So enough politics and back to important things.

My favorite drink, were I to choose, would probably be an Islay Single Malt. Probably Lagavulin. These are heavy, smoky Scotches with a great deal of character. The kind of scotch you can imagine Captain McAllister from “The Simpsons” taking a drink of and saying “Ag!”

However, on a hot summers day, or night, this just doesn’t feel right. To me, Lagavulin is best enjoyed in the fall, Winter or early spring. Drinks to me are seasonal. Winter’s a time for Whiskey in general. Summer’s a time for something else. Ice cold beer, yes, but more than that.

So this brings me to my question, and I encourage all of you to answer.

To the denizens of this blog, what is your favorite Summer beer, and your favorite summer cocktail. It’s a hot and humid july night. You’ve been working on the farm, in the yard, hitting on starlets, playing softball, or doing whatever Germans do. You come in, and you want a drink. What do you have?

For me the beer is easy. In the summer, I love Corona with lime. Yeah, sometimes I want A Sam Adams, or something heavier. But more often than not, in June, July and August, my favorite is Corona. I cannot stomach Budweiser. I will go without rather than drink Bud. My football beer is Miller Lite, which is also a nice cookout beer. Still, in hot weather, I’ll reach for a Corona if it’s available. Caveat is that on July 4th I drink American Beer. Sam Adams preferably.

The cocktail is a little trickier. I might have to say my summer choice is probably a gin and tonic. I’m not too particular about gin. I buy Tanqueray largely because that was my Dad’s brand, and I like it. No reason to change. Bombay Saphire’s good, but not better enough than Tanqueray to justify the $5 more per bottle.

Tequila is a summer favorite. Good tequila, none of this Cuervo crap. I blogged earlier on Tequila’s and margaritas, so I won’t say more here. Search the Archives for my feelings on Tequila. Rum is also a summer drink to me. Rum and Coke, or a Mojito are both nice summer cocktais. And Bourbon on the rocks, or a Mint Julep, can be very nice in hot weather. As far as Bourbon goes, though, I’m enough of a snob to not buy cheap bourbon, and I’m enough of a purist to not want to dilute good bourbon over ice. So that’s a catch 22. Makers Mark or Wild Turkey Rare Breed on the rocks can be very pleasant, though. Actually, scratch that. Rare Breed is too good to pour over ice.

Maybe it has something to do with the climate of the geographic origin of the liquor. Tequila, Rum, and Bourbon are all from places with nasty and hot summers. Scotch is from a colder climate. Maybe that determines when it’s best to drink a spirit.

Still, something about a Gin and Tonic just works in hot weather. So that’s my choice. I was gonna google something about the history of this cocktail, but I’m too lazy. Go look it up yourself.

And please, no sissy frozen drinks. Might as well pour a shot of everclear in a slurpee.

La Chaim