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40 Cool Drinks for a Hot Day

40 Cool Drinks for a Hot Day

By Real Simple

Updated March 20, 2015

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Ngoc Minh Ngo

A gallery of cocktails, iced teas, lemonades, and other drinks to slake your thirst.

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Nonalcoholic Beverages

Ngoc Minh Ngo

This tangy basil-infused drink is made for summer.

Get the recipe for Basil Lemonade.

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Mix up this hibiscus-tea refresher in just 5 minutes.

Francesco Lagnese

Get the recipe for the Hibiscus Mocktini.

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Despite its name, Ginger Beer is kid-friendly.

Petrina Tinslay

Get the recipe for Ginger-Beer.

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Upgrade iced tea with anything from ginger and honey to peach and mint.

James Baigrie

Get the recipes for Iced Tea Four Ways.

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Instant espresso gives a low-cal drink some kick.

Charles Maraia

Get the recipe for the Espresso Slushy.

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Top a ginger ale–cranberry juice combo with scoops of raspberry sorbet.

Charles Maraia

Get the recipe for Raspberry Fizz.

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When life hands you lemons, make one of these versions of the hot-weather classic.

Antonis Achilleos

Get the recipes for Lemonade, Remade.

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Green tea is spiced with ginger and mint.

Charles Maraia

Get the recipe for Iced Green Tea With Ginger and Mint.

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As juicy and refreshing as a slice of watermelon on a sweltering afternoon.

Yunhee Kim

Get the recipe for Watermelon-Mint Cooler.

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Slightly tart and brisk, this is a drink for grown-ups.

Yunhee Kim

Get the recipe for Cucumber and Lime Spritzer.

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Pineapple sweetens the tang of ginger ale.

Yunhee Kim

Get the recipe for Sparkling Pineapple Ginger Ale.

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Make store-bought lemonade special by adding fresh blueberries and mint.

Charles Masters

Get the recipe for Frozen Blueberry Lemonade.

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Fresh strawberries are at the heart of these thick, rich, and totally decadent frappes.

James Baigrie

Get the recipe for Fresh-Strawberry-Shake.

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Serve this fruit-and-herb blend as a nonalcoholic sipper or spike it with bourbon.

Yunhee Kim

Get the recipe for Iced Tea With Plums and Thyme.

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An old-fashioned treat: homemade ginger ale.

Maura McEvoy

Get the recipe for Ginger-Ale.

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Lemon and mint give zing to bracing black tea.

Maura McEvoy

Get the recipe for Lemon-Iced-Tea.

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A frothy concoction of ice cream and berries is a sweet, satisying treat, especially when the weather swelters.

Quentin Bacon

Get the recipe for Mixed-Berry-Shake.

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This cranberry-apple-strawberry mash-up gets extra kick from a sugary rim garnish.

Alexandra Grablewski

Get the recipe for Cranberry Spritzer.

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A lively version of lemonade fizzes with carbonated water.

Christopher Baker

Get the recipe for Strawberry-Lemonade.

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Alcoholic Beverages

Beatriz da Costa

A sparkling combination of juice and vodka.

Get the recipe for the Simpleton Cocktail.

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Triple Sec and lime give a margarita zest.

Dana Gallagher

Get the recipe for Classic Margaritas.

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Apricot nectar is the secret of this sangria.

Francesco Lagnese

Get the recipe for Sparkling White Sangria.

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Three ingredients are all that’s needed for this bourbon cocktail.

Francesco Lagnese

Get the recipe for the Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast.

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Classic summer drinks: sangria, daiquiri, and margarita.

Quentin Bacon

Get the recipes for shortcut versions of these Easy Summer Cocktails.

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Thank rum for this mango concoction’s tropical punch.

Maura McEvoy

Get the recipe for the Mango Colada.

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To garnish with olives or a twist? Take your pick.

Jeremy Samuelson

Get the recipe for the Martini.

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Champagne and pear nectar combine in a delicate drink.

William Meppem

Get the recipe for Pear Mimosas.

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Learn how to mix up these standbys, plus 7 more party beverages.

Anita Calero

Get the recipes for Martinis, Sangria, and more.

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This take on the margarita features fresh strawberries and bananas.

Maura McEvoy

Get the recipe for the Strawberry-Banana-Margarita.

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For an unconventional garnish, try a sprig of lavender or thyme.

Maura McEvoy

Get the recipe for the Stay Dry Vodka Martini.

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Juicy berries and flavorful orange slices transform Rioja into sangria.

Maura McEvoy

Get the recipe for Red Wine Sangria.

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More

40 Cool Drinks for a Hot Day

1 of 40

Nonalcoholic Beverages

This tangy basil-infused drink is made for summer.

1 of 40

2 of 40

Mix up this hibiscus-tea refresher in just 5 minutes.

2 of 40

3 of 40

Despite its name, Ginger Beer is kid-friendly.

3 of 40

4 of 40

Upgrade iced tea with anything from ginger and honey to peach and mint.

4 of 40

5 of 40

Instant espresso gives a low-cal drink some kick.

5 of 40

6 of 40

Top a ginger ale–cranberry juice combo with scoops of raspberry sorbet.

6 of 40

7 of 40

When life hands you lemons, make one of these versions of the hot-weather classic.

7 of 40

8 of 40

Green tea is spiced with ginger and mint.

8 of 40

9 of 40

As juicy and refreshing as a slice of watermelon on a sweltering afternoon.

9 of 40

10 of 40

Slightly tart and brisk, this is a drink for grown-ups.

10 of 40

11 of 40

Pineapple sweetens the tang of ginger ale.

11 of 40

12 of 40

Make store-bought lemonade special by adding fresh blueberries and mint.

12 of 40

13 of 40

Fresh strawberries are at the heart of these thick, rich, and totally decadent frappes.

13 of 40

14 of 40

Serve this fruit-and-herb blend as a nonalcoholic sipper or spike it with bourbon.

14 of 40

15 of 40

An old-fashioned treat: homemade ginger ale.

15 of 40

16 of 40

Lemon and mint give zing to bracing black tea.

16 of 40

17 of 40

A frothy concoction of ice cream and berries is a sweet, satisying treat, especially when the weather swelters.

17 of 40

18 of 40

This cranberry-apple-strawberry mash-up gets extra kick from a sugary rim garnish.

18 of 40

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A lively version of lemonade fizzes with carbonated water.

19 of 40

20 of 40

Alcoholic Beverages

A sparkling combination of juice and vodka.

20 of 40

21 of 40

Triple Sec and lime give a margarita zest.

21 of 40

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Apricot nectar is the secret of this sangria.

22 of 40

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Three ingredients are all that’s needed for this bourbon cocktail.

23 of 40

24 of 40

Classic summer drinks: sangria, daiquiri, and margarita.

24 of 40

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Thank rum for this mango concoction’s tropical punch.

25 of 40