Invented in Florence in 1919, Italians remain addicted to the Negroni as the perfect pre-pasta aperitivo for a sunny piazza. But the timing always seems right for the bittersweet balance of gin, vermouth, and Campari topped with orange. Penn Quarter’s Fiola boasts a rotating Negroni menu to compliment their Italian fare, like the Negroni Celeta. This variation uses Plymouth Gin, Carpano Antica, but replaces the Campari with upstart Cynar, an 18-herb Italian bitter liqueur.

The caipirinha, like the Brazilian answer to a mojito, is made from raw sugarcane spirit Cachaça, mixed with sugar and muddled lime. Refreshing enough to drink on the beach, Brazilians believe their national cocktail has medicinal properties, which can be tested at authentic restaurant The Grill From Ipanema in Adams Morgan. The strong and straightforward caipirinhas are discounted during weekday happy hour.

Even sporting dirndl and lederhosen, a cocktail in Germany is simply a bier. The Reinheitsgebot monitored the purity of German brews for centuries, but Octoberfest is surely more familiar. Biergarten Haus brings Bavaria to H Street, pouring draft Erdinger, Spaten and Weihenstephaner.

Margaritas may come to mind, but the Paloma proves more popular in Mexico. Masa 14 shakes up tequila with lime juice and a grapefruit soda to create this refreshing choice to better highlight the tequila.