As the country goes back into lockdown, beat the blues and the summer heat by sipping on some delicious home made cocktails. One would think, summer is all about sunshine, tan lines, tall drinks, and if you're lucky, a vacation or two, but as we stay home to stay safe, keep the spirits high by experimenting at your home bar.

Diageo India's DIY cocktail recipes, by Brand Ambassador Meghana Balaji, help you pick from your favourite tipple, whether its � Gin, Vodka, Scotch or a Baileys! A perfect way to enjoy a sundowner is with a classic cocktail by your side.

Gordon's' G&T

Ingredients:

60ml Gordon's London Dry

150-180ml Fever-Tree Tonic

2 dashes Bitters

Mosambi Wheel, Sage leaves garnish Ice: Cubed Ice

Glassware: Copa style glassware

Method:

As prep, chill your glass, the tonic & the gin far ahead of time.

In your chilled glass, pour in 60ml of Gordon's London Dry Gin.

Top up with ice, until ice peaks through the glass like a mini iceberg.

Start to pour in 180ml of cold tonic water, you will notice the ice starts to melt.

Top with more ice to keep the carbonation strong, avoid over diluting your drink with mixer and to reduce the melt. Finish pouring in your tonic water as desired.

Dress with2-3 dashes of bitters, and garnish with a mosambi wheel and sage leaves.

Andalusian Summer with Tanqueray London Dry

Ingredients:

45ml Tanqueray London Dry

20ml Chamomile Honey

20ml Fresh Orange Juice

15ml Lime Juice

Soda to Top Up

Orange Wheel

Glassware: Copa De Balon, Wine Glass

Method:

Take highball, add 60ml Tanqueray London Dry, and all other ingredients until lime juice.

Top up with ice, until ice peaks through the glass, stir and cool your drink down.

Place your orange wedge against the glass for a clean garnish look.

Add more ice and then top up ever so slightly with crisp soda.

Dress with2-3 dashes of bitters if you like!

Ketel Mule

Ingredients:

45 ml Ketel One Vodka

100 ml Ginger Ale

Lime Wedges

Mint

Julienned Ginger

Glassware: Mule Mug

Method:

Lightly muddle a couple of ginger juliennes in your mule mug,

Juice half a lime,

Add 45 ml Ketel One, top with ice until ice peaks through the mug

Top with crisp, fresh, superbly cold ginger ale

Agitate a sprig of mint on the back of your hand. Garnish with more lime wedges, said mint and ginger juliennes.

Melon & Mint

Ingredients:

60 ml Smirnoff No.21 Vodka

5 Watermelon Wedges

3 Lime Wedges

15ml Sweet & Sour (a mix of sugar & lime)

Fresh Rosemary

Soda

Glassware: A highball glass

Method:

In a highball glass, muddle watermelon (de-seeded) and 60ml of Smirnoff No.21 Vodka.

Lightly muddle in the lime wedges. Don't go in too hard, or the lemon oils make the drink bitter.

Pour in 15ml of sweet & sour.

Add cubed ice to fill in the glass completely.

Add soda water until halfway; you'll see the ice melt.

Wiggle your bar spoon right to the bottom of the glass, hitting the base, give it a proper stir

Top with more ice and a touch of soda.

Agitate a sprig of mint on the back of your hand.

Garnish with more lime wedges, said mint and a watermelon wedge on the rim.

Scotch needs to be in your arsenal of tasty summer drams. Follow along for sweet surprises!

Johnnie Berry Crush

Ingredients:

45ml Johnnie Walker Black Label

10ml Lime Juice

Ripe Raspberries / Strawberries

Soda Water to top up

Mint to garnish

Glassware: An Old-fashioned glass

Method:

Take an old-fashioned glass, add 3-4 strawberries and a sprig of mint

Use a muddler to gently crush the berries & mint

Pour in 45ml of Johnnie Walker Black Label

Add crushed ice to the top and add soda water until halfway

Wiggle your bar spoon right to the bottom of the glass, hitting the base, give it a proper stir

Top with soda

Agitate your sprig of mint by slapping it against your palm

Garnish with mint and slurp it up! That's a fabulous way to go highballing' into the weekend!

Tips:

Adding all the soda and then giving it a stir will cause fizziness to reduce and take away the beautiful gradation in your drink.

Use a tall glass as a Collins (which fits more liquid) to further dilute your drink with soda if desired.

The colder the soda, the crisper the fizz. Ice is one part, but also make sure your soda is fresh off the refrigerator.

Citrus Got Real

Ingredients:

45ml Black & White Scotch and Whisky

60ml Fresh Orange Juice

10ml Fresh Lime

Lemonade tops up

Garnish Fresh basil

Glassware: An old-fashioned glass

Method:

Take an old-fashioned glass, pour in 45ml of Black & White Scotch, 60ml of Orange Juice and 10ml of Lime juice.

Add ice to the top and add lemonade until halfway

Wiggle your bar spoon right to the bottom of the glass, hitting the base, give it a proper stir

Top with more ice and a touch of lemonade

Agitate basil by slapping it against your palm or tear into large chunks.

Garnish with delight! And your Black & White Scotch and Whisky citrus highball just got real!

And finally, a bottle that deserves to have a forever home in your chiller.

Bailey's On Ice

Ingredients:

60ml Baileys

Crushed Ice

Coffee Dusting

30ml Dark Roast Espresso (optional)

Glassware: An old-fashioned glass

Method:

Fill to the top of the glass with crushed ice.

Allow the glass to cool and pour in the 60ml of Bailey's on top.

Fill further with more crushed ice to keep it from melting too quickly.

Espresso fans could also pour in 30ml dark roast espresso for that bitter note.

Dust with instant coffee. Enjoy.

Source - IANS