Ask your bartender

With the rain falling in black sheets just like every other November, getting off the couch isn’t easy these days. If you’re going to make the effort, however, you owe it to yourself to try something other than a beer. The next time you’re out at the club, ask for one of the following drinks, recommended by the people who lovingly pour them.

Mike Macquisten, Stone Temple

The drink: The A.C. Slater

Word from the bartender: “You know Saved by the Bell? A.C. Slater was one of the characters on that. Whenever someone has a birthday and wants something strong that doesn’t taste too bad, this is what I make them. What it is is shots lined up in a row—you do a shot of tequila, a shot of Jí¤germeister, and then a two-ounce shot of pineapple juice, which erases the whole taste.”

Shawn Yarwood, Heritage Grill

The drink: Purple Rain

Word from the bartender: “A Purple Rain isn’t a martini—it’s a cocktail. There’s a half-ounce vodka, a quarter-ounce Malibu, quarter-ounce red SourPuss, topped with blue curaí§ao and 7Up and then dripped with grenadine on top. There’s a lot of booze in it, but it’s not too, too strong-tasting because it’s mostly sugar. Guys order it for their girlfriends; girls order it because it smells like suntan lotion.”

Ryan Quast, Lotus Sound Lounge

The drink: Life Saver

Word from the bartender: “It’s a half-ounce of green-apple Smirnoff, with a half-ounce of butter ripple, a full ounce of SourPuss apple, two dashes of margarita mix with a splash of pineapple juice. It’s shaken and poured in a martini glass with a cherry-brandy float, a lime, and a cherry. People like that it’s a really fruity, fruity girl drink.”

Ian McTavish, Capone's

The drink: Jazzberry Martini

Word from the bartender: “Vodka, raspberry liqueur, Alizé gold, cranberry, and lime juice. The name is good, of course—it’s our signature drink with a perfect mix of liqueurs and juices that’s not too sweet and not too tart.”

Rob Ireland, Plaza

The drink: Mind Fuck

Word from the bartender: “I make a great Mind Fuck. You take a rocks glass, ice, Kahlúa, vanilla Stoli, a little splash of Coke, a little splash of soda, stick a straw in it, and then just inhale it. You know—suck like you’ve never sucked before.”