Summer Cocktail Trends

Like shoes, dresses, and handbags, summer cocktails have started to fall into the trend trap--for better or for worse.

Winning the trend-setter of the century award was the Sex and the City-inspired Cosmopolitan, a drink women from New York City to Calamazoo started guzzling at barbeques and bars the minute Carrie and Co. stepped onto the small screen.

Meanwhile, we in the cocktail-crafting world (and you in the drinking world) have noted the appearance of Pomegranate as the new fun and flavorful ingredient. No wonder Pomtinis were all the rage last year.

This year is going to be decidedly different. As a result of the economic times, there's going to be a major scaling back in cocktail consumption. That's not to say that people are going to stop drinking! But this summer, expect a step away from cocktails involving tons of ingredients and complex steps (which meant a heftier price tag at the beach bar) towards simpler, yet even more satisfying, imbibing.

Our cocktail suggestions below are ways to avoid the literal and figurative headache of sugar-y margaritas and fruity martinis, demonstrating that you can still celebrate life-and the summer season-even in a bad economy!