To get through the demanding days required at a PR agency, you’ll often find our crew guzzling Dynamite Coffee, fizzy waters, Buchi Kombucha, or Guayaki’s cold Yerba Mates. But after hours, we sometimes get real fancy and sip on a specialty cocktail to relax and enjoy the summer sun. This week, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite recipes to share with you and hopefully inspire you to try something new and change up your routine. Not to be cliche, but here are a few of our favorite things…
For the Tequila Lovers
Texas Ranch Water from Katie Richter
- 2 ounces blanco tequila (I prefer Espolon or Casamigos)
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- Topo Chico, chilled
- Fresh lime wedge for garnish
Put tequila and lime juice in your glass, add ice, and top with a chilled Topo Chico, a lime wedge, put your boots up and enjoy.

“If you love tequila like I do, you can’t go wrong with a classic Texas Ranch Water. Simple and refreshing, this cocktail is as uncomplicated as a day spent on the lake.”
Margarita de Fairview from Suzanne Hermann
“I love a good tequila drink on a hot day, but pre-packaged margaritas are usually a little too heavy on the sour mix for my taste, so I came up with my own version.“
Grab a highball glass, add ice, and then pour the following ingredients over the ice.
- 2oz of Espolon Blanco tequila
- Simply Limeade
- Splash of Simply Peach (which I didn’t know existed until recently).
“Seriously, it’s that easy and the perfect summer drink.”
For the Rum Lovers
Basil Daiquiri from Hannah Kaminer
“My friend Rachel recently made me this amazing basil daiquiri and it’s great for using up the mountains of basil from my garden!!”
- 2 oz. white rum (I suggest Basil Carolina Rum from Muddy Rivers Distillery)
- ½ oz. fresh lime juice, strained of pulp
- ½ oz. basil simple syrup (if you use the Basil Carolina Rum, just use a basic simple syrup here unless you want an even more intense basil flavor)
- 2 sprigs of fresh basil
- Shake it all up with ice and pour in a glass
For the Gin Enthusiasts
The Weave Special from Angie Robinson
“I recently bought Creme de Violet liquor to replicate a drink called the Aviator that I had at a local bar. Finding it a bit sweet for my taste, I decided to play around with the floral liquor on my own and see if I could make a drink that wasn’t as sugary sweet as that one. This is what I came up with and it’s a perfect summer day, porch-sitting cocktail.”
- 1 shot of Roku Japanese Gin
- 1/2 shot of Creme de Violet
- Juice of 1/3 lemon
- Ice
- Fill rest of glass with Fever-Tree Ginger Beer

The Summer Gimlet from Cory Van Auken
“Nothing hits the spot while you’re summer chillin’ quite like a Gimlet. Gin and lime…you can’t go wrong! And, if you want to be real fancy– add some basil.”
- 3 parts Gin
- 2 parts lime juice
- 1 part simple syrup
- Some strong-smelling basil
Muddle the basil in the bottom of a shaker, add ice, gin, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake it like a polaroid picture. Strain into a chilled glass, garnish with a basil leaf and lime wedge, and then sip slowly while invoking the spirit of Ernest Hemingway on safari.

For those looking for a little something different (and sweet)
The Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned from WI native Lysianne Peacock
“You don’t know what a REAL Old Fashioned is until you try a Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned. There is a sweet and a sour version, but I prefer the sweet. I used to make them at a country club I used to bartend at so here is how I make one:”
- Muddle one maraschino cherry, a slice of orange and a spoonful of sugar at the bottom of a lowball or Old Fashioned glass if you have one
- Add ice
- Add 4-6 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- 1.5 oz of Brandy (You can never go wrong with Korbel. It’s affordable but still a quality brandy.)
- Top off with soda. I prefer Sprite/Sierra Mist. If you want a sour flavor, a grapefruit soda like Fresca is great. If you want a low calorie option, Tangerine Flavored La Croix is also delicious.
- Garnish with a cherry and orange
Let us know in the comments if you try one of these recipes, have your own unique version, or a completely different cocktail recipe that you depend on for when the days are long and the sun is high. Happy summer days!