The grill is fired up. The meats are marinaded. The tongs are clicked (a few times for good measure). But is your bar cart ready for the delicious cocktails you’ll need to pair with that juicy rack of ribs and platter of charred kebabs?
An ice-cold beer is the quintessential backyard barbecue beverage, but if you really want to take your BBQ season fare to the next level, we’ve curated a list of cocktails that pair perfectly with smoky, grilled flavors and sunny weather.
Keep scrolling for our top 9 cocktail recipes that pair perfectly with grilling and chilling.
We’re kicking things off with a whiskey-based cocktail—because when it comes to pairing with barbecue favorites like pulled pork and coleslaw, those spicy oak and maple notes just make sense. This whiskey mule recipe adds pomegranate juice into the mix for a refreshing take on this bubbly, gingery drink.
The Recipe
1 ½ ounces Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey
¾ ounce fresh pomegranate juice
¼ ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
4 ounces ginger beer
Pomegranate seeds
Mint sprig
Add whiskey, pomegranate juice and lime juice to a glass over ice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wheel, pomegranate seeds and a sprig of mint.
An Aperol Spritz is a classic summer cocktail, but what if we could tweak it to give it a more smoked BBQ friendly flavor? We could...and we did. This recipe combines the bitter orange flavor of Aperol with a blended whiskey that boasts both corn sweetness and rye spice. If you’re marinating anything in citrus, this is the cocktail to pair with it.
The Recipe
¾ ounce Aperol Aperitivo
Mint sprig
Add whiskey and Aperol to a large brandy glass with ice. Fill to the top with soda water, then garnish with an orange slice and sprig of mint.
If your household always keeps a jug of Publix sweet tea in your fridge, this cocktail is for you. Just add a splash of your favorite bourbon to your frosty glass of iced tea for the perfect no-fuss backyard beverage.
The Recipe
1 ½ ounces Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey
4 ounces iced tea
Add bourbon and tea to a glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
This cocktail is not for the plain Jane drink lover, but we know there’s an adventurous grill master out there searching for a glorious umami cocktail to pair with their weekend BBQ spread. This drink is almost a dish in itself, featuring roasted cherry tomato-infused rye whiskey, citrus, bubbles, a little simple syrup for balance and a dash of smoked paprika. Bloody Mary fans, don’t sleep on this savory cocktail.
The Recipe
2 ounces cherry tomato-infused rye whiskey*
1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ ounce simple syrup
Smoked paprika
Basil leaf
*Cherry Tomato-Infused Rye Whiskey
Handful of grilled or roasted cherry tomatoes
8 ounces Templeton Small Batch Rye Whiskey
For the cherry tomato-infused rye whiskey: Infuse the rye whiskey with a handful of grilled or roasted cherry tomatoes for 24 hours, then strain. Keeps up for 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
For the cocktail: Add infused rye, lemon juice, simple syrup and a dash of smoked paprika to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with tonic water and garnish with a roasted tomato skewer and basil leaf.
If you plan to grill up some carne asada, churrasco or lechon this summer, this carbonated, berry-filled tequila cocktail is your ideal grill-side sipper. Plus, you can even roast the strawberries on the grill before muddling to add some juicy, char-grilled flavor to your cocktail.
The Recipe
Strawberries
2 ounces Maracame Reposado Tequila
1 ounce Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
¾ ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
½ ounce agave syrup
Rosemary sprig
In a cocktail shaker, muddle 2 strawberries with agave syrup and lime juice. Add ice, tequila and liqueur, then shake well. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Top with a splash of tonic water or soda water. Garnish with a skewer of strawberries and a sprig of rosemary.
The Recipe
2 ounces Casa Noble Blanco Tequila
1 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
½ ounce honey syrup*
¼ ounce ginger syrup*
*Honey Syrup
½ cup honey
½ cup water
*Ginger Syrup
1 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
For honey syrup: Mix equal parts honey and hot water until fully combined. Let cool. Keeps for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
For ginger syrup: Simmer equal parts sugar, water and sliced fresh ginger for 20–30 minutes. Let cool, then strain. Keeps for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
For cocktail: Add tequila, lime juice, honey syrup and ginger syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass. Top with ice and a float of mezcal. Garnish with a skewer of candied ginger pieces.
It was the song of the summer a few years ago, but the cocktail version is about to rock your world this grilling season. This gin recipe features citrus, basil and watermelon for the ultimate chart-topping cocktail. Don’t be afraid to throw that slice of watermelon on the grill, either. Anything is fair game once the charcoal is lit.
The Recipe
Watermelon
2 ounces Empress 1908 Gin
¾ ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
¾ ounce simple syrup
Basil leaves
Muddle 3 cubes of watermelon in the bottom a cocktail shaker. Add gin, lime juice, simple syrup and 5 basil leaves and shake with ice. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a watermelon slice and basil leaf.
Love a cold Arnold Palmer on a hot day? Add a little honey peach brandy to it for a pleasantly sweet, Southern cocktail. And while we’re on the topic of peaches, you can grill some of those up for dessert, too. Just top with butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Simply grill-icious.
The Recipe
2 ounces Stella Rosa Honey Peach Brandy
1 ½ ounces sweet tea
2 ounces lemonade
Add brandy, tea and lemonade to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a tall Collins glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Finishing off this list is the ideal cocktail if you’re looking to switch up your regular Old Fashioned. It uses Japanese whisky, which is known for its subtly floral, grassy notes, as well as citrus and smoked maple syrup for that BBQ friendly smoky flavor. If you’re finally throwing that prized piece of wagyu beef on the grill, this cocktail is a worthy pairing.
The Recipe
2 ounces Hatozaki Finest Japanese Whisky
1 ounce smoked maple syrup*
¾ ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
*Smoked Maple Syrup
1 ounce maple syrup
Dash of liquid smoke
Add whisky, syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
