{gift guide: for the cocktail critic}

 With so much time spent at home this year (and the creation of Isolation Hydration - a video series on my Instagram with cocktail creations) everyone is a professional bartender in the comforts of their own home! This gift guide is for the creator, the scotch guru, the new homeowner with a brand new bar cart, or even the person in your life that just drinks wine!

psst... this board is shoppable! Just click the black plus sign on the item you want to shop!

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Be sure to check out all of my 2020 Gift Guides for even more ideas!

A couple of highlights on this gift guide:

Rose Gold Bar Cart Set // If the person you're gifting to is just starting to dabble in cocktails or has a new house/bar cart then this is a great place to start. At $26 this looks a lot more expensive and is stunning just sitting out. AKA make them look like a pro even if they never touch it. However, it has everything you do need to make a bomb cocktail the right way. Shaker, stir stick, strainer, ice tongs, stopper, jig, etc. The rose gold is a gorgeous touch.

Sangria Pitcher // I use our hand painted pitcher for pouring up a big batch of premade cocktails (just hold the soda water to preserve bubbles and serve over each individual glass). It doubles as an open shelf decoration AND a stunning vase for flowers.

Rose Gold Coupe Glasses // These pretty and delicate glasses are commonly used for serving "up" drinks, meaning cocktails that are shaken or stirred until chilled and then served without ice. They're fancy and not entirely necessary... but I'm dying for a stunning set like these!

Wine and Liquor Decanters // If you're a wine enthusiast then you know the importance of a decanter. Open a nice bottle and pour it into the decanter to let it breathe. This is also a common practice with liquor - but you can leave it in a stunning glass container year round.

Copper Mugs // no Mule is complete without a copper mug! I was so excited when I found this set of 4 because it also comes with 4 copper straws and a matching copper shot glass! That's amazing for $47! The copper helps keep your drinks extra icy while you drink them. Plus, a specialty cup just feels festive! I love making my Moscow Mules with Tito's, Crabbie's ginger beer, lime, and mint!

Love Always,

{isolation hydration | moscow mule}

My favorite drink... a Moscow mule! I always add mint to freshen it up - it reminds me of summers spent with my mom and sister sitting in the backyard. A "mule" is always made with ginger beer and lime plus a liquor. The liquor determines the name of the mule: vodka = Moscow mule, bourbon = Kentucky mule, tequila = Mexican mule, etc. A lime always helps bring out the spiciness of the ginger beer! I also believe that any mule cocktail tastes infinitely better out of a copper mug. Copper takes on the icy temperature of the drink and gives it an extra-cool sensation when you drink out of it - pure heaven.

What is your favorite mule to drink? Do you muddle any fruit or add a special touch?

Love Always,

{isolation hydration | spicy pineapple mint margaritas}

I always love putting a spin on a classic margarita recipe. Combining different ingredients for a new flavor is so fascinating to me. Of course, I had to make this cocktail spicy because the mint and pineapple combo is so sweet! I love how the flavors all balance each other out :) You can find the IGTV for this recipe here on my IG, @jennrog. This was created for Cinco de Mayo originally!

 Which Isolation Hydration recipe is your favorite? You can find them all here!

Love Always,

{isolation hydration | grapefruit rose spritzer}

I wanted to create a summery cocktail with my favorite roses from Gooseneck Vineyards! After many failed recipes this one is the perfect combination of delicious ingredients. The grapefruit addition helps compliment the dry grenache used in this wine! You can find the IGTV for this recipe here on my Instagram, @jennrog

Psst - a spritzer is simply wine mixed with something bubbly! Give it a shot

Love Always,

{isolation hydration | spicy citrus margarita}

Isolation Hydration! This was the first cocktail I made in this series on IGTV and it was a hit - watch the video here on my Instagram @jennrog. The fresh fruit juice and kick from the jalapeno is a perfect combination on a classic margarita cocktail. Fresh ingredients make this the best but you can easily use store bought juice so you can whip this up quickly!

What's your favorite cocktail to make at home? Have you tried a new recipe during quarantine?

Love Always,

{isolation hydration | skinny cucumber lemonade}

Isolation Hydration!! The random IGTV series I made up where I share cocktails I've created and we make them together :) This one was a challenge from my gym in Key West, FYT aka Find Your Tribe. Jess and Michelle wanted me to make a skinny cocktail that was big on flavor and low in calories - challenge accomplished. You can find the video on my Instagram, @jennrog, here.

What other cocktail recipes do y'all want to see? Is there a favorite liquor in your house? Always open to suggestions - it's been fun creating these recipes during this weird time in our lives!

Love Always,