It’s time to go out for a celebratory drink. What are you celebrating? Oh, whatever you want: the end of ASG elections, Common coming to Dillo Day, girls taking their clothes off for spring — the occasion isn’t important. Unfortunately, you’re probably so accustomed to drinks designed to get you both buzzed and warm that you’ve forgotten what else is out there.
No need to fall back on the freshmen staples of Peppermint Patties and vodka straight from the handle, though. We asked Evanston bartenders for their favorite seasonal drinks, from Mango Martinis at Prairie Moon to lemon-lime soda and beer mixes at the Celtic Knot, to get you started and keep you going all through the summer.
Bar Louie
Koko mojito, $10
No drink makes the cold weather seem like a distant memory quite like a mojito, the perfect blend of mint, fruit and ice-chilled rum. While there are several variations on this warm-weather delight, the pineapple-infused Koko mojito, one of Bar Louie’s most popular, is a must.
Be your own bartender — Kevin Uthridge, bartender and manager at Bar Louie, tells you what you need:
- Mint leaves
- Limes
- Ice
- Cruzan Pineapple Rum
- Pineapple juice
- Soda water
Inside of a glass, muddle 8-10 mint leaves with 4 limes. Add ice. Pour in three ounces of Cruzan Pineapple Rum. Add one-half ounces of pineapple juice. Mix the ingredients together. Finish with a splash of soda water.
Pear Cosmopolitan, $9
Switch out the cranberry for pear and you’ve got yourself a classic cosmopolitan with a twist. The hint of pear adds a crisp and refreshing flavor perfect for the warm months to come.
What you’ll need:
- Absolut Pears vodka
- Grand Marnier
- Ice
- Cranberry juice
- Apple juice
- Sour mix
- Lemon
With ice, pour two parts Absolut Pears vodka and one part Grand Marnier into a martini shaker. Add a splash of cranberry juice, a splash of apple juice and a splash of sour mix. Shake and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.
Prairie Moon
Mango martini, $7
Prairie Moon’s blend of orange vodka, peach schnapps and mango nectar guarantees to add that little something extra to an otherwise standard martini. Plus, this ice-chilled concoction will keep heat stroke at bay.
Here’s what you’ll need, according to Rob Strom, Prairie Moon owner and manager:
- Stoli Orange vodka
- Peach schnapps
- Mango nectar
- Sour mix
- Ice
- Cranberry juice
Mix three parts Stoli Orange vodka and one part Peach Schnapps into a martini shaker. Add three parts mango nectar and a splash of sour mix, and shake over ice. Serve with a splash of cranberry juice.
Stained Glass Wine Bar
Wine spritzers, $6-$8
Wine can sometimes be an acquired taste but spritzers, a blend of soda and white wine, are a whole other story. Spritzers are a little sweeter than traditional wine, and the added carbonation makes them perfect for sipping. An added bonus, spritzers can be incredibly cheap to make on your own. All you need is soda water, ginger ale or Sprite, and a cheap white wine with no vinegar content (even boxed wine is considered high-quality here).
Here’s what you’ll need, according to Malik Kemokai, Stained Glass Wine Bar general manager:
- White wine
- Soda water, ginger ale or Sprite
Spritzers are simple: Fill your glass with one-half wine and one-half soda water (for a drier drink), or ginger ale or Sprite (for a sweeter mix). Add ice if desired.
Nevin’s Pub
Absolut Raspberri lemonade, $5.50
As the temperature rises, so does the popularity of vodka lemonades. Like mojitos, they come in several varieties, but all you need to know is the classic vodka lemonade: a blend of vodka, lemonade and your choice of fruit flavoring. This will get you buzzing like a springtime bumblebee.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Absolut Raspberri vodka
- Lemonade
- Orange slice
- Cherry
Fill a glass half-full of lemonade. Fill the remainder of the glass with Absolut Raspberri vodka until you’ve achieved the desired strength. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Hogue Riesling, $6.50 for a glass
Rieslings are a white wine perfect for the summertime because they’re generally sweeter, lighter and more refreshing than traditional wine.
Since most college students lack a vineyard in their backyard, hit up your local liquor or wine vendor or even Jewel-Osco. Nevin’s serves Riesling’s from a company called The Hogue Cellars.
Hefeweizen, $5 for a 20-ounce
Hefeweizen’s is a German beer with a hint of citrus. Brands such as Konig Ludwig Weiss, a Nevin’s draft selection, are perfect to cool off on any spring or summer day.
Unless you have a secret brewery hidden in your dorm room or apartment, I suggest visiting your local liquor store to purchase Hefeweizen for your home. Any vendor should be able to point you in the right direction.
Information courtesy of John Wielgat, Nevin’s head bartender.
Celtic Knot
Stiegl Bock, $7 for a 16-ounce
If you’re a beer drinker, the Celtic Knot recommends a mix with one part lemon-lime soda, one part Stiegl Bock German beer. You’ll still get your beer fix with this one, but the lemon and lime adds a hint of summer flavoring.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Stiegl Bock beer
- Lemon-lime soda of your choice
It’s quite simple: Fill a glass with equal parts lemon-lime soda and Stiegl Bock beer. Enjoy!
Berghoff Seasonal, $3.50 a bottle
With orange-citrus undertones, Berghoff wheat beer is sure to satisfy anyone looking to kick back with a summer-infused beer.
Be your own bartender: Berghoff’s seasonal blends are — you guessed it — only available seasonally. Luckily, it is the season, so check out EV1.
Information courtesy of Ruth Condren, Celtic Knot bartender.