Effervescent Escapes: Bright and Breezy Summer Cocktails

As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, there’s no better time to embrace the vibrant flavors of summer with cocktails that celebrate the season’s freshest ingredients. Crafting delightful concoctions using botanical spirits and homegrown produce allows you to create a refreshing experience that captures the essence of carefree moments.

Whether you’re hosting a garden party or enjoying a sunny afternoon on the porch, these bright and bubbly beverages will whisk you away to a world of flavor and fun. Let’s explore how to elevate your summer sipping with a mixology adventure that dances between the classic and the contemporary, the floral and the fruity, and the shimmering delights of effervescence.

The Earth Laughs in Flowers

Experience the essence of summer with brilliant botanicals, because what delights your eyes will be delish in your glass!

Let’s jump right into the must-haves: Hendrick’s Gin ($42.99) has notes of cool cucumber and rose. Local favorites include Bluecoat Elderflower Dry Gin ($36.99) with a heady infusion of organic elderflower; The Revivalist Summertide Expression Botanical Gin ($29.99) with whispers of jasmine, rose, summer grasses and citrus; The Revivalist Equinox Expression Botanical Gin ($29.99) with notes of spring blossoms, calming herbs and refreshing citrus; and Penn Square Lavender Vodka ($29.99), deeply infused with lavender intensity, making it great for mixing.

But don’t stop there — look to your own garden and to the indigenous wildflowers of our beautiful Delaware Valley for edible flowers to add pizzazz to your creations. Penn State Extension, every local gardener’s best friend, has lists of edible landscape blooms as well as herbs and edible flowers. What could be more boho chic than tiptoeing barefoot in the sun while popping a fresh-picked flower into your glass from your cocktail-friendly garden? For more ideas, see “Flavorful Flora: Enjoying Edible Flowers” in the May 2025 issue of County Lines Magazine.

Brighten Up

Botanical spirits “lighten up” cocktails that are fruit-, flower- or herb-based. Expand your mixology repertoire with sparkling wines and seltzers for modern drinks that are lower in alcohol, more refreshing and just a bit more sophisticated and fun.

For boosts of flavor and color, add other fruit and botanical liqueurs, such as Villa Massa Limoncello ($27.99), Midori Melon Liqueur ($24.99), Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette Liqueur ($30.99) and Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur ($34.99).

It’s Hot! Pop the Cork on ’80s Classics

When temperatures are in the 80s, try kickin’ it old school with vintage cocktails with a contemporary twist! The vibrant and eclectic flavors and colors of the 1980s continue to inspire cocktail enthusiasts, making vintage recipes the perfect foundation for summer refreshers. Blending classic ’80s favorites with the effervescence of champagne and the zing of ginger beer creates dazzling drinks that dance on the palate.

Imagine a fruity Long Island iced tea reimagined with a sparkling twist of Fever Tree Ginger Beer Nonalcoholic ($5.99) or the naughtily named sex on the beach elevated with a splash of bubbly. Try budget-friendly mixable sparkling wines, like Sun Goddess Prosecco ($12.99) with fruity aromas of apple, pear and peach. Or add a splash of a clean, crisp, citrusy chenin blanc-based Chairman’s Selection, Prince Alexandre Crémant de Loire Brut ($13.99). These whimsical cocktails pay homage to a beloved decade and bring an exciting twist to modern summer sipping. Which brings us to …

My Blue Heaven

The blue lagoon was THE quintessential ’80s tropical vacation libation thanks to the magical ingredient of Bols Blue Curaçao Liqueur ($13.49). It tastes like fresh oranges, which makes it incredibly mixable in almost anything. It inspired an ocean of blue, green and purple tipples, and the list grows every year. This is especially popular during wedding season as new signature cocktails are invented, and guests are always surprised and excited when blue cocktails make an appearance. And yes, all of them, thanks to that citrus flavor profile, can mix into sparkling wine!

The Garden Delights — Nature’s Best Flavors

Embracing the farm-to-glass movement, cocktails that incorporate fresh produce from home gardens or our many local farmers markets are vibrant and packed with flavor and nutrition. Cocktails infused with fragrant basil, heirloom tomatoes and juicy cucumbers, incorporating seasonal fruits like berries, peaches and even fresh mint ensures that every sip showcases the unique taste of homegrown summertime goodness. By harnessing the bounty of our local farms and gardens, these cocktails celebrate nature’s finest flavors and invite you to savor the fruits of your labor in a refreshing way.

This summer, let your sipping not only quench your thirst but nourish your spirit, making every gathering feel like a celebration of the Earth’s living beauty. Please drink and entertain responsibly and enjoy a brilliant,
luscious summer filled with sunny days and clear blue skies. Cheers!

Liz Tarditi, WSET II, is an entrepreneur and classically trained chef with 35 years’ experience in the culinary world. She holds a degree from Villanova University and graduated with honors from the Culinary Arts program at the Art Institute of Seattle. Liz has worked for Fine Wine & Good Spirits for several years, becoming a Wine Specialist in 2020. She enjoys pairing wine and food for special events and celebrations. See Liz at the Villanova Fine Wine & Good Spirits location.