Favorite Summer Cocktails

Everyone's heard of an old fashion but try this: use a good Vodka (I like Kettle One) instead of bourbon or whiskey and make sure you use only 1 drop of Bitters. Skoal!!

Planters Punch, makes you forget how hot you are!

The spritz con aperol sounds delicious.
A slightly prickly Vinho Verde from Portugal is nice - no need to make it into a sprotzer. It already is verry slightly bubbly, young, dry.... and best of all cheap!
We have been making Sangria a bit too. Bery straightforward, keeps a while and fabulously refreshing

A Spritz con Aperol is great for hot weather - relatively low alcohol and very refreshing: cold prosecco mixed with aperol (similar to Campari) to taste - I usually use about 1/3 - and a slice of orange. They once saved me from delirium, during an Inferno-level heatwave in Venice. Also, Panaches - lager mixed with 'lemonade' (the Euro version: not too sweet, lightly fizzy lemon soda)....instant Paris cafe on a hot afternoon.

Bees knees= Gin, lemon, and honey.
Calimocho= Equal parts red wine and coke. It's way better than it sounds.

The Wisdom: muddle shaved cucumber and two sprigs of basil in an 8 oz. stemmed glass with 2 jiggers citrus vodka and 1jigger St. Germain (elderflower liqueur). Add two ice cubes and sparkling water to taste. A lemon slice looks and tastes good too.

A Dark & Stormy - my favorite thing for warm evenings. As long as you can find the ginger beer, they're a cinch - one part dark rum (Goslings Black Seal is perfect) and two parts ginger beer. Lime or mint are tasty additions!

This isn't a cocktail but if u like white wine u might enjoy this , magners pear cider, it is light crisp and fruity, not too sweet.

A nice glass of sangria... I don't often drink Pimms... But when I do, I always think I should drink more of it! As the advert says, it's always Pimms o clock!

I'm a fan of Mojitos or Gin Gimlets myself

Agua fresca (any fruit) and Shrubs (strawberry basil) - not exactly cocktails, but there's nothing like them on warm day.

Caipirinha!!! And although I'm sitting here all wrapped and cold (it's autumn in Brazil,and my hometown is up on a hill 850 meters high) I could go for one right now! In a short glass(a scotch glass would be fine) crush some lime slices with some suggar,add ice-crushed or cubes and last but not least:Cachaça(brazilian eau de vie) for authenticity.Vodka for practicality.With vodka,you 'll have a Caipivodka or Caipiroska...and you can use othe fruits:then it becomes a Caipifruta.Passion fruit or strawberries are my favorites for it.Cheers...or as we brasilian say it:TinTin!

Here in Seattle it is raining and 55 - we will consider it a heat wave if it gets above 60 this week-end!
Here is a wonderful drink http://food52.com/recipes/13319_boozy_watermelon_rosemary_lemonade
And last night we had Thirschfield's http://food52.com/recipes/3702_lemon_lime_margaritas which are very easy to make. Of course, we had them in front of the fire - sigh.

I usually stick to beer and wine but when I DO go booze, I figure go ridiculous. You need a few things and a blender, but it's easy:

http://www.food52.com/recipes/13205_the_bushwhacker

do NOT make an afternoon of these. Trust me. One per customer.

I hear you, it's about 90 and humid in Charleston. I was hooked on wssmom's West Ender (http://www.food52.com/recipes/13329_west_ender) during a heat wave last summer. I sometimes swap vinho verde for the gin = super refreshing.

Pimms & Dry can't be beat! It's just Pimms No 1 Cup and dry ginger ale, garnished with a slice of cucumber and/or orange.

Perfect for a hot day (and also an excellent hair of the dog I might add).