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Planning a party can be challenging. You want your guests to be happy and to have a good time, but you don’t always know what they like or what is the best choice for your beverage menu. Is it the type of party that alcohol should be served at, or is alcohol frowned upon? And it is does require alcoholic beverages, what should you serve? You don’t want an elegant event to end up looking like a frat party, and you don’t want to serve expensive wines and liquors that would not go over as well while watching the big game.
The Non-Alcoholic Beverages
A good rule of thumb for any type of party is to serve a neutral selection on non-alcoholic beverages including tea, punch, lemonade and soda. You could even add some kid friendly beverages depending on the age of the party-goers and the type of party you are planning.
Now that we have the non-alcoholic beverages handled, let’s take a look at our cocktail menu. What should you serve your guests that will keep the party alive without it getting out of hand?
The Basics
Beer- start with beer as this is universally accepted and, as long as it is good beer, liked by everyone. Choose a wide selection of beers including lagers, ales, stouts and others to be sure you have something for everyone. Once you have your beer menu created, you can start choosing your wine.
Wine- choose a wide selection of wines including some excellent food pairings to ensure the meal is elegant and tasteful. A light, fruity wine is also a good choice for those who like wine, but want something a bit sweeter.
The Hard Stuff
Selecting liquors for your party can be the most challenging part of planning your event. Let’s take a look at some of the more common spirits and some cocktail ideas.
Gin- a very flavourful spirit, gin has a refreshing juniper taste that is perfect for some classic cocktails including:
Gin Fizz
Brambles
Gin and Mint
Gin and Tonics
Long Island Iced Teas
Martinis
Vodka- with one of the highest taste profiles and a high rate alcohol proof, vodka is a very versatile spirit which can be used to create:
Appletinis
Lemon Drops
Bloody Mary’s
Cosmopolitans
Martinis
Rum- made with molasses and sugarcane, rum has a distinct, spiced flavour that is reminiscent of the islands. Rum is an easy choice as it can pair with a wide range of mixers and can be used to make a selection of cocktails including:
Mojitos
Daquiris
Bermuda Blacks
Tequila- a very strong flavoured spirit that is also very potent with most varieties containing 40% alcohol (80 proof). Perfect for summertime parties, tequila is used to make a wide range of popular cocktails including:
Margaritas
Chimayos
Vampiras
Whiskey- whiskey offers a wide range of flavours that can range from smooth and silky, to harsh and powerful. This enables it to be used in a large selection of cocktails or served neat, on the rocks or as a chaser. Here are some of the cocktails you can make with whiskey:
Whiskey Sour
Manhattan
Irish Coffee
Whiskey and Coke
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