Liquid Assets

Summer calls for preparations to your toes and wardrobe as you switch from boots to sandals and leather to linen, so why shouldn't your bar receive the same attention? Cheers!


[photo by Thayer Allyson Gowdy.]

Stocking the Summer Bar:
• Abita's Strawberry Harvest Ale. Using strawberries exclusively from Louisiana's Tangipahoa Parish, this seasonal brew flies off grocery shelves in the blink of an eye. One sip and you'll understand why.
• Barritt's Ginger Beer. Just what you'll need to add the kick in a Dark N' Stormy. The perfect compliment to a sweltering day.
• Cachaça Rochinha. Make your next Caipirinha with a cachaça [fermented sugarcane juice] known for its sweet, spicy fruitiness with an overlay of wood smoke. Everyone will be dancing the Samba by nightfall.
• Firefly Vodka.Vodka that tastes just like Chick-fil-A sweet tea! Use as a shot, in frozen sweet tea drinks and even spiked Arnold Palmers.
• Patrón Citrónge. A premium reserve orange liqueur that is the pièce de résistance in margaritas on the rocks.
• St-Germain. The beauty of this elderflower liqueur is that it can be mixed a million different ways. It's quite the congenial spirit.
• Lillet. A little Lillet, a splash of soda water, a slice of orange and voilà! You can bottle the feeling of Summer.
• Blenheim Ginger Ale. Ginger ale that means business.
• QTonic Water. Major bonus: this drier, slightly sweeter tonic is made with agave nectar rather than sticky corn syrup.
• Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup. The ultimate way to sweeten everything from a Gin Fizz to Iced Tea.
• In the Land of Cocktails. A must read and I'd suggest doing so while rocking on the porch with a Sazerac in hand.
• Stainless Straws. Reusable, but—more importantly—memorable!