The only thing better than throwing a party is getting to enjoy it. Let your guests customize their own cocktails.
Planning an outdoor summer shindig? The warm weather brings endless opportunities to throw a good party. Take your entertaining game to the next level with a cocktail creation station.
Hosting a party is hard work. Free yourself from the responsibility of being a bartender, too. Setting up a DIY bar gives your guests everything they need to personalize their own mixed drinks. It’ll allow you more time to mingle, and it’s also an instant conversation starter.
We’re focusing on tequila as our primary spirit, but by providing a wide selection of base liquors, mixers and garnishes, you can inspire your guests to experiment with their own interpretations of these summer favorites.
The Cocktails
Altos Paloma
Ingredients:
-
- 2 oz Altos Plata
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- 1 Pinch of Sea Salt
- 3 oz. Grapefruit Soda
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients into a highball glass over ice and stir.
Lemon Margarita
Ingredients:
-
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup white or silver tequila
- ⅓ cup triple sec
- Coarse salt for coating the rims of the glasses
- Lime for garnish
Directions:
- Dip the rims of your glasses in the lemon juice and freeze.
- Combine the tequila, Triple Sec, remaining lemon juice and 2 cups crushed ice in a sealable pitcher or bottle, and shake.
- Remove the glasses from the freezer, and dip the rims in the salt. Serve over ice.
The Tequilas
This list doesn’t include some of our finest spirits like Casa Dragones and Don Julio. If you really want to treat your guests, offer up a tasting flight featuring top shelf tequilas. But you probably shouldn’t use a $50+ bottle as a cocktail mixer.
So here are 5 high-quality silver and blanco tequilas that are reasonably priced and well suited for mixing.
- Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila – You’ll be enticed by herbal aromas with hints of sweet tropical fruit. Citrus and spicy flavors run through the long finish.Gold Medal winner at the 2015 Los Angeles Spirits Competition.
- Cazadores Tequila Blanco – Unaged to capture the intensity of the agave, this ultra-smooth silver tequila is so smooth that it’s often sipped neat. Enjoy the citrus fruits, fragrant herbs and classic velvety finish.
- El Jimador Blanco Tequila – Made from Weber’s Blue Agave, this medium-bodied tequila is silky smooth. El Jimador is the top selling brand of tequila in Mexico. Gold Medal winner at the 2015 Los Angeles Spirits Competition.
- Tres Agaves Blanco Tequila –Pure and unaged, this 100% agave tequila travels straight from the still to the bottle. Indulge in the light bodied flavors of smoky and savory goodness. Gold Medal winner at the 2016 San Francisco Spirits Competition.
- Espolón Blanco Tequila – Delicate on the nose with hints of pepper, this light to medium-bodied tequila features a soft mouthfeel and bright agave flavors. Silver Medal winner at the 2016 San Francisco Spirits Competition.
The Garnishes
Garnish may be the cherry on top, but it can separate a good drink from a craft cocktail. Provide your guests with a fresh selection of seasonal fruit like watermelon, blood orange and grapefruit to add a new zest to the classics. You can even incorporate veggies like cucumber and jalapeños as well as herbs for some extra kick.
The Syrups
Flavored syrups are another fun and tasteful to let your guests to blend their favorite flavors into their cocktails. Let your guests tinker with an assortment of sweet and savory flavored syrups to compliment the base spirits.
The Finishing Touches
Give your guests an array of glassware to choose from including margarita glasses, highball glasses, champagne flutes and martini glasses. Let them polish things off with herbed or pink salt, or even raw sugar, as a way to spruce up the rims. Or go crazy by crushing up sour and powdered candy for those with a sweet tooth.
Let’s Party
We hope this gives you the chance to enjoy your next party. Let us know how it goes. Share your photos with us on Facebook and Instagram. #bevmococktailstation
