4 Cocktails to Keep You Cool in Late Summer

!–paging_filter–pSure, it’s Seattle, and there is always (well, almost always) a bit of a breeze coming in off the water. But still, in late August when the sun is blaring down and the humidity is high, we need some drinks that are designed to cool us down. If you’ve spent the afternoon working hard in the yard, biking or enjoying other outdoorsy summer activities, I suggest you make one of the following beverages:/p
pstrongConey Island Baby:/strong At first glance, this drink may get a passel of un-approving looks from the snootier bartenders out there, as it uses some ingredients that aren’t in favor with the fancier drink-makers. But forget all that nonsense. This recipe froma href=”http://www.amazon.com/Ginger-Bliss-Violet-Fizz-Cocktail/dp/1558326650/ta…” target=”_blank” emGinger Bliss and the Violet Fizz/em/a is an ideal thirst quencher–trust me–thanks to the mint, chocolate and soda combination.embrbrCracked icebr2 ounces white crème de cacao (a href=”http://www.drinksoundspirits.com/” target=”_blank”Sound Spirits /aDepth crème de cacao is the only way to go)br1 ounce peppermint schnappsbrIce cubesbrChilled club sodabrFresh peppermint sprig, for garnish/embrbr1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add the crème de cacao and peppermint schnapps. Stir well./p
p2. Fill a highball glass three-quarters full with ice cubes. Strain the mixture over the ice. Fill the glass almost to the top with club soda. Stir, and garnish with the peppermint./p
pstrongLazy Hazy:/strong The drink lets you use bourbon, which is often put on the shelf during the summer. While you may initially balk at using a brown spirit in the hot months, if you pack the glass with ice, this drink froma href=”http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Spirits-Concoctions-Starring-Bourbon/dp/B005I…” target=”_blank” emDark Spirits/em/a beats the heat./p
pemIce cubesbr1-1/2 ounces bourbonbr1/2 ounce Rhum Clément Créole Shrubbbr1-1/2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juicebrChilled club sodabrOrange slice for garnish/embrbr1. Fill a highball glass all the way with ice cubes. Add the bourbon, a href=”http://www.rhumclementusa.com/creole_shrubb.htm” target=”_blank”Rhum Clément Créole Shrubb/a, and orange juice. Stir briefly./p
p2. Fill the glass up with club soda, stir well, and garnish with the orange slice./p
pstrongPisco Punch:/strong This has been quenching thirsts since way back in the 1800s, and was especially popular in San Francisco (this history lesson ensures that it can cure overheated-ness, as its been doing that very thing in the days before air conditioning). It uses Peruvian brandy Pisco, naturally. I likea href=”http://www.barsolpisco.com” target=”_blank” BarSol pisco/a here, distilled from 100 percent Italian grapes from the Valley of Ica.embrbrIce cubesbr2 ounces BarSol piscobr2 ounces pineapple juicebr1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice/emem br1 ounce simple syrupbrPineapple chunk, for garnish/em/p
pbr1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the pisco, juices, and syrup. Shake well./p
p2. Strain into a cocktail glass, and add the pineapple chunk. If needed, drop a couple ice cubes in there as well. It’s hot outside./p
pstrongCaipirinha:/strong Perhaps more well known than the other drinks on this list (don’t let its recent popularity keep you from trying it), the National Drink of Brazil should be one of your cool-down drinks of choice. It does take a little manual labor to make, but not enough to induce sweating.embrbrCracked icebr1/2 lime, quarteredbr1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugarbr2 ounces cachaca (a href=”http://www.sagatiba.com/” target=”_blank”Sagatiba cachaca/a has been my choice this summer)/embrbr1. Add all but one of the lime quarters and the brown sugar into a mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Muddle well.br2. Fill an old-fashioned glass up with cracked ice. Add the cachaca.br3. Pour the lime-sugar muddle in with the cachaca. Stir well, making sure the sugar has dissolved.br4. Garnish the glass with the final lime quarter./p