“If you’ve been anywhere near the Internet this summer, you stand a pretty good chance of having encountered some mention of the cocktail known as the Dirty Shirley. If not via a drink trend piece declaring this cocktail the “Drink of the Summer,” then maybe you’ve seen one of the zillions of social media posts hyping — or deriding — this vibrantly red-toned and cherry-topped drink. Better yet, you might have even found yourself at one of the many bars and restaurants serving it and wondered why it’s there (and what happened to prior-of-the-moment drinks like the Espresso Martini or hard seltzers!). Whether you’re a fan, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, it is hard to deny the drink’s current ubiquity. But why is it seemingly so popular right now?”