Prep for Simple Summertime Drinks

With summer heat comes thirst. Nothing matches humidity and sunshine like crisp, light simple summertime drinks.

There are a ton of cocktails, mocktails, wines, and beers that can quench that thirst. But ya know what doesn’t? Finding yourself ill-prepared in 90+° heat after coming in from mowing the lawn.

At Simple Home Bar, we’re all about that prep life, baby. By making small purchases over time, you’ll build yourself a respectable home bar with the essentials you need to make nearly any drink you crave. While many classic cocktails are liquor-forward, we can easily lighten them up with a few key ingredients. Let’s take a look at how a little prep can make summertime a breeze.

1. Non-alcoholic Bubbles

Nothing says ahhhhhhhh like carbonation. Get your good ‘ol CO₂ in club soda, sparkling water, tonic water, lemon-lime soda, or grapefruit soda. All of these have important roles in very classic cocktails, but you can mix them with a variety of alcohols to create some truly magnificent drinks (and, in some cases, cut calories from your faves).

Tip: See recipes for the Paloma, Americano, and Cheater’s Cherry Old-Fashioned for examples.

2. Fresh Fruit

Having fruit on hand is not only great for healthier snacking, it does wonders for your home bar. We’re talkin’ garnishes galore, fresh juice as an ingredient (an upcharge at the bar, ya know), and way more menu options after a hot day. If you plan to host during the summer, fresh fruit is a staple in many batch cocktails like sangria, plus you can throw an impromptu tiki night.

For simplicity’s sake though, we recommend starting with the basics: limes, lemons, and oranges. These three are found in a variety of recipes, so your dollars will go a long way.

3. Glassware

Your drink, no matter what it is, should always feel authentic. That’s why we are huge glassware & garnish advocates here. The cocktail, beer, and wine cultures have centuries of history. As such, the glasses used for each particular beverage are used for a reason.

They’re designed to enhance the drink. So if you’re out to treat yo’self (as is the Simple Home Bar philosophy), do it right. Have your light beer in a pint glass, your neat whiskey in a snifter, or your G&T in a highball with a fresh slice of lime.

Glassware purchases ought to be spaced out over time. For summertime drinks, you might consider investing in some highballs, white wine, or universal wine glasses.