Summer Solstice drinks: the longest evening deserves something built to last.

The summer solstice falls around 20 or 21 June in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the longest period of daylight. For drinking, that makes long serves, spritzes, lager, cider, iced tea and lower-alcohol choices particularly sensible.

A drink that is perfect at six should not make nine o’clock feel unexpectedly ambitious.

Citrus, cucumber, mint, elderflower, berries and fresh herbs suit the season because they bring aroma and refreshment without heaviness.

Fresh ingredients should remain recognisable. The garden has already done the decorative work outside.

Dry rosé is useful for outdoor food because it combines red-fruit character with white-wine freshness. It can move from salads and seafood to charcuterie and lightly grilled food without demanding a menu rewrite.

Serve it properly cool rather than arctic; flavour is still invited to the event.

Cold-brewed or hot-brewed-and-chilled tea can deliver tannin, aroma and length without alcohol. Black, green, jasmine and fruit-infused styles each create different summer drinks.

For a long evening, complexity without cumulative alcohol is not exactly a design flaw.