Summer's in full swing in Texas' capital city, and so is our hunt for new places to chill out with a thirst-quenching cocktail in hand. Austin is constantly buzzing with news about its many fun cocktail bars, breweries, and distilleries, which can make it hard keep up with the lively nightlife scene.

We've rounded up the 14 best events, happy hours, and new cocktail menus to help Austinites find their next favorite hangout spot or hidden gem cocktail in July. Stay hydrated, Austin.

New summer drinks, pop-ups, and cocktail menus

Curious bar hoppers who want to experience tropical-inspired drinks alongside some Irish fish 'n chips should make a stop at the Dead Rabbit during Bald Grace's pop-up. The casual Sixth Street pub is decked out in nautical decor and serving up pirate-themed drinks and delicious specialty dishes. Cocktails include the Spice Bag (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Blackstrap Rum, Irish Falernum, lime, vanilla bitters) and the High Red Sky (Grey Goose Vodka, Mal Bien Zacate Limón, passion fruit, guava, sparkling lemon).

Newly opened café and wine bar Café Largesse has added a trendy new cocktail to its growing menu of beverages this summer. The new Matcha Spritz combines matcha, Prosecco, and gin with orgeat, lime, and mint to create a refreshingly herbaceous (but not overly sweet) concoction for dedicated matcha lovers.

Austin's 2025 Bar of the Year winner Equipment Room is prepping for the hottest months of the year with the launch of a new drink menu featuring 24 inventive cocktails, low-ABV drinks, mocktails, and an updated wine list. The new libations will be sorted in A-side and B-side menus, with the former dedicated to "uncommon classic" cocktails, while the latter side will offer creations made by the speakeasy's talented bartenders. Traditional cocktail lovers can find the classics in the "On Repeat" section of the menu, and low-ABV seasonal offerings can be found in the "Low Frequency" section.

  Rompe la Dompe, Baile Inolvidable, and Insane in the Brain cocktails from Equipment Room’s new B-side menu.Photo by Jess Attie

Desert Door Distillery in Driftwood is offering visitors 50 percent off select frozen drinks every Friday from 3-6 pm. The Desert Door team will transform one of its specialty cocktails into a frozen delight specifically for its Frozen Friday deal. The distillery also has a new lineup of chilling cocktails to help locals beat the heat, such as the Cactus Kicker, Lavender Ranch Rita, and more.

East Austin hybrid art gallery and cocktail bar Papercut has unveiled its new cocktail lineup to pair with its latest exhibition. The Ghost Stories-themed menu uses unexpected ingredients to create beverages with boundary-defying flavors, such as the Terracotta (Italicus, Savoia Orancio, burnt sharbatsoda, mezcal mist) and the zero-percent ABV Eagle Effect (Almave Blanco, ginger, pear, sage, lapsang mist). Walk-ins are welcome at Papercut, but reservations are encouraged during weekends.

New happy hours

St. Elmo Brewing's Springdale taproom is launching an all-day happy hour on Wednesdays, featuring $5 seltzer cocktails including the mojito, Moscow mule, French 75, and Dirty Shirley. Plus, both brewery locations are introducing a new Monday meal deal where patrons can enjoy a Spicy Boys chicken sandwich and a Carl Kölsch for just $10.

Bar Hacienda, the new underground lounge in the basement of beloved Austin bar Tiger Lilly, is debuting its new happy hour running from Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5-6:30 pm. Visitors can have their choice of three signature cocktails for $20, serving as a great opportunity to try a seasonal specialty — such as a Sunshine Sazerac or frozen Salero — or a permanent staple like a Terry's Chocolate Orange-inspired Old Fashioned.

Zilker Brewing Company's new happy hour is keeping things casual and invigorating with $4 pints of its signature Icy Boys light lager, 15 percent off its seasonal to-go 16-ounce tallboys, and $4 off wine, cocktails, and frozen drinks. The brewery's happy hour runs Mondays through Thursdays from 3-6 pm.

  Zilker Brewing unveiled its first-ever cocktail program earlier this year.Photo courtesy of Zilker Brewing

Drink, the bar inside downtown Austin food hall Fareground, is introducing a new all-day happy hour menu with $5 beer, wine, and cocktails from Sundays through Thursdays. The new drink deal includes Coors Banquet and Independence Brewing's Native Texan pilsner, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio wines, and the prickly pear margarita and frozen mango-rita.

Other events, news, and notes

On Bastille Day, July 14, Justine's will set the scene for an evening of community and freedom called Le Plaisir de Liberté, starting at 6 pm and coinciding with the restaurant's monthly wine club gathering Club Caviste. Club members are encouraged to bring a plus-one to the event for complimentary wine tastings while they enjoy the Bastille dinner specials.

For Austinites afflicted with matcha madness, Bar Peached will host a special morning MatchaHaus event on July 19 from 10 am to 2 pm. Visitors can expect plenty of matcha-infused brunch offerings, including matcha-based cocktails and mocktails by Matcha Boys, music from DJ Stefon Osae, and cold plunges provided by Mantle Thermal Haus. Entry to the event is free, and attendees can RSVP via Eventbrite.

In celebration of National Tequila Day, South Austin Mexican restaurant El Naranjo will offer diners 20 percent off all tequila drinks (including premium shots and signature cocktails) on July 24. El Naranjo is also debuting its new drink of the month, called El Sandía, a black peppercorn-infused tequila-based cocktail that also contains fresh watermelon, lemongrass-infused agave nectar, Alma Finca orange liqueur, and lime juice in a chamoy and Tajín-rimmed glass.

  You can't go wrong with a cocktail rimmed with chamoy and Tajín.Photo courtesy of El Naranjo

Locals and visitors alike can get some shade and quench their thirst at Central Machine Works, which has recently completed its "glow up" of the beer garden with the installation of new shady pergolas and an upgraded live music stage. The brewery's happy hour runs Tuesdays through Thursdays from 4-6 pm, and Fridays from 11 am to 6 pm. It offers $4 pints or $16 pitchers of house draft beer, $8 Chiltons and Ranchwaters, and $7 frozen cocktails.

  

Photo courtesy of Central Machine Works

The beer garden at Central Machine Works now has much more shade for visitors.

One of the Hill Country’s most well-known wineries, Kuhlman Estate, has revamped its tasting room and members-only patio to provide panoramic views of the vineyard and estate. Improvements include a new marquee entryway, widened driveway, and expanded parking area. The tasting room is open to all visitors, but oenophiles will have to join the Heath Family Brands Club to enjoy the patio.