Top 10 Cocktails - Best Summer Drinks with Recipes

Nothing refreshes on a hot summer afternoon like the perfect cocktail. Whether on a fancy, multi-level patio or in the cozy confines of your own backyard, alcoholic summer drinks provide a perfect complement to spending time with friends and family.

But finding the perfect pick is not as easy as opening a cocktail book and randomly selecting a drink. No, the perfect summer drink must meet a certain set of standards: light, refreshing and '" above all else '" something that actually tastes good!

The following is a list of the top 10 summer cocktails, with descriptions and also detailed recipes for creating these seasonal concoctions when a bartender is nowhere to be found. But first, one quick note: your cocktails will only be as good as the worst ingredients you use. And this applies to ingredients other than just the spirits. Sugary, pre-mixed juices and poor quality fruit will ruin summer cocktails just the same as cheap booze.

10.) Collins

Neat, simple and classic, a collins can be made several different ways. Vodka is arguably the most refreshing. Light enough to serve as a just-before-dinner cocktail, but complex enough to enjoy all night.

Fill a collins glass (14 oz.) with ice and add the following ingredients:

- 2 parts vodka
- 1 part sour (that's equal parts lemon and lime juice)
- A pinch of powdered sugar
- Fill with soda water and stir
- Garnish with orange, cherry or similar seasonal fruit that looks fresh

9.) Mojito

These Caribbean cocktails are popular poolside drinks at many American resorts and restaurants. Tart and refreshing, substituting different kinds of mint can shake things up with this classic.

Start with a collins glass and add juice from ½ of a small lime, ½ an ounce of simple syrup (that's sugar dissolved in an equal volume of water), and a handful of fresh mint leaves:

Muddle these ingredients in the bottom of the glass (muddle means gently press the leaves against the bottom of the glass to extract the oils - don't tear or shred)

- Fill with ice
- Add 2 ounces of light rum
- Fill with soda water and stir
- Garnish with additional mint leaves

8.) Margarita

The margarita is a regular at summer parties and get-togethers because of its mass appeal and because it is easy to make. And because it contains tequila.

Margaritas can be made frozen in a blender or on ice. Add the following ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice:

- 1¾ parts tequila
- 1 part triple sec (go with the nicer, higher proof brands)
- 1 part fresh lime juice
- Shake and pour over ice in any cocktail glass (or blend)

7.) Old Fashioned

Many people associate the old fashioned cocktail with dark, smoky rooms of the business world's elite - not the typical idea of "summer fun." However, when properly made an old fashioned can be a near-perfect summer cocktail.

Add an orange slice, 2 maraschino cherries, a heavy dash of bitters and a pinch of sugar to a lowball glass (9 oz.) and muddle ingredients. Add 2-3 large ice cubes, fill with bourbon whiskey (3-4 oz.) and stir.

6.) French 75

For anyone who assumes that any cocktail containing champagne is meant strictly for ladies, consider that this feisty summer drink gets its name from the 75mm, WWI-era howitzer cannon

- 2 parts gin
- A pinch of sugar
- ½ part lemon juice
- 4 parts champagne

Combine first three ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Transfer to a flute and top with champagne.

5.) Black Eyed Susan

The official drink of the Preakness Stakes is also an unofficial drink of summer. Light and refreshing, this cocktail packs a punch.

Combine ingredients in a highball glass (14 oz.) and stir. Garnish with maraschino cherries and lime wedges.

- 1 oz. bourbon whiskey
- ¾ oz. vodka
- 3 oz. sour
- 2 oz. orange juice

4.) Sidecar

Apparently named for a French soldier in Paris during WWI, this cocktail is a nice change of pace for a summer drink. It also gives you a chance to use congac.

Rub the rim of a lowball glass with a lemon and then spin the edge of the glass in sugar, coating the rim. Fill with ice and add the following ingredients:

- 1 ¼ parts VS or VSOP grade cognac ("Very Special" and "Very Special Old Pale")
- 1 part triple sec (go with the nicer, higher proof brands - Cointreau, for instance)
- 1 part fresh lemon juice
- Stir

3.) Mint Julep

Yes, another "official" horseracing drink (The Kentucky Derby), but this summer cocktail is perfect anytime between April and September. The mint magically cuts the sharp finish of the whiskey, leaving only carmely-sweet. But don't be fooled - other than the mint it's essentially a glass of bourbon!

Start with a collins glass and add ½ an ounce of simple syrup (that's sugar dissolved in an equal volume of water), and a handful of fresh mint leaves:

Muddle these ingredients in the bottom of the glass (muddle means gently press the leaves against the bottom of the glass to extract the oils - don't tear or shred)

Fill with ice and bourbon (4-5 oz.)

2.) Negroni

This classic aperitif is a great way to kick off a cookout. While the classic recipe is a multi-season treat, the addition of tangerine to this take is ideal for hot fun in the summer time.

Combine ingredients with ice in a lowball glass. Garnish with tangerine twist.

- 1 part gin
- 1 part sweet vermouth
- 1 part Campari
- ½ part tangerine juice

1.) Miami Vice

Created at the Barn Pool in Columbus, Ohio, the Miami Vice cocktail is a combination of two summer staples - the frozen strawberry daiquiri and the pina colada. The two drinks are layered, either side-by-side or on top of each other. The combination of sweet, sour and tart tastes eerily similar to the candy, Smarties.

Strawberry Daiquiri:

- 1 ¼ oz. light rum
- ½ cup frozen strawberries
- ½ cup ice
- ½ oz. lime juice
- Blend and set aside

Pina Colada:

- 1 ¼ oz. light rum
- 2 oz. coconut cream
- 2 oz. pineapple juice
- ½ cup ice
- Blend and set aside

Either simultaneously pour both mixtures into a collins glass, or layer one on top of the other.