As the seasons change, so do people’s tastes in drinks — a fact that Corbin Brocks, manager at Clementine knows well.
“Summer cocktails tend to be more on the refreshing, fruit-forward side,” he says, explaining that they tend to be easier drinking with a more natural profile, as opposed to winter cocktails, which favour dark, spirit-heavy flavours.
There is some science to the art of making a good cocktail, whether it’s a darker beverage for holding down the fort in the colder months or a light summer sipper. Brocks says it’s important to make sure that flavours are properly balanced and drinks don’t end up overly sweet or sour. In a cocktail that can mean adding another ingredient to make sure the drink has balance — or if there is an overwhelming flavour, to make sure that it’s intentional.
While Clementine’s menu is designed to have something for everyone, any time of the year, Brocks told us about a few drinks he says are ideal for the warmer months.
The first is called a Sirocco. “We essentially wanted to toe the line between a jungle bird cocktail and a daiquiri,” he says. (Both are made with rum, but the jungle bird is a tiki cocktail made with Campari, fruit juices and syrup, while the daiquiri is more tart and citrus-forward.) Clementine’s Sirocco is made with overproof rum from Smith and Cross, coconut rum called Cut and Dry from Planteray, and combined with Campari, pineapple, strawberry, sumac and lime. “I think that one toes the line nicely between being one of those more familiar flavour profiles, as well as having a decent amount of nuance and interest to it,” he says.
Another drink from Clementine that makes an ideal summer cocktail is the Ocotillo, which combines mezcal, prickly pear spirit, Cointreau, mango purée, lime, agave, chamoy and topped with Tajin. The drink is a nod to fruit vendors in south-central Los Angeles and Mexico City who prepare a salty and spicy sauce to accompany their offerings. “It’s one of those rare drinks that the bartender finds really interesting to make, and the customer also finds really delicious,” Brocks says.
For those looking to try their hand at home mixology, Brocks has a couple recommendations. These options are good for the home bartender because they are easy to prepare but still encompass everything a person is looking for in a light summer drink.
First up is the classic Mint Julep, which Brocks describes as “synonymous with summer in the American south.” Refreshing, uncomplicated and built directly in the glass, it’s a cocktail that highlights the appeal of simple, well-balanced drinks.
That same approachable style carries over to Brocks’ other recommendation, the Sherry Cobbler. The drink is bright, refreshing and ideal for warm-weather sipping.
“It’s actually very easy to do at home,” Brocks says. Compared to more elaborate cocktails, both drinks require fewer bar tools and less prep time.
Recipes courtesy of Corbin Brocks
Ingredients
Instructions
Ingredients
Instructions
There are a few different ways to go about crafting mocktails as a non-alcoholic option for a fun summer drink. Brocks says that Clementine buys quality non-alcoholic spirits for standard cocktail recipes, or as a base for new creations. The best replacement spirit he’s found so far is from a Quebec-based company called NOA. It makes non-alcoholic gin, rum, liqueur, amaretto and premixed non-alcoholic beverages such as Negronis and Espresso Martinis.
“With our mocktail menu, we wanted it to reflect our cocktails as meaningfully as possible,” Brocks says. “It’s also a good way to test if you’re using a good non-alcoholic spirit if it works just as well.”
One original summer mocktail the Clementine team came up with is called the Nuage, which has NOA gin, a citrusy yuzu kosho seasoning, lemon and egg white. It’s shaken and served in a coupe, which has a similar shape to an old-fashioned champagne glass: wide and shallow.
When it comes to both cocktails and mocktails, Brocks says the key is talking with your bartender and asking questions. That’s the best way to find what flavours you’re looking for and discover your signature summer drink.
