By Lori DeBoer
Where winter wanted straight spirits and bitters, summer sips require a lighter flair and a touch of the traditional, say Fort Collins’ mixmasters. Think sparkling spritzes, low-alcohol sessions, party punches and cool classics. Here’s what is setting the bar around town.
“The Shrubbery”
The Kitchen Fort Collins
Stewart Klair, head bartender, invites patrons to throw back with a “shrub,” a drinking vinegar revered since ancient Babylonia. It fell from favor with the advent of refrigeration, but bartenders are loving the art of this tart. “The shrub was a way to preserve fruit and is great for summer cocktails,” Klair says. “It’s very refreshing because of the acid in it.” His take, “The Shrubbery” (cue Monty Python jokes), is a cross between a Paloma and a margarita.
“The 415”
The 415
Fresh fruit juices are favored at The 415. “They drink clean, they are refreshing, they cool you down,” says Seth Baker, co-owner. His summer specialty, “The 415,” features fresh lemon and lime juices, a spritz of ginger ale and a generous portion of vodka. Baker also sees a resurgence of sours that use egg whites, including the standard whiskey or vodka sour. “I think the classic bar is always going to be a trend.”
“The Spritz”
Social
Cocktails that go light on the alcohol or have a bit of bubble, such as the Spritz and Collins, can be enjoyed all day, say barkeeps Raffi Jergerian and Nathan Roberson. One quenching Social selection is the Aperol Spritz: a blend of aperol, -rosecco and soda water over ice, garnished with an orange peel and a Castelvetrano olive. The duo also say traditional tastes prevail this summer and point to botanical spirits and dry vermouths as examples. “There is the reason a classic dry martini became such a lasting cultural artifact,” says Jergerian “It is a truly memorable cocktail.”
The Classic Daiquiri
Ace Gillettes
Nothing says “beach” better than traditional tequila and rum, the spirits of choice for Ace Gillettes’ summer sips. “They both integrate so well with citrus, whether it is lime, lemon, orange or grapefruit,” says Ray Harvey, general manager. With roots in the pirate-paradise of Barbados, rum production in the Caribbean and South Central America is booming. “I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve been bartending for 20 years,” says Harvey. “Every week someone brings in a new one that tops the old one.” He prefers the traditional daiquiri over the blended version, made with fresh lime, simple syrup and Silver rum. “I think it is one of the most underrated cocktails and the best one of all time. People invariably love it.”
This article appeared in Fort Collins Magazine, Summer 2016. Click on the following link to see the original article.
Summer Sips Fort Collins Magazine
