There are certain drinks bartenders start avoiding when the weather warms up. Some are obvious, like eggnog, but others said to nix piña coladas.
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Summer is one of the best times to kick back and relax, which, for some people, means hitting the bar with friends.
Whether you're going to a crowded spot on the Las Vegas Strip or a small neighborhood establishment, there's no getting past the soaring alcohol prices. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, getting a beer, cocktail, or glass of wine at a restaurant or bar is two to three times as expensive this summer as it was last year.
The last thing you want to do is waste your money, so to help narrow down your options, Business Insider asked bartenders which drinks they never order in the summer.
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If it's hot outside, steer clear of hot drinks at the bar.
"It is way too hot during the summer to be ordering any warm coffee-based drink such as an Irish coffee," Charles Mcintyre, lead bartender at Bar WooWoo in the Sky Rock Sedona hotel in Arizona, told BI.
Other drinks that fall in this category include hot toddies and mulled wine.
Nick Jackson, head bartender at The Rum House in New York City, also said that in the summer, bars may not even have the equipment or ingredients needed for traditional hot cocktails.
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If you're looking for a refreshing drink on a nice, warm night, milk isn't a great choice.
"I wouldn't order heavy, creamy cocktails like a White Russian or a brandy Alexander," said Eric Lopez, a bartender at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach.
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According to Lopez, sugary cocktails like a Dirty Shirley (a Shirley Temple with a shot of vodka) can be dehydrating. Plus, after the sugar spike, you may crash and be too tired to continue your night out.
"Instead, I would opt for a Singapore sling or a classic mai tai or a cucumber cooler to refresh and keep you hydrated," he told BI.
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Will Hancock, bartender at Linger Longer Lounge in Phoenix, said to avoid spicy, tomato-based cocktails, like a bloody mary or a bloody maria (tequila instead of vodka).
"I can't think of a more counterintuitive summer beverage than a spicy, salty, and thick tomato soup with cheese or smoked meat as a garnish," he told BI. "You'll be dehydrated before you can finish it."
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Although an old-fashioned or a Manhattan might sound good, think twice before ordering whiskey-based cocktails in the summer.
"These whiskey-forward cocktails tend to fall into the 'nightcap region,' designed to highlight the aged spirit and wind you down," Demi Park, bar manager at Paradisaea in California, told BI.
Deep-flavored, heavy drinks aren't refreshing and likely won't keep you going on a long summer night.
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Kat Gallardo, mixologist at Four Flamingos in Florida, shared the controversial opinion that piña coladas are a no-go in the summer.
"The most ordered cocktail at a beach bar is, in reality, an unbalanced sugar bomb," she told BI. "That shot of rum disappears after being in the blender."
Gallardo recommended a Papa Doble made with light rum, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup if you want less sugar and more rum.
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According to Jason Bradley, senior food and beverage operations manager at the Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, eggnog is a delicious beverage choice … for winter.
"Unless I'm celebrating Christmas in July, you won't see me looking in the direction of a cocktail with whole eggs as an ingredient in over-100-degree weather — they'd probably scramble," he told BI.
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A Ramos gin fizz is a perfectly suitable drink at a quiet cocktail bar or restaurant, but it can take a toll on busy bartenders during hot, crowded summer nights.
"The work that goes into the cocktail with the egg and heavy cream is master-level dedication," said Tyler Chauvin, assistant general manager of food and beverage at Swingers NoMad.
The complex cocktail, made from gin, citrus, simple syrup, egg white, heavy cream, orange flower water, and club soda, typically requires shaking for up to 15 minutes to get the signature foamy top.
