Flight Club: Debating summer cocktails, best places to drink and overspending on bottles
It's time for another round of my friends giving hot takes about summer drinks, best places to drink in their respective cities and paying too much for a bottle.
On this edition of Flight Club, I got three of the homies from the flyover states to give their hot (mild, if we're being honest) takes about cocktails, bars and bottles. We discuss everything from go-to summertime drinks and paying way too much on desired bottles to where they would recommend you sit down and drink in their respective cities.
Big thanks to Jack Beguedou, Mia Sears and Chris Van for participating. Be sure to give them a follow on Instagram for their spirited commentary and insights.
1. What's your go-to cocktail this summer, and why is it amazing?
Beguedou — IG/Hood_Sommelier: My go-to cocktail during the summer is the Negroni. Summer is my chance to get into my gin selection and really enjoy them. There is nothing better than a cold blend of juniper, bitters and red grapes aroma on your palate.
Sears — IG/nikkisude: I’ve never really been a huge fan of Old Fashioneds or Manhattans. My go-to cocktail at home is a bourbon sour. It is a perfect blend of sweet and sour, and you can use different flavored syrups to change it up a bit. Sometimes I even top it off with red wine. The lemon makes for a refreshing summer drink.
Van — IG/nice_sazerac: There are so many ingredients we have access to today. You can modify almost anything to make it seasonal. But one I keep going back to is the mint julep. A good bourbon paired with fresh mint is perfect on a hot summer day. It's simple, balanced, and classic. There's no more iconic summer drink than a frosted julep cup filled with pebble ice, good bourbon, and a bright bouquet of fresh mint.
2. If we come to your city, where are you taking us for a great cocktail?
Sears — Cincinnati, Ohio: For a well-crafted cocktail, I'd take you to a spot called Comfort Station. There are so many new bars and speakeasies in the Downtown Cincinnati/Over-The-Rhine area that I haven't even visited yet. I'd love to be able to explore the area with the Brown Liquor Collective + Sip Mightily crew.
Van — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: The food and cocktail scene has exploded here in the last few years, so we have several options. In the greater OKC metro, Palo Santo is one of my favorite cocktail bars. R&J's, Ludivine, Ponyboy, and The Daley are also excellent. I will be a little biased by suggesting The Winston in Norman, as we have a great bourbon and cocktail program. (Editor's note: Go visit The Winston in Norman)
Beguedou — Omaha, Nebraska: There are two places I will take anyone for a fantastic cocktail experience. The first is Proof Bar. The staff is knowledgeable and pleasant, plus they always bring creative cocktails to their menu and have a tremendous whiskey selection. The second place is a speakeasy called The Wicked Rabbit, an intimate locale where they encourage you to let your imagination go wild with cocktail ideas.
3. What's the last bottle you spent way too much money on? Was it worth it?
Van: I'm glad you're asking me to name just one because there have been way too many! I'm a big fan of port. It's more of a niche category and typically doesn't get much mainstream exposure, but something I've dove into in recent years. I had the opportunity to buy some private stock of a vintage port at a local shop, and I think my credit card had melted entirely by the time I left! I've opened a few of those bottles with friends on special occasions, and they were absolutely worth it.Â
Beguedou: The last bottle I spent too much money on was the Barrell Grey Label 16 years Seagrass. It was $300. Was it worth it? Heck yeah! That bourbon tastes like love, joy and rainbows.
Sears: I'm frugal, but the most expensive bottle I've purchased to date is a bottle of Clase Azul Reposado for $120 last week when I was in Mexico. I'm not a huge tequila fan, but I want to be a part of the cool kids club, and the bottle is so pretty! (Laughs)
I've never tried it, but it is hard to find and more expensive in these parts, so I grabbed it while I had the opportunity. The second and third highest bottles I've purchased are Angel's Envy Rye ($80) and Bookers ($77). AE Rye, worth it. Bookers, I still haven't opened. I'll get back to you.