There’s something about being on a boat, or floating in the river, or sitting by the water that feels like a party. The sun is shining, there are no cars to be heard, and you’re sitting by the water with a cool drink in hand. It’s so easy to pack your cooler up with beers for a day on the river, but why not class it up with a cocktail that tastes great and has some fun flavors? Hard seltzer has been all the rage this summer, but if you’re more into hard alcohol than beer, here are some great canned cocktails to try!
Watermelon Margarita (25% ABV):
An easy way to make this even better is by adding some ice cubes made out of watermelon juice to keep it nice and cold. Grab the recipe for the Watermelon Ice Cubes here:
- 3 cups watermelon juice
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 5 tablespoons coarse salt
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice until well combined, then fill glasses with ice cubes made from the Watermelon Ice Cubes recipe. Fill glasses with cocktail mixture and garnish each glass with slices of watermelon, cucumber, lime and sugar (tipped over so it falls down into the drink).
Cucumber Vodka Soda (4% ABV):
Try serving with cucumber slices to take it up a notch:
- Cucumber slices are the perfect topping for this drink. They add a fresh, salty element to your cocktail and make it an ideal pairing with a juicy burger or fish tacos.
- Don’t forget to float a few cucumbers in your glass as well! The coolness of the cucumbers will balance out the heat from the vodka and spicy ginger beer, so you won’t have to worry about getting burned on this one.
- For something different, try adding some fresh cucumber slices—or even just some ice cubes—to your beverage before serving it up. The subtle flavor of cucumber will pair nicely with this already refreshing drink!
Grapefruit Paloma (6% ABV):
What’s a margarita without its sister cocktail? Grapefruit juice makes this tasty drink feel like something you’d find at an upscale bar. The name “Paloma” comes from the Mexican word for “dove,” and it’s also called a “grapefruit margarita” because it uses tequila and grapefruit soda instead of lime juice. It’s popular in Mexico, but why can’t we enjoy these delicious cocktails in Missoula, Montana?
Huckleberry Lemonade (4.9% ABV): 
If you need something a little sweeter to get you through the summer heat, look no further! Huckleberry is a great flavor for cocktails, beer and seltzer — but especially lemonade. It’s tart, sweet and slightly bitter .
Sit back, relax and enjoy your favorite drink while enjoying the water Montana has to offer. Hopefully these ideas have inspired you to mix up your next boating trip with some fun new cocktails.
Cheers!
