Summer Sipping 

Yes, sometimes sun is hard to come by in Humboldt County, but don't fool yourself into thinking you don't still want a cool summer cocktail. Six Rivers Brewery (1300 Central Ave., McKinleyville) is a big, warm, inviting place, even if that partial afternoon clearing never materializes.

Its new outdoor patio makes Six Rivers a true destination if there's a hint of sun peeking through the clouds. Pick a spot at one of the repurposed barrels and order the Ginger Raspberry Fizz ($8), a tart, thirst-quenching drink with the brewery's own raspberry lambic as a base. For the beer lover, it's a perfect afternoon outdoors cocktail, with just enough lemon, subtle ginger notes and the bitterness of the lambic rounding it out. Plus, bubbles! It's not the overly sugary concoction that the bright pink color suggests, and it pairs well with the sweet sauce on the restaurant's generous pulled pork sliders.

The fizz is so refreshing it'd be easy to order a second; as one companion put it, "It's so easy to drink — that's scary."

If you're looking at something a little mellower to sip on through the afternoon, try Rosie's strawberry wheat ale ($6) or a straight pint of the brewed-on-the-premises raspberry lambic ($6). The latter is pretty, tart — verging on the pucker of now-popular sour beers — without being too out-there for the average beer or cocktail drinker.