Cocktail Recipes for your Backyard Cookout

Hattiesburg, MS

Is anything more fun in the summer than gathering friends and family for a backyard cookout? Usually, when we think of barbecues, we think of burgers and beer. But why not add some flair and fun with cocktails at your summer cookouts? Think red, white and booze spritzers for July 4th or a batch of margaritas for cooking fajitas on the grill. Think ahead to prepare cocktail recipes, then call friends and family over and light the grill! Adding cocktails to your backyard barbecues will take one of America’s favorite summer pastimes to a whole new level.

Here are some delicious recipes to get you started:

Red, White and Blue Spritzer (prettyplanejanes.com)

• 1 cup simple syrup (1 part sugar + 1 part water, boiled until dissolved then cooled)
• ½ cup fresh strawberries (halved)
• ½ cup fresh blueberries
• 1 bottle dry white wine
• club soda or tonic water
• ice
• few sprigs of fresh mint for garnish

1. Fill pitcher with ice and top with berries (save some to place in glasses).
2. Pour in simple syrup and then wine until pitcher is ¾ full.
3. Top off with club soda or tonic water, stir and serve in ice-filled glasses. Garnish with mint sprig.

Pitcher Perfect Margaritas (allrecipes.com)

• 3 cups ice
• 2 cups tequila
• 1 cup triple sec
• ¾ cup fresh lime juice
• ¾ cup sweetened lime juice
• kosher salt
• 8 lime wedges

1. Combine ice, tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and sweetened lime juice in a large pitcher; stir.
2. Pour kosher salt onto a plate. Rub the rim of a glass with lime wedge. Dip the rim of the glass into salt; fill the glass with margarita mixture; repeat for each serving.

Blackberry Lemonade (foodnetwork.com)

• 2 cups blackberries
• 2 cups simple syrup (1 1/2 cups each of sugar and water to a boil, stirring until dissolved. Let cool.)
• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• Lemon slices

1. Muddle blackberries with simple syrup in a pitcher.
2. Stir in fresh lemon juice and water; add ice and lemon slices.

Bourbon-Spiked Peach Tea (Kraft Foods)

• 1 pkt. (makes 2 qt. drink) or 2 pkt. (makes 1 qt. drink each) Crystal Light Peach Flavor Iced Tea Mix*
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 6 orange slices

1. Empty contents of drink mix packet into large plastic or glass pitcher. Add water, orange juice and bourbon; stir until drink mix is completely dissolved.
2. Serve over ice cubes in tall glasses.
3. Add orange slice to each glass.

At Lincoln Road Package Store, we have all the liquor you need to make these delicious recipes and more. Got a question? Call us at (601) 268-3677 or send an e-mail to jamiefarris@gmail.com.

Lincoln Road Package Store is here to serve the adult beverage needs of Hattiesburg, MS.