Recipes & Cooking Drinks Cocktails 3 Hydrating Cocktails to Sip on When You Can’t Escape the Sun Plus, some general tips to follow when you feel like enjoying a spritz on a summer day, according to the pros. By Bryce Jones Bryce Jones Bryce Jones is an associate editor for Better Homes and Gardens and specializes in covering all things lifestyle. She's been working in journalism for over five years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on May 31, 2023 Close Photo: Oleksandra Iablochnikova / Getty Images Staying hydrated is already challenging enough—but when you’re out at summer happy hour or having a pool day in mid-July, it’s all the more important. While it’s obvious that you should always have a glass of water nearby while enjoying a cocktail (or two), there are a few other creative ways to avoid dehydration when drinking. When temperatures are high and not sweating is impossible, you need to replenish the water you’re losing more frequently to regulate your body temperature and avoid symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, and dry mouth. Adding hydrating ingredients and avoiding certain types of alcohol when mixing up your beverage can help make a difference—but it’s still essential to drink responsibly. You also have the option of turning your beverage into a mocktail by using an alcohol-free alternative. The 6 Best Drinking Glasses of 2024, According to Our Testing The key thing to remember when deciding what to drink on a hot summer day is to choose cocktails that have extra dilution built into the recipe with juice, seltzer, or a tonic water, says Tiffany Nahm, bartender at Death & Co. East Village. “My favorite types that fit the bill are spritzes and Collins variations,” she says. “You’ll want to steer clear of stirred cocktails like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, which don’t receive nearly as much dilution from booze-free ingredients.” Spritzes make extra refreshing options—they usually contain alcohol with a lower ABV percentage, fruit, and sparkling water. The Intravenous, a drink Nahm created and serves at Death & Co., is topped with tonic to dilute it and add an element of hydration. Jake Ireland, founder of Off Hours Bourbon, created his Zesty Bourbon Lemonade with this in mind along with fresh ingredients, like lemon and mint, over juices and lemonades you buy at the store. Lemonade “Picking a cocktail that contains water like soda water or club soda will help keep you more hydrated while enjoying a cocktail in the warmer months,” he says. “Using fresh lemon juice adds some beneficial Vitamin C. Along with the mint, this makes the Zesty Bourbon Lemonade super refreshing. Picking fresh citrus over bottled eliminates extra sugar and provides better flavor with some nutritional benefits.” 3 Hydrating Cocktail Options for Summer Adrian Martin Zesty Bourbon Lemonade, created by Jake Ireland Ingredients: 2 oz Off Hours bourbon1 oz lemon juice3/4 oz simple syrupFresh mint leavesSoda water IceLemon slice (for garnish) Muddle mint leaves in a cocktail shaker, and add Off Hours bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Fill the shaker with ice, and shake well. Strain it into a glass with ice, top with soda water, and garnish with a lemon slice. Shannon Sturgis The Intravenous, created by Tiffany Nahm Ingredients: 1 oz Lemorton Calvados1 oz Cap Corse Quina Blanc0.5 oz Amaro Ciociaro0.25 oz Giffard Lichi-Li Lychee liqueur Measure and add all the ingredients to a Collins glass, and top with tonic water. Garnish with pickled olive on a spear. Shannon Sturgis Bergamotto Blackberry Spritz, created by Jason Hedges “The floral Italicus shines in this spritz, especially with the counterpoint of tangy blackberries and bright citrus,” says Hedges, author of The Seasonal Cocktail.It’s a low-ABV cocktail that begs to be refilled on a long, lazy summer afternoon.” Ingredients: 1½ oz Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto¾ oz lemon juice4 ripe blackberries La Marca Prosecco1 thyme sprig Muddle the blackberries and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker, then add the Italicus. Shake with ice, and fine strain into an ice-filled white wine glass. Top with the Prosecco and garnish with a blackberry, lemon peel, and thyme sprig. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Cohen, Sandy. "How to Stay Hydrated in the Summer Heat." UCLA Health.