Top 5 Craft Cocktails to Try at 12 Hawks This Season

Five drinks to try this season: a smoked old fashioned, a spicy margarita, a bourbon peach smash, a espresso martini, and a huckleberry lemon drop. Each one is built for the weather and the crowd you'll find at a family bar and grill in Grant County. Here's what makes them worth ordering and what to expect when you sit down.

Smoked Old Fashioned

This is the drink to order if you want something that feels like fall even in August. It's bourbon, a little sugar, bitters, and a smoke finish that comes from a torched cedar plank or a smoking gun, depending on who's behind the bar that night. It's not sweet. If you like your whiskey straight, this is the version with just enough dressing to make it interesting. Expect it to run a few dollars more than a standard well drink because of the extra step, but it's worth it for a slow sipper during a game.

Spicy Margarita

Tequila, lime, a jalapeno or habanero syrup, and a tajin rim. This one gets ordered a lot in summer, but it works year round if you like heat with your citrus. The kick is adjustable. Ask for it mild if you're not sure, or ask for extra pepper if you want your eyes watering by the second sip. Pairs well with anything off the appetizer side of the full food and drink menu, especially if you're sharing a table with kids who are eating something plainer.

Bourbon Peach Smash

Muddled peach, bourbon, mint, and a splash of soda. This is the lighter option on the list. It drinks easy, which means it's also easy to order two. Good choice if you're at the bar for a few hours watching a game and want something that won't wear you out by halftime. Peach is seasonal here, so this one may shift to a different fruit base later in the year depending on what's fresh.

Espresso Martini

Vodka, coffee liqueur, a shot of espresso, shaken hard until it's got that foam on top. This is the one people order after dinner instead of dessert. It's not overly sweet, and the caffeine means it's a reasonable choice even if you're driving home in twenty minutes and want to feel awake for it. Order it if you skipped coffee earlier in the day.

Huckleberry Lemon Drop

Vodka, lemon, huckleberry syrup, sugar rim. Huckleberry is about as Washington as it gets, and this drink leans into that instead of trying to be clever about it. Tart, a little sweet, easy to drink on a patio afternoon. This is usually the one first-time visitors order because it sounds familiar and it doesn't disappoint.

When to Order These

All five are available anytime the bar is open, but the smart move is timing it around happy hour pricing Monday through Friday from 2 to 4pm. That's when these drinks cost less and the bar tends to be quieter, so you can actually talk to whoever's making them if you want a substitution or a lighter pour. Weekend evenings get busier, especially during a big game, so if you want a specific cocktail made a specific way, happy hour on a weekday is the easier window.

A few honest notes. The smoked old fashioned takes a little longer to make than a standard pour, so if you're in a hurry before a movie or an appointment, order it first. The spicy margarita's heat level depends on the batch of syrup on hand that week, so don't assume it's identical every visit. And the huckleberry lemon drop is popular enough in summer that it occasionally runs short on syrup by evening, so if you want to guarantee it, come in earlier in the day.

What Else to Know Before You Go

• Happy hour runs 2 to 4pm, Monday through Friday, with lower prices on these drinks and select food items.

• The bar is closed on Tuesdays. If you're planning a visit around a specific game or event, check the reasoning behind the Tuesday closure before you head out.

• Every drink on this list can be made non-alcoholic on request, minus the spirit, which is worth knowing if you're the designated driver or just not drinking that night.

• Kids are welcome, and the bar side doesn't feel separate from the family tables, so ordering a cocktail while your table orders sodas isn't awkward here.

If you're new to town or just haven't been in for a while, 12 Hawks keeps this list rotating with the seasons, so what's on it in December won't be identical to what's on it in July. Come hungry, come during a game, or come for happy hour. All five drinks hold up under any of those conditions.