While we’re on the topic of summer libations, it’s a good time to make sure you’ve got all you need to mix your cocktails before inviting groups of friends over for a summer bbq! PAMA Spokesperson and Master Mixologist Eben Freeman suggests you make sure the following items are in your kitchen to ensure your cocktail experiments don’t bomb.

Speed Pour – Speed pours or pour spouts serve to streamline the flow of liquid from the bottle, helping to avoid spills and ensure accurate measuring; they come in both metal and plastic

Jigger – Jiggers help you follow the recipe accurately, and you’re apt to make a better drink by taking the time to measure ingredients properly. Jiggers come in a variety of sizes and designs – AG  Japanese Style, Multi Level Jigger, Double Jigger with a Handle.

Strainer – A cocktail strainer is an accessory used to remove ice from a shaker. There are many styles available for various uses – Hawthorne, Julep, Mesh Cone. (A Hawthorne strainer with a tight spring will serve you the best)

Shaker – There are various styles of shakers available – Cobbler, Boston, Parisian. Mixing glasses are sold separately and are used for stirred drinks. Much like shakers, there are a variety of styles of mixing glasses – Yarai, Japanese Paddle, Stemmed Mixing Glass

Barspoon – More than just a spoon, this handy tool can be used for stirring and layering a variety of drinks. Barspoons, like other bar tools, come in a variety of designs – Trident Barspoon, Barspoon with Muddler, Teardrop Barspoon.

Hand Juicer – Great cocktails are made with great ingredients, so use only the freshest juices. A hand juicer allows you to squeeze lemons and limes directly into the mixing vessel.

Base Spirits – All you need to get started is a great bottle of gin, rum, whiskey, vodka or tequila to make a variety of cocktails. Based on your drink preference, getting one bottle each of two base spirits, which will be enough to make a handful of drinks. The extra stuff is then just that – fun, extra stuff.

Liqueurs– The measure of a good bar is the presence of an array of liqueurs used to mix and modify recipes. But since a home bar typically provides a limited space, choose one or two that are agreeable with most base spirits. Eben recommends PAMA Liqueur for its sweet-tart balance that brightens the flavors of even the most classic cocktails. It makes an exceptional partner with all base spirits. It can replace Sweet Vermouth in a classic Manhattan and jazz up the flavors of an ordinary Tom Collins

Bitters – There are an array of cocktail bitters to choose from, such as orange, celery and peach bitters. If you only have room for one or two bottles, go with Angostura Bitters and Peychaud’s Bitters. Once you’re ready to start getting more advanced, check out Bittered Sling for some artisanal extracts, tinctures and bitters.

a spirit created by distilling wine made from grapes grown in the Coquimbo and Atacama regions of the country, fed with water that flows from the Andes, then rested for a minimum of 60 days before bottling. Its versatility is boundless and allows it to be discovered in a variety of expressions, whether served neat in a rocks glass, in highly curated cocktails or over ice in a punch bowl. Matching the year-round appeal of punch with the diversity of Chilean Pisco creates an ideal summer libation, perfect for any gathering under the stars—and, of course, fireworks.

Now that I am allowed to drink throughout the summer (for the moment, anyways), my attention is turning back to all the delicious cocktail wonderfulness in my inbox. Thankfully, there’s  a lot of inspiration there!

Summer cocktail, the first:

Fountain of Youth
1.7 fl oz Russian Standard Vodka
2 fl oz Pomegranate Juice (fresh squeezed where available)
.7 oz thinly sliced ginger

Directions
Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice, double strain and pour into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a piece of ginger, pass a mint leaf around the glass rim.