Simple Summer Spirits

The sun and the sand and a drink in my hand.

Kenny Chesney

Bring on summer! I am so ready for the long warm days stretched out on a poolside lounge chair with an ice cold drink by my side. I am particularly looking forward to the change of season to summer this year because I, like many, have spent more time indoors than ever before.

This will get you in the mood for summer!

Whether you’re headed out to a seating area on the front porch or you plan to lounge casually with friends in your backyard oasis, it’s always fun to have a little drink in hand. Here are three simple summer spirits—each one only three ingredients—easy enough to make and take outside. And they ALL taste like summer!

BLUE CHAIR RUM
I make this one with Kenny Chesney’s Blue Chair Bay White Rum. If you have a favorite light rum, go for it, but for me, you can hardly get more beachfront than Chesney’s tropical tunes. Here’s to Sweet Summertime!

Start with a glass full of ice. Then add:
4 ounces coconut water
2 ounces white rum
Squeeze of Lime
Mint Sprigs

Garnish with a lime wedge and/or mint sprigs, stir and enjoy! The light coconut and rum tastes like refreshing ocean waters on a warm, breezy day. Bonus: coconut water is light on calories and will even bump up your hydration a bit.

BACKYARD STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
This drink is lemonade stand worthy—for adults, of course! It is super simple to make. I even have an optional variation if you prefer to tone down the pucker and go for a sweet little strawberry lemonade.

Start with a glass full of ice. Then add:
4 ounces Topo Chico
2 ounces Lemon/Citrus Infused Vodka (try Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka – yum!)
Optional: Splash of Strawberry Soda

Garnish with a lemon wheel and/or strawberry and a mint sprig, stir and sip! You will be so convinced that you are drinking an ice cold lemonade, I bet it’ll quickly become a summer staple. The Backyard Lemonade is another drink that is light on calories because Top Chico is a zero-calorie mixer.

SPIKED ITALIAN SODA
The Spiked Italian Soda will fool you into thinking you are drinking a rum punch in a beach dive bar—only it’s vodka and a fraction of the calories. This drink can be made a variety of ways, but I chose a Blood Orange Italian Soda from Trader Joe’s. Play with different flavors to see what tickles your tongue!

Start with a glass full of ice. Then add:
4 ounces Italian soda
2 ounces Vodka (Tito’s or Effen Vodka)
Squeeze of Lemon or Lime
Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime, and a sprig of thyme

You can garnish with whatever you have on hand and/or whatever complements the flavor of Italian soda you’ve chosen. If you’re a rum drinker, this drink easily adapts to rum in place of vodka. The key is to keep it simple and have fun experimenting with different variations to make it your own go-to summer drink.

As the day lingers on toward evening, you’ll find that all three of these drinks are easily made on the fly without careful measure. Drink responsibly, of course. But, if you are eager to get back out to the pool, you’ll see that you can pour two thirds of your glass with mixer; top off with the liquor; splash, squeeze, or garnish; and go.