Our Favorite Summer Cocktails - 2024 Edition

November 08, 2024

Learn How To Make Our Go-To Summer Cocktails With These Easy To Follow Recipes

High Camp is excited to announce our new Summer Cocktail Series. We've gathered four of our favorite summer cocktail recipes that are guaranteed to elicit a refreshing "ahh". What makes a summer cocktail, you ask? First off, it’s gotta be refreshing - you won’t find heavy drinks on this list. Secondly, we’ve strived for a mix of flavors that dance on the palette like a sunbeam on the ocean.

Scroll through these easy and quick recipes then imagine yourself sipping one on a sun-dappled patio, at the beach or poolside with friends, or even feet-up at your home oasis with each drink adding its own splash of sunshine to the scene. That’s the beauty of High Camp Flasks, you can make these cocktails at home, then take them with you using one of our go-anywhere adventure flasks.

Gin Cocktail Recipes For Summer

As summer unfurls its warmth, we find ourselves drawn to the refreshing allure of gin-based cocktails. Gin, with its unique botanical bouquet, seems to mirror the relaxing energy of the season. Its blend of juniper, citrus, and herbal notes forms a vibrant backdrop for a host of summer ingredients, creating drinks that are as cool and reviving as a dip in the pool. Anyone can enjoy the sparkling clarity of a classic gin and tonic or the fresh taste of a cucumber-infused gimlet, but these gin cocktails encapsulate the essence of summer, making every sip feel like a mini-vacation under the sun.

How To Make A Bee Sting - A Refreshing Gin Cocktail With A Kick

Allow us to introduce you to the Bee Sting, a fiery twist on the classic Bee's Knees cocktail. This refresher blends gin's botanical notes, the sweetness of honey, and the zest of fresh lemon juice, to which we add an unexpected sting. A generous splash of Ancho Reyes Liquor imbues the cocktail with a warm, spicy depth, while a jalapeño garnish gives each sip a playful bite. The Bee Sting is a brilliant balance of sweet and heat, a captivating summer cocktail that's sure to create a delightful buzz in your sunny-day repertoire. Pair this cocktail with grilled carne asada tacos or any summer evening cookout for maximum effect.

Recipe Sized For A High Camp Torch Flask

• 2 ounces Gin
• 1 ounce Ancho Reyes Liquor
• ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
• ¾ ounce honey simple syrup
• sliced jalapeños for garnish
• fresh thyme for garnish

2x this recipe for the High Camp Firelight 375 Flask

4x this recipe for the High Camp Firelight 750 Flask

Instructions

1. Combine all liquid ingredients with ice in your cocktail shaker (check out our Highball Shaker if you don’t have one).
2. Then add a few sliced jalapeños for an extra kick.
3. Shake well.
4. Pour into your preferred High Camp Flask or tumbler.
5. Garnish with lemon zest, sliced jalapeños, and fresh thyme.

How To Make A Gin-Tito - Like A Mojito But With Gin!

Another twist on a classic, the Gin-Tito replaces traditional rum in a mojito with the crisp, botanical richness of gin. Each sip of the Gin-Tito promises a crisp and vibrant journey, where fresh mint and lime tangos with gin's nuanced and floral flavor, all lifted by the gentle fizz of club soda. The resulting cocktail is light, revitalizing, and beautifully balanced, making it the perfect companion for a hot summer's day. Whether you're lounging by the pool or hosting a sun-soaked garden party, the Gin-Tito is a cool breeze in cocktail form, bound to make your summer moments sparkle.

Recipe Sized For A High Camp Torch Flask

• 2 ounces gin
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• Half of a lime, sliced
• 4-5 mint leaves
• 2 ounces soda water

2x this recipe for the High Camp Firelight 375 Flask

4x this recipe for the High Camp Firelight 750 Flask

Instructions

1. Add the lime, mint leaves, simple syrup and gin to a shaker.
2. Muddle gently. Enough to express and blend the flavors without shredding the mint leaves.
3. Add ice and shake well.
4. Pour into your preferred High Camp Flask or Tumbler
5. Top off with about 2 ounces of soda water.

Bourbon Cocktail Recipes For Summer

There's an undeniable allure to bourbon-based summer cocktails. The distinct richness of bourbon, with its notes of vanilla, oak, and caramel, provides a robust foundation that mingles beautifully with a variety of seasonal flavors. From the juicy burst of fresh fruits to the crisp bite of mint, bourbon pairs wonderfully, adding depth and a warm, smoky undercurrent that's surprisingly refreshing. A well-crafted bourbon cocktail, sipped slowly on a hot summer day, can feel like time spent in the shade, a moment of respite from the blazing sun. It’s a balance of bold and refreshing that makes bourbon cocktails a delicious summer paradox.

How To Make A Bourbon Arnold Palmer - A Refreshing Gin Cocktail With A Kick

Next up, we have the Bourbon Arnold Palmer. This simple, yet delicious summer sip is inspired by both the non-alcoholic summer classic of similar name and the vodka-based golf course staple, the “John Daly.” Not all summer cocktails need to be complex as this one effortlessly blends the laid-back pleasure of a classic iced tea-and-lemonade duo with the warm, oaky notes of bourbon. So, whether you're a golf enthusiast or simply a summer cocktail fan, the Bourbon Arnold Palmer is an invigorating par for the course.

Recipe Sized For A High Camp Torch Flask

• 1.5 ounces bourbon
• 1.5 ounces iced tea
• 1.5 ounces lemonade
• ½ ounce honey

2x this recipe for the High Camp Firelight 375 Flask

4x this recipe for the High Camp Firelight 750 Flask

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients and ice in a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake well
3. Pour into your preferred flask or tumbler.
4. Simple, enjoy!

How To Make A Near Miss - A Refreshing An Fruity Bourbon Cocktail

Finally, we have the Near Miss, a bourbon cocktail that celebrates the fresh fruit of the season. This drink pairs the smooth, robust tones of bourbon with the sweetness of muddled raspberries, a kick of tartness with lemon and grapefruit, and a refreshing hit of mint. Each sip offers a nuanced dance of sweet, sour, and spirituous elements, making the Near Miss an exciting adventure in a glass. Ideal for summer, it's the perfect cocktail to beat the heat and hit the spot from your back patio, to the beach, to your favorite summer hike.

Recipe Sized For A High Camp Firelight 375 Flask

• 4 ounces bourbon
• 3 lemon wedges
• A handful of raspberries
• 3-4 grapefruit zest twists
• 3-4 mint leaves
• 4 ounces soda water

1/2x this recipe for the High Camp Torch Flask

2x this recipe for the High Camp Firelight 750 Flask

Instructions

1. Add the lemon wedges, raspberries, grapefruit twists, and mint leaves to your shaker.
2. Muddle gently. Enough to juice the lemon and express and blend the flavors without shredding the mint leaves.
3. Add bourbon and some ice to the shaker then shake all ingredients well.
4. Top off with 4 ounces of club soda.
5. Strain into the High Camp Flask or tumbler of your choice.

Also in News