This July heat isn’t very cooperative for summer stout and whiskey drinking.

With the oppressive temperatures, thoughts turn to boat drinks and more fruit-filled fare for refreshing drinking. Vodka is a natural for providing a lighter bodied cocktail base, and Colorado has no shortage of quality products.

Here are three to try for mixing fun this month:

Boulder Vodka

Renowned for their Rhok and Ginski Barrel Aged gins, Vapor Distillery of Boulder makes this impressively clean, soft, super-smooth vodka. It bears a subtle sweetness that makes it perfect for sipping over ice or mixing into your favorite cocktail. They begin with pure Colorado Rocky Mountain water from the Arapaho Glacier and use only the highest purity alcohol distilled from corn to produce this pure, clean vodka. It also was awarded the Gold at the 2015 Denver International Spirits Competition.

Breckenridge

This award-winning vodka is clean and brilliantly clear with notes of lemon cream and fragrant meadow flowers. It has a light body with a soft, warm texture and a balanced mellow finish with just a hint of sweetness. The minerality of the local Breckenridge water lends just the right mouth feel. Perfect for shots or a well-chilled vodka martini.

Spirit Hound

Located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, just north of Longmont in Lyons, Spirit Hound makes all their offerings with local Colorado ingredients. They deliver a remarkably smooth, clean vodka with no additives and a satisfying, rounded mouthfeel.

These, and other vodkas from the Centennial state, can be found at select larger, family-owned liquor stores like Wyatt’s. Check out our “Clear Spirits Sale”, July 11-17.