Robert Painter of Iguana
Shannon Cornman

We
have faith you’ll choose the latter. And luckily enough, plenty of
metro bartenders are ready to quench your summertime thirst.

For
a solid hot-weather drink, the keys are tartness and lightness, said
Patrick Ireland, owner lightness, said Patrick Ireland, owner of Saints,
1715 N.W. 16th.

“You want something to wake up your mouth, but at the same time, not weigh you down,” Ireland said.

Patrons of Saints can take refuge in the restaurant’s summer specialty: the Pisco Thunder.

Pisco, a Chilean grape brandy, mixes with house-made sweet-andsour and vanilla-infused egg white foam to make for a clean,
tart taste. Garnish with an orange slice, and you’ve got a
Thunder-proud, Okieflavored beverage to spur you out of any heat-induced
lethargy.

As the dog
days approach, perhaps you’re looking for a drink to help freeze over
hell. Look no further than the chilled succulence of the sangria swirls
at Iguana Grill, 9 N.W. Ninth. Their appeal is simply “because they’re
frozen and delicious,” said manager Rebecca Daley.

The swirl is Iguana’s most popular drink, Daley said, and she chalks it up to the closely guarded recipe.

For
sheer breadth of coverage, sidle up to the counter at Ludivine, 805 N.
Hudson. Head bartender Giovanni Ferlaino has been cooking up his own
steamy cocktails in recent weeks.

Wherever you choose to imbibe, keep one thing in mind: Spend plenty of time on a patio with a glass in hand.

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