11 Summer Vodka Drinks to Keep You Refreshed
Summer vodka drinks have a few advantages, including sweet berries, ripe melon, and bountiful fresh herbs. And those advantages mean that these summer cocktails tend to be low on fuss and big on flavor. They’re also high on the refreshment scale, whether you pick a frozen drink or just a long, tall cooler packed with ice. Below you’ll find a few of our hot weather favorites, including spiked lemonades, fun takes on the Bloody Mary, and cooling vodka cocktails that lean on grilled ingredients for concentrated flavor and a touch of smoke. And yes, it’s time to ditch your standard martini for a version that’s on the rocks. Scroll down to find 11 ways to turn that vodka in your freezer into the perfect summer drink for your next happy hour.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson1/11Blackberry-Cucumber Mule
Ripe summer blackberries are packed with flavor. Here, you'll muddle a few with cooling cucumber and mint before adding vodka (or gin), lemon, and simple syrup.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton2/11Frozen Moscow Mule
For the ultimate in refreshing summer vodka drinks, you'll make a richly-flavored ginger syrup, mix with vodka, lime, and salt, and then stash it in the freezer until you blend it up with ice at happy hour. It's a frozen drink method that means the ice in your blender won't melt too quickly.
Photo by Gentl & Hyers3/11Thyme Out
When you're grilling chicken or veggies, don't forget that cocktails are better on the grill, too! Halved lemons pick up a bit a char over the flames.
Photo by Lizzie Munro4/11Martini-on-the-Rocks
You might normally enjoy your martini up—that is, without any ice—but on a super hot day, that cocktail coupe warms up fast. The move: This super-relaxed, no-fuss martini, mixed right in the glass.
Photo by Eric Medsker. Images Courtesy of Penguin Randomhouse Publisher & Getty Images.9/11Green Bay Bloody Mary
Looking for a new brunch drink for summer? This refreshing green cocktail is made with cucumber, tart tomatillo, parsley, lemon, and green Tabasco. Feel free to use whatever vodka you have on hand.
Malú Alvarez. Food styling: Michelle Gatton. Prop styling: Brian Heiser10/11Grilled Bloody Mary
Grilling fresh tomatoes concentrates their flavor, making them super delicious in this homemade Bloody Mary mix.
