The ideal cocktail hour: A summer's vesper

The ideal cocktail hour occurs only during the summer, when work has ended but daylight remains. The leftover warmth of the afternoon lulls you into a relaxing evening - the perfect transition from the office to the home.

As summer turns to autumn for many of us, the hours of social drinking make a shift with the sun. Even in cities like San Francisco, where fog hovers year-round, the afternoons have changed. The early evening, though still as chilly as in July, doesn't feel the same and is somehow not quite right for vibrant celebration and thirst-quenching cocktails. To accommodate this change, the cocktail vehicle moves to late-night Bloody Mary are suddenly recalled, and by the winter holidays even Egg Nog (the black sheep of the cocktail crowd) is welcomed.

White, or clear, spirits decrease in popularity along with the mercury of the thermometer. Although gin manages to keep a presence through the cold months, the other clear spirits are tucked away like white pants abruptly out of fashion after Labor Day. Even vodka is pushed to the back of the bar, unless of course you're from a country like Poland, Russia, or Finland. Derby Day - becomes the drink of choice. Even those who still shudder at the memory of the burning sensation from their first sip swiped from their parents' Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and whiskeys cordials, coffee, or cream.

Traditional cocktails like the aperitifs, such libations are stimulating enough to boost conversation but not to keep everyone up all night.

Just as your overall style or sensibility doesn't change with the season, your tastes do not change drastically, either. Fortunately, you can often offer guests a cool-weather version of their usual drink. If the sherry for vermouth. Both options actually aid in digestion, an important role for hosts to keep in mind after serving hearty meals.

If your guests are planning to walk home, a bourbon with a teaspoon of lemon or orange, and top with hot water. But remember to send guests on their way soon after a toddy, because they'll soon crave sleep.

Hosts planning Sunday- or Saturday-morning gatherings have plenty of libations to keep guests merry throughout embarrassing defeats of the alma mater. For these occasions, the rules for serving spirits and other potations change slightly even for the Alchemist. Ingredients and presentation shunned at the swankiest of watering holes are likely candidates for morning "cocktails." The goal of these drinks is not so much to invigorate, but to nourish and soothe your bright-eyed friends.

Tomato juice is one beverage that I admittedly fail to appreciate on its own. Straight from the can, its texture is thick and grainy and its aroma half sour. But with an ounce or two of spirit to thin it out and spices to mask the scent, even I am a taker. Forget the V-8 - white spirits, tomato juice, and spices are a welcomed complement to any brunch. Bloody Marys and Caesars are the first to mind, but there are other combinations with tomato juice that many people readily enjoy. All are perfect fall and winter replacements for such spring and summer drinks as the Ramos Fizz and Mimosa.

Mexicans created another version of the Bloody Mary that is traditionally taken as a tequila. Called Sangrita, the cantineros mix tomato, orange, and lime juices with Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, salt and pepper. The recipe's heavy dose of citrus makes this tomato juice mix more refreshing than any I have tasted north of the border. If a shot and a chaser is a bit too much with cartoons and Fruit Loops, mix the tequila and Sangrita for a more soothing effect.

When holed up in bad weather, experiment with your favorite summer cocktails. Substitute more traditional cold-weather liquors and accents. Honey, for instance, can occasionally work in the place of simple syrup and may offer that warm bit of comfort imbibers crave on a cold day. After all, winters spent with the proper libations aren't winters wasted waiting for spring.