Tequila Summer: Your Ultimate Guide To Refreshing Cocktails

During summer, hosting pool parties and garden affairs is a splendid way to enjoy the social season while revelling in the warm weather. Such occasions are generally semi formal or informal gatherings where guests come together to enjoy laidback, relaxed holiday vibes that the summer season inspires.

At such times, fresh fruits, salads and spicy appetisers like chicken skewers, assorted canapés and sliders are refreshing options that are full of flavour without being too overpowering in the growing heat.

Tequila cocktails are the perfect drinking choice to pair with these delicacies because of the spirit’s versatile profile and slightly light, sweet and fruity finish. A wide range of tequila cocktails can be prepared during summer ranging from palomas to margaritas using a quality Don Julio Blanco or Reposado variety to induce a cheerful buzz and a delightful kick. But preparing a tequila cocktail requires just a bit of skill.

Read on below for a handy guide on crafting cocktails using tequila for the summer party you host this season:

Choosing Tequila

The difference between crafting a perfect tequila cocktail vis à vis a good tequila cocktail lies in choosing the tequila variant that is right for a recipe. If you are crafting a cocktail like margarita which is quite citrus-forward, you can opt for a Don Julio Blanco for its fruity taste and light freshness that complements the tangy and sour notes of triple sec and lime juice.

But for adding more complexity or depth into the mix, you might want to experiment with a Don Julio Reposado that is slightly more aged than the blanco variation.

Adding Citrus Fruit

Tequila is often used in crafting cocktails containing lots of tropical ingredients like refreshing citrus fruits. A classic paloma or tequila sunrise contains layers of fruity notes that are reminiscent of the seashores and islands in the Caribbean.

Inevitably, tequila cocktails contain coconut cream, tender coconut shavings and lots of citrus numbers like oranges and pineapples that complement the spirit to introduce into the drink some very irresistible sour notes. Use freshly squeezed orange or pineapple juice to craft a refreshing tequila cocktail without added sugars.

Salt Rimmed Glasses

Even as you are experimenting with different tequila variations and flavour pairings that go well with this spirit, what marks a tequila cocktail is serving it in a salt rimmed glass, as you would a margarita.

When you concoct new recipes using some of your most favoured ingredients, try to serve these in tall margarita glasses whose salty rims will add another textural element into the cocktail. You can also add a dash of paprika powder into the salt for a spicy surprise.

Use Agave Syrup

Many times, a traditional margarita is prepared using blanco tequila coupled with lime juice, triple sec and a hint of agave syrup for sweetness. If you are pairing tequila cocktails with spicy foods, you can add this agave syrup which is made from a variation of the same plant that is used to prepare tequila.

This way, you can infuse the drink with a sweet texture that counteracts the heat in your food while serving as an excellent alternative to simple syrup. Agave syrup in tequila cocktails will also undercut some of the sour and bitter qualities of the citrus fruits like oranges that go into making these blends.

Crushed Ice

Preparing cocktails in summer means you will have to serve them chilled so they become refreshing drinks that combat the rising heat. In tequila cocktails, this can be brought about by using generous amounts of crushed ice to chill your drink.

Prepare a jug of a margarita or paloma cocktail and fill up a highball or margarita glass with crushed ice before pouring the drink in for inspiring a cooling effect. You can also craft a slightly strong cocktail beforehand  to prevent the ice from diluting the mix.