Hot sunny days, friends all round, food and drink flowing freely – that’s what summer’s all about. But when it comes to the drinks, what do you do? Our 7 favourite easy summer cocktails are perfect party pours!

I’m a firm believer that every drink has its place. From that icy cold beer at the end of a long day to a little drop of sweet port after an indulgent meal, I reckon there’s a perfect time for pretty much everything.

As Australia gets ready for her summer months, we’re all gearing up for the party season.

Mrs Romance and I are always on the lookout for that cocktail or punch that fits perfectly with a summer party. It needs to be light and refreshing, not too sweet or heavy, and most of all a bit of fun.

7 easy summer cocktails that will beat the heat this summer!

Italian summer

– 2 measures Tuaca
– 1 measure lime juice
– Top up with soda water over lots of ice

Tuaca is an ancient brandy liqueur from Tuscany, and it’s got a delicious fruity, vanilla flavour. When you add the lime juice, it takes the sweetness down a notch and the sparkling water turns this into a really refreshing (and not too alcoholic) cocktail.

We discovered Tuaca ages ago when we first started stocking our home bar. It’s pretty cheap for a spirit and you can find it in most good bottle shops.

Scorpion Bowl

– 500ml Bacardi Carta Blanca rum
– 100ml brandy
– 600ml orange juice
– 400ml lemon juice
– 100ml Disaronno amaretto almond liqueur
– To serve: orange, lemon and lime slices, and mint springs

PRO TIP: Instead of using Bacardi and brandy, try this amazing Australian black spiced rum from Stone Pine Distillery in Bathurst, NSW. Grab a bottle here.

Check out this cool Disaronno bottle by the way – it’s their latest limited edition Christmas collaboration with the international avant garde clothing label Etro.

You can pick one up from your local bottle shop in Australia including BWS, Dan Murphy’s, First Choice, Vintage Cellars, Liquorland, and quality independent retailers for around $45.

Barbados punch

– 150 ml Mount Gay Rum
– 45 ml lime juice (about 2 limes)
– 600 ml sparkling apple juice, chilled
– 15 mint leaves, torn
– 1 Granny Smith apple, cut into 8 slices
– 1 lime, cut into 8 slices
– Mint sprigs to serve

PRO TIP: Give this one an Aussie flavour with a beautiful Australian rum instead of using Mount Gay. Stone Pine rum from Bathurst, NSW is amazing as is Black Gate’s rum from Mendooran, NSW. You can buy them both here.

Spring fling

(on the right in the above shot)

– 1 cm-thick cucumber slice
– 5 mint leaves
– 15ml sugar syrup or 1tsp caster sugar
– 45ml Tanqueray gin
– 60ml apple juice
– 15ml lemon juice
– Long cucumber slices to serve

PRO TIP: Make this cocktail with Australian gin – it’s way better than anything else out there. Instead of Tanqueray, try our favourites Stone Pine gin from Bathurst or Loch Distillery’s gin from Victoria. You can buy them both here.

Frozen grape sangria

– 500g seedless red grapes
– 1 large red apple, chopped
– 1 lemon, thinly sliced
– ¼ cup superfine sugar
– 2 bottles medium-bodied red wine (such as Merlot)
– 1 cup grape juice
– ½ cup vodka
– 4 cup Ice

Divide ¾ of the grapes up and freeze for 2 hours then add them into up to 8 glasses. Add rest of ingredients in a pitcher

PRO TIP: Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before serving. If you mix the sugar in a little hot water, the sugar crystals will dissolve into the drink better.

Honeyed cherry daiquiri

– 8 sweet cherries, pitted
– 2 oz. light rum
– 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice, plus slice for garnish
– 1 tbsp. Honey
– Dash of bitters (such as Peychaud’s)
– 1/4 oz. maraschino liqueur (optional)

Muddle cherries in mixer. Add everything else and shake till chilled. Strain into glass.

PRO TIP: because this is a short drink, the higher quality rum you use, the better. Avoid Bundaberg and look for other Aussie rums. Black Gate and Hoochery make some of the best Aussie rums you’ll find. You can buy them both here.

Wendy’s punch

– 1 cup of vodka
– 1.5 litres cranberry juice
– 1.25 litres lemonade
– 1 lime sliced
– 1 lemon sliced
– Mixed berries – frozen
– Jug or punch bowl
– Thin strips of orange rind to garnish

PRO TIP: If this punch is too sweet, use half soda water and half lemonade. If you’re looking for an Aussie vodka, Small Mouth from Sydney is our favourite – but it’s a bit too nice just to put in a punch bowl.

Wendy’s Punch comes from a close family friend who made this one Christmas. It’s delicious. In fact we liked it so much, we included it in our cocktail book. What? We’ve written a cocktail book?

Yes indeed, and for more cocktail tips and tricks, and some awesome ideas for how to chuck a great cocktail party, make sure you check out our cocktail ebook here!

What do you usually drink when the sun’s beating down? Do you have a go-to tipple for barbies in the garden? Tell us in the comments!

Images by Mrs Romance and courtesy of the respective online recipes.