A play on a classic Pimm’s Cup, this new cocktail by B&O’s Brendan Dorr adds a sweet and fruity twist with the inclusion of a housemade strawberry shrub. (To make at home, macerate strawberries in sugar to create a syrup and then mix with Champagne vinegar, Dorr said.) The Baltimore Cup ($11) also utilizes fresh lemon juice and ginger beer. The local nod in the name comes from the Baltimore Whiskey Co. Shot Tower Gin. The result is an update on a traditional drink that tastes refreshing in the hot months — just like the original.
B&O American Brasserie (2 N. Charles St., downtown; 443-692-6172, bandorestaurant.com)
1 1/4 oz. Pimm’s No. 1
3/4 oz. Baltimore Whiskey Co. Shot Tower Gin
3/4 oz. strawberry shrub
1/4 oz. lemon juice
3 oz. ginger beer
Bitter lemon soda water to top off
Build in an ice-filled highball glass and top with bitter lemon flavored soda water. Lightly stir to mix. Garnish with a sliced strawberry skewer and mint sprig. (Courtesy of B&O American Brasserie)
If you ask us, the antidote to the summer’s sweltering heat comes in a glass.
When the temperatures are sky high, we head to the bar, and in Baltimore, there’s never a shortage of options. We checked in with local bartenders to find out the creative ways they’re beating the heat. Some are reimagining classics, while others are combining unexpected flavors and working with ingredients that resonate personally.
Regardless of the inspiration, when it’s time to cool off, consider these cocktails (or try to make some for yourself at home).