The ultimate guide to day drinking

There’s nothing better than spending summer afternoons on the patio. But unless you want to pass out by 4 p.m., here are a few lower alcohol options to keep you happy, classy and fabulous until the stars come out.

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The ultimate guide to day drinking

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  Bloody Caesar or Bloody Mary

  With a ratio of somewhere between three to four times juice to vodka, these tasty little numbers are not only low in alcohol, but they're lower in sugar (a dangerous temptress for hangovers) than fruit-juice based cocktails. Depending on how liberal the barkeep gets with his or her garnish, you could also end up well fed for the tidy price of a drink.Flickr

• Vermouth and soda

  Don't knock it until you've tried it. Vermouth, a fortified wine that's wildly popular in Spain and other parts of Europe has an alcohol content of somewhere around 15 to 18 per cent. Soda cuts down it's potency leaving you with a respectable quaffer that highlights vermouth's flavours of herbs, citrus and spice. Flickr

• Coconut water

  Coconut water is considered healthy and hydrating — both good things in the day drinking realm. Drinks can be as simple as swapping out the soda for coconut water, as in: vodka, coconut water and a twist of fresh orange or lime. Alternatively, get fancy with drinks like the Pineapple-Coconut Colada.Flickr

• Fruity drinks

  Cocktails made from scratch are great ways to enjoy your drinks and stay hydrated, too. Pre-mixed ones contain too much sugar, and combining sugar with lots of booze is a sure fire way to pass out at the table. Stay classy and alert with homemade bevvies that incorporate lots of water-based fruit, like watermelon margaritas. Flickr

• Spritzer

  It is possible to make these a tad more elegant than those '80s suburban cocktails that made partying at country clubs bearable. Instead of your basic bad chardonnay topped with soda, get a little creative: order a good chardonnay and cut it with a splash of St Germain liqueur and citrus bitters, or try a Campari and fresh lemon juice.Flickr

• Sangria

  Maybe one of the most perfect day drinking options available. The potency of the wine is cut significantly by the juice and/or soda and the hydrating freshness of the fruit keeps you from crossing over to the dark side. Thinkstock

• Pitcher drinks

  Large batch cocktails like iced tea go a long way to offering hydrating refreshment with a little alcoholic punch. Try one of our recipes, or experiment with your own favourites: consider adding whiskey or bourbon to cherry, lemon or black iced tea, or vanilla flavoured vodka to strawberry, blueberry or peach flavoured tea.Thinkstock

• Shandy

  A mix of beer and lemonade, this beer cocktail has its roots in British history and is as tasty as it is gentlemanly. In Germany, it's sold by the litre! Adding non-alcoholic lemonade to your beer offers a citrusy lift and lightens up the suds considerably. Flickr