Austin is constantly buzzing with news about its many fun cocktail bars, breweries, and distilleries, which can make it hard keep up with the city's lively nightlife scene.

When the weather gets as hot as it does in our beloved city in the summer, it's less about the atmosphere of a bar, and more about the refreshing taste of the drinks. Lucky for those in search of some cooling, we've rounded up the eight most refreshing happy hours, new cocktail menus, and other announcements to help Austinites find their next favorite hidden gem.

Happy hours and events

From 4-6pm Tuesday through Thursday at Central Machine Works, thirsty guests can enjoy $4 pints and $15 pitchers of ice cold draft beer during the "Happy Days"happy hour. And don't forget about the brewery's 100 degree heat specials: $3 pints of CMW's American Lager and Prickly Pear Sour; $8 American Lager or Prickly Pear Sour with an electrolyte jello shot; and $7 spicy watermelon frozen margarita.

In a new addition to Vince Young Steakhouse's happy hour, patrons can now get 25 percent off all bottles of wine, and 50 percent off all bourbon daily from 5-7 pm. The expanded offerings pair well with the steakhouse's $10 happy hour bar and lounge menu, which includes a wagyu brisket burger, steak frites, and a chef's selection charcuterie board. Reserve via OpenTable.

Meanwhile Brewing Co. is bringing back its popular Lagers and Literature book fair on Saturday, August 18, from 10 am to 2 pm. More than a dozen local bookshops and organizations are scheduled to participate in the event, including BookPeople, Reverie Books, Alienated Majesty Books, and more. The event will also have family-friendly activities for children to participate in.

To celebrate Austin's Pride Month, Upstairs at Caroline is partnering with Patrón Tequila for a celebration benefitting Equality Texas on Saturday, August 10. The LGBTQIA+ nonprofit will receive 15 percent of each Rainbow Ranch Refresher sold during the event. The multi-colored cocktail contains Patrón Silver Tequila, Topo Chico, lime, and pineapple, and costs $12. And every two hours from 4-10 pm, there will be a rotating lineup of DJ performances throughout the evening.

Other news and notes

ICYMI: The Roosevelt Room's sister space The Eleanor is now open Fridays and Saturdays with a full menu of 30 original and classic cocktails, plus beer, wine, and delicious snacks. Plus,Yellowstone actor Cole Hauser's ranch-inspired bourbon, Lazy K Bar Straight Bourbon Whiskey, is riding into Texas and is now available at select Spec’s Wine, Spirits & Foods locations.

Desert Door Distillery is re-releasing limited edition sotols from its popular Explorer Series from now until Labor Day. The four spirits – Gold Dust, Driftwood Cowboy, Shaconage, and Puerto Dorado – will only be sold at the Driftwood taproom. For visitors who want to try before they buy, the distillery will have exclusive flights and specialty cocktails for purchase. The limited edition sotol releases are $60 each, or all four for $200.

The four limited edition re-releases will only be available for purchase at the Driftwood taproom.Photo courtesy of Desert Door

A round of applause is in order for Still Austin Whiskey Co.: The distillery's Cask Strength Bourbon won "Best Whiskey" at the prestigious Algiers Club competition. Over 600 blind taste testings took place over five rounds in a March Madness-style bracket showdown.

Shiner is releasing its popular Shiner Light Blonde in a new 12-ounce slim can, which will be hitting shelves sometime in August. The 4.2 percent ABV beer has a refreshing, yet crisp flavor and is brewed with "the highest quality two-row barley and choice aroma hops," per a release. A six-pack of the Shiner Light Blonde retails for $10.99.