Drink Ideas & recipes for your BBQ

Our fun and bright cocktails / softdrinks will add some flare to your summer barbecue. Try a red wine sangria, a delicious cordial, or a tasty fruit punch pitcher. No matter what you choose, it will be refreshing and welcomed at your barbecue. All of the recipes we've outlined below are perfect for a summer bbq or maybe in the UK, a slightly overcast BBQ.

Pimm's recipe

Serve this delicious fruit punch with fresh mint leaves, cucumber, orange, and strawberries for a true taste of summer. Let's be honest, this isn't so much of a recipe, but we thought we'd chuck it in any way, just as a bit of a refresher.

The below will make 3 or 4 glasses, so tweak as required.

Ingredients

• 200ml Pimm's No. 1
• 600ml lemonade
• Sliced cucumber, oranges, strawberries and mint sprigs

Method

Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice and pour over the Pimm's and lemonade. Stir it well, then add the mint, cucumber, and fruit.

Homemade ginger beer recipe

A cool glass of this fiery ginger beer on a hot summer day or in between meals is ideal. It's created by simmering a ginger cordial with carbonated water and sugar. The result is a delicious and refreshing drink that pairs perfectly with barbecue food and summer foods in general.

The below recipe will make around 4-6 glasses.

Ingredients:

• 200g fresh ginger, peeled and cut into slices
• 1l sparkling water (or soda water)
• 100g
• 2 Lemons juices
• 75g golden caster sugar
• mint sprigs for serving
• ice

Method

1. Place the ginger, lemon peel, sugars, and 500ml of water in a saucepan set over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes, it should now be thick and syrups, whatever comes first. Remove from the heat and let cool before using as directed below.
2. Squeeze the syrup through a sieve lined with muslin to strain it. You may also fill a small sterilized bottle or jar with the syrup and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
3. Fill large serving glass with ginger syrup. Add the lemon juice and ice to a large tumbler, then top it off with soda water. Garnish with a few mint leaves for presentation's sake, it's not going to impact the flavour too much, but will certainly make the photo pop on insta!

Extra easy sangria recipe

Drink a glass of sangria on a hot summer day. It's a lovely social drink with red wine, Spanish brandy, sparkling water, cinnamon sticks, and sliced fruit. Let's be honest, the Spanish do most things well, one of those things being Sangria!

When Romans travelled through the Iberian Peninsula on their way to Portugal, they planted vines along the route, which is said to have given rise to sangria. And because drinking water was hazardous, it was frequently sweetened with wine, spices, and herbs.

Sangria has a long and illustrious history. It was originally invented in England and France in the 1800s, and after its formal arrival in the United States at the 1964 World's Fair in New York, it grew increasingly popular.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium apple 
• 1/2 medium orange 
• 3-4 Tbsp organic brown sugar
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 750 ml bottle dry Spanish red wine
• 1 cup Ice to chill

Method

1. Add the fruit in batches, mashing with a muddler or wooden spoon for 45 seconds each.
2. Add the orange juice and brandy to the shaker, muddle for 30 seconds, then add ice cubes and shake vigorously until fully chilled.
3. Stir in the brandy, orange juice, and brown sugar.
4. Again, add ice to chill, serve with more ice if required, completely up to you.

Mojito Recipe

This recipe makes one serving, but you may double or quadruple the ingredients to make a pitcherful. It's a delicious drink that's perfect for warm summer days. However, be careful when you consume it. If you make a pitcher, you might be tempted to down the entire thing yourself. Instead of soda water, tonic water may be used. The flavour is different and somewhat bitter, however.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 large fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons white sugar or simple syrup
• Half a lime juiced
• 1.5 ounces white rum
• soda water for serving as needed (can substitute tonic water)
• mint sprigs and lime wedges for garnish as desired
• ice cubes as required

Method

1. Fill a sturdy glass halfway with ice, then top it off with fresh mint leaves and one lime wedge.
2. To release the mint oils and lime juice, use a muddler to crush the mint and lime.
3. Add another 2 lime wedges and the sugar, muddle again to extract the lime juice. This doesn't need straining.
4. Fill the glass with ice almost to the top. Pour rum over the ice and fill the glass with carbonated water.
5. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge. Stir, taste, and add additional sugar as desired. Garnish with a lime twist.

Iced tea recipe

Make a pitcher of cold delicious iced tea to serve on hot days. It's a wonderful alcohol-free party drink with a delicate tea taste, including oranges, lemons, and mint. It's refreshing and addictive. The below recipe will make around 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 lemons (1 sliced, 1 juiced)
• 1 sliced orange
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 6 Tea bags
• 1/4 tbsp brown sugar or honey to taste, or use simple syrup instead
• ice

Method

1. In a large measuring cup, combine the tea bags, sugar, honey and 1.5 liters water. Allow to steep for 10 minutes then strain out the tea bags. When ready to serve, chill until thoroughly cold.
2. Add in the lemon juice, lemon slices, orange slices & mint leaves. Once all stirred, add in ice and stir once more.
3. Fill tall glasses halfway with ice and then fill to the top with iced tea, then serve with extra honey if desired.