Easy cocktail recipes to make for your Eurovision viewing party

Tonight, the final of the Eurovision Song Contest is being held in Turin Italy.

People across the continent will be gathering to watch the annual display, which is the highlight of the year for fans of camp, cheese, and sequins.

It’s been a tough year for many participating countries, so this lighthearted competition should be a welcome respite from the bad news we’re constantly being bombarded with.

If you’re having a Eurovision watching party this evening and want to impress your guests without the faff, we’ve got some easy cocktail recipes for you.

Using up ingredients you can pick up at the supermarket (rather than fancy syrups that take days to make) as well as some you may already have in the cupboards, they’re easy to mix in batches.

That way you don’t miss any of the catchy tunes or host Mika’s witty remarks.

Trust us, these won’t be rated ‘nil point’ by your guests.

Vodka Sunrise

JJ Whitley has created this refreshing serve to showcase their artisanal vodka, which works beautifully with the sweet pomegranate syrup and tangy citrus.

It takes just three steps to make, and you can set up a cocktail station where guests can top themselves up as the contest goes on.

Ingredients 

• 50ml vodka
• 2/3 raspberries
• 15ml lime juice
• 15ml grenadine 
• 125ml cloudy lemonade 
• Wedge of lime
• Extra raspberries and lime for garnish (optional)

Method  

• Muddle the raspberries in a highball glass.
• Add the grenadine and vodka while squeezing over a wedge of lime and gently stirring.
• Top with the cloudy lemonade and add your garnishes.

Pina Colada

A study by VonHaus recently revealed that one in six (16%) people say the Pina Colada is their favourite cocktail.

These are super easy to make, and you can multiply the ingredients and stick them in the blender to save yourself shaking up multiple batches.

Ingredients

• 120ml pineapple juice
• 60ml white rum
• 60ml coconut cream
• Handful of ice

Method

• Place all of your ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and do your best mixology impression to combine.
• Pour into a cocktail glass and enjoy.

Blood Orange Negroni

Prefer something a little stronger to sip on?

Switch up the classic negroni with Italian aperitivo Aperol, which is sweeter than the standard Campari.

This recipe – which serves two – was devised by the team at vegan restaurant The Omni Collective, and is suitable for anyone on a plant-based diet.

Ingredients

• 50ml gin
• 50ml Aperol
• 50ml vermouth
• 2 large ice cubes
• Orange peel or dehydrated orange slice for garnish (optional)

Method

• Build the cocktail in a rocks glass by adding in half the gin, Aperol and vermouth. Using a cocktail stirrer, mix the ingredients till well combined.
• Repeat with the other glass.
• Place 1 large ice cube into each rocks glass as a statement piece.
• Finish by placing a dehydrated orange slice on top of the ice cube for decoration, or a curled orange peel on the rim.

The Glorious

The Glorious is a cocktail curated by Global Brand Ambassador of Ron Abuelo, Cristobal Srokowski, for the Queen’s upcoming Platinum Jubilee – but we think it’s perfect for cheering on Britain’s Eurovision entrant Sam Ryder.

If you can’t get your hands on the Ron Abuelo 12-year-old used, swap for your dark rum of choice. The sugar syrup may also be substituted with maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey in a pinch.

Ingredients

• 45ml Ron Abuelo 12 Años rum
• 20ml fresh lime juice
• 20ml sugar syrup
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters
• 8-10 fresh mint leaves
• Champagne or dry sparkling wine to top off

Method

• Shake and double strain your rum, lime juice, syrup, mint, and bitters into a coupette or large flute.
• Top off with Champagne or dry sparkling wine
• Stir gently and garnish with an extra mint sprig or some orange peel.

The Perfect Paloma

It’s pink, tart, and deliciously thirst-quenching: the Paloma is the ideal cocktail for springtime sipping.

Here’s tequila brand Patron’s recipe for the grapefruit-based drink.

As with the other recipes, you can substitute the brand of tequila if you don’t have Patron, and use honey, maple syrup, or simple syrup in place of agave.

Ingredients

• 40ml Patron Reposado tequila
• 100ml fresh grapefruit juice
• 15ml agave syrup
• 15ml fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 30ml sparkling water
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grapefruit slice and salt/sugar for garnish (optional)

Method

• Combine all ingredients except sparkling water in a cocktail shaker, then shake with ice to chill.
• Strain onto fresh ice in a sugar-and-salt rimmed Collins glass.
• Top with sparkling water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

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