13 Refreshing Pitcher Drinks for Memorial Day Weekend

Pineapple Mojitos
Photo: © Con Poulos

Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and we like to celebrate with cool, refreshing drinks—better yet, pitcher drinks, which can easily be scaled for gatherings. Think sangria, punch, batch mojitos, and Aperol spritzes, too. Read on for some of our favorite Memorial Day drink recipes.

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Ginger Shandies

Ginger Shandies
© Tina Rupp

All you need to make these drinks is ginger beer, Hoegaarden beer, one thinly sliced lemon, and mint sprigs.

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Georgia on My Mind

Georgia on My Mind

Peach liqueur, fresh lemon juice, bourbon, chilled apricot or peach ale, and more come together in this fruity drink.

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Pineapple-Sake Sangria with Jalapeño

Pineapple-Sake Sangria with Jalapeño
LUIS GARCIA

This sake-based punch from chef Helene Henderson is refreshing and spicy thanks to an easy-to-make jalapeño syrup.

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Red Sangria

Red Sangria
LUCAS ALLEN

This easy red sangria only has a few ingredients—a fruity red wine (such as Merlot), brandy, simple syrup, mixed citrus pieces, and ice. Serve in chilled, ice-filled wine glasses.

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Sparkling Yuzu Gimlets

Sparkling Yuzu Gimlet
© Christina Holmes

After you've mixed them up, Top Chef winner Mei Lin recommends serving these gimlets in ice-filled collins glasses, with small sprigs of mint and basil and a cucumber spear for garnish.

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Rum Punch

Rum Punch

All of the ingredients in this simple punch come together in a pitcher except for the ice and pineapple wedges. Once you're ready to serve, pour the punch into red wine glasses over ice and use the wedges for garnish.

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Sandy Bottoms

Sandy Bottoms
Victor Protasio

This pitcher drink pairs refreshing watermelon with the delicate fennel-and-herb flavor of Peychaud's bitters.

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Sky Juice

Sky Juice
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

This creamy concoction of fresh coconut water and sweetened condensed milk liberally mixed with gin is also known as Gully Wash and tastes equally good by either name.

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Grilled Pineapple–Tequila Punch

Grilled Pineapple Poncha Recipe
Greg Dupree

Paula Disbrowe makes this cocktail when cooler weather starts to hit Texas, but you can make it during warmer weather, too. The sweet and smoky notes of grilled pineapple are combined with blanco tequila, Ancho Reyes Verde (poblano liqueur), pineapple juice, and lime juice, with Topo Chico and fresh garnishes as the finishing touch.

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Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz

This recipe allows you to make a batch of the refreshing Italian cocktail. You'll need one bottle of Aperol, one bottle of Prosecco, chilled seltzer, and ice, and a big pitcher, too. It all gets combined and then poured into ice-filled wine glasses. (Don't forget the orange slices for garnish.)

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Pineapple Mojitos

Pineapple Mojitos
© Con Poulos

Chef Jose Enrique's family comes from Cuba, where they were famous for their pineapple soda—it was once the country's most popular soft drink after Coke. Enrique makes a mojito version of it, using a rich brown sugar-pineapple syrup, rum, mint and club soda.

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Tequila-Watermelon Aguas Frescas with Prosecco

Tequila-Watermelon Aguas Frescas with Prosecco
ADRIAN GAUT

In this refreshing cocktail, Prosecco adds a lively spritz to a light, watermelon-forward margarita. You can mix everything in a pitcher or large bowl.

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Sanibel Sangria

Sanibel Sangria
Victor Protasio

This rosy-red sangria is made with hibiscus tea, fresh raspberries, sugar, gin, and dry sparkling rosé. Wait to add the latter to the pitcher until you're ready to serve—add fresh raspberries for a garnish.

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