What's the great American summer cocktail?
- Thread starter hawkifann
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It depends on what you mean by “summer cocktail”. If you mean something alcoholic to drink after mowing the lawn in the heat, cooking hot dogs on the grill during the day in Florida heat, hanging out at the beach after a couple of hours of surfing and/or surf fishing then the only correct answer is my personally created “redneck shandy”. It’s simple, you do 2/3s of some crap major brand American “lager” (I prefer Miller High Life as the Champagne of Beers is less terrible than the others but anything from Coors to Bud Light will work) and 1/3 Publix lemonade (Iowans will have to make do with some %*^*ier commercial lemonade like Minute Maid). That’s it. Make sure it’s ice cold and you’ve got the most refreshing and slightly buzzworthy cocktail to battle the heat.
Now if by “summer cocktail” you mean sitting in the AC or sitting on the porch at night looking at the beach or lake just steps away from your Florida home, then you’ve got more choices. I’m a fan of mojitos, gimlets, true daiquiris (just rum, fresh lime/ lemon/ grapefruit/ sour orange/ kumquat/ pomelo/ calamansi/ yuzu/ any other sour citrus juice and some sugar to sweeten it up, not the sororistitute hyper sweet frozen strawberry and other sweet fruit abominations), and gin and tonics with a healthy splash of lime and/or lemon. My personal favorite overall cocktail the Aviation (must have real Luxardo cherry liqueur) is light enough to do as well.
This drink I made over the weekend as I had recently purchased a bottle of the Midsummer varietal of Hendrick’s gin would work wonders as well. It was a great and refreshing cocktail.
https://www.hendricksgin.com/us/cocktail/midsummer-spritz/
I voted other. It’s a drink called your moms orgasm on my face. Pretty awesome from the first lick and the pucker on her cheeks to the final slurp and quiver. Quite divine really. Recommend you try it. Pretty sure everyone else here has.
Excellent. No Shandys here, I should have specified no beer....but that midsummer spritz sounds like something I need to try this weekend. I don't have Hendrick's midsummer, but I do have some good gin on hand.
Since Trump is still president, Moscow Mule's are decent summer drinks. If outside and it is blazing hot the mule or even a vodka tonic is a good choice, the bourbon/whiskey drinks are more winter based IMO. Vodka or Spiced Rum should be your booze of choice in the summer.
just having some fun with you. In all seriousness, so far it has been margaritas and old fashioned. I have enjoyed finishing a hard week of work with a tasty marg on my patio this summer. However, both drinks need to be made just right!!
I celebrate old fashioneds (it doesn't have cherries you heathens) and bloody Marys year round.
I'm not huge on sweet drinks. I'll enjoy a tequila sunrise or habanero/jalapeno margarita on a patio.
Mostly switch to sours, saisons, NE IPAs, the occasional heffeweisen.
I'm not huge on sweet drinks. I'll enjoy a tequila sunrise or habanero/jalapeno margarita on a patio.
Mostly switch to sours, saisons, NE IPAs, the occasional heffeweisen.
Gin / tonic / rocks / short glass / teaspoon fresh lime juice / lime garnish
Gin = Tanqueray or Hendrick’s or Pinckney Bend
Lather, rinse, repeat until you drink her pretty or the world isn’t such a dumpster fire.
Gin = Tanqueray or Hendrick’s or Pinckney Bend
Lather, rinse, repeat until you drink her pretty or the world isn’t such a dumpster fire.
Seems to me most of what you listed are winter cocktails. Sazerac, manhattan, etc...
I'd probably say beer. Its not American but a few years ago I had my first Aperol Spritz in Sitges, Spain and it is now my summer drink of choice. Interestingly, the year after we had it, they popped up all over the U.S.
I'd probably say beer. Its not American but a few years ago I had my first Aperol Spritz in Sitges, Spain and it is now my summer drink of choice. Interestingly, the year after we had it, they popped up all over the U.S.
An Arnold Palmer with whiskey...a “wobbly Palmer” is refreshing...
Non-alcohol would be a spritzer of half orange juice and half 7 Up, Teem, Sprite (your pick).....
Non-alcohol would be a spritzer of half orange juice and half 7 Up, Teem, Sprite (your pick).....
Next time you're in an area that carries Creature Comforts beer, get some Classic City Lager and make your shandy with that. /shandy experiment
Classic American Summer Cocktail is a gin and tonic, AINEC, but here are some contenders:
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/14/magazine/preppy-drinks-never-go-out-of-style.html
Dark and Stormy
Okay, officially it’s Bermuda’s drink, but it’s as refreshing as it gets.
Okay, officially it’s Bermuda’s drink, but it’s as refreshing as it gets.
I’d say gin or vodka tonic. Piggybacking off the shandy, a hop skip and go naked is a good hot summer afternoon drink as well.
You could have an Arnold Palmer and vodka...a "John Daly". My personal favorite. Vodka lemonade or gin and tonic are also great summer drinks.
