Summer is the perfect time to revamp your drink menu to add some unique, refreshing flavors. Beverages are big money makers for restaurants in the hotter months, so creating a few new cocktails is always a good idea. You may also want to consider making non-alcoholic versions of a few of these recipes as mocktails continue to become more popular.

Watermelon Mojito

Ingredients:

• 1 Lime cut into wedges
• 12 Mint, leaves
• 2 to 3 cups Watermelon, cut into chunks
• 1 cup Ice
• 2 oz Rum
• Fresca soda (can substitute tonic, club soda, Sprite, 7-up)
• *garnish – watermelon, lime, mint for garnish

Directions:

• To a shaker add watermelon, mint, ice, and limes wedges and muddle crushing the ice and lime to release flavors.
• Add rum and shake.
• Fill glasses with ice and pour half full with watermelon mixture. Finish filling glass with Fresca and stir to combine.
• Garnish with watermelon wedge, mint stem and or lime wedge

Strawberry Vodka Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 4 medium strawberries, sliced
• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 3 ounces lemonade
• Sliced strawberry, for garnish

Directions:

• Muddle the strawberries in the bottom of a tumbler or old-fashioned glass.
• Add ice, followed by the vodka.
• Top with the lemonade.
• Garnish with strawberry slices laid out in a fan. Serve and enjoy.

Frozen Apple Margarita

Ingredients:

• Salt, to serve
• 1 lime, halved
• 2 cups (500ml) Ashton Valley Fresh Sparkling Apple Juice
• 1 cup (250ml) tequila
• 2 tsp finely grated lime rind
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 4 slices green apple
• Lime zest, to serve

Directions:

• Place salt on a plate. Run the cut side of the lime around the rims of serving glasses. Dip in the salt to coat.
• Place sparkling apple juice, tequila, if using, lime rind, lime juice and ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour evenly among the glasses.
• Decorate with apple slices and lime zest.

Cucumber-Watermelon Sangria

Ingredients:

• 1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, thinly sliced
• 2 cups watermelon balls (or chunks)
• 24 fresh mint leaves
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 cup fresh watermelon juice
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 750 milliliter bottle Sauvignon blanc or other semi-dry white wine, chilled
• 1 1 liter bottle carbonated water, chilled
• Fresh mint sprigs and/or leaves (optional)

Directions:

• In a large pitcher combine cucumber, lime slices, watermelon balls, and the 24 mint leaves. In a small bowl stir together lime juice, watermelon juice, and honey until combined; pour over cucumber mixture. Add wine, stirring gently. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
• To serve, stir in carbonated water. Ladle or pour into glasses. If desired, garnish with additional mint.

Rose-Aperol Spritz

Ingredients:

• 4–6 SERVINGS
• ¾ cup passion fruit juice, chilled
• ¼ cup Aperol
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 750ml bottle sparkling rosé, chilled
• Ruby red grapefruit wedges (for serving)

Directions:

• Whisk passion fruit juice, Aperol, lime juice, and sugar in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Stir in rosé.
• Serve spritz in large ice-filled wine glasses. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

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