Sips & Synopsis - This Weeks Makings

• The First Sip of Spring

• Trivia Question

• Drink of the Week - The Classic Paloma

• 3 Porch Friendly Drinks

• A Spring Punch & Mocktail

🌞 The First Sip of Spring Hits Different…

Hey, Mixologists! It’s official—we’ve made it. The sun’s sticking around later, the jackets are coming off, and patios everywhere are calling our names.

There’s truly nothing better than that first warm-weather drink—sitting outside, sunglasses on, with something cold, fresh, and a little boozy in hand.

This week, we’re serving up:
✔ 3 patio-perfect cocktails made for sipping in the sun
✔ A fruity spring punch (big-batch friendly!)
✔ A bright mocktail that still brings the sunshine
✔ A fun trivia question about the origins of patio drinking
✔ An inspiring quote that makes you want to cheers to blue skies

Trivia Question❓

The word "patio" comes from which language, meaning "courtyard" or "back garden"?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

Drink of the Week

Because nothing screams patio like tequila, grapefruit, and a salted rim!

Legend has it that the Paloma is the most beloved cocktail in Mexico—not the Margarita—and honestly, we get it. It’s bright, refreshing, slightly bitter, and dangerously easy to sip in the sun.

The inspiration? That first patio session of the season when the tequila comes out and grapefruit juice just tastes better in the sun.

3 Patio-Perfect Cocktails Made for Sipping in the Sun

Because not every sunny day is a tequila day—here are three versatile cocktails that practically belong outside in the sunshine:

🍑 1. Peach Bourbon Smash

Sweet, juicy, and just boozy enough to make the sunshine feel extra golden.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon

• 1 ripe peach (sliced) or 1 oz peach purée

• 0.5 oz lemon juice

• 0.5 oz simple syrup

• Mint sprig

Instructions:

1. Muddle the peach with lemon juice and syrup.

2. Add bourbon and shake with ice.

3. Strain over crushed ice.

4. Garnish with mint and a peach slice.

🔥 Pro Tip: If peaches aren’t ready yet—use frozen or canned, or swap for apricot jam.

🍋 2. Limoncello Spritz

Bright, bubbly, and ridiculously easy to drink. The perfect patio refresher.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz limoncello

• 3 oz prosecco

• 1 oz soda water

• Lemon wheel garnish

Instructions:

1. Pour limoncello and prosecco over ice.

2. Top with soda water.

3. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

4. Sip and pretend you're on the Amalfi Coast.

🌿 3. Gin Basil Smash

Green, herbal, and refreshing—a garden party in a glass.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin

• 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice

• 0.5 oz simple syrup

• Handful of fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

1. Muddle basil with lemon juice and simple syrup.

2. Add gin, shake with ice.

3. Strain into an ice-filled glass.

4. Garnish with a basil sprig.

Perfect for those days when your herb garden is showing off.

🍷 The Spring Sangria Spritz (For Sharing!)

Big-batch, low-effort, maximum patio vibes.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle chilled rosé

• 1/2 cup brandy

• 1/4 cup orange liqueur

• 1 cup strawberries, sliced

• 1 orange, thinly sliced

• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

• Top with sparkling water

Instructions:

1. Mix everything but the sparkling water in a pitcher.

2. Chill for at least an hour.

3. Top with sparkling water right before serving.

4. Pour over ice, garnish with fresh fruit.

Pairs best with friends, sunglasses, and someone grilling nearby.

🌱 Mocktail Moment: Cucumber Mint Cooler

Fresh, light, and still patio-perfect.

Ingredients:

• 4 slices cucumber, muddled

• 1 oz lime juice

• 0.5 oz honey syrup

• Sparkling water

• Fresh mint for garnish

Muddle cucumber, shake with lime & honey, strain into ice-filled glass, top with sparkling water, garnish with mint. Zero proof, all the chill.