The glorious Mediterranean summer sun along with great lengths of land – rich in red fertile soil, allows the magnificent island of Ibiza to produce a beautiful range of fresh produce.  And, where possible; The Bar Ibiza loves to use locally sourced fruits and veggies – directly from our Ibicencan farmers. From juicy ripe melons, strawberries, oranges, lemons and pomegranates; for us, utilising fresh local produce not only supports our community and local businesses alike, but also enables a new world of cocktails to become more creative, vast and of a very high standard!

One of our favourites on the island is the immensely tasty, deep red and refreshing watermelon. The juicy flesh of watermelons from Ibiza are incredible rich in sweetness, making it the absolute perfect combining ingredient for a great summer cocktail.  And what’s more; it mixes well with a variety of spirits, it’s a total thirst quenching number one hit amongst punters and has an incredibly aesthetic appearance too!

Where it may often look a little complicated, most recipes are actually quite simple. However, let’s not confuse simple with being imprecise. Precision of mixing is key to getting these top four sweet summer sensational drinks just right!

The Frozen Watermelon Margarita

Like all of these beauties, this beverage requires a little pre-planning. Simply chop up some fresh watermelon, approximately 1/2 of a small / medium sized watermelon (4 full american cups to be precise) and chuck on a large baking sheet, then freeze until hardened.  Make sure you throw it in the freezer for approximately 2hrs before your ready; thus ensuring a perfectly ICE cold and SLUSHY texture to your drink…

Next, mix up a 2:1 ratio of salt vs granulated sugar and 1 whole lime zest . Use a lime wedge to wet rim of TWO margarita glasses then dip the rims into the mixture.  Now that your glasses are on point, let’s move to mixing up this gem of a drink.

Blend together your frozen watermelon, use 50mls of lime juice, 100ml silver tequila, 50ml triple sec and blend until smooth. Gently pour into 2 rimmed standard Margarita glasses, garnish with a little slice of watermelon and a lime round. There you have a completely divine and incredibly punchy Watermelon Margarita.  Beware one is stronger than you may think!

Watermelon Daiquiri

And so an even easier summer recipe – The stunning Watermelon Daiquiri.  This is one that you can completely recreate for those family and friend’s BBQ sessions at home (on a small or larger scale) and be sure to impress all your guests.  

Purée watermelon in a food processor, strain directly into a large ice-filled cocktail shaker and add 100ml of rum, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 juice of a whole lime and add a small pinch of lime zest. Cover, shake, and strain into 2 small cocktail tumblers. Garnish with a triangular watermelon slice. Nothing difficult. Nothing too icy. And nothing but sent from heaven.

Sparkling Watermelon Cocktail

The sparkling watermelon cocktail is a very straightforward recipe and has the potential as a great second option for those who may wish to have a non-alcoholic mocktail. With only 4 ingredients or 3 for those mocktails, it’s an easy option when multiplying for bigger groups and an absolutely watermelon love affair!

Puree watermelon using a blender.  One ½ of a small/medium watermelon will be sufficient (4 american cups to be precise). Strain out the pulp so you have a nice smooth pink transparent liquid.  Next fill your tall glasses with crushed ice and pour 1/2 cup of watermelon juice into each glass, squeeze the juice of one lime, add 50ml of gin for those cocktails lovers and top up with ginger ale.  Stir Well. Stir well. Garnish with lime wedges.

Watermelon Cosmicpolitan

Go the full length.  Chop, deseed and puree a small amount of watermelon in a blender.  Pour your pureed mix directly into your ice-cube tray and freeze until hardened.  These watermelon cubes are the perfect sized blocks to place at the bottom of your prepared chilled Martini glasses to keep your cocktail cool and add a little more “pretty” to your finished craft. Next, fill your shaker with ice, add 25ml of premium Vodka, 25ml Contreau and an additional tablespoon of grenadine.  Add approximately 200ml of watermelon puree in a shaker and shake for 30 seconds. Strain into your glass with one of your amazing watermelon ice cubes and garnish with a small dainty slice of watermelon. Voila! Amazing summer vibes all around.

And so, there it is our top favourite watermelon cocktails (and mocktail) for those in-season refreshing and somewhat cool drinks menu ideas.  Just remember folks, please drink responsibly. Fruity alcoholic beverages can often feel and be misleading. Monitor your intake. Stay well hydrated and “out” of the midday sun.  Most importantly… schedule ahead and pre-book that taxi home! Stay Safe. With love The Bar Ibiza!