Four Refreshing Drinks to Order When You’re Out and About
Make a pit stop at these four Seattle watering holes and order up one of our sublime suggestions
By Seattle Mag July 31, 2014
Last week, we brought you five refreshing summer cocktail recipes to make when the hot sun is beating down in a serious manner. But sometimes, it’s too hot to even think about shaking or stirring, so it’s best to forget about making drinks. Instead, head out and have one of our wonderful local bartenders (who always keep their cool) make you an energizing number. Here are some suggestions.
Bar: Miller’s Guild
What to Order: Dock Lyfe
With a tightish-but-sweet little porch area stretching onto the Stewart Street sidewalk, this is a nice after-work spot, especially when the sun’s out, and when you order up an effervescent Dock Lyfe. Mixing up Polish Wodka vodka, floral St- Germain elderflower liqueur, the amazing Cocchi Rosa rosé vermouth, Scrappy’s lavender bitters, a bit of lemon balsamic vinegar, and sparkling rosé, this drink has a lot happening, but not too much to make you sweat.
Bar: Rob Roy
What to Order: Chartreuse Swizzle
A nicely herbal-tinted version of the classic Bermudan-and-other-Caribbean-ports-of-call drink, the very nature of the swizzle, which demands the glass be frosty with condensation after the stirring of crushed ice and ingredients, is perfect for summer. This version also includes house Falernum, pineapple and lime, along with Chartreuse (hence the title). Combine that with the Rob Roy’s cozy front deck and you have a very nice evening, indeed.
Bar: Damn the Weather
What to Order: Waltzing Matilda
While the temptation at this watering hole is to order the drink that shares its name (that drink being the Damn The Weather, of course, containing gin, sweet vermouth, orange curaçao and orange juice, and being more of a rainy-day sipper), when the mercury has risen don’t miss the Waltzing Matilda. This musically inclined mixture of gin, passion fruit, orange, lime and Spanish sparkler cava seems designed to take the heat’s edge off even in a tropical clime–Seattle heat certainly doesn’t stand a bit of a chance.
What to Order: Som Sour
Perhaps the best outdoor spot for sipping drinks, hidden away off the bustle of busy Pike Street, St. John’s back patio is a dreamy spot, with small tables snuggled up near branches and such. The sunlight trickles through, and the friendly staff keeps you happy. Enjoy the ambiance with a Som Sour. Its mingling of bourbon (sometimes sadly overlooked in summer), Pok Pok raspberry drinking vinegar, lemon, a smidge of sweet, and bitters matches the mood.