Cool off with cool drinks

Although we are midway through the month of May and are yet to push our way through sweaty June, the warmth of the season is already draining us out. Reaching out for an icy glass of lemonade is almost a reflex.

While there is nothing like a glass of water to quench our thirst, a little bit of a twist to that mundane drink can do wonders for a parched throat. And the city is not short on innovative drinks, for mixologists and bartenders round the city are working hard to shake up some unique drinks. Many are combining the goodness of summer fruits to create cooling, healthy concoctions. As a result, from mocktails to cocktails, there’s something for everyone.

Charcoal Lemonade

Having created drinks keeping in mind the city’s heat levels, British Brewing Company’s Operations and Bar Manager, Benroy D’souza, says the drinks on offer have cooling ingredients as well as seasonal fruits. “Some drinks include mango specials like the mango and basil martini, mango michelada, and mango milkshake. Apart from that we also have the koko loco, summer delight and mint garden that include ingredients capable of naturally cooling your body. We also have fruity drinks like the coconut and strawberry daiquiri that is a perfect combination of tropical and summer ingredients,” says Benroy.

Pai

Shankar Warli, Mixologist at Woodside Inn says they have strived to create drinks that infuse a range of fresh fruits, especially mangoes, to create cocktails like raw mango mojito, tropical sangria, piscola cocktails and a zesty summer squash. Talking about the health benefits of these drinks, he says, “A lot of our cocktails have health benefits keeping the weather in mind. Our activated charcoal lemonade helps one remove toxins from the body. Use of tender coconut and coconut water keeps the body cool and hydrated. Use of fresh fruits helps one to maintain the balance and also really help to get rid of massive hangovers.”

However, if you’re a teetotaller and prefer sipping on a non-alcoholic beverage to cool off, worry not, for there are some delicious juices and mocktails for you too. Bartenders are whipping up alcohol-free beverages that are infused with the goodness of local fruits and natural ingredients. As Yash Sukumar the bartender at The Looney, The Lover and The Poet, explains, “We have kefir smoothies, a range of fresh juices and vegan smoothies. We also have a range of gut-friendly, probiotic drinks made using kombucha and kefir. Our all natural approach helps us create a better flavour profile.”

Summer Delight

If you’re more of a mocktail person, you could take refuge in a host of exotic mocktails. Places like Nara in Bandra have quirky mocktails named after cities in Thailand. One could sample a fruity pai, which combines raspberries, cranberries, basil and blue berries or the refreshing drink made from coconut water, lime, coriander and cumin seeds.

Well, it looks like fresh seasonal fruits are the go-to ingredients for most bartenders this summer. But, if you’re not the type to frequent bars and pubs, and prefer cosy, intimate house parties, you could always mix up a few drinks, like a good old lemonade or aam panna at home.