I had an epiphany recently when I stopped to order my favorite iced coffee from BLOC Coffee Company in Price Hill and their ice machine was on the fritz. “Try it cold, without ice,” the barista suggested. “Some of our customers like it better that way.”  

I just returned from my third annual visit to Tales of the Cocktail, an almost week-long event that, for mixologists and the media who cover them, is what the Cannes International Film Festival is to movie critics: a little bit glamorous, a lot of information to drink in and a lot of fun.  

Hot days mean cold beer, right? That’s what I used to think, too. Nowadays, I like summer cocktails that are lighter, more creative and tastier than the old standby. Sure, they’re not as easy as opening a frosty bottle, but they don’t have to be a major Tiki-type production either.  

I once felt as if I had perfected the chemical alchemy needed for me to write with some success. I won’t disclose the exact contents of my proprietary blend, seeing as I may yet trademark it, but one might assume that my equivalent of liquid courage is not the healthiest of cocktails.