Fancy a strong drink to take the edge off 2020? You might be tempted by the Thunderclap, a lethal cocktail supposedly invented by Harry Craddock at The Savoy in London nearly a century ago. The legendary barman’s recipe is disarmingly simple: all it requires is shaking together two glasses of brandy, two of gin and two of whisky. You then serve this to six people “and run for your life”.

While it’s certainly been a hell of a year, Auckland drinks consultant Frankie Walker thinks we need to take a more refined approach to summer drinking.

“If you launch people into short, boozy drinks at 3pm then you’re asking for trouble. When Europeans drink, they’re not smashing 15 per cent glasses of wine, they’re drinking lower-alcohol and they’re doing the whole aperitivo or tapas thing. We need to be more like that. There’s a time for espresso martinis, but that’s on the dance floor.”

Walker, who pivoted his Black Pineapple bespoke events business into creating at-home cocktail kits as a result of lockdown, has more than 25 years’ experience in hospitality. He can’t understand why people don’t put more effort into what they drink.

“I’ve worked at so many events where the food and theme and music would be amazing but drinks were always consistently bad.

“So many people can cook now and will go to lots of effort to source ingredients for what they eat, but when it comes to drinks they aren’t even learning the basics.”

Walker’s pet hate is drinks served at the wrong temperature and he could write a thesis on ice.

“The more ice you put in a drink, the better it is, because it’s colder, so the ice melts less and there’s less dilution of flavours.”

You need something strong, something weak, something sour and something sweet...If you’re having a gathering, making a punch is a great way to make sure you’re not stuck in the kitchen all night.

Bigger is best when it comes to ice. The humble party ice (“I call it sh-ice, because it’s shit ice”) should be avoided unless you’re using it to chill drinks. Spirits should be kept in the freezer and mixers in the fridge.

“Get stuff nice and cold in advance,” he says. “Put a little bit of water in the bottom of whatever container you use, then the ice and some table salt.”

Walker says a good cocktail depends on balance and depth of flavour, rather than access to a  liquor cabinet stocked with obscure spirits and fruit liqueurs. He reckons punch is the ideal summer drink and insists it’s easy to make a good one, despite its dubious reputation.

“Kiwis think punch is something you make at 2am with a bit of everything, but they’ve been around for hundreds of years. You need something strong, something weak, something sour and something sweet. On that basis, I could make a punch in pretty much any kitchen in New Zealand, with common ingredients like some honey or jam, some citrus or apple cider vinegar, some soda or sparkling water and some booze. If you’re having a gathering, making a punch is a great way to make sure you’re not stuck in the kitchen all night.”

While Walker’s a big fan of gin (“because it’s so interesting, and delicious!”), Auckland whisky expert Tash McGill wants to put in a plug for her favourite tipple. While whisky and grain spirits are usually associated with fireplaces and winter, McGill says their sweetness and spice are just as suited to warm weather.

“The Whisky Mac is the perfect summer refresher,” she says. “Lots of citrus and ginger and it’ll pair well with anything a little spicy off the barbecue.”

If you’re new to whisky cocktails, McGill advises starting simple: replace vodka and soda or G&T with a classic 1980s whisky and soda topped with citrus. Use lemon for Scotch, orange or lime for bourbon or rye. Whatever you choose, be generous and use good soda, she says.

As part of the move towards moderation, Walker says hosts need to pay close attention to the needs of non-drinkers.

“A lot of people don’t drink now, or don’t drink much, but at events those people often get treated really badly by being served glasses of warm orange juice.”

The trick is to make any mocktail or drink look as good as its alcoholic counterpart, he says.

“We don’t want to make people stand out for not drinking. If we’re serving cocktails, we also serve virgin versions of them that look identical. For example, our signature summer drink is a Spritz Italiano - pinot gris, elderflower liqueur, bianco vermouth, lemon juice and thyme. For non-drinkers, we make a drink that has the same balance and depth of flavour with pressed apple juice, lemon, honey, thyme and soda. If you can be a bit thoughtful and get creative, people will really appreciate it.”