Summertime and the drinkin' in Ann Arbor is easy

Music offers us ways to celebrate summer. We can have "Hot Fun in the Summertime" with Sly and the Family Stone, enjoy "Summer Nights" with Van Halen and fire up a grill with Will Smith's "Summertime."

But one of the best ways to enjoy summer is with some tasty, tasty beverages—I mean, come on! Rupert Holmes even wrote about the Pina Coladas, making love in the dunes of the cape, and getting lost in the rain! He wasn't talking about doing that in the wintertime, amigos. To this end, Concentrate asked some local experts for their favorite summertime drinks. So if you're not into yoga, but are into champagne, follow along!

Beer
Brian McShane, bar manager at the Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery (fka the Corner), has several summertime beers in his refrigerator: Arbor's own Bavarian Bliss, Honey Lavender from Black Rocks, and Clementine Lemon Thyme from Liberty Street.

The Bliss is a medium bodied wheat beer, with hints of fruit and spice. It has won numerous awards, and deservedly so. This is a great introduction to wheat beers if one is not already familiar with them. Liberty Street's Clementine Lemon Thyme is another wheat beer awash in the wonderful tastes of fresh lemon. In fact, the owners have a lemon grating party when they make the beer each year. The savory taste of the thyme balances this beer nicely. Black Rocks' Honey Lavender is also a wheat beer that is brewed with Michigan honey and lavender flowers. The lavender is not overpowering, and offers a lovely aroma and balances well with the honey.

Wine
Robyn Cleveland, bartender at Ann Arbor's The Last Word, says that his go to summer wine is always a Sauvignon Blanc, preferably from New Zealand. The "tropical, citrus flavor" is what makes these wines special. Currently, Cloudy Bay's Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc is selling well at The Last Word.

Mary Campbell, owner of Everyday Wines in Kerrytown, has two summer wine recommendations. First is Cantina Ronca Bardolino 2014 (Italy, Veneto). Mary says to enjoy this wine, simply "give it a slight chill and then drink this crowd pleasing light dry red blend with a variety of food and people." Another is the Skouras Zoe White 2013 (Greece, Peloponnese). Mary says that you can "transport yourself to the Greek Isles with this crisp white!"

Cocktails
Tammy Coxen, owner of Tammy's Tastings, recommends a classic daiquiri. "Most people have never had a real daiquiri," Tammy says. "Just the slushy kind that comes from a mix and is full of artificial flavors. A real one has just three ingredients and is a classic sour." Tammy's recipe for the perfect summer drink is two ounces of good white rum (she recommends Flor de Cana), one ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice and ½ ounce of simple syrup. Just add ice, shake, and then strain into a glass.

Robyn Cleveland has his own twist on the daiquiri, this time using rye. 

The rye daiquiri drink has:
1 ¾ ounces of Bulleit rye
¾ ounces of fresh squeezed lime juice
½ oz Orgeat (almond) syrup
¼ ounce of Luxardo maraschino liquor. 

Shake well with chipped ice, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass for a drink that "anyone can make", Robyn assures. 

"I wanted to make a classic drink, particularly a daiquiri because, let's face it, people think of the sweet syrupy mixes when they think of a daiquiri. I wanted to reclaim that classic style, but include rye. The almond syrup adds a twist in it and the maraschino liquor balances it out perfectly."

So you have found your summertime drinks, and you don't even have to suffer through a sickly sweet Pina Colada. But you really should try to find those dunes of the cape….