Porch Sips: 3 Easy Cocktails for a Perfect Afternoon

Three easy, refreshing drinks that prove a great cocktail doesn't have to be complicated.

There are certain days when the weather practically tells you what you should be drinking.

Today is one of those days.

It's a perfect mid-70s day here in Charlotte, and honestly, that means it's time to find a spot on the porch, put some ice in a glass, and make a drink.

I've always been a fan of cocktails that are easy, delicious, and don't require a trip to three different stores to find the ingredients. And sometimes, the simplest drinks are exactly what you want.

So I started playing around with a few flavored vodkas, gin, and some fun sparkling drinks from Trader Joe's and ended up with three incredibly easy vodka soda-ish cocktails.

Each one starts with just 2 ounces of spirit and then gets topped with one or two ingredients.

That's it.

No shaker. No complicated recipe. No homemade ingredients that took an hour to prepare.

Just pour, top, stir, and enjoy.

🍓 Berry Strawberry Lemonade

This one is basically a vodka soda that decided to have a little more fun.

The combination of Berry Rouge and sparkling strawberry lemonade gives you plenty of berry and strawberry flavor, while the seltzer keeps things from getting too sweet.

What's in it

• 2oz Grey Goose Berry Rouge

• Trader Joe's Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

• Splash of seltzer

Let's make it

Fill a glass with ice and add the Berry Rouge. Top with the sparkling strawberry lemonade, then add a splash of seltzer.

Give it a quick stir and that's it.

The Flavor

Berry-forward, bubbly, and refreshing. The sparkling lemonade brings the sweetness and strawberry flavor, while that little bit of seltzer helps balance everything out.

It's exactly the kind of drink I want when I'm sitting outside on a warm afternoon.

🍊 Mandarin Blood Orange

Next up is a little more citrus-forward.

Hangar 1 Mandarin Blossom Vodka is already packed with bright citrus flavor, and pairing it with Trader Joe's Blood Orange & Orange Juice Seltzer makes this one incredibly easy.

I added just a little simple syrup because, for me, it needed that touch of sweetness to bring everything together.

What's in it

• 2oz Hangar 1 Mandarin Blossom Vodka

• Trader Joe's Blood Orange & Orange Juice Seltzer

• Dash of simple syrup

Let's make it

Add the vodka to an ice-filled glass. Top with the Blood Orange & Orange Juice Seltzer and add a dash of simple syrup.

Give it a quick stir and you're ready to go.

The Flavor

This is the bright and citrusy one of the group.

The mandarin brings a beautiful orange note, while the blood orange adds a little more depth. The simple syrup rounds everything out without turning it into a sweet cocktail.

It's light, refreshing, and ridiculously easy.

🍓 Strawberry Rhubarb Gin

And then there's this one.

Okay, I know I called these vodka soda-ish drinks, and technically this one is gin. But when I found the combination of Sipsmith Strawberry Gin and Trader Joe's Rhubarb & Strawberry Soda, I knew it had to be part of the lineup.

Plus, this might be the easiest one of all.

What's in it

• 2oz Sipsmith Strawberry Gin

• Trader Joe's Rhubarb & Strawberry Soda

Let's make it

Fill a glass with ice, add the strawberry gin, and top with the rhubarb and strawberry soda.

Give it a quick stir and Done.

The Flavor

This one is strawberry, but not overly sweet.

The strawberry gin gives you that fresh berry flavor, while the rhubarb adds a little tartness that keeps everything balanced.

And with only two ingredients, it's a pretty hard drink to mess up.

Keep It Simple

What I like about all three of these is that they don't really feel like recipes.

They're more like starting points.

Take a flavored spirit you enjoy, find something bubbly that sounds good, and put them together. Sometimes that's all it takes to make a really good cocktail.

And that's especially true when the weather is perfect.

So if you're lucky enough to have a mid-70s afternoon today, grab some ice, pick your favorite, and head to the porch.

Because sometimes the best cocktail is the one you can make in about 30 seconds.

Cheers from the porch!