Summer means long, hot days followed by cold post-adventure cocktails. In other words, you cannot have the perfect summer without the perfectly refreshing summer drink. We spoke with pros from a variety of sports to find out their preferred method of toasting a good day out.
Ultrarunner Jenn Shelton: Glacier-Rita
, a legendary mountain athlete and legendary drinker, has a go-to summer cocktail that requires a little bit of leftover snowpack and an Emergen-C packet. 鈥淟ime would be ideal, but I am not going to be like, 鈥楾his one is not lime. I am not drinking it,鈥欌 Shelton says. 鈥淚 am not that classy.鈥 While Shelton usually drinks Hornitos Tequila, she doesn鈥檛 think you need to get hung up on the brand. 鈥淚t isn鈥檛 the classiest drink in the first place,鈥 she says. 鈥淵ou are drinking from a Ziploc, after all.鈥
- Fill a sandwich-size Ziploc with snow.
- Sprinkle one packet of Emergen-C over the top.
- Add a hearty pour (three to four ounces) of .
- Close the Ziploc.
- Shake vigorously.
- Drink directly from the bag.
Mountain Biker Eric Porter: Mojito
Yes, this is arguably the most clich茅 summer drink, but had to give it the nod as the ultimate refresher after a recent five-day mountain bike race across Cuba. 鈥淚 figure that with the heat and humidity, [Cubans] know something about summer drinks,鈥 he says. 鈥淎nd mojitos are about as light and refreshing as it gets. After a long, hot ride in summer, they鈥檙e even better than a beer.鈥
- In a highball glass, mix together two teaspoons of white sugar with half an ounce of lime juice.
- Muddle two sprigs of fresh mint leaves.
- Add a shot of light rum, like , plus a few ice cubes, and mix again.
- Top off with sparkling water.
Skier Santiago Guzman: Michelada
Santiago Guzman鈥檚 family owns the Fresco Bar in the climbing mecca of El Chalt茅n, Argentina. The bar is famous for its home-brewed IPA, epic parties while climbers wait for conditions to change, and a game in which patrons sprint from the joint to a multipitch route, which they climb and rappel, then sprint back to the bar. While the most popular drinks are the Fernet con Coca (Fernet and Coke) and Campari Naranja (Campari and orange juice), Guzman is a beer guy. His favorite summer cocktail is the refreshing, spicy, beer-based Michelada.
- Salt the rim of a pint glass.
- Add a handful of ice.
- Add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, the juice of one lime, and a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce.
- Fill with lager. (Guzman suggests 鈥測our favorite.鈥 I am currently partial to Caldera鈥檚 .)
Ultrarunner Max King: Smoky Gin and Tonic
Max King lives in the craft-beer paradise of Bend, Oregon, but his summer cocktail of choice is a slight spin on the gin and tonic. He loves the classic drink because of how bright and thirst-quenching it is in a low-hassle package. King likes to add a little smoky depth with a splash of .
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Add 1.5 ounces Crater Lake Gin.
- Add a splash of Sombra Mezcal. (Be careful not to overdo it; the smokiness can overwhelm the whole drink.)
- Fill with tonic.
- Garnish with lime.
Skier Cody Townsend: Dark and Stormy
While is famous for his skiing, he grew up in Santa Cruz, California, and makes it a point to maximize summers with a two-week surf trip, usually to Baja. His summer cocktail of choice is the Dark and Stormy, which he says strikes a perfect balance between tasty and not embarrassing to order at a bar. 鈥淵ou aren鈥檛 putting umbrellas in it, and it isn鈥檛 a frilly drink,鈥 Townsend says. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also really refreshing.鈥 Skip the cheap ginger soda in favor of spicy ginger beer like , and make sure to use a dark rum like .
- Fill a lowball glass with ice.
- Fill about halfway dark rum.
- Fill the rest of the way ginger beer.
- Garnish with lime.