Equipped for Spring

Before you can mix together some creative cocktails, you'll need the right equipment to your beverages taste they're very best! The base of your beverage is so essential to your cocktail, which means you need to ensure that those beverages are properly stored and preserved to give you the best taste.

If wine is going to be your beverage base, you'll need proper storage to ensure the wine's flavors are well preserved and chilled to the perfect serving temperature. Wines are very delicate and can easily degrade if they aren't properly stored. These temperature-sensitive beverages are best stored in a wine refrigerator because they are specifically designed to preserve the delicate notes and aromas of wines. Wine refrigerators have a temperature and humidity-controlled environment that does not fluctuate, which perfectly preserves wines for long periods of time.

Also, if you're using any sparkling wine, a wine refrigerator will chill it slowly, preventing the carbonation from degrading rapidly. Quick chilling your sparkling wines in a refrigerator or freezer will not only change the flavors and aromas of your wine but also reduce the carbonation in your bubbly beverage. From rich reds to refreshing bubbly, a wine refrigerator is a sound investment for any wine lover.

A beer cocktail is a refreshing take on the popular beverage but since beer will be your base, you will need to ensure it is properly served for the best tasting experience. There's a lot of debate over how beer is best served but we all know it always tastes best fresh from the tap! Nothing can compete with the fresh, carbonated, and frothy pour from a kegerator dispense system.

A kegerator is the ideal dispense and serving system for beers because it uses carbon dioxide to dispense the beer, creating a light and effervescent body but also, a rich foamy head. This is something that cannot be achieved by other means and it elevates your drinking experience. A kegerator is also an incredible investment for those who appreciate and drink beer often. Read about if a kegerator is the right choice for you in our article here.

For spirit-based beverages, you will often need a lot of ice when serving your guests. We highly recommend getting an ice maker for your home bar. They come in various sizes to suit your needs and you will never have to run out to the store to grab a bag of ice to host your next party.

Enhance Your Spring Experience

Proper glassware for cocktails isn't a necessity but it definitely adds to the whole experience. If you're going to go through the trouble of creating your own cocktails, you may as well enjoy them to the fullest! Also, selecting appropriately sized glassware is important because you want to have glassware large enough to contain all your ingredients in the right proportions.

A universal cocktail glass is a classic pint glass, which provides plenty of room to mix and combine ingredients. This standard glass can be used for everything from beer and beer cocktails to spirit-based cocktails! The wide mouth of the glass retains the head of the beer and makes your drinking experience even better!

If you're going to be whipping up a wine or sparkling wine cocktail, you're going to want some champagne glasses and wine glasses. Champagne glasses have a narrow shape with a small mouth to retain the carbonation of the sparkling wine. Meanwhile, a wine glass is designed to carry the aromas of wine to your nose and direct the wine onto the palate to enhance its flavors.

Refreshing Flavors

Sunset Blooms

Like flowers blooming in the sunset, this cocktail has a vibrant coral hue and a sweet citrus flavor.

• 1.25 oz Silver Tequila
• 1 oz lime juice
• 1 oz grapefruit juice
• .25 oz grenadine
• Grapefruit slice or maraschino cherry for garnish
• Salt as needed

Pour all ingredients into a shaker and shake well. Strain into a salt-rimmed martini glass or serve over ice. Garnish with a grapefruit slice or cherry.

Raspberry Lemon Sparkler

This refreshing combination of sweet and tart raspberries with a burst of citrus and bubbling sparkling wine is a delightful way to kick off the new season! Just don't forget to chill your champagne!

• .75 oz raspberry puree
• 1.5 oz of Ginger Beer
• Splash of limoncello
• 4 oz champagne
• Squeeze of lime juice
• Fresh raspberries

Add raspberry puree, ginger beer, and limoncello into a champagne glass and stir. Top with champagne and a squeeze of lime juice. Garnish.

Rose Garden Sangria

• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry rosé wine
• 1 cup limoncello
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup fresh strawberries - hulled and quartered
• 1 lemon - sliced
• 1/2 orange - slices and quartered

• In a large pitcher, combine the fruit.
• Pour in the limoncello, then the rosé.
• Stir and chill for at least an hour.
• Serve in a glass with ice garnish and extra fruit, if desired.

Ginger Shandy

Add a little fresh spice to your beer with a touch of ginger! This simple addition adds a bit of fruitiness and brightness to your beers, making a refreshing beverage to sip on those warm days. We recommend serving your beer straight from the tap for the best taste!

• Mint sprigs, for garnish
• One 12-ounce bottle of chilled ginger beer
• 1 thinly sliced lemon
• Three 11.2 ounce bottles of chilled a light ale

In a large pitcher, combine the Hoegaarden with the ginger beer. Stir in most of the lemon slices and mint springs. Fill 6 rocks glasses with ice. Add the remaining lemon slices to the glasses and pour in the shandy. Garnish each drink with a mint sprig and serve.

Prancing in the Fields

Imagine prancing through a blooming field of lavender and blackberry bushes. This cocktail will give you this spring experience through a bottle of sparkling wine. Uplifting, refreshing, and bright - this cocktail will only bring on happy feelings.

• 1 tablespoon lavender flowers dried or fresh
• 1 cup blackberries fresh or frozen
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup vodka
• 2 750 ml bottles of champagne

• Boil blackberries, maple syrup, and vodka mashing berries gently as they cook until blackberries are broken down (about 5 minutes). Add lavender flowers (removing from the stem if they are fresh) and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Optional: if time permits allow steeping for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days in the fridge.
• To serve: pour 1 tablespoon blackberry sauce into a champagne flute, add a stem of fresh lavender, and top with chilled champagne.

Strawberry Fields

How can you go wrong with the soothing and subtle notes of camomile combined with sweet fresh strawberries? This fruity take on a classic Paloma will have you wishing summer will never come.

Chamomile Honey Syrup

• 3/4 water
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1-2 chamomile tea bags

For the Cocktail

• 3 ounces fresh grapefruit juice (about half of 1 grapefruit
• 2-4 tablespoons chamomile honey syrup depending on your taste
• 2 ounces tequila omit to make a virgin version
• 4 fresh strawberries sliced
• sparkling water for topping off
• crushed ice

Chamomile Honey Syrup

Combine water and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil, simmer 1 minute and remove from the heat. Add the tea bag, cover, and steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea bag and allow the syrup to cool completely. Store in the fridge.

For the Drinks

Add the grapefruit juice, chamomile syrup, tequila and strawberries to a glass. Use a muddler (or even the end of a rolling pin), gently push the strawberries down until they release their juices and are lightly smashed. Add a handful of ice and then add sparkling water to top off. Give the drink a gentle stir. Taste and add more chamomile syrup if desired. Garnish with fresh chamomile flowers and strawberries if desired.

Refresh Your Home Bar

Spring, summer, fall, or winter, our team at Beverage Factory can help you upgrade your home bar and equip you with what you need to enjoy every season! Our team has been providing beverage solutions for over two decades. From beer to cocktails, our team of experts can help you with any questions you may have about equipment to homebrewing. Contact us at 800-710-9939.