Delicious as they are, roasted meats are only half the fun of a barbecue. The other half, naturally, is the beverage selection. While it may be tempting to throw a case of beer on ice and call it an afternoon, the cumulative effect of ribs and beer isn’t lively: What can your guests do but doze?

For a sparkling day of merriment, consider the coolers and cocktails on the menus at barbecue joints around town. Savvy bartenders have mixed up refreshing drinks to cut through the heavy sauces and strong, meaty tastes of barbecue.

At Smoked in the East Village (103 Second Ave., 212-388-0388), owner Michael Satsky recommends classic cocktails such as Lynchburg Lemonade (Jack Daniels, Triple Sec, and lemonade) or a Mint Julep (bourbon muddled with mint and simple syrup, on crushed ice). “Anything with bourbon or mint goes well with barbecue. The mint clears your palate,” said Mr. Satsky, whose bar offers 40 different bourbons.

Bourbon also plays a major role at the bar of Blue Smoke, Danny Meyer’s barbecue hot spot (116 E. 27th St., 212-447-7733).”Bourbon and barbeque go well together. They both grew up in the South,” general manager Mark Maynard-Parisi said. Even so, the restaurant offers many lighter drinks designed to complement a meat-lover’s meal. One of Mr. Maynard-Parisi’s favorites is a house cocktail called the Illinois Swing, a blend of gin, Prosecco, and fresh lemon juice that’s named in honor of jazzman Illinois Jacquet. The combination of the floral gin, tart lemon, and bubbly Prosecco adds up to a cool summer sipper.

Also on the Blue Smoke drink menu is Coltrane’s Resolution, a mix of Lillet, blood orange puree, and Schramsberg “Mirabelle” sparkling wine. “It’s a little less alcoholic,” said Mr. Maynard-Parisi, who named the drink after jazz legend John Coltrane.

For guests who can hold their liquor and want an added energy boost, Blue Smoke has the Provincial: a mix of bourbon and Mountain Dew.

“This is the anti-Cosmopolitan,” Mr. Maynard-Parisi said. “Cosmos are tall and pretty. This is short and ugly! We actually sell a lot of them.”

Pretty drinks, though, do have their place. And for bartender Patrick O’Sullivan, the ultimate drink for a barbecue party at home is sangria: “It’s so easy to make ahead of time.”

Mr. O’Sullivan presides over the bar at Seppi’s, a French bistro in Midtown that will be turning out ribs and Carolina pulled pork, plus hamburgers and hot dogs for July 4 (123 West 56th St., 212-708-7444).

He’ll be serving a sangria made of red wine, orange juice, a dash of apple juice, and chopped apples, oranges, and pears. The secret ingredient, though, is Remy Red. “It’s a cognac infused with berries, and it gives the sangria a nice edge,” he said.

For a barbecue-friendly mixed drink, Mr. O’Sullivan recommends a Collins, made of vodka or gin, lemonade and “a healthy splash” of club soda. As an alternative to beer, he suggests a cider, such as Magners, served over ice.

At Seppi’s, Mr. O’Sullivan has created a new holiday cocktail, the Independence, that he suggests as a way to kick start a meal: Jim Beam, Remy Red, and dash of bitters. His combination of an American bourbon and a French liqueur, made by Remy-Martin, is a nod to the days of the American Revolution. “It’s a salute to the assistance that the French gave us,” said the bartender. “I would suggest serving one as your guests are coming in. It’s like a Manhattan, without the vermouth.”

A lightly sweet, bubbly drink for starting off any summer meal is an Aperol Sprizz, a combination of Aperol, Prosecco, and club soda. Trouble is, the orange-flavored Italian digestif Aperol is nearly impossible to find in America.

Jimmy Bradley, owner of the restaurant Pace in TriBeCa, has a stash, though, and regularly serves the drink at Pace’s bar. “It’s a classic cocktail. I like to serve it whenever I can,” he said. “It’s like an orange soda, a clean, refreshing, summer starter.”

If you can get your hands on this elusive liquid, go for it. If not, there are plenty of all-American ways to wet your whistle this barbecue season.

ILLINOIS SWING

1 ounce Tanqueray 10 gin
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1 splash simple syrup
Prosecco sparkling wine

Combine the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a flute glass, and fill with the Prosecco. Garnish with a lemon twist.

COLTRANE ‘ S RESOLUTION

1 ounce Lillet
1 splash of blood orange puree
Schramsberg “Mirabelle” sparkling wine

Pour the Lillet and blood orange puree into a champagne glass. Top with the Schramsberg. Recipes courtesy of Blue Smoke