Guest Post: Brunchtime is the best time…

Guest post by Fine Wine & Good Spirits.

Summer may be coming to an end, but there is plenty of time to enjoy the warm weather with friends and family– and what better way to do so than by hosting an outdoor brunch!

Impress your guests with these tip for creating a crowd pleasing bruchtime cocktail — or brunchtail!

1. Keep it Simple: “Brunchtails should be light and refreshing, not overly complicated,” says Pam Bernd, chief of luxury product selection at Fine Wine & Good Spirits. Try an easy base like sparkling wine or coffee, and remember to only include a fraction of the alcohol used for an evening cocktail.

2. Let Your Guests Play Bartender: Set up a DIY Mimosa or Bloody Mary bar, allowing guests to craft their own drinks with different spirits, juice and garnishes.

3. Add Some Punch: Sangria is a favorite warm weather brunchtail. Batch recipes are easy to prep in advance and are a cost-effective way to serve a large group of guests. Try white, rose’ or sparkling wine as a refreshing, warm weather base.

4. Use Fresh, Seasonal Fruit: The fresher the fruit, the better cocktail. Berries, peaches and melons are at their peak in the summertime. Compliment the fruit with herbs like mint and rosemary.

5. Take it to the Next Level: If you’ve mastered the simple brunchtail, then impress guests with a more complex option. Create edgy brunchtails with bacon-, pickle-, and pepper-infused vodkas!

These brunchtail recipes are sure to be a hit:

Riunite Shandy

• 3 oz Riunite Lambrusco
• 2 oz lemonade
• 1 lemon wheel

Combine Lambrusco and lemonade in a tall glass filled with ice. Stir gently, and garnish with a lemon wheel.

Barefoot Bellini

•  2 Tbsp peach purée*
• Barefoot Bubbly Peach Fusion

Place peach puree in the bottom of a Champagne flute and top with Barefoot Bubbly Peach Fusion.

Peach Purée: Remove the pit from two peaches. Place peaches, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp sugar into a food processor and blend until smooth. Press mixture through a strainer to remove larger pieces. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Brunch Bloody (Serves 2)

• 16 oz tomato juice
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp horseradish
• 2 tsp pickle juice
• 3 dashes each, Tabasco, Old Bay seasoning and black pepper
• 4-6 oz Russian Standard Vodka

Combine all ingredients except vodka in a mason jar or tightly sealed container. Shake to combine, and refrigerate until ready to use. Combine chilled Bloody Mary mix with vodka in two tall glasses filled with ice. Stir gently, and garnish as desired.

Rise & Shine (Serves 4-6)

•  6 oz New Amsterdam Orange Vodka
• 1½ c fresh pink grapefruit juice
• 2 tsp Tres Agaves Nectar
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Combine first three ingredients in a large glass pitcher, refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice with lime wedges.

Enjoy!