Remember those Bartles & Jaymes ads that used to monopolize airtime on summer television? They featured the two namesakes kicking back on the porch, sipping wine coolers, and watching the clouds go by. Well, it turns out that those good ol’ boys were the pioneers of the summer sugar-buzz movement. These days the major brewers and distillers are competing for your taste buds, churning out refreshing beverages faster than you can say, " Thank you for your support. " And while the new drinks have slicker promotion, the objective remains the same: to add a touch of sweetness to the tipsy.

Some of the latest fruit-flavored beverages include Cherry Vibe and three variations on the Sublime: Tangerine, Raspberry, and Blue Ice. Cherry Vibe, a Zima product, is surprisingly good, with moderate sweetness and a pleasing aftertaste. The Raspberry Sublime has a nice raspberry-soda flavor, but a sour finish. The Tangerine tastes overly sweet; the Blue Ice is only for those who love cotton candy.

The lemonade/iced-tea derivatives include Sublime and Mike’s Hard Lemonade, along with Mike’s Twisted Tea. Mike’s Hard is smooth and soft, with a slight ginger flavor. The Sublime version tastes like, well, lemonade. The Twisted Tea is harder to swallow; the cheap-vodka taste is acceptable if you like shots of cheap vodka, but 12 ounces of the stuff (never mind a six-pack) is another story.

Finally, there are rum and other vodka drinks, including Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Silver, Skyy Blue, Stolichnaya Citrona, and Captain Morgan Gold. The best of the bunch are Citrona, which tastes of orange, grapefruit, and lemon, and Skyy Blue, with its nice lemon-lime flavor — though it’s lacking in punch due to an absence of carbonation.

The pace of the summer malternative market continues to quicken. Fruity combinations are flooding stores in an onslaught that would leave even Bartles and Jaymes tongue-tied. But don’t be fooled by liquor-store coolers filled with pleasing colors. Be sure to remember the composure of the old pioneers, and choose wisely.

Available at local liquor stores for $6.50–$8.99 for a six-pack.