Best Summer Cocktail Recipes for At-Home Entertaining

Michael Madrusan’s Negroni Sbagliato
Mikey Braun’s tepache
Sian Redgrave’s whisky, ginger and yuzu spritz
Caffe e Cucina’s Rosso di Sera
The Roosevelt’s Salerno Sunset
Sam Smith’s Luchador’s Breakfast
Chin Chin’s Thai lemon lime and bitters swizzle

Make a statement (and avoid a last-minute bottle-o run) with a carefully selected, well-made cocktail by one of the country’s best bartenders. We have a Negroni Sbagliato, Amalfi-inspired sips, a twist on the Paloma, an alcohol-free mix and more.

Drinks can too often be an afterthought when we’re entertaining – who here among us hasn’t made a last-minute bottle-o dash or served cocktails whipped up from whatever’s on the bar cart? This summer, plan ahead. Serve your guests a cocktail that makes an impression and starts (or ends) your party on a celebratory note, using recipes from some of the country’s best bartenders. And for even more inspiration you could lean on the drinks 12 top chefs have ready for when their guests arrive.

Michael Madrusan’s Negroni Sbagliato

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Think of the Negroni Sbagliato as a lighter take on a Negroni, or a boozier version of an Americano. It’s a refreshing blend of sweet vermouth, Campari and sparkling wine that’s the perfect welcome drink for your next summer party. Its name means “wrong” or “messed up” in Italian – but if this is wrong, we don’t want to be right.

Mikey Braun’s tepache

Tepache – a fermented drink made from pineapple, originating from Mexico – is an ideal warm-weather drink. It’s a little fizzy, a lot refreshing, heaving with tropical flavours and surprisingly easy to make (just remember to start it at least five days ahead of when you want to drink it). Bodriggy Brewing Co’s version is given an extra flavour bump with ginger and peppercorns, and you can either drink it solo or add it to a citrusy cocktail.

Sian Redgrave’s whisky, ginger and yuzu spritz

Chef and food stylist Sian Redgrave describes this cocktail as “something cold and fizzy”, and perfect for summer. This bright yuzu-based, whisky-spiked spritz is inspired by recent trips to the Mediterranean, and is well suited for serving and sipping during aperitivo hour.

Caffe e Cucina’s Rosso di Sera

You’ll have to hunt down some Italian ingredients for this summery gin drink by Melbourne staple Caffe e Cucina – but the payoff is worth it. It fuses sugary and bitter flavours, and has plenty of complexity thanks to the myriad botanicals steeped into the Portofino gin used. It tastes like Italian summer and pairs surprisingly well with food.

Chin Chin’s Thai lemon lime and bitters swizzle

The robust Thai flavours of Chin Chin’s food menu are distilled into drink form in this refreshing – and alcohol-free – cocktail. Channel your last holiday to Thailand and cook up a syrup of Thai basil, green chilli and sugar, then top it off with ginger ale, lime and bitters. It’s a drink with plenty of bite; you won’t even miss the alcohol.

The Roosevelt’s Salerno Sunset

Spontaneous get-togethers your style? Always have a batch of this stylish cocktail in the fridge and you’ll be ready to entertain no matter who arrives on your doorstep. This summer sparkler balances the acidity of grapefruit-based gin with the sweetness of maraschino liqueur.

Sam Smith’s Luchador’s Breakfast

The classic grapefruit-and-tequila Paloma is an ideal summer drink – and so is this remix that brings smoked marmalade into the fold for a subtle bump of sweetness, and a touch of grapefruit-infused mineral water for fizz.

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