Your Summer Party Is Incomplete Without These 6 Home Bar Essentials

With the summer heat engulfing us more and more every day, the period of outdoor parties and laidback gatherings inches closer and those fond of throwing a good party would be knee deep planning for the funnest social events of the season.

Summer heralds the time for garden parties, pool parties, barbecues and late afternoons spent lounging on the patio where attendees can take in the twilight that falls as the day gives way to sultry, warm summer evenings. This is the time to savour refreshing aperitifs filled with fresh ingredients that rejuvenate your taste buds as you gaze upon the pleasing red, orange and purple hues falling from the summer sky.

Undoubtedly, for mixology enthusiasts and cocktail aficionados, this is the time to stock up your home bar with all the essentials required to brew summer drinks. These blends are rather energising and refreshing mixes filled with the sour and tangy qualities of citrus fruits, the aromas of fresh herbs and the freshness of liquors like vodka and tequila.

In order to prepare these stunning numbers, you would need a bar ready to welcome the summer season.

Here are some essentials you might want to keep at hand in your home bar for hosting gatherings during this warm weather:

Floral And Citrus Liqueurs

Summers are the time when you want to enjoy refreshing flavours that will combat the sweltering heat and rising temperatures. The mixers you would add to cocktails should be such that they reflect these fresh elements to add a summery zestiness to your blends. Stock up your home bar with lots of floral and citrus liqueurs like elderflower, raspberry, blue curaçao or lime cordial that brim with these sharp, fresh and spiky notes. You can also keep a bottle of aperol at hand to quickly stir refreshing aperitifs.

Fresh Herbs

Another essential element during summers is fresh herbs. Stock up on basil, rosemary, thyme and most of all mint. These greens will add an umami, spicy and intense touch to a simple gin and tonic or to a classic mojito and margarita to infuse your drink with a lasting freshness. You can savour basil and lime coolers with a spot of Ketel One Premium Distilled Vodka to revel in the herb’s potent taste. However, be diligent about sourcing the freshest herbs to extract maximum taste out of them.

Seasonal And Tropical Fruits

Tropical fruits are the best addition to cocktails during summer weather. You would need large quantities of lemons, pineapples, strawberries and tender coconut flesh to craft some classic summer drinks. While coconut cream would suffice for infusing a silky finish to your piña colada, it is those fresh pineapple chunks that will give the drink a tangy oomph. And forget not that in the tropics, summers are the season for mangoes so keep alphonso varieties in stock to prepare cocktails highlighting this fruit.

Summer Spirits

As temperatures rise, the choice of spirits you would go for to prepare cocktails also shifts. Opt for lighter, versatile drinks like rum, vodka, tequila and gin with which you can craft multiple cocktail variations. Gin carries herbaceous notes making it perfect for summer while rum and tequila are excellent tropical spirits that can hold lots of vibrant flavours.

Sparkling Water And Tonic Water

In summers, you would want to infuse drinks with a zestiness and fresh quality that can be enhanced by adding sparkling water or tonic water to the cocktail concoctions. These carbonated drinks introduce an airiness into the blend while spotlighting all other mixers, making them an essential summer ingredient for your home bar.

Large Ice Box

Summer drinks would be incomplete without ice. If your home bar does not have access to a mini fridge filled with crushed ice or ice cubes, keep a large ice box in store filled with this most essential component of a summer bar. You can also prepare flavoured ice by freezing herbs or tangy fruits in water and infuse your drink with a zesty surprise.