The sun is (intermittently) out and spring is in the air, which means it’s time to put the heavy winter drinks away and start sipping on something sunnier. Citrus, mint and berries highlight this list of spring drinks but one very spicy newcomer adds a punch to the traditional beer cocktail. Put the textbooks away, mix one of these up and pretend you’re already on summer vacation.

Mint Julep

It’s fancy. It’s minty. It’s bourbon-y. And with the Kentucky Derby right around the corner (May 3-4), now is the time to perfect the Derby’s signature drink: the mint julep. This drink isn’t for everyone. It’s strong — both in flavor and alcohol level — but it’s also incredibly cool and refreshing.

— Bourbon

— Mint leaves

— 1 tsp. white sugar

Mash the sugar and a few sprigs of mint together in the bottom of a glass with the wrong end of a wooden spoon. Add as much bourbon as you like (we did about two shots’ worth) and fill the rest of the glass up with ice. Classy!

Summer Beer

This stuff is as delicious as it is dangerous. There is quite a bit of alcohol in here but you can barely taste any of it. It’s a great drink for a party, as you can easily make enough for a crowd. Sweetish but not overly sugary, this cocktail should definitely enter your regular rotation.

— 1 can pink lemonade concentrate

— Vodka (unflavored)

— 4 light beers (we used Corona)

Empty the pink lemonade concentrate into a pitcher. Fill the lemonade can again with vodka and add that. Mix with the beer and serve over ice. Yummy!

Cocky Rooster

This one is crazy, but also crazy good. Sriracha gives this beer cocktail a nice subtle kick you’ll feel in the back of your throat while also lending the drink a slightly strange taco-like aroma. Don’t let that scare you. If you like spicy foods, this one’s for you.

— Beer (again, we used Corona)

— Juice of one lime

— Sriracha

In the bottom of a pint glass, mix the lime juice and 2-3 squirts of Sriracha (if you like stuff really spicy, of course you can add more Sriracha). Add beer. You can also serve this in a big pitcher over ice.

Raspberry Moscato “Lemonade”

Yummy, sweet and light, this one is perfect for a lazy afternoon on the porch. This would be equally good with any berry, but we chose raspberries for this one. If someone you know is a wine-hater, this is a good way to ease them into it.

— 1 tbsp. lemon juice

— Frozen raspberries

— 1 tsp. white sugar

— Moscato wine (it’s super sweet)

In the bottom of a glass, mash together raspberries, lemon juice and sugar. Top with your desired amount of moscato (we used 6-7 oz.) and serve over ice.

Whiskey and cola slushies

We used Jack Daniel’s and Coke for this one, but this concept would work for any liquor and soda combination. These would be best on a very hot, sweaty day, as it’s a bit too cold for an everyday libation. Get creative and tailor this technique to your favorite flavors.

— Jack Daniel’s

— Coca-Cola

— Ice

— Blender

Freeze the cola in an ice cube tray overnight or until the soda is completely frozen. Toss all 12 cubes into a blender with about a cup of ice and add enough Jack Daniel’s to reach the consistency (or alcohol content) you’re looking for.

Disaronno Sour

Disaronno is so tasty on its own that you can be perfectly happy drinking it that way. But the addition of citrus makes this the ideal spring cocktail.

— Lemon juice

— Lime juice

— Disaronno

— 1 tsp. white sugar

Mix the juices and the sugar in the bottom of a glass. Add Disaronno and ice and serve, preferably with a lemon or lime wedge.

Margarita Popsicles

These are so easy it’s (almost) stupid to include a recipe. Yes, it uses Mike’s, which is a bit of a cop-out, but the problem with using actual tequila is that it can’t freeze in a normal freezer. You really can’t tell that these are tequila-less. Try these for a fun, boozy alternative to a normal popsicle.

— Mike’s Classic Margarita

— Dixie cups

— Popsicle sticks (or drink umbrellas, like we used)

Simply freeze the margaritas in the Dixie cups overnight. Pop them out of the cups and enjoy!