My favourite summer drinks from best to worst!

Summer and drinks just go together, don’t they? The moment the thermostat ticks past 20C, I want a drink in my hand at all times. I have become one of those people who can’t function without ice cubes. Every trip out somehow turns into an opportunity to try a new drink and my fridge starts looking like a mini corner shop.

Summer drinks are an absolute minefield. Some are pure bliss in a glass and others taste like melted plastic and regret. So here is my very important ranking of summer drinks from best to worst.

Iced Coffee!!

This is the drink that gets me through summer without being a grumpy cow! There is something magical about iced coffee. Especially when you’ve been melting all morning and finally sit down with one that’s freezing cold. The sound of the ice clinking around the cup cools me down, just hearing it and the caffeine kick is a great boost.

Fruity Cocktails!

Cocktails make me feel like I'm on holiday, even if I'm just sitting on a plastic chair in the back garden. They’re fun, colourful and they make the summer feel a little exciting. I want something that is bright and comes with a slice of fruit stuck on the side and a silly umbrella. Give me a Sex on the Beach, a strawberry daiquiri or a pina colada. It doesn't even have to have alcohol in, it can be a mocktail.

Fizzy Coca-Cola Out of a Can!

Not a bottle or glass, it has to be out of a can! Coca-Cola from a can tastes colder somehow. I don’t know the science behind it and I don’t need to know. It just does. The sound of opening a can of Coke on a hot day is one of the best sounds, especially when it’s been in the fridge for ages. That first gulp hurts with the coldness and the fizz but it is sometimes what is needed.

Lemonade!

Lemonade is one of the simplest drinks but in the summer it is so refreshing, especially with loads of ice. I love proper cloudy lemonade most but I’m not fussy. If it’s cold and fizzy I’m happy. Lemonade is also one of the few drinks that works with absolutely everything. You can have it by itself or a mixer for another drink.

Fruit Cider!

Fruit cider feels like summer in a glass. Strawberry and lime, mixed berries, dark fruits. There’s something about fruit cider that feels less heavy than other alcoholic drinks in hot weather. It’s cold, fizzy and easy to drink. Sometimes a little too easy.

McDonald’s Milkshake!

A McDonald’s milkshake in summer is either the best decision ever made or the worst. There is no middle ground. Sometimes they’re thick and freezing cold and perfect and other times you spend ten minutes sucking through the straw with nothing coming out. The main problem with them is they can become too much very quickly in hot weather. You start off feeling refreshed and end up feeling like you’ve swallowed melted ice cream by the bucketload.

Iced Tea!

I want to love iced tea more than I actually do. It always looks so refreshing and people drink it in films while sitting on porches looking peaceful and organised but when I drink it, I spend the entire time trying to decide whether I like it or not. Some flavours are nice, especially a peach one but others somehow taste both watery and too sweet at the same time. I’ll happily drink iced tea if it’s offered to me but I’m probably not choosing it first.

Coconut Water!

I keep trying coconut water because people insist it’s refreshing, healthy and amazing and every single time I convince myself maybe this will be the time I finally understand the hype. It never is. I know loads of people love it and swear by it in summer, especially during heatwaves but I just can’t get excited about it.

Fruit Smoothies!

This might be controversial because smoothies seem healthy and cheerful but I just don’t want a thick fruity drink when it’s hot. They feel too filling and I don’t want to chew my drink. Homemade smoothies are always a gamble. One banana too many and suddenly you’ve created baby food, shop bought smoothies are better but they still leave me feeling weirdly thirsty afterwards.

Blue Raspberry Slushie!

Last place is the blue raspberry slushies. I don’t care how nostalgic you feel about these they are a crime against humanity. What even is a blue raspberry? Have you ever seen a blue raspberry? They look amazing but they are too cold! The freeze gives you brain freeze, they taste too sweet and artificial and when you finish one and your tongue looks like you’ve been eating crayons.

What are your favourite and least favourite drinks in the summer?