spirits per season

[Stalebread]

Do you categorize (and drink) spirits based on the season? If so, generally speaking, how?

Rum in the summer and port in the winter? Or vice versa?

Beer in the summer? Red wine anytime? Single malt? Etc. Etc.

[cvm4]

Usually beer in the summer or mixed drinks.

For the colder months it's bourbon/whiskey with some ice.

[Ken Gargett]

less beer in winter.

[Colt45]

Not totally intentionally, but in retrospect, I do tend to scale back my wine intake when the weather gets hot.

[Rogers72]

Summer: Gin, Beer, Tequilla, Vodka, Champagne.

All other seasons: Bourbon, Scotch, Red Wine, Champagne, Beer.

I love Red Wine but find it very difficult to drink when it is 100'F and 100% RH out...which it is in South Carolina from May-October.

[dicko]

Yes the seasons certainly inform my bevy choices!

winter it is red wine, scotch/bourbon/dark rum/vodka on ice, and fuller flavoured beers (like euro imports and pale ales).

summer is a totally different story, and to characterise further, two factors are at play. one is temperature (duh!) and also following from that, the type of social context at the time of consumption.

perth gets bloody hot for about 4/5 months of the year so the whole cooling of red wine in the fridge is just a pain in the a** and by the time you're on your second glass its warmed up and has that soupy mash of flavours going on. (the occasional good cheapie like bin 555 and d'arry stump jump makes an appearance with the cow off the griller)

also, you look like a bit of a tool if you're playing backyard cricket sipping a glass of wine, risking spilling it on yourself diving for a catch, plus it just doesn't look right! ha

spirits wise, the whiskeys are hid away and lighter rum and gin come out with mixers as more volume is required to quench your thirst.

also beer choice changes. no more euro blonds/pilsners, as lighter lagers and cerveza get necked back with mates around the barbie :-)

to be honest i probably 'enjoy' winter drinks more, its usually better quality stuff being drunk. but enjoying the sun... girls in bikinis...summer wins every time!

[Guest rob]

Its pretty much the depths of winter here. Below zero every night and some really cold days.

I've been drinking Irish Beer (Kilkenny) daily and totally scaled back my spirits. I've gone from one or two whiskies/cognacs a night to one serve a week. For some reason I drink more spirits in summer.

My wine consumption has also dropped way back. For no reason other than my appetite is for beer.

[ethanjhall]

I tend to enjoy some killer margaritas in the spring and summer - a local company makes the best mix ever (www.premiermargmix.com). Those are good general party drinks, but depending on the situation, I'll enjoy a nice pale ale or some bourbon/vodka/scotch/tequila on ice or neat.

Winter.. hmm... rum or whiskey and hot apple cider is just the way to warm up on a cold day Overall, perhaps more red wine. To be honest, I haven't given it much thought, other than I know what I've been drinking recently

[BonVivant]

Red wine is the favorite with dinner, and as for the hot summer coctails: Spritzer (Dry white wine and sparkling water on ice) and Caipirinha (lime juice, sugar and Cachaça on crushed ice). Port, Cognac, Spanish Brandy (in trouble here), Scotch, etc.. are good all year around, IMHO

[trumpetchris]

rum all year.

gin more in the summer, more whiskeys and especially Scotch in the autumn and winter. Lighter beers in the summer, porters and stoudts in cooler months.

Pretty much "heavy" drinks in the winter, lighter in the summer.

Wine can be had all year, but not a lot of outside red wine drinking when it's above 85.