Summer Drinks for the Dogs!

About author / Josh Gunn

Bachelor chef; southern cooking; mixologist; university professor. Josh's recipes will delight (and sometimes terrify) you.

The phrase "dog days of summer" refers to the hottest time of the year—and certainly that's what it feels like outside here in Texas! The phrase derives from the ancient Greeks, who marked the hottest time of the year by noting the prominence of the Sirius or "Dog Star" system, which appears to "rise" at dawn just before the sun's rays outshine it. Actually, Sirius is two star systems that appear as one to the human eye, which are the brightest heavenly bodies in our night sky.

Regardless, when we're in this time of the year the last thing a bachelor wants is a heavy representative of the most basic food group (booze). When it's 103 degrees outside, Guinness beer does not come to mind. Instead, lighter, refreshing drinks and wheat beer seem to go better with the dog days. Here are six refreshing, summer drinks you might try:

Rum and Tonic: Most people associate rum with cola, but the rum and tonic is a surprisingly refreshing summer cocktail when served up with a freshly squeezed lime wedge. Fill a highball glass with ice, squeeze a lime wedge over the ice, and then pour two ounces of rum with three ounces of tonic. Delicious.

Mint Julep: I've already written about this delicious diversion for this website, however, this drink still deserves a shout-out, especially because if you're growing your own mint, it's about to burn up completely. Go pick it, mull it, and drink the nectar of the southern demi-gods.

Mojito: The Mojito is similar to the mint julep, only you're playing with rum instead of bourbon. Mull a few mint leaves in the bottom of a Collins glass with an ounce or two of sugar syrup, then fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the juice of half a lime, two ounces of , and top it off with club soda. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint. Yum!

The Negroni or Boulevardier: These are intriguing pre-dinner drinks thought to stimulate the appetite. They both have a unique, sweetly bitter flavor owing the bitters used (traditionally Campari). For the Negroni, in a cocktail shaker mix one ounce of Campari, one ounce of gin, and one ounce of sweet vermouth and strain into a martini glass. For the Boulevardier, just substitute the gin with a spicy bourbon. Garnish either drink with a cherry and orange twist. This one is a little bitter, folks—some may not like it, but I think both drinks are quite appetizing!

Adria Look: I made this drink once for my friend Adria, who prefers champagne-based cocktails over hard liquor-based drinks. This light, bubbly drink goes well with the summer because of its citrus flavors. Mix an ounce of gin, an ounce of blue Curacao, and about 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a champagne glass, and top off with champagne. Garnish with a slice of apricot and a maraschino cherry!

Greyhound: Finally, I couldn't write about the dog days of summer without mentioning one of the most famous aperitifs named after a dog. The Greyhound is a tart summer drink that you make by combining equal amounts of vodka and grapefruit juice in a highball glass filled with ice. Alternately, you can rim the glass with salt and you have a "Salty Dog." Ruff ruff!