Cool Indulgence

The most refreshing drinks of summer

The best thing about sum mer in the Northeast is that it provides the occasion, and the excuse, for indulgence without guilt—or at least indulgence with less guilt than usual. In Scandinavian countries, people surface from their long dark winters to revel outdoors with giddy enthusiasm during their short summers, and we’ve got a similar mentality here in the Northeast. After a winter marked by ice, snow, darkness and all-around misery, the Capital Region summer emerges in an explosion of green foliage and sunshine. Suddenly there are so many fun things to do it’s hard to keep up: free concerts in the park, backyard barbecues, hiking and camping opportunities, restaurants and bars where you can sit outdoors. It’s a surfeit of riches, and nothing goes better with this eruption of fun activities than a perpetual-summer-vacation mentality—what a certain Latin singer likes to call “livin’ la vida loca”—and rounds of refreshing drinks.

Forgive us, teetotalers, but we’re focusing solely on refreshing beverages of the alcoholic sort here (that’s where the summer “indulgence” comes in). One good rule of thumb to keep in mind when choosing summer-appropriate drinks is this: If it’s a traditional beverage in the southern hemisphere or on a tropical island, it must be refreshing. Summer, for instance, is all about Mexican tequila and rum, the drink of the Caribbean, refreshingly served as mojitos (white rum, lime, mint leaves, club soda and simple syrup), Cuba Libres (Cola, lime and rum) and fresh fruit daiquiris.

A few other drinks you may not have thought of, that can refresh your next summer activity:

1. Pims. Here’s one exception to the “hot weather clime” rule of beverage selection for the summer. As British as it gets, the official drink of Wimbledon is Pims, a pleasant and very refreshing herb-flavored liquor consumed in the summer months in the U.K., where it often is served with mint leaves. Sip while watching the polo ponies run up and down the Whitney Field in Saratoga Springs, or while taking in a local tennis match.

Best served: on the rocks with a lemon wedge, or mixed with club soda or lemonade.

2. Homemade infused vodka. You know summer has arrived when the first strawberries show up at the farmers’ market. Eating the berries is a pleasure unto itself, but to truly maximize the enjoyment of their arrival, pick up a few extra quarts. Take them home, wash them, slice them into sections and drop them into a mason jar until the jar is about a quarter to a half full. Fill the rest of the jar with vodka (Svedka works well) and let it sit for about a week before straining and tossing out the berries. The result: strongly flavored strawberry vodka that retains the bright red color of the berries, while the berries themselves turn white and lose all flavor. Homemade vodka is good for impressing friends at picnics and barbeques, and once the strawberries go out of season, you can start over again with raspberries or blueberries.

Best served: on the rocks with a splash of club soda.

3. Imported beer from tropical climates. The “hot weather climate” rule of summer drinks really comes into play here, as you transition from heavier winter beers to lighter summer fare. The most refreshing summer beers are often the sort served with lime, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick with Corona. There are many other superior Mexican beers, such as Sol, Negra Modelo, and a particular favorite, Pacifico. But beers from other hot weather countries are worth checking out, from San Miguel of the Philippines to Kalik from the Bahamas. Take a cooler bag full of Tecate in cans to your next free concert in the park, to the track, or to other places where glass bottles are banned.

Best served: as cold as possible, with lime.

—Kirsten Ferguson

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