Summer is here and the sun is out so no better time to kick back with some cold, refreshing cocktails.

Whether it’s BBQs, dinner parties, lounging in your garden or just basking in the rare Irish sun; we’ve got you covered with a couple of easy to make and refreshing cocktails.

Watermelon-Tequila Cocktails

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 8 cups diced seedless watermelon
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 3/4 cups blueberries
• 3/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves, plus 8 sprigs for garnish
• 1 1/4 cups tequila
• Ice

What to do:

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer with the sugar and stir over moderate heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute; allow the sugar syrup cool.

In a blender, puree the watermelon until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the juice, gently pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as you can. Discard the pulp.

In a large pitcher, combine the sugar syrup with the lime juice, blueberries and mint leaves. Using a wooden spoon, lightly muddle the blueberries and mint. Add the watermelon juice and tequila. Refrigerate until chilled, approx. 2 hours.

Pour the cocktail into tall ice-filled glasses. Garnish with the mint sprigs and serve.

Strawberry-Lemon Mojitos

Ingredients

• 8 lemon wedges
• 24 mint leaves, plus 4 mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
• 4 strawberries, plus 2 halved strawberries, for garnish
• Ice cubes, plus crushed ice
• 8 ounces gold or aged rum
• 3 ounces fresh lemon juice
• 2 ounces prepared sugarcane syrup or agave nectar

What to do

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the lemon wedges with the whole strawberries and mint leaves. Add ice and the rum, lemon juice and sugarcane syrup; shake well. Strain into crushed ice–filled highball glasses. Garnish with the berry halves and mint sprigs, and enjoy!

Limoncello Collins

Ingredients

• 16 ounces limoncello (lemon-flavored liqueur)
• 12 ounces gin
• 8 ounces fresh lemon juice
• 24 paper–thin lemon slices
• Ice
• 16 ounces chilled club soda
• 8 mint sprigs

What to do

In a pitcher, combine the limoncello, gin and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled. Press 3 thin lemon slices against the inside of each of 8 collins glasses. Add ice to the glasses. Stir the limoncello mixture and pour it into the glasses. Stir 2 ounces of club soda into each drink and garnish with a mint sprig.