Highballs and other fizzy cocktails to temper the late summer heat

At my elbow right now is an icon of summer. It’s a gin and tonic, and like me, it’s sweating.

But it’s so much more tempting in its perspiration: The condensation on the tall glass ribboning into long clear rivulets that flash slivers of green lime wheel within. When it first came outdoors to join me on our front stoop, its frothy crown was still audibly hissing from the freshly poured tonic — up close, you could see the tiny bubbles launch themselves up, arching back into the drink, the effervescence lifting the aromatics of juniper, lime, and bittersweet tonic toward my nose.

It’s always this time of year I want this particular bubbly refresher — possibly the most famous of the fizzy family, a vast and bubbly crew that begins at the simple highballs (everything from the Campari and soda to the Dark and Stormy to the Cuba Libre to the Americano), and branches off into more elaborate fizz-and-booze delivery systems, including the rickey, the Collins, and, of course, the frothy fizz.

A highball is a spirit lengthened with a bubbly, nonalcoholic mixer, and that typically the mixer will be at least double the amount of spirit — a civilized, relatively low-ABV drink.

A highball is not just “a drink served in a tall glass.” I mention this because I have seen references to the Long Island Iced Tea (vodka, tequila, rum, gin, and triple sec mixed with lemon and syrup, topped with a particle of Coke) as a highball. If you’re really limber, I suppose you could try to make that stretch?

At this steamy time of year, there’s also the chill factor: Colder drinks hold carbonation better than warm ones, and drinks that are both carbonated and cold have been shown to be more thirst-quenching.

For your steamy summer needs, we’ve lined up a sort of bubbly evolution of seltzer drink options — from the highball to the fizz — ideal for multiple summer sips and adaptable to your particular tastes and energy levels, each one just a step or an ingredient up from the last.

Thanks to Campari, the bright red bittersweet Italian liqueur, this simple-to-make but complex-tasting aperitivo delivers ultimate refreshment. Note that this preparation works well with other red Italian-style bitters, with Luxardo Bitter Bianco, Gran Classico, or with Suze, and you can get more variety still by switching up the citrus garnishes — the aromatic oils from a twist of lime, lemon, orange, or grapefruit each contribute something a little different.

1 serving

Ice

2 ounces Campari

4 ounces club soda or seltzer

Citrus wedge or half wheel, for garnish

Directions

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the Campari, then top with the soda and stir gently. Squeeze a lime wedge into the drink, drop it in the glass, then serve.

Adapted from traditional sources by Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan (originator of drink unknown, but it’s been consumed since the late 19th century).

The Cuba Libre, a.k.a. the rum and Coke, is “a drink of inspired blandness,” as drinks writer Wayne Curtis put it in his history of rum. Enough lime, and the drink becomes a more balanced and refreshing highball. Traditionally made with a Cuban-style light rum, some darker rums may complement the cola better, and some newer colas from Q and Fever-Tree are excellent.

1 serving

½ lime

Ice

2 ounces rum

3 to 4 ounces chilled cola

Squeeze the half lime into a highball glass, reserving the spent hull. Fill the glass with ice. Add the rum and top with the cola, then drop the squeezed half lime into the glass and serve.

Adapted from traditional sources by Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan (originator of drink unknown, but it’s been consumed since the early 1900s).

This easy drink is a G&T substitute for those who might not like the bitter quinine in tonic water or who love the simple refreshing bubble of a Ranch Water. Pick a gin you love, use good fresh ice, and garnish it with a citrus wedge of your choice.

1 serving

Ice

2 ounces gin

4 ounces chilled club soda or seltzer

Citrus wedge or wheel, for garnish

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the gin and top off with the club soda or seltzer. Give it a squeeze of citrus, then slide the citrus into the drink (to continue flavoring it as you sip) and serve.

From Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan.

An enduring classic, perfect for summer sipping, the Tom Collins was — per drinks historian David Wondrich — an evolution of the gin punch made by bartender John Collin in London in the 1800s. Traditionally, this was made with Old Tom Gin (a sweeter style, and probably partly where its name is derived), but a good London dry works great. While some recipes call for first shaking all the ingredients except the soda water, it’s not necessary. Building it in the glass makes it easier still.

1 serving

Make Ahead: The simple syrup should be made and chilled at least 1 hour in advance.

Ice

2 ounces gin

1 ounce simple syrup

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

2 to 3 ounces chilled club soda or seltzer, to top

Lemon wheel, for garnish

Fill a Collins glass with ice, then add the gin, syrup, and lemon juice. Stir to combine thoroughly, about 15 seconds. Top with the club soda or seltzer, then gently stir again. Garnish with the lemon wheel and serve.

From Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan.

1 serving

The classic gin fizz is on the simpler end of the fizz class; the Peach Fuzz Fizz is a slightly more baroque approach. The most important technique for the fizz is a thorough shake — you want to really give it time to create the soft, creamy head the drink is known for. Traditionally, fizzes were served without ice in the glass, intended to be consumed quickly. If you’re planning to prepare the beverage ahead and drink it a bit later, you might want to put a few ice cubes in the glass.

Make ahead: The simple syrup should be made and chilled at least 1 hour in advance.

Where to buy: Peach nectar can be found at well-stocked supermarkets.

Ice

1 ½ ounces gin

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

½ ounce simple syrup

½ ounce egg white (may be substituted with aquafaba)

½ ounce peach liqueur

½ ounce peach nectar

2 dashes peach bitters (optional)

2 to 3 ounces chilled club soda or seltzer to top

Chill a highball glass and add a few ice cubes, if you like (see headnote).

In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, peach liqueur, peach nectar, and bitters, if using, and shake hard, until the liquid has thoroughly combined with the egg white and the mixture is pale and frothy, about 1 minute. Add 5 to 6 ice cubes to the shaker and shake again until well-chilled. Double-strain into the highball glass. Stick a straw into the center of the froth and pour the seltzer along the straw into the glass, until the foamy head rises to, or just above, the rim of the glass. Serve with the straw.

Variation: To make the gin fizz, a simpler version of the above, in a cocktail shaker, combine the 1 1/2 ounces gin, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, 1 ounce simple syrup and 1/2 ounce egg white or aquafaba and follow the method above, including the addition of ice and seltzer.

Gin Fizz adapted from Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide; Peach Fuzz Fizz from Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan.