It’s out with the hot coffee, in with iced coffee - yep, I’m the one you’ll see asking for three shots of espresso over a full cup of ice in your local independent coffee shop.

Beer? Widmer’s Hefeweitzen with the obligatory lemon, of course.
Wine? A dry Oregon pinot gris or German riesling (Oregon rieslings tend to be too sweet for me, I’ve found - if you’ve found one that’s a true Kabinett, let me know, will you?)
Cold non-alcoholic beverage? Brewed sun tea, with a shot or two of lemonade. Or maybe some of that Bull Run water, filtered through a Brita pitcher just ’cause.
Mixed drink? I know JD’s drinking gin fizzes; and I’ve invented my Portland Summer of 2005 drink (as yet unnamed):

- fill a glass full of ice; toss in a shot of vodka** & 1/2 shot of limoncello (or more if you’ve one of those big huge glasses.)
- add a generous splash of lemonade; fill to the brim with sparkling water/club soda/pellegrino - whatever your bubbly water of choice is.
- garnish with a lemon slice if you’ve got one - I’m thinking of trying a mint sprig or two one of these fine days.

I now have a bottle of vodka/limoncello/lemonade mix already prepped and in my freezer now that the weather’s cooperating. That way, I won’t have to worry about that pesky ‘mixing and measuring’ hassle at the end of a long day - right?

What are you drinking this summer? Who serves up the best summer beverages around town?

** Yeah, regular readers already know my brand preference is as local as it gets - New Deal. No, I’m not getting one thin dime (or free vodka handouts, more’s the pity) for promoting it; and yes, it’s that worthy of promotion.

Related posts:

1. Summer drink of 2006
2. The High Cost of Coffee Creating Outlaws
3. Summer Is Almost Over
4. Simple Summer Pleasures
5. Summer is inching in…