Summer in the South means peach season, and around Atlanta you can sip a great variety of drinks infused with Georgia’s state fruit.
Peachy Keen
At Redbird, juice is steamed from crushed peaches, then combined with sugar, lime juice and citric acid to give it some punch against an overproof whiskey in the Peachy Keen cocktail.
Redbird. 1198 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta. 400-900-5172, redbirdatl.com.
Credit: Zeb Stevenson
Credit: Zeb Stevenson
Spiced Georgia Peach
This drink at 5Church combines 4-year-old Nicaraguan Flor de Cana Extra Seco rum with peach puree infused with thyme, and a little heat from jalapeno. A sprig of thyme adds extra aroma.
5Church. 1197 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-400-3669, 5church-atlanta.com.
Summer Manhattan
Little Bear’s Summer Manhattan combines rye, rum, peach and pecan angostura bitters for a multilayered flavor profile that makes use of two of Georgia’s celebrated products — peaches and pecans.
Little Bear. 71 Georgia Ave., Atlanta. 404-500-5396, littlebearatl.com.
Peach margaritas
Never underestimate the power of peaches to take a summer favorite like a margarita to a higher level. The Big Ketch’s Peach Fishbowl margarita is made with Milagro Silver tequila and topped with a half salt rim. Hobnob’s peach margarita mixes gold tequila, peach, orange bitters, agave and lime juice. For sweetness and zing, the Peachy Georgia Peach & Ginger margarita at Marlow’s Tavern is made with Herradura Reposado tequila, intense ginger liqueur, fresh lime juice and peach nectar.
The Big Ketch. 3279 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. 404-474-9508, thebigketch.com.
Hobnob Halcyon. 6690 Town Square, Alpharetta. 470-448-4572, hobnobatlanta.com.
Marlow’s Tavern, multiple locations. marlowstavern.com.
Revised Gin Rickey
It’s all Italian at Nina & Rafi, but the bartenders add a dose of summertime in Georgia to their Revised Gin Rickey. The tall refresher tops Occitan Italian gin, Dolin Blanc vermouth and peaches with Casamara Club’s Capo amaro soda.
Nina & Rafi. 661 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-549-8997, ninaandrafi.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Peach Me I’m Dreaming, Thicc and Juicy
Peach is the star of a couple of standout Atlanta cocktails, so much so that alcohol isn’t needed for the experience. The Woodall serves Peach Me I’m Dreaming, a luscious mix of peach nectar, lime juice, simple syrup, garden fresh tarragon and the bubbles of Fever Tree tonic. Southern Belle, meanwhile, adds a savory aspect by smoking Pearson Farm peaches and shaking them with Wilfred’s aperitif and lemon juice in the Thicc and Juicy cocktail. It’s herbal and bittersweet, with a hint of backyard firepit.
The Woodall. 2260 Marietta Blvd. NW, Atlanta. 404-343-4424, thewoodallwestside.com.
Southern Belle. 1043 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-698-3961, southernbelleatlanta.com.
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Georgia Fizz
A riff on a Champagne cocktail with a lot of garden flourish, Joy Cafe’s Georgia Fizz is a carefully crafted concoction of peach and orange blossom vodka, elderflower, fresh Georgia peaches, mint and lemon. The bubbles of cava send the scents of summertime straight to your smile.
Joy Cafe. 1100 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-996-1377, joycafeatl.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Hot Girl Summer
At Cold Beer, Brendan Town is mixing up what he calls “a wonderful blend of local liquors and ingredients we find in our backyard this time of year.” The house bitters he uses in his Hot Girl Summer are made from magnolia flowers, adding to a base spirit of vodka, infused with black tea and stirred with peach liqueur, faux lemon and Nonino. It’s then force-carbonated for bubbles that carry peach and herbal notes “to invade all the senses.”
Cold Beer. 670 DeKalb Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-254-1032, coldbeeratl.com.
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