass

Elderflower Aviation Gin Cocktail

A little twist on the Aviation to add flavors of Elderflower.

Equipment

  • Shaker and strainer, coupe glass.

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 Oz. Gin
  • .75 Oz. Lemon juice
  • .5 Oz. Maraschino cherry liquor
  • .5 Oz. Elderflower liquor
  • Luxardo cherry For garnish!

Instructions
 

  • Chill your coupe glass.
  • In the meantime, combine your gin, lemon juice, maraschino liquor, and elderflower liquor into a shaker with ice.
  • Mix it all up.
  • Strain over your coupe after you have tossed your chilling ice.
  • Garnish with a Luxardo cherry and lemon.

You just can’t go wrong with elderflower! This has more on the Elderflower Aviation, and check out these, too:

Elderflower and Cucumber Gimlet

Elderflower Gin and Tonic

Elderflower Collins

#11 Passionfruit Martini

Passionfruit Martini with Lime
Passionfruit Martini with Lime

Passionfruit Martini with Lime

The Passionfruit Martini with Gin

Add passionfruit juice, lime juice, and gin together for the Passionfruit Martini. Not too sweet, not too tart.

Equipment

  • Cocktail shaker and strainer(s)
  • Martini glass

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Oz. Passionfruit juice
  • 1.5 Oz. Gin
  • .75 Oz. Lime juice
  • Lemon and lime peel for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Combine your ingredients into your cocktail shaker.
  • Add ice, and shake up.
  • Strain into your martini glass.
  • Garnish with lime, lemon, or both.

Details on the Passionfruit Martini here. The Stay at Home, Beach and the Lady Killer also dabble with passionfruit.

#12 Gin and Tea

Gin and Tea Cocktail
Gin and Tea Cocktail

Gin and Tea Cocktail 2

The Gin and Tea Cocktail

Combine your marmalade (!) with tea, gin, and some juice and you are set for the BEST high tea you can imagine.

Equipment

  • Cocktail Shaker!
  • Fancy glass or rocks glass

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 Oz. Gin Try something dry
  • 1 Oz. Cooled breakfast Tea Avoid extra flavors like jasmine, mint, etc.
  • .5 Oz. Lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp Marmalade That's not a typo
  • Dash Orange bitters
  • Orange twist For garnish!

Instructions
 

  • Easy! Combine all of your ingredients – even the marmalade – into your shaker.
  • Shake it up!
  • Double strain over fresh ice into your fancy glass or your rocks glass.

Notes

Double strain unless you want to be chewing on little bits of rind from the marmalade.

Details on the Gin and Tea.

#13 Gin is my Jam

Gin is my Jam Cocktail with ingredients
Gin is my Jam Cocktail

Gin is my Jam Cocktail

Gin is my Jam Cocktail

Use your leftover bits of raspberry jam for this great cocktail, Gin is my Jam

Equipment

  • Cocktail Shaker!
  • Two strainers.
  • Coupe glass.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Oz. Gin
  • 1.5 Oz. Sweet and sour mix – use homemade
  • 1 Tsp. Raspberry jam

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of your ingredients into your cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake vigoriously, perhaps a bit longer than you normally would to really break up the jam.
  • Double strain into your coupe glass.

Notes

To make your own sweet and sour mix, it’s super easy!
Combine 1 part lemon juice and 1 part simple syrup with 1/2 part lime juice. Make any quantity you like with these proportions and store in the fridge. It has a limited shelf life.

For more on the Gin and Jam.

#14 Lady Killer

Ladykiller Gin Drink
Ladykiller Gin Drink

Ladykiller Gin Drink

Ladykiller Gin Cocktail

The Ladykiller gin cocktail pairs fresh fruit juices and gin, into a lovely and tropical drink.

Equipment

  • Cocktail shaker and two strainers
  • Collins glass.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Oz. Gin
  • .5 Oz. Cointreau or triple-sec
  • .5 Oz. Apricot brandy
  • 2 Oz. Pineapple juice
  • 2 Oz. Passionfruit juice

Instructions
 

  • Add your ingredients into a shaker with ice.
  • Shake.
  • Double strain into a collins glass with crushed ice.
  • Garnish with some sort of tropical fruit!

Lady Killer details are here!

#15 Minty Rose 75

The Minty Rose 75
The Minty Rose 75

The Minty Rose 75 with Strawberry and Mint

The Minty Rose 75

A fresh and bright variation of the French 75, with sparkling rosé with berry flavors. And gin, of course!

Equipment

  • Shaker and champagne flute!

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 Oz. Gin
  • .5 Oz. Lime juice
  • .5 Oz. Simple syrup
  • Sparkling rosé to top things off
  • Strawberry to garnish
  • Fresh mint spank it or not for the garnish

Instructions
 

  • In your shaker, add ice to your gin, lime juice and simple syrup.
  • Shake things up. A lot.
  • Strain into your champagne flute.
  • Top with sparkling rosé wine.
  • Garnish with fresh mint, spanked or not, and a strawberry. Or any other berry you like.

So many 75 options! Aside from the Minty Rose 75, you may enjoy these:

Chambord 75

Pamplemousse 75

Cherry Tart 75


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