I just got word that today is National Tequila Day. On a Tuesday. Good job, National Tequila Day planners. It's not obvious at all you guys were dipping into your own supply when picking out the day to celebrate.

But should any of you choose to have a drink tonight in honor of this auspicious pseudo holiday I have the perfect tequila to do it with: Cabo Uno Añejo Reserva.

This is not margarita-mixing tequila. Or do-shots-until-one-of-us-is-hospitalized tequila. This is top of the line, ultra-premium tequila that is meant to be sipped, savored and appreciated. And it comes from Cabo Wabo, the company founded by a man who has spilled more tequila than any of us have ever drank, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Sammy Hagar. ...There's more

If you're thinking beach drink, you're thinking rum. Frozen Coladas and Rumrunners were practically invented to beat the heat. (And to help reduce the inhibitions of Spring Breaking sorority girls everywhere, but that's another story.)

To add a little variety to the drink selections at your next beach blanket bonanza here are a few new recipes from Cruzan using their Black Cherry Rum. Guaranteed to loosen up the bikini-clad Bettys on the beach.

The Cruzan Flip Flop
1/2 part Cruzan Black Cherry Rum
1/2 part Cruzan Light Rum
2 parts orange juice
1 part fresh lime juice
3/4 part simple syrup
Lemon-lime soda

Shake ingredients and pour into a high-ball glass with ice. Top with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with an orange wedge and a cherry. ...There's more

Just like wine coolers tore through the summer beach scene years ago, "flavored malt beverages" masquerading as cocktails have been pitched as the perfect summer drink to sip pool side for a while now.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear right from the get go: when I want a cocktail, I'll mix a real cocktail. When I want a beer, I'll have a beer. Not some evil, fruity, malt, Frankenstein bastardization of both. (And I don't care how "tough" or "masculine" your marketing is, it's still fruit beer.)

That being said, I will now also admit openly for all the world to hear that I regularly keep these beverages on hand. Especially in the summer. Why? Should be obvious: Women love them. Gross generalization? Maybe. But I found that anytime there is a barbecue, pool party or other outdoor event and there is real beer and fruit beer around, they get consumed right along gender lines. (Hey, I'm just making an observation.) And they work when you can't drag out mixers and ice and fresh fruit, etc., etc.

So what's the newest concoction you might want to keep around just in case a bikini party breaks out? The Bacardi Silver Mojito. Capitalizing on the popularity of the cocktail, it's got a strong lime and mint flavor, a little bit of fizz, and no muddling required. Trendy enough to let her know you're on top of things, light and refreshing enough that she'll enjoy it on a hot day at the beach. Me? I'll be at the bar.

www.bacardisilver.com

Seems like everyone wants to be BG these days. This very BG-like guide list of 10 Drinks Men Should Never Order is from ABC affiliate WPLG in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. Which, coincidentally enough, is where I live.

There's some good stuff here. Nothing groundbreaking. But interesting enough. Click here to see the slideshow.

I get sent a lot of "luxury" spirits. And most are excellent. But when the luxury spirit is a rum from the LVMH Group - which includes Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon champagnes, Hennessy cognac, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Donna Karan, TAG Heuer - you pay special attention.

Introduced just two years ago, 10 Cane is a "first press cane" rum made from Trinidadian sugar cane specifically grown for rum making, not from molasses. Then it's aged in small batches in French oak barrels for 6 months under the care of master distillers from Moët Hennessy. The result is one of the smoothest rums I've tried. The staff at the BG Test Bar drank theirs neat, a first for any of the rums we've tried.

Does it cost more? Hell yes. But so does a bottle of Dom. And you know how the ladies react when you pop open a bottle of Dom, versus opening a bottle of Freixenet. ...There's more

Here's what I used to know about Drambuie: My grandmother drank it. Therefore I didn't. (Same reason I would never drive an Olds Delta 88.)

Here's what I now know about Drambuie: It's a killer blend of smooth malt whiskies and spiced honey that rocks when mixed with something carbonated. Making for a very different pool-side drink than your usual rum and coke.

Drambuie has a new cocktail they've just released to help a new generation of adult beverage drinkers discover the unique flavor of this 260 year old spirit. It called the Drambuie Fizz and you might want to consider adding it to your summer drink menu. Grandma doesn't have to know.

Drambuie Fizz
1 1/2 parts Drambuie
6 to 8 Fresh Limes
Splash of Club Soda

Muddle 6 to 8 limes in the bottom of a rocks glass. Fill glass with crushed ice. Add the Drambuie and top up with splash of soda. Garnish with a lime wedge.

$34.99 per bottle
www.signaturespirit.com

For the last drink recipe before the fireworks arrive tomorrow, we have the appropriately named "Fourth of July", from the book The Daily Cocktail - 365 Intoxicating Drinks and the Outrageous Events that Inspired Them, by Dalyn Miller and Larry Donovan.

It's a sweet drink, with not too much alcohol, so it's a good one for the female guests at your party. It's also a layered drink, which takes some practice, so try a few dry runs before you pour some for your guests.

FOURTH OF JULY
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Blue curaçao
1/2 oz Cream

Layer the ingredients in a shot glass, starting with the grenadine, then the blue curaçao, finishing with the cream on top.

Recipe reprinted, with permission, from the book, The Daily Cocktail - 365 Intoxicating Drinks and the Outrageous Events that Inspired Them, by Dalyn Miller and Larry Donovan.

Who says sno-cones are just for kids? It's July. It's hot. You'll be standing out in the heat all day and night Wednesday, grilling and watching fireworks, sweating like OJ trying to get a dinner reservation. You're gonna need something to cool you off. And a kiddie sno-cone ain't gonna do it.

Instead, serve up these much more adult versions of the summer classic, using flavored vodkas from Van Gogh and a little shaved or crushed ice. The first three recipes even make red, white and blue Gogh-cones... how convenient.

They're easy to make, beat back the heat, and will make you forget you've been standing in the same spot for 11 hours. In 90 degree heat. With four thousand screaming kids around.

Pomegranate Freeze
Combine 2 oz. Van Gogh Pomegranate Vodka, 2 oz. pineapple juice and 3-4 drops of cherry syrup and pour over crushed or shaved ice. ...There's more