By Libby Lemire
Summer is here, and that is refreshing in itself. We endure a long winter, an endless wait for spring, and then summer comes and the Mohawk Valley says, “It’s about freakin’ time!” I always laugh when it starts to get “too hot,” and inevitably you’ll hear one of us yearning for fall, claiming we prefer colder temperatures.
Don’t wish the hot, steamy days away—quench your thirst with our recommended summer sips. We’ve given you a wide variety to choose from. The common thread is delicious.
Weekend Warrior
1888 Biergarten & Tavern, Utica
“I want to be healthier, more active, live a long time…” This is a common sentiment these days. Part of that shift is that people are sipping less—65% are drinking more moderately. “Over 138 years in business, you have to change with the times. You meet the consumer where they’re going, and you get there first,” said Fred Matt. Weekend Warrior (3% ABV) was created for those looking for moderation, not abstinence. The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Food & Wine Magazine have all covered Weekend Warrior—nice validation that the Mohawk Valley’s beloved brewery has produced a winner.
The coolest place to sample Weekend Warrior is at the brewery’s 1888 Biergarten & Tavern, where they serve two core styles, the Craft Pilsner and the Hazy IPA, along with small-batch styles under the Weekend Warrior lineup. I can vouch for the Bear Hug, which I had on my last visit—a smooth brown ale that fits our delicious theme for sure.
Weekend Warrior will be the official beer of the Boilermaker’s Post-Race Party, and my gut says it’ll be a perfect fit for the finish line.
Lavender Lemonade
Origins Cafe, Cooperstown
The Origins team travels the world during the winter months to volunteer on organic farms and experience diverse global food cultures. Butterfly pea flowers became a beloved part of their drink menu after spending time on a farm in Thailand, where they learned the flowers have traditionally been used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
Their lavender lemonade is a sweet, floral infusion of lavender flowers, butterfly pea flowers, organic cane sugar and fresh lemon juice. Yum.
As we told you in our May issue, you’ve gotta go!
The Margarita Flight
Tailor & the Cook, Utica
Ty Bowers, bartender and server, was the brain behind The Margarita Flight. A fan of tequila drinks, he leaned into the natural pairing of margaritas and summer—then got creative.
This summer season, there are four sample-sized drinks (they seemed regular-sized to me) all made with one of Ty’s favorites, blanco tequila: a traditional margarita, pineapple jalapeño, mango dragon fruit, and coconut—each with its own unique rim of salt, tajín, or sugar, depending on the flavor of the drink.
The alliteration of Margarita Mondays works well, and tacos round out the “Mex flav.” I can attest, the combination works perfectly. The waiter brought us our check after we said “no thank you” to dessert and we looked at each other and said, “Can you bring us another round of tacos?”
Golden Peach Lotus
SHOOK, Ilion
I had one sip of the Golden Peach Lotus, and I was hooked. I finished it before Madison Conigliaro, owner of SHOOK, had finished telling me what was in it.
The drink features white lotus (an Asian plant that provides natural caffeine), juicy peach, and a touch of lemon, topped with smooth green tea. I also sampled the Pink Rush Lotus, infused with strawberry and white peach and finished with lemonade. I took the rest of the Pink Rush to go, and it was gone before I hit Culver Ave. on my way back into Utica.
Madison is about to celebrate her first anniversary, with the promise of many more to come—she has the same creativity, energy, and sweetness as her delicious drinks.
The Hawaiian Salted Caramel Banana Latte
Calabria, New Hartford
There is a “secret menu” at Calabria. Anyone can ask for anything on it—you just need to know to ask. It’s a collection of every specialty drink they’ve ever promoted, and they’re stocked and ready to create whatever your taste buds are craving, any time of year.
Customers coming in and asking, “What’s with our weather?” sparked the creative genius behind the Hawaiian latte. Owners Ericka and Bryce Lamberto began thinking about how to transform wet, cold days into something more like a drinkable paradise.
The OG was the Hawaiian Salted Coconut, which you can still find on the secret menu. The latest version launches in June—a latte featuring caramel and banana flavors with a touch of Hawaiian sea salt.. Hopefully by then we won’t need to imagine sunshine, but regardless of the weather, close your eyes, take a sip, and experience paradise.
Painted Pail Sparkling Sangria
Pail Shop Vineyards, Fly Creek
New for Pail Shop Vineyards: a sparkling sangria launching in June. When we were finalizing our June issue, Pail Shop was putting the finishing touches on their latest sangria.
Where does the pail theme originate? In the 1800s, a shop at one of the intersections in the small hamlet of Fly Creek made wooden pails for local farmers and households. That shop became significant enough that the crossroads was called “the Pail Shop corners.”
Brad and Lynn Johnson, owners of Pail Shop Vineyards, have capitalized on the beauty and history of their 40-acre property, creating an oasis where people can sit, sip, and take in the view. The buildings and grounds were designed and built by them, using wood and stone from the property and the surrounding area.
Local music is part of their summer lineup, and sunsets over the Fly Creek Valley, paired with their small-batch, handcrafted sangria—sounds like a triple win.
Recurrence V
Wayward Lane Brewing, Schoharie
Recurrence V marks Wayward Lane’s fifth anniversary.
Longtime friends began homebrewing in Colorado, but when the opportunity arose to take their passion to a family farm in the Schoharie Valley of upstate New York—offering 65 acres and a less saturated, more affordable beer market—Kyle, Adam, Abbie, and Andrew made the move.
The land itself needed little improvement, but the former 1800s hop house required some serious work. They transformed the building into a taproom and production space with a ton of character. The group of friends has built a business recognized as New York State Brewery of the Year in 2023 and 2025.
In addition to beer production, Wayward Lane stays active year-round with a calendar of unique events—a tree burning in January, a trebuchet (medieval-style catapult) pumpkin-launching event in October, their own beer festival, summer concerts featuring over 30 bands, Market in the Meadow featuring local vendors, and a rotating lineup of food trucks. They also have their own permanent, on-site food truck: The Dumpling Wagon.
Cotton Candy Shake
Coneheads, Four Mohawk Valley Locations
Coneheads has multiplied. Lucky for us.
Jeff Behr founded the business in 1977 in Oneida; now Adam Behr (Jeff’s son) and his wife, Samantha, have added three more Mohawk Valley locations: Blossvale, Canastota, and the newest location, Sherrill.
When we shared our Summer Sips idea, Samantha ran with it and created a Cotton Candy Shake with Cotton Candy Crunch mixed in. “It’s sweet, nostalgic, and just the kind of treat that brings you right back to a summer carnival,” she said.
Sunset Blueberry Wine Slushie
Brimfield Farm Winery, Clinton
Steeped in five generations of history, you’ll be sipping a wine slushie in one of the prettiest barns I’ve ever seen, filled with repurposed details from its dairy farm days. Old milking machines now hang as overhead lights, milk lines serve as kick rails at the bar, and wood reinforcements come from tamarack trees planted in 1941, because the grandfather of owner John Hughes, Richard Hughes, knew the wood would come in handy someday.
Brimfield Farm Winery also has a terrace overlooking one of the most magnificent views in the Mohawk Valley. Experience their Sunset Blueberry Dixie Diamond twist, described by owner John Hughes as “adult ice cream.” I got a sip or two the afternoon I was there, and let’s just say, a sip was not enough. I’ll be back.
Affogato
The Cremeria, Clinton
The name has a beautiful ring to it, but what is it? Affogato means “drowned” in Italian, so you’re literally “drowning” your gelato in espresso. The most traditional version is made with classic fior di latte (vanilla). In other words: joy in a cup, where the gelato is the star.
The Mohawk Valley is lucky to have the quality of gelato that it does. Owner Maria Rand learned the art of gelato from a master in Bologna, Italy—the gelato capital of the world—and brought it home. She has a great philosophy: “Keep it simple, and do it really well.”
