Most people threaten to move to Canada only in election years, but not me. Like clockwork, each spring I watch the mercury rise and start sprinkling my conversations with how I could get used to hockey and round vowel sounds up in the land of Molson Golden. But reality dictates that I must ride out the summer of 2018 in Fort Worth, which is shaping up to be so hot my face might melt off like I opened the ark of the covenant Indiana Jones-style.
The upside to the swelter is no one will begrudge you serving and drinking ice-cold cocktails with wild abandon – bonus points if they are cued up poolside. Here are some summer drink recipes with a Cowtown twist.
Hell’s Half & Half Acre
This boozy riff on an Arnold Palmer is made with Fort Worth’s own Acre Distilling-flavored vodka.
- 1 ½ oz of Acre Distilling Miss Addie’s Blackberry Sage Tea Vodka
- 2 oz cold English breakfast tea
- 2 oz Lorina Sparkling Lemonade
- 1 lemon wheel and a sprig of sage (for garnish)
Stir together vodka and English breakfast tea in a tall glass. Fill glass with ice cubes and top with sparkling lemonade. Garnish with the lemon wheel and sage.
Namaste, Y’all
This is as close as you can get to a healthy drink and still get your daily recommended dose of hootch.
- 3 clementine segments
- 1 lemon wedge
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- 2 oz BLK EYE vodka
- 1 oz coconut water
- 1 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 grapefruit segment (for garnish)
Muddle the clementine segments, lemon wedge, and pineapple juice in a cocktail shaker. Add the vodka, coconut water, and grapefruit juice. Shake to combine and serve straight up in martini glass or on the rocks, garnished with a grapefruit segment.
Rosé Sour
Obviously rosé is having a moment, which is a good thing if you are interested in an easy-drinking, economical wine with a bright and summery flavor. But sometimes it feels good to not cheat on the ol’ standby whiskey either. TX Whiskey’s butterscotch-like notes play really well with a dry, not-so-sweet rosé in this refreshing riff on a classic.
- 2 oz TX Whiskey
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- .75 oz simple syrup (1:1 water to sugar)
- .5 oz dry rosé
Shake whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup vigorously over ice and strain into a rocks glass. Pour the dry rosé delicately over the back of a bar spoon, to layer the drink. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Now, I don’t want to forget to mention my favorite new bar tool for the summer. The Hyperchiller (Hyperchiller.com) will make wine, cocktails, and even freshly brewed coffee ice cold in 90 seconds. For a disco nap in a glass, just brew your favorite java directly into the cylinder and then pour into a glass spiked to taste with Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and simple syrup. Trust me, it will keep the summer buzzy and bright, no matter how hot it gets.
