14 Easy Gin Cocktails for Summer

Summer is almost here and it's time to start dusting off those deliciously refreshing cocktails for patio sipping. When the warm weather hits we turn to clear spirits for our cocktails. And of all clear spirits, gin is the king. Gin is the reigning champion of summer and a fascinating drink to explore. It’s light, it’s botanical, it's refreshing and it blends with all manner of juices, sodas and, well, pretty much anything else you can think of. Gin cocktails can range from refreshing sips featuring mint leaves, tonic water and lemon syrup to the bold and bitter like a Negroni, made with dry gin and vermouth and Campari. It’s a real workhorse that deserves a spot on every home bar.

There are thousands of splendid gin cocktails to explore. Some cocktails work best with a specific gin, or in specific gin glasses, some are for acquired tastes and others are reliable and always there for us when we need them. Then let us introduce you to all the best ways to incorporate gin-based cocktails into your summer drinking! To celebrate the warm weather, stir up these delicious, refreshing and thirst-quenching summer cocktails with gin.

14 Best Gin Cocktails

Negroni

The Negroni is the quintessential before-dinner cocktail. Negroni is an aperitif, which means it's a great way to stimulate your appetite before a big dinner. According to legend, the Negroni was created in 1919 by Count Camillo Negroni of Florence, Italy, who asked his waiter to spice up his Americano. This Italian aperitif, made with gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, gives the vibrancy the count was searching for.

Campari is famed for its bitter qualities, so this classic cocktail will take some getting used to. Once you've developed a taste for it, you'll find that few other drinks complement meals as well. It also has a surprising range of cuisines with which it may be combined.

How to Make a Negroni

Ingredients:

• 1 oz (1 part) Campari
• 1 oz (1 part) Gin
• 1 oz (1 part) Sweet red Vermouth

Preparation:

• Stir into glass over ice, garnish and serve.

Gimlet

It's generally speculated that the Gimlet was created during the Jazz Age, and it's not difficult to believe. This cocktail has a sense of sophistication about it. While a piece of smooth jazz music may bring people together, the proper way to make this cocktail is a controversial topic. Although all Gimlets are made with gin, several variations include a splash of lime and simple syrup. Other recipes use a small amount of soda. Some Gimlet lovers (like Raymond Chandler from the 1953 novel "The Long Goodbye") argue that only Rose's lime juice cordial may be used to make a true Gimlet. It's finest served with a slice of lime in any form - you can even use a dehydrated one for an even spiffier look.

The gimlet is a bit sweet, tangy, and acidic all at the same time, adding a great layer of depth to a cocktail world that is frequently overly sweet. Sometimes it may be considered a summer alternative to the classic martini. On hot days, this simple cocktail is truly amazing.

How to Make a Gimlet

Ingredients:

• Four parts Gin
• One part sweetened Lime Juice

Preparation:

• Mix and serve.
• Garnish with a slice of lime.

Martini

The martini is one of the most famous and well-known cocktails in the world. It's also one that not everyone agrees on when it comes to the best way to do it. Gin is required for a classic Martini. The majority of the botanical flavours in gin are juniper-forward. The botanical properties of dry vermouth, the next major ingredient in a classic Martini, complement gin perfectly.

Although a martini should always be served in a chilled glass, the choice of garnish is entirely up to you. Lemon twist or olives? If you choose lemon squeeze the back of a lemon peel over the glass, then rub the peel around the rim to release the oils into the martini. This intensifies the aroma and gives it a new zing. Drop the lemon peel in or toss it out and garnish with a few fresh olives.

How to Make a Martini

Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz (1 part) Dry vermouth
• 3 oz (6 parts) Gin

Preparation:

• Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes.
• Stir well.
• Strain in chilled martini cocktail glass.
• Squeeze oil from lemon peel onto the drink, or garnish with olive.

Gin and Tonic

The traditional gin and tonic have a long and distinguished history, including some genuine medical roots. Legend has it that British soldiers stationed in India were given a daily ration of gin as well as medicinal doses of quinine water to prevent malaria. Soldiers, according to the legend, would mix the two to create the drink we now know as gin and tonic, or G&T for short.

Don't underestimate the gin and tonic just because it's another simple gin cocktail. The cocktail consists of ice, gin, tonic water, and a twist of lime served in the beautiful Copa de Balon glass. Everything is simple to keep on hand and ready to use whenever the mood hits. However, because it's a bit of a blank slate, feel free to jazz it up with lime, mint, a cucumber slice, or a sprig of rosemary.

How to Make a Gin and Tonic

Ingredients:

• 1 part to 3 parts gin (to taste)
• 3 parts tonic water

Preparation:

• In a glass filled with ice cubes, add gin and tonic.

Floradora

The Floradora is somewhat less known than the other gin cocktails. It's famous for two reasons: it highlights the beauty of gin and raspberry, and it makes everyone who drinks it fall in love.

The recipe became viral after being featured on a technology webcast a few years ago, proving the second claim. This classic cocktail was introduced to a new audience, and rave reviews poured in about how wonderful it is in its simplicity. Gin, lime, raspberry, and ginger ale make up the cocktail, and if you haven't tried it yet, you're missing out on a hidden gem of the cocktail world.

How to Make a Floradora

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce crème de framboise liqueur
• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 ounces ginger ale
• Lime wedge, for garnish

Preparation:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Pour the gin, framboise, and lime juice into a highball glass filled with ice.
• Top with ginger ale.
• Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve and enjoy.

Hanky Panky

This sweet gin martini, often known as the hanky panky, is created with Fernet-Branca, a herbal Italian digestivo that gives this beverage a delightful bitter edge. Between 1903 and 1923, Ada "Coley" Coleman introduced the hanky panky at the American Bar in London's Savoy Hotel, and it has remained a favourite dinner-worthy drink in some circles.

How to Make a Hanky Panky

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes Fernet-Branca
• Garnish: orange twist

Preparation:

• Add the gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet-Branca into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with an orange twist.

Monkey Gland

The monkey gland has a clever name, an unexpected source of inspiration, and a pleasant surprise. It all starts with a simple mixture of gin, orange juice, and grenadine. It's fantastic, and you could stop and have a delicious drink right there.

It does, however, require a dash of absinthe to bring it to life, but you must keep the flavour under control or the effect will be ruined. What you're looking for is a subtle hint of anise to provide depth to the drink. It's that final twist that elevates the monkey gland from good to outstanding.

How to Make a Monkey Gland

Ingredients:

• 1 dash absinthe
• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons grenadine, to taste
• Orange slice, or flamed orange peel, for garnish

Preparation:

• Shake well over ice cubes in a shaker, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Aviation Cocktail

The Aviation cocktail was famous for being difficult to create properly until recently. Its main component is creme de violette, which was practically impossible to get by until the modern cocktail renaissance, which resurrected many classics like this.

We can once again enjoy this extremely unusual cocktail now that the lovely purple liqueur is available. Only gin, maraschino, and fresh lemon are needed for the rest of the cocktail. It's a joy, and the violet flavour is something to behold.

How to Make an Aviation Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Gin, 1/2 oz Lemon juice
• 1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur
• Crème de violette or Creme Yvette

Preparation:

• Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice.
• Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a cherry.

Tom Collins

Who is Tom Collins, and why is there a cocktail named after him? According to the legend, there is no such person as Tom Collins. However, there was a running joke that most likely inspired the name of this drink. According to legend, bar guests would enter a bar only to be warned that Tom Collins had a bone to pick with them. The very trusting might become enraged, believing that someone they'd never met was causing them trouble. Tom Collins, on the other hand, never showed up to fulfil his promise since he didn't exist. This strange 19th-century joke didn't last long, but the drink named for him certainly did.

To make this classic gin cocktail you’ll need gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda. Tom Collins, just like many gin cocktails on a hot day is a terrific way to cool down and refresh. Combine two parts gin, one part freshly squeezed lemon juice, and half a part simple syrup in a highball glass to make this drink. Fill it halfway with ice, then top it off with club soda and swirl well. Garnish with a slice of lemon and, if you're feeling fancy, a cherry on top. Tom Collins himself would be a fan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOGGgRKznNs

French 75

A French 75 is the perfect gin drink for when you want something strong and festive. It's made with gin and champagne, and it has the gin's alcohol content and botanical flavour, as well as the acidic sweetness of lemon and the sparkle of some beautifully bubbly wine. It's light and refreshing with a twist of lemon on top, yet it delivers more punch than Champagne alone.

For this cocktail, you'll need simple syrup, which you can buy prepared or create by yourself by combining 50/50 sugar and water on the stovetop, or by blending the same ratio of honey to water.

How to Make a French 75

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Gin
• 1/2 oz Lemon juice
• 2 Dashes Simple syrup
• 2 oz Champagne

Preparation:

• Combine gin, syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
• Shake vigorously and strain into an iced champagne glass.
• Top up with Champagne.
• Stir gently.

Gin-Gin Mule

Mules aren't just for the Russian capital. Instead of vodka, the ginger-lime mule can be made with gin, bourbon, or other spirits, with interesting results. Pegu Club in New York City has done just that with the gin-gin mule, one of their signature drinks. Instead of vodka, this cocktail uses gin, which complements the strong ginger flavour. Lime juice, simple syrup, mint, gin, and ginger beer are combined in this refreshing cocktail, which can be enhanced with a candied ginger garnish.

How to Make a Gin-Gin Mule

Ingredients:

• 8 mint leaves
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 4 to 5 ounces ginger beer, to taste
• Mint sprig, for garnish

Preparation:

• In a shaker, muddle the mint sprig, simple syrup and lime juice.
• Add the gin, ginger beer and ice, and shake until well-chilled.
• Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
• Garnish with a mint sprig.

Gin Fizz

A traditional gin fizz is a sweeter variation of the ultra-traditional gin and tonic. Consider this an introductory drink to the world of gin if you're hesitant to go full bitter.

Instead of tonic water, for a gin fizz, you should use club soda. For this gin cocktail you can use a gin glass with thick stem. Then add some lemon juice and powdered sugar for some acidic sweetness to balance out the club soda's carbonated bubbles. This cocktail is light and bubbly, and it's simple to create in a hurry. If you're serving a crowd, you can easily scale up the recipe, making it ideal for get-togethers where you'd rather spend time with your friends than work behind the bar.

How to Make a Gin Fizz

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 1 egg white (about 1/2 ounce)
• Club soda, to top (about 1 ounce)

Preparation:

• Add the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white to a shaker and vigorously dry-shake (without ice) for about 15 seconds.
• Add 3 or 4 ice cubes and shake vigorously until well-chilled.
• Double-strain into a chilled Collins glass and top with club soda.

Singapore Sling

According to legend, bartender Ngiam Tong Boon invented the Singapore Sling in 1915 at Singapore's Raffles Hotel. Because it was considered impolite for women to drink alcohol, they were excluded from enjoying the same gin and whiskey as their male counterparts. Tong Boon got around this by inventing a bright cocktail that looked like fruit juice and allowed women to drink discreetly. We're no longer so subtle about our affection for Slings.

This classic is known for a few things: it contains gin, citrus, cherry brandy, and soda; it is poured over ice, and it is red. Pineapple, a red wine or sloe gin float, Benedictine, Cointreau, grenadine, and other flavours have been added since then. The greatest advice is to try out all of the recipes and pick the one that you enjoy the most.

How to Make a Singapore Sling

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce Bénédictine Liqueur
• 1/2 ounce cherry liqueur
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce simple syrup
• 2 ounces club soda
• Lemon slice, for garnish
• Maraschino cherry, for garnish

Preparation:

• Add the gin, Benedictine, Grand Marnier, cherry liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice and bitters into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
• Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice, and top with the club soda.
• Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.

Southside

The Southside, like many gin drink recipes, is a straightforward gin cocktail made with common ingredients such as gin, mint, citrus, and simple syrup. With a few essential changes, this gin drink takes it to the next level. There could be some spiced gin, a lot more mint, and cocktail bitters as an option. The final product is a gin drink with a light sweetness and plenty of flavours.

How to Make a Southside

Ingredients:

• 5 mint leaves
• 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• Garnish: mint sprig

Preparation:

• Add the mint leaves and lemon juice into a shaker and gently muddle.
• Add the gin and simple syrup with ice, and shake until well-chilled.
• Double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a mint sprig.

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