Summer Starts at The Crown Club: 6 Drinks Worth Trying This Season

In partnership with The OGH

If you're looking for somewhere to catch up over summer drinks, The Crown Club at The Old Government House Hotel & Spa deserves a place on your list.

Whether you choose a table inside the Crown Club or out on the Terrace overlooking St Peter Port, it strikes that lovely balance between feeling special without feeling formal. Add a genuinely warm welcome from Crown Club Manager Jeff and his team, and it's somewhere you'll happily settle in for a while.

With a new seasonal drinks menu now available, we asked Jeff to share six drinks that perfectly capture summer.

Whether you enjoy something fresh and citrusy, rich and smoky or completely alcohol free, they'll happily guide you towards the perfect choice. And if inspiration strikes, they'll even create something bespoke that's not on the menu.

Not sure where to start? We spent an afternoon sampling the new summer drinks menu to help narrow it down.

It's a tough job, but someone had to do it.

Here are our thoughts…

 

 

Sunset Spritz

If Aperol Spritz and Hugo Spritz got together for summer, this would be the result.

Made with Aperol, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice and Prosecco, it's lighter and less bitter than a traditional Aperol Spritz, with fresh cucumber adding another layer of flavour. Jeff describes it as a combination of the two classics, designed to be more refreshing and easy to drink.

Our take? We loved how smooth it was. The grapefruit lifts the drink beautifully, while the elderflower softens the bitterness, making it one of those cocktails you could happily sip all afternoon. Holiday in a glass? Quite possibly.

 

 

Yuzu Margarita

Sometimes it's the smallest change that transforms a classic. 

Rather than using lime, Jeff swaps in Japanese yuzu, a citrus fruit known for its intensely aromatic flavour. The result is a margarita that's familiar enough to satisfy traditionalists but distinctive enough to feel like something entirely new.

What stands out most is the yuzu. It adds a brighter, more fragrant citrus note that elevates the whole cocktail, making it a great choice if you're ready to branch out from a classic margarita.

 

 

Sparkling Clarified Piña Colada

This was our favourite. 

At first glance, it looks nothing like a Piña Colada. Crystal clear and lightly sparkling, it's an elegant take on the tropical classic.

Jeff explains that coconut milk is used during the clarification process before the drink is lightly carbonated, keeping all the familiar pineapple and coconut flavours while making it much lighter and fresher than the traditional version.

We honestly couldn't stop talking about this one. It has all the flavour you'd expect, without the richness. Refreshing rather than indulgent, it's everything you want from a Piña Colada on a hot summer's day. 

 

 

A Gentleman & A Scholar

This was the biggest surprise of the afternoon.

Made with bourbon, smoked maple syrup and grapefruit bitters, it's served beneath a glass dome filled with oak smoke before being revealed at the table. The theatre certainly catches your attention, but it's the flavour that stays with you.

Safe to say, neither of us would usually choose a whiskey cocktail, but this completely changed our minds. Rich yet remarkably smooth, with just enough citrus to brighten the smoky sweetness, we could immediately see why whiskey is becoming more popular with women. It's one to savour slowly as the sun goes down. 

 

 

Kombucha Kiss

One of the most original drinks on the menu, the Kombucha Kiss swaps traditional Prosecco for locally made KTea kombucha, giving it a gentle fizz and a refreshingly different character.

Jeff chose KTea's Golden Hops kombucha, with subtle notes of apple, pineapple and pear, before adding elderflower and passion fruit liqueurs to build layers of flavour.

If you're looking for something a little different, this is well worth trying. The kombucha works beautifully with the fruity flavours, creating a light, refreshing drink that's made for warm afternoons on the Terrace. It's the sort of cocktail you find yourself reaching for when a traditional soft drink just won't do.

 

 

Kyoto's Garden

If you're avoiding alcohol, you certainly won't feel like you're missing out with Kyoto's Garden.

Made with an alcohol-free spirit alongside passion fruit, pineapple, Earl Grey tea syrup and yuzu, Kyoto's Garden is finished with edible flowers, orange peel and a dusting of orange powder. It's every bit as beautiful as its alcoholic counterparts.

For us, this proved the point that alcohol-free cocktails don't have to be an afterthought. The Earl Grey brings a subtle depth that balances the fruit, making it feel like a proper cocktail rather than simply a soft drink. If you're extending lunch or lingering after dinner, this is a lovely alternative to dessert or coffee.

 

 

More Than A Great Drinks Menu

As Jeff told us during our visit: 

"There isn't really a best cocktail. Everybody has their own preferences." 

We couldn't agree more. These six drinks are simply a great place to start. 

Alongside the seasonal cocktail menu at The Crown Club, you'll also find Champagne, wines, whiskies, beers, local KTea kombucha and plenty of alcohol-free options. In fact, almost every cocktail on the menu can also be made without alcohol.

Whether you're meeting friends after work, celebrating something special or simply making the most of a sunny evening on the Terrace, don't be surprised if you find yourself returning not just for the cocktails, but for the warm welcome from Jeff and the team.