13 Cucumber Cocktails to Cool You Down This Summer
By Amanda Gabriele
We’ve officially hit the height of summer, which means toasting to long, hot days and balmy evenings.
If you need a way to beat the heat this season, nothing will refresh you quite like a cucumber cocktail. The green fruit has natural cooling properties and works well with a variety of spirits, whether you’re a dark rum drinker or prefer a savory vodka cocktail. Here, 13 revitalizing cucumber cocktails to mix at home.
Pepino Hasta la Tambora
Courtesy of Ron Barceló
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Ron Barceló Gran Añejo
- 1 oz. Lemon or Lime Juice
- 1 oz. Fresh Cucumber Water
- .75 oz. Sugar
- 2 Cucumber Ribbons
- Mint sprig (to Garnish)
Preparation: Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake vigorously. Line the inside of a rocks glass with cucumber ribbons and strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.
The Green Russian
Courtesy of Russian Standard
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Russian Standard Vodka
- 1 oz. Cucumber Juice
- 2 oz. Sprig CBD Sparkling Melon Soda
- .75 oz. Lemon Juice
- .5 oz. Agave Nectar
- Cucumber Slice (to Garnish)
Preparation: Build all liquid ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Gently stir a few times to incorporate. Garnish with a cucumber slice.
Out of Office
Created by Hendrick’s Gin Ambassador Sebastien Derbomez
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
- 2 oz. Cucumber Juice
- 6 1-inch chunks Cantaloupe
- .75 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde
- .5 oz. Lime Juice
- .75 oz. Passion Fruit Syrup*
Preparation: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a tiki mug. Garnish as desired.
*Passion Fruit Syrup
Ingredients:
- 1 part Frozen 100% Passion Fruit Pulp (preferably Goya, El Sembrador or La Fé)
- 1 part Simple Syrup
Preparation: Allow the frozen passion fruit pulp to defrost. Combine with simple syrup in a sealable container and refrigerate until use.
Fired Up Margarita
Courtesy of Cleo
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Casamigos Blanco
- .5 oz. Yuzu Liqueur
- .75 oz. Lime Juice
- .75 oz. Cucumber Juice
- .5 oz Agave Nectar
- Smoked Salt (to Rim)
Preparation: Dip a rocks glass in lime juice, then rim it with smoked salt. Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into the prepared glass.
Hot House #4
Courtesy of Center Bar
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Diplomatico Rum
- .5 oz. Velvet Falernum
- .25 oz. Dry Apple Brandy
- .25 oz. Simple Syrup
- .5 oz. Cucumber Juice
- Cucumber Ribbon (to Garnish)
- Cracked Black Pepper (to Garnish)
Preparation: Wrap the cucumber ribbon around the inside of a double rocks glass and fill it with crushed ice. Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake and strain into the rocks glass. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper.
Red Cactus
Courtesy of Brian Bartels of Bar Sardine, Fedora and Fairfax
Ingredients:
- .75 oz. Aperol
- .75 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde
- 3 oz. Fever-Tree Cucumber Tonic
- Cucumber Slice (to Garnish)
- Lemon Zest (to Garnish)
Preparation: Pour ingredients over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with lemon zest and a cucumber slice.
Haru #1
Courtesy of Masa Urushido of Katana Kitten
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz. Chamomile-Infused BERTOUX Brandy*
- .75 oz. White Port
- .5 oz. Crème de Pêche Liqueur
- 1 oz. Cucumber Juice
- .75 oz. Lemon Juice
- .75 oz. Ginger Syrup
- Soda Water (to Top)
- Halved Strawberry (to Garnish)
Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a shaker tin with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled highball glass over fresh ice. Top with soda and garnish with a halved strawberry.
*Chamomile-Infused BERTOUX Brandy
Ingredients:
- 5 tbsp. Chamomile Tea
- 1 bottle Bertoux Brandy
Preparation: In an airtight container, combine both ingredients and let sit at room temperature overnight. Strain through a cheesecloth.
The Gin Game
Courtesy of Salvatore Tafuri of The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens at The Times Square EDITION
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Dry Gin
- .25 oz. Velvet Falernum
- 1 oz. Cucumber Juice
- .75 oz. Lemon Juice
- .75 oz. Honey Syrup*
- 3 spritzes Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe Mist
Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the absinthe, to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Spritz with three sprays of absinthe from an atomizer.
*Honey Syrup
Stir 600 grams of honey into 500 ml of water until thoroughly incorporated.
Ketel One Green Mary
Courtesy of Ketel One Vodka
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Ketel One Vodka
- 1.75 oz. Fresh Celery Juice
- 1.75 oz. Fresh Cucumber Juice
- .5 oz. fresh Lime Juice
- 1 pinch each Rock Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Dried Chili Flakes
- Salted Cucumber Slice (to Garnish)
Preparation: Add liquid ingredients and spices to a Collins glass, and stir to combine. Add ice and garnish with a salted cucumber slice.
Logos
Courtesy of Amylos Taverna
Ingredients:
- 3-4 Cucumber Slices
- .75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- .25 oz. Simple Syrup
- .5 oz. Egg White
- Fresh Mint Leaves (to Muddle and Garnish)
- 1.5 oz. Beefeater Gin
- 1.5 oz. Mastic Greek Liqueur
- Ginger Beer (to Top)
Preparation: In a shaker tin, add a few mint leaves and the simple syrup and gently muddle to release the aromas. Add ice and the rest of the liquid ingredients, and shake. Double strain into a Mason jar, add the cucumber slices and top with ginger beer. Add crushed ice to the brim of the glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Cucumber Fresca
Courtesy of ViewHouse
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
- 3 Cucumber Slices
- .5 oz. Water
- .25 oz. Lime Juice
- .75 oz. Lemon-Lime Soda
Preparation: Muddle the cucumber slices in the bottom of a rocks glass. Add the gin. water and lime juice, and stir. Top with the lemon-lime soda.
BAAR BAAR Sour
Courtesy of Chetan Gangan of BAAR BAAR
Ingredients:
- .75 oz. Lime Juice
- .75 oz. Rose-Infused Honey*
- 3 oz. Cucumber and Kale Juice
- 2 oz. Gin
- 1 oz. Egg White
- Edible Flower (to Garnish)
Preparation: Add all the liquid ingredients to a shaker tin, and dry shake without ice. Add ice and shake again. Strain over a block of ice and garnish with an edible flower.
*Rose-Infused Honey
Ingredients:
- 200 ml. Honey
- 40 grams Dry Rose Petals
Preparation: Add the petals and honey to a saucepan, and cook for 20 minutes on low heat. Transfer to a jar after letting the combination cool. Strain rose petals after one day.
Dionysus Revival
Courtesy of Oliver Sovol of Saba
- 1.5 oz. Silver Tequila
- .5 oz. Ancho Reyes
- .5 oz. Lime Juice
- .75 oz. Cucumber Maceration*
- 3 dashes Black Pepper Bitters
- Aleppo Pepper Salt Mix** (to Rim)
Preparation: Rim a double Old Fashioned glass with the Aleppo Pepper Salt Mix. Combine all liquid ingredients into a shaking tin with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice in the salt and pepper-rimmed glass.
*Cucumber Maceration
Combine 2 parts chopped English cucumber to 1 part sugar by weight in a vacuum seal bag. Vacuum seal and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 hours, turning and massaging occasionally. If no vacuum sealer is available, use the same ingredients in a Ziplock bag, but allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator, still turning and massaging regularly.
**Aleppo Pepper Salt Mix
Combine equal parts Aleppo pepper and kosher salt in a dry lidded container. Shake vigorously until well integrated.