Buckeye Vodka Shares 3 Summer Cocktail Recipes

Dayton’s Buckeye Vodka shared these three light and summery cocktails that promise to bring the flavor to your next cookout or campfire.

Boozy Buckeye Vodka Campfire Shake
Reminiscent of the classic Ohio candy, the buckeye, this peanut butter and chocolate cocktail is perfect for winding down in the evening. Charlie Ballinger, regional sales manager for Buckeye Vodka, says this dessert cocktail is perfect for summer nights after the sun goes down and the temperature cools off. “It’s a good after-dinner drink,” he says. “You’ve had your burgers, brats, steaks and you’re relaxing with the family, sitting outside. It’s a good nightcap,” Ballinger says. He recommends treating this cocktail like a milkshake by carefully balancing the ratio of milk to ice cream so it doesn’t end up runny.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup chocolate peanut butter ice cream
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1-1/2 ounces Buckeye Vodka
Whipped cream for garnish
2 tablespoon mini marshmallows
Kitchen torch

DIRECTIONS
Blend the ice cream, milk, chocolate syrup and vodka together in a blender until smooth. Top the shake with whipped cream. Then add marshmallows that have been toasted with a kitchen torch or grill lighter. Garnish with more chocolate sauce and other treats, such as mini peanut butter cup candies and peanut butter sundae topping.

Buckeye Vodka’s 3 C’s Cooler (Charlie’s Cucumber Cooler)
This light and summery cocktail offers a fresh take on the traditional vodka soda. Charlie Ballinger, regional sales manager for Buckeye Vodka in Dayton, came up with this recipe while working as a bartender at a restaurant. “One of my guests asked me to come up with something … and I happened to have some cucumbers lying around,” he recalls. Ballinger says the versatility of the veggie and the bite of the lime make for a great mix. “The other thing you can do with this cocktail, if you want to make it in batches: you can actually infuse the vodka with cucumbers for about a week and just use cucumber-infused vodka and get the same results.”

INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Buckeye Vodka
4 ounces soda water
Cucumber slices
Lime slices

DIRECTIONS
Pour soda water over ice and add Buckeye Vodka. Stir in some cucumber slices and garnish with a lime wedge.

Ohio Favorite Jammin’ Cocktail
The combination of mint and raspberry jam are the flavors that set this cocktail apart from the crowd. Charlie Ballinger, regional sales manager for Buckeye Vodka, uses soda water as the base for many summer cocktails, including this one, to bring the fizz. “It’s light, it’s not flavorful,” he says of the soda water, “so you’re not going to take away from the flavors of the drink you’re trying to highlight.” Ballinger also notes that the clean taste of Buckeye Vodka helps call attention to the fresh, summertime flavors. To get the most out of your mint, Ballinger suggests muddling before stirring it into the drink.

INGREDIENTS
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce seedless raspberry jam
2 ounces Buckeye Vodka
2 ounces club soda
1 cup fresh mint
Lime slices

DIRECTIONS
Whisk together lime juice and jam in a tall glass. Stir in Buckeye Vodka, club soda, mint, and sliced lime. Serve over ice.