gin

I'm a bourbon drinker, but manhattans and old-fashioneds just aren't as satisfying in the Summer. If you're looking to switch brown liquor for a clear spirit in the warmer months, the gin new fashioned is a good way to dabble.

I got this recipe from Nolet's Silver Gin, which sent along a bottle of booze and some sour cherry marmalade as part of its Cupboard to Cocktail program. Of course, you could make the drink with any gin, but this silver version (from the makers of Ketel One) is exceptionally verdant, smooth, and just slightly fruity.

I like the idea of using marmalades and jams in cocktails, because you can buy the ingredient and use it for many things. Plus the cherry and citrus combination has a nice Summer vibe.

Get your Summer jams on and make a gin new-fashioned.

When it comes to cocktails, sometimes simplest is best. Don't get me wrong; I love a libation with celery bitters or creole shrubs as much as the next person, but often it's nice to enjoy a drink that's satisfying in a simple, understated way. I have a couple rudimentary bar refreshments up my sleeve: for taco nights, there's the tequila and tonic; for celebrations, the Prosecco cocktail. The latest provision to add to my arsenal? This gin sling, which doesn't call for anything beyond gin, vermouth, bitters, and sparkling water, all staples in my wet bar at home. It's layered enough to be interesting, yet easy enough to bust out anytime — no muddler, exotic ingredients, or shaker required. Keep reading for the recipe.

Unlike the martini or daiquiri, the rickey is a lesser-known classic cocktail with origins that date back to the 1880s. A traditional rickey consists of spirit (bourbon or gin), half of a lime squeezed and dropped into the glass, and carbonated water. This modernization of the rickey adds a delightful seasonal element to the drink: cherries. Although you could make it with bourbon, I used gin because it's lighter and more refreshing. This concoction is fruity, tart, and absolutely wonderful. Gin lovers will enjoy the perfect balance of sweet cherries, sour limes, and botanical spirit. Want to give it a try? Get the recipe.

After what's seemed like five straight months of unrelenting chill and fog, a few Summer days have finally descended on the city, and it's hot. I'm talking feel-the-sidewalks-baking, pool-dipping hot — a rare sight in June in San Francisco.

It's climes like these that call for a refreshing spritzer of a cocktail. It's hard to beat a classic gin and tonic, but this variation — which includes elderflower liqueur, mint, cucumber, and celery bitters — is far better. Don't skimp on the celery bitters; they add grassy notes that add another level of complexity.

For the recipe, keep reading.

Warm, sunny weather calls for a light, cheery cocktail, and what better way to satisfy that requirement than with a champagne- and fruit-based libation?

This twist on the French 75 incorporates muddled strawberries for an even more Springlike feel, and the inclusion of gin and elderflower liqueur makes it more evening-appropriate than its brunchy cousin the mimosa.

For optimal flavor, enjoy it as a pre-dinner drink on a sunny deck. Sound enticing? Get the recipe!

Many people have an aversion to gin; I think it's sad because gin is an incredibly nuanced, highly drinkable, and totally versatile spirit. Erick Castro, who's the gin ambassador for Beefeater and Plymouth, agrees. "The reason people don't like gin is because the most common gin drinks, the martini and the gin and tonic, don't appeal to everyone." Castro wants to start a gin revolution with this amazing-tasting cocktail, the Southside. This classic concoction is a straightforward mixture of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and mint, and Castro believes it has the power to change the way gin is seen — much in the way the mojito changed people's perspective of rum. After sipping this refreshing, light beverage, I'm getting behind Castro's cause. To do so too, give the drink a try, and get the recipe after the jump.

In the Summer, gin is my go-to spirit — nothing's more refreshing than a crisp gin and tonic on a warm day. But in the Winter, I turn to richer liquors like whiskey and bourbon, and mix up classic old-fashioneds and sazeracs. So when I picked up a bottle of Ransom Old Tom Gin, I thought I was in heaven — it's the best of both worlds.

Ransom is an authentic Old Tom gin, which means it's made from malted barley and corn, much like a whiskey. Then, it's aged in oak wine barrels for a few months.

The result is a spirit somewhere between gin and whiskey, and unlike anything I've ever tasted. The barrel aging gives the gin a woody, herbaceous flavor, but it still retains gin's signature juniper and citrus flavors.

Since Ransom is richer and more complex than regular gin, I wouldn't use it in a gin and tonic; if you want to mix it into a cocktail, I'd recommend using it in place of whiskey or bourbon in an old-fashioned, or even in a sidecar. But it's also incredibly smooth and delicious on its own and is perfect served neat or on the rocks.

Have you ever tried a barrel-aged gin?

It's been raining incessantly in San Francisco, quite the departure from our stay in Florida, where we were in town for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

As a San Franciscan who'd never seen the staggering good looks of Miami Beach, I was more than happy to head back home to Fog City and be in my element.

However, now more than a week later, I'm longing to be back there. The image that keeps playing in my mind? The serenity of lying in the sun poolside at the classic Eden Roc, where I stayed, with a riveting book in one hand and an even more compelling cocktail in the other.
I can't replicate the sun, sand, and surf, but sipping on one of these warmer-weather libations puts me at least halfway there. I love the combination of strawberries and basil; it's a little earthier than mint. Gin, too, adds a bit of complexity that's not there with vodka. For a cheerful drink recipe to remind you of sunnier climes, keep reading.