The vibe this year: bright, low-proof, and sessionable. Summer 2026 leans into clarity and clean acidity — spritzes, highballs, and the classics done well, so you can drink across a long afternoon and still make dinner (season read via PUNCH).
1. The Aperol Spritz — still the poster drink
3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, 1 part soda, big ice, orange slice. It's not just easy; the 3-2-1 ratio is genuinely balanced. Pro move: build it in the glass, add prosecco first so it doesn't go flat.
2. The Paloma — the margarita's cooler cousin
2 oz blanco tequila, 0.5 oz lime, grapefruit soda to top, salt rim. Lighter and more refreshing than a marg, and criminally underordered.
3. The Spicy Margarita — 2026's 'swicy' star
2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz lime, 0.75 oz agave, muddled jalapeño. Sweet, tart, and a little heat — the flavor trend of the year in one glass.
4. The Mojito — herbaceous and endlessly refreshing
Muddle 8 mint leaves with 0.75 oz lime and 0.5 oz sugar, add 2 oz white rum, top with soda. Don't shred the mint — press it gently to release oil, not bitterness.
5. The Piña Colada — the 'sweet treat' comeback
Back in a big way with a new generation. 2 oz rum, 1.5 oz cream of coconut, 1.5 oz pineapple, blend with ice. Unapologetic, and that's the point.
6. Any highball, done cold
The quiet winner of 2026: a great spirit, great soda, tons of ice, a citrus twist. Simple, low-proof, and endlessly repeatable.
🍐 A little hat tip to the pear
Spritz season is long, and the best afternoons are the ones you fully remember. Gush — Korean pear, sipped before the first spritz — helps keep a lazy day feeling that way. Meet Gush →
Please drink responsibly.