Story by Dave Eckert
As a food and beverage journalist, the middle of summer is a difficult time for me. My appetite and thirst are both limited by the heat. However, as this is not my first rodeo, I have found ways to navigate the heat and stay both sated and hydrated. For this piece, I looked for advice from a wide range of local adult beverage professionals on what they turn to for refreshing summertime drinks that you can either replicate or purchase and consume at home.
From Emily Boston, owner of the mobile cocktail company, Patsy Byrd, came these thoughts. “Summer cocktails are all about simplicity, lightness, and fresh flavors. The recipes for Pineapple Dreams, Basil 75, and Honeyed Floral Spritz have been some favorites for my clients this season! I also have been gravitating toward homemade purees with spritzes. They are so easy to make with or without alcohol! Combine your favorite fruit flavors in a blender with a bit of sugar and water, and use that base with soda water or prosecco for your next party. Add 1.5 oz of your preferred spirit for an extra kick! We are deep into the hosting season for showers, graduations, and summer pool parties. It’s imperative that the cocktails you pick don’t stress you out!” Boston shared.
Photo courtesy of Patsy Byrd
Pineapple Dreams
- 2 oz Pineapple juice
- 1 oz Mango Puree
- .75 oz Coconut Cream
- 1 oz Fresh lime juice
- 1.5 spirit of choice (Rum or tequila are my favorite!) – optional
Combine all ingredients and shake. Splash soda water on top for added fizz. Garnish with a pineapple wedge dusted with Tajin
Basil 75 – perfect for those with gardens that explode over the summer!
- 2 oz floral gin (We like Builder’s over here!)
- .5 oz lemon juice
- .5 oz simple syrup
- 2-3 basil leaves
- 3 oz Prosecco
Muddle basil, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Add gin and shake with ice. Double strain into a wine glass or champagne flute. Garnish with a lemon twist. For a mocktail version, simply strain your lemon/simple/basil mixture in sparkling water for a refreshing spritz!
Honeyed Floral Spritz
- 1.5 oz Elderflower Liquer
- .5 oz Honey Syrup (equal parts of honey and hot water, combined)
- .5 oz lemon juice
- 1.5 oz Prosecco
- 1 oz Soda Water
Combine Elderflower Liquer, honey syrup, and lemon juice and stir to chill. Strain into a white wine glass and top with prosecco and soda water. Garnish with a floating lemon wheel speared with and edible flower or mint. Sub an elderflower syrup and forgo the prosecco for a zero proof option
Laura Lowry, the owner of Platte City’s Barley and Vine, a wine bar and brewery, is a wine lover like me, along with being a certified sommelier. Still, Lowry says the summer cocktail season is one of her favorites. “I love the bright and refreshing flavors that come with warmer days. The effortless charm of that perfectly balanced drink somehow makes long afternoons feel even more relaxed and memorable. Whether you are spending your day by the pool with an Aperol Spritz or enjoying a citrus gin-based cocktail on a deck, summer cocktails always bring people together,” Lowry told me.
Lowry says summer cocktails don’t have to be complicated. Fresh ingredients, a little creativity, and good company are often all you need. “There is something special about gathering with friends on a patio, watching the sunset, and sharing stories over a great drink. Those moments are what life is all about,” Lowery stated. “This season, don’t be afraid to try something new. Explore a local spirit, experiment with fresh herbs and fruit, or put a new spin on an old favorite. After all, the best summer cocktails are the ones that help create memories, spark conversation, and make us slow down long enough to enjoy the season!” Lowry exclaimed.
From Tannin Wine Bar + Kitchen’s Brooke Silvey and Mineral Lounge’s Kris Siriwangchai came these delicious summertime drink creations.
Coco Mez-Acuyá
Tannin Wine Bar
Created by Brooke Silvey
Recipe
- 1.5 oz Mezcal
- 0.5 oz Xila Licor de Agave
- 1 oz passion fruit pulp diluted with coconut water
- 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz coconut syrup (1:1 coconut sugar and coconut water)
Instructions: Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
Tasting Notes: Bright passion fruit and fresh coconut create a refreshing tropical profile, while mezcal adds a subtle smoky backbone. Notes of pineapple, hibiscus, warming spice, and ancho chile from the Xila lend depth and complexity to the finish.
Nektar
Mineral Lounge
Created by Kris Siriwangchai
Recipe
- 2 oz Greek Yogurt-Washed Alida Reposado Tequila
- 1 oz Fruitful Mango Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Fruitful Smoked Jalapeño Liqueur
- 1 dash Fee Brothers Habanero Bitters (optional)
- 1 oz Lime Juice
Instructions: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a double old fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with skewered pickled beets and mint.
Tasting Notes: A vibrant summer margarita-inspired cocktail featuring ripe mango, bright citrus, and a touch of smoky jalapeño spice. The yogurt-washed reposado tequila contributes a silky texture and rounded finish, creating a cocktail that is both refreshing and complex.
Of course, I couldn’t pen this article without including my favorite adult beverage-wine!
So, I reached out to two of my favorite wine experts in town-Katrin Heuser of Affäre and Nancy Smith of Farina. First, some refreshing thoughts from Heuser. “I gravitate toward wines that are crisp, energetic and food-friendly-ideal companions. This summer, I’m especially drawn to wines that are vibrant, refreshing and a little unexpected, including the playful Riccitelli Kung Fu Pet Nat from Argentina and the bright, zesty Schlossmühlenhof’s “Bodenfunk” Sauvignon Blanc from Germany.
Photo courtesy of Affäre
Riccitelli Kung Fu Pet Nat
Malbec & Pinot Noir — Uco Valley, Argentina
“It’s a summer party in a bottle.”
Schlossmühlenhof “Bodenfunk” Sauvignon Blanc
Rheinhessen, Germany
“One of my go-to shifty wines right now. Electrifying, full of sass, and soooo refreshing.” — Katrin Heuser, co-owner, certified sommelier and wine director, Affäre
For Smith, Vice President and Wine Director for Farina, her favorite summer wine sipper hails from The Napa Valley. “The Massican Sauvignon Blanc, created by the legendary Dan Petroski. This wine is incredibly summer food friendly. It pairs beautifully with tender baby greens, young vegetables, summer corn and heirloom tomatoes. I look forward to every zippy, fresh sip. It’s refreshing and light, yet complex, not just ‘lemony water,’ as some super-fresh white wines can be. It’s available by the glass at Farina,” Smith told me.
Photo courtesy of Extra Virgin, Farina
Smith says another favorite that she pours by the glass each spring and summer at Farina is Red Car Rosé of Pinot Noir. “We’ve created quite a following. Wine lovers — particularly rosé lovers — start asking me in the winter, ‘Nancy, when is Red Car coming back by the glass?’ It’s the perfect way to welcome spring and summer,” Smith said.
And, not just a one trick wine pony, Smith likes to make her own spring and summer cocktails. “I use herbs from our garden along with fresh berries and citrus. We grow strawberries and mint, and we love to muddle them together before pouring icy-cold vodka, gin or tequila over ice with a splash of club soda. We also have a calamansi tree at home, and I like to combine its fruit with freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice for our gin and tonics. It just screams summer. Our go-to gin is Nolet’s,” Smith shared.
Want to get in on her action? Visit sister restaurant Extra Virgin on a Thursday night for half-priced bottles of rosé, sparkling and still. What a delicious way to cool down.
Cheers!
