Foundation Bar
2718 N. Bremen St.
The "Mai Tai"
What better way to think of summer than to conjure the smells and tastes of the sea, coconuts, sandy beaches and of course, The Mai Tai. Manager Don Nelson didn't hesitate for a second when I asked him what the best summer drink at Foundation was. He told me they make so many Mai Tais that he looses count every night. The special thing about these Mai Tais? They are as traditional as it gets.

Crafted from the original recipe created by Trader Vic in 1944, each Mai Tai is made to order and served in a tall white Hawaiian-style glass. They are so special that they have been heralded as "Milwaukee's Best Mai Tai." Also featuring 30 other tropical drinks, Foundation is a great place to unwind this summer. The interior is straight out of a Polynesian island with Tiki everywhere, nets, a 1950s-'60s-style bar and even a tin ceiling. They even have surf bands playing live music -- this weekend is a performance by Chicago's finest surf band, the Cocktail Preachers. Make sure to see if you can wrangle the "original" recipe from Don and the other bartenders at Foundation.

So with Bryant's and Foundation claiming best summer time cocktail as the Mai Tai, you decide: Can Bryant's go toe-to-toe with the alleged best Mai Tai in the city? Let me know which you liked best.

Although with all that rum, make sure you take a cab or have someone else haul you around.

Hotel Metro
411 E. Mason St.
The "Champeartini"
I stopped in to see what was new and exciting at Hotel Metro this week. Known for busy lunches and wine flights with good food, Hotel Metro also has an extensive cocktail list including an entire page of mojitos. I asked bartender Adam May what he would consider the summer time drink to bring people in and he immediately pointed to the first drink on the list -- the Champeartini. This straight-up beverage contains Absolut Pear Vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur and is topped with Champagne. I asked if there were any other secret ingredients and Adam replied that there were none. The simplicity and freshness of the drink is what he feels makes it a no-brainer for protecting you from the heat. Enjoy one of these at the bar downstairs or the "Zen on 7" rooftop bar this summer.

Wicked Hop
345 N. Broadway
Sangria
The Wicked Hop does a lot of things pretty darn well, from beer to cocktails and tasty food for lunch, dinner and brunch. I spoke with manager Jon Vavera to see what he and the staff thought was the best summertime drink. They came back with a unanimous answer of both their white and red sangrias. The white is derived from a mix of chardonnay and sauvignon Blanc, and the red is based on merlot. The grape varietals and the addition of peach schnapps steer these away from ultra-classic, but sometimes a modern interpretation can be just as good. Jon told me they can hardly keep up when summer hits and people are relaxing on their patio enjoying good food, warm weather and cold sangria.

Here are some other notable summer cocktails to try:

Mojitos
Kana, (see Julie Lawrence's article here), Hotel Metro, Café Lulu and Cubanitas

Margaritas
Cempazuchi, La Fuente and Botanas -- good for anything tequila-related, especially margaritas

Beer, beer and more beer
Sugar Maple, Bomb Shelter, Fat Abbey Biercafe, Palm Tavern, Roman's

Outdoor seating
Water Buffalo, Trocadero, Paddy's Pub, Roots

As always, there are so many great establishments for summer drinking in this town. After all, we only have 2 1/2 months to get it all in, so we Milwaukeeans know how to make the most of it. If I missed your favorite, use the Talkback feature to let everyone know where you like to go.

Have fun with cocktails this summer. See you next week.