Summer is the time of year when thoughts turn to BBQs, beer gardens and long summer nights socializing with friends. If you want to really pull out all the stops and impress your customers, then as well as planning some live music and fresh new summer dishes, spend some time planning your drinks menu.

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Cocktails, gins, and mixers are very in ‘vogue’, and there is no shortage of ideas and recipes to give yours that extra special twist.

Punch

First popular in the 70s, punch is now making a comeback and can be served in a large bowl with a wide variety of colorful tasty fruit. You can either create your own or follow a recipe, but the basic ingredients include sugar, soda (which is available on tap using post-mix equipment), fresh oranges and ice.

Mocktails

Don’t forget your customers who aren’t drinking alcohol. Instead of offering just a standard choice of fizzy or squash-based drinks, why not offer them a mocktail? A non-alcoholic version of any cocktail always goes down well and is easy to prepare. Classic ingredients include lemon and mint, but you can replace these with lime and basil if you fancy offering a refreshing alternative.

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To ensure your guests aren’t left waiting too long at the bar, consider investing in post mix equipment from Empire UK. Having drinks on tap is time-efficient and perfect for private functions and peak times.

Bloody Mary

This classic drink consists primarily of tomato juice, vodka and Worcestershire sauce, but to make it extra special, add some dried basil, celery leaves, and lime juice.

Flavored Teas

This month has seen tea drinkers around the world celebrate National Tea Day. Flavored teas are very fashionable, and drinking them cold with ice provides a delicious, tasty and refreshing drink which can have health benefits too. Iced mint tea is very popular, and you can experiment by adding some additional ingredients such as ginger ale, honey, and lemon.

There are so many fruits, spices and extra ingredients which can be added to a variety of drinks, and the best way to create your own special recipe is to experiment. Start by using the staple ingredients of soda water and sugar and then have fun with citrus fruits, fresh herbs, salt, and spices.