Invitations for baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are all around the corner from hitting your mailbox. Perhaps this year more than any other, Spring gatherings will be plentiful and welcome after Winter’s sleepiness. As with any event I am hosting, I like to give my guests really delicious food and drinks that are a bit more special than what they might drink at home, (it should be worth giving up their weekend) with minimal prep and fuss time for me as a host (I shouldn’t dread the next time I host.) Enter, the single cocktail DIY bar. Our favorite way to host is to select a drink that works well self-service and allow our guests to make it on their own.

Photos by Kerry Jeanne Photography

In addition to a drink, the making of the cocktail or mocktail becomes an activity, with guests excited about personalization and the host free to place out the final food touches or greet guests and take coats. A wonderful conversation starter, a DIY bar can set an early guest at ease with something to do, and guests who don’t know one another can break the ice over debating which garnish they should choose. A variety of our garden to glass drink syrups will help every guest, whether they’re drinking alcohol or not, make a custom and exciting craft beverage to enjoy for the party. And, they’ll leave with a new recipe to try at home.

A successful drink set up starts with the right recipe. For instance, super bubbly cocktails don't work well at a self serve station that will be set out for hours as the bubbles will go flat eventually, and drinks that are meant to be served "up" or chilled, without ice, don't last long at the right temperature in a pitcher. Drinks that tend to work best fall into the Spritz, Punch, Collins, Buck, and Smash categories because these drinks require only adequate measuring and pouring by guests at a self serve station. Drinks served over ice work best for events when a hired bartender isn't present.

Above all, make it clear to guests what they should do by providing a clear set up and easy to read sign with instructions and ingredient measurements they can follow quickly. You will also want to set out a bucket of ice, a set of tools, glassware, and a variety of garnishes for the drink making station. Ideally it’s located close to food but not right next to it, which encourages more mingling around the room and will help you avoid traffic jams. After all, most people will choose either the food or the drinks to stand around during events.

• Blueberry Lavender Martini- Elegant and crowd pleasing. Be sure to include a cocktail shaker that fits tightly and doesn’t leak so guests won’t make a mess but can enjoy the fun of shaking their cocktail. We love to float a fresh lavender sprig on top or garnish the rim with a lavender rimming sugar. You can also prep these by the pitcherful in advance, but please be very vary of guests pouring their own from the pitcher and include the appropriately sized glassware, such as a teacup, small martini glass, or champagne flute. One serving is only 5 ounces, which is far less than the average person pours.
• Twisted Tea- Sweet or Iced Tea is always a standby for a brunch or luncheon. We love this one because its equally enjoyed as a mocktail or a cocktail and works with every Simple Goodness Sisters syrup flavor. We like the addition of vodka or whiskey. You can set it up as a self serve station with tea, a bottle of syrup, a bowl of cut lemons, and your choice of spirit with a measuring jigger and stir sticks. We simply add 1.5 ounces of liquor for every 5.5 ounces of brewed and cooled black or green tea, plus .25 ounces of fresh lemon juice and .75 ounces (or to taste) of Simple Goodness syrup. It's great to prepare by the pitcher or in a large drink dispenser as well, both over lots of ice. To make a half gallon batch, you'll need 12 ounces of liquor, 44 ounces of tea, 4 ounces of fresh squeezed lemon juice, and 6 ounces of Simple Goodness syrup.
• A pitcher of Hard Seltzer- a bright, sparkling option you can prep by the pitcherful or have guests pour on their own. It uses vodka but has a low alcohol by volume for a lighter tipple similar to a light beer, and guests can also choose to leave out the vodka for a refreshing non-alcoholic option.
• Mule/Buck- a mule is made with vodka, while “buck” is the name of the category for a drink made with citrus and ginger beer. These are also great as a nonalcoholic or alcoholic drink that tastes complex and elevated, so they’re perfect for mixed groups, events with young people, and baby showers.
• Collins- (pictured below) this one is great because you can offer a variety of liquors if you wish. A Tom Collins was classically made with gin, but this drink is a good formula to plug in vodka, light rum, or whiskey as well. There’s a great spirit pairing for every syrup flavor we make and it’s fun to let guests mix and match.

Finally, if you're including game prizes or a take home gift with your shower plans, consider ordering Simple Goodness syrups and bundle them with a packet of seeds, garden shears, cocktail making equipment such as an elegant stir spoon or jigger, club soda or ginger beer, or sparkling wine. The syrups are a beatiful gift that can be universally enjoyed and round out a Spring shower theme with their bright, herbaceous and floral flavors.

Happy hosting!