4 refreshing cocktail recipes for sunny days

Long days, warm nights and a drink that’s as bright as the season. Summer just isn’t summer without a good cocktail in hand.

Citrusy spritzes, tropical blends, icy fruit fusions — these recipes crafted by some of the best bartenders and drink enthusiasts in New Jersey are all about easy mixing, fresh flavors and maximum refreshment.

Grab your shaker, raid the fruit bowl and toast to the best season of the year. Check out the four summer cocktail recipes below.

The White House Swing

“This drink is all about balance — strength and sweetness, elegance and boldness. With crisp Riesling, fresh mint, ripe strawberries, floral elderflower liqueur and a touch of vodka for that extra kick, it’s a cocktail fit for a First Lady (or anyone who just wants to channel their inner powerhouse).”

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

3 ounces Riesling (or any sweet white wine)

1.5 ounces vodka

1 ounces elderflower liqueur

2 strawberries, halved

Juice from 1 lime

1 mint sprig

Instructions

1. In a shaker filled with ice, put in the strawberries, mint, and lime juice.

2. Add in Riesling, vodka, and elderflower liqueur.

3. Shake and pour unstrained into a glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and slice of lime for an extra touch of class.

– Nina Naval, owner of The Pouring Pages

Fernet About It

“This drink came to be when a guest asked for a fernet sour. The iced tea plays well with the herbal flavors of fernet, and the spice of the rye ties it all together. A little Averna adds depth and complexity.”

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

1.25 ounces High West Double Rye

0.5 ounces Fernet Branca

0.5 ounces iced tea

0.75 ounces fresh lemon juice

0.5 ounces simple syrup

1 teaspoon Averna

1 egg white

Ice

Instructions

1. Add everything (except ice) to a shaker.

2. Dry shake (shake hard without ice) for 10 to 15 seconds.

3. Add ice, then shake again (wet shake) for another 10 to 15 seconds.

4. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.

– Colette Dante, bartender at Judy & Harry’s and Watermark in Asbury Park

Señor Pepino y Friends

“As we wind down the season, the garden starts looking like it needs a shave. And that’s a good thing — this is where the abundance of peppers and cucumber come in handy. Think of this cocktail like inviting Margarita over for summer dinner, except she shows up with friends.”

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

2 ounces tequila

1 ounces agave syrup (equal parts hot water to agave syrup)

1 ounce lime juice

Salt and pepper

3 cucumber wheels

1 slice serrano or jalapeno pepper

Instructions

1. In a shaker, muddle the cucumber slices with the hot pepper of your choice.

2. Add the tequila, lime juice, and agave syrup.

3. Add a dash of salt and cracked pepper.

4. Add ice to your shaker;  shake and finely strain into a rocks glass.

5. Make it pretty with a cucumber wheel sprinkled with another round of black cracked pepper. 

– Carlos Victoria, co-owner of upcoming Kokuyo Cocktail Bar in Roselle

Milk Poncha

“The Milk Poncha is a clarified milk punch version of a traditional cocktail from the island of Madeira. Something I had when I was 18 when I was visiting with my grandmother and I’ve always wanted to elevate it”

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

2 ounces Agricole Rum

1 ounce Lemon Juice

1 ½ ounce Orange Juice

½ ounce Lemon Orange Oleo

½ ounce Chinola

2 bar spoons honey

1.5 ounces of milk

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except for milk.

2. Pour cocktail into the milk.

3. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter.

4. For proper clarification, the beginning liquid that comes out of the straining process may still have some cloudiness due to the milk solids not forming the filter bed properly in the beginning of the filtering run. This is normal until it starts straining out clear allow it to filter normally once it starts filtering clear move the straining product to another vessel and pour what initially ran gently back into the strainer so as not to disturb the settled milk solids. Once your whole cocktail is completely clarified add a 1/4 oz of the rum back into the cocktail because some of that rum bite will be lost in the clarification process.

– Steven Viana, Senior Bartender at Lita

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Lauren Musni may be reached at lmusni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Laurengmusni and on Instagram. Find NJ.com on Facebook.