Imbibe’s Tasting Notes Enewsletter, 05.25.21

It’s a few days yet before we hit Memorial Day weekend, but I think we can all be forgiven this year for getting a head start on summer.

After months upon months of staying close to home and grabbing a face mask along with house keys and wallet every time we venture outside, this post-vaccination summer promises a change. Getting reaccustomed to making small talk over coffee or cocktails at favorite places long missed; catching up on birthday parties and family visits postponed for more than a year; packing suitcases for work trips or family vacations and getting the changes of scenery we’ve all been aching for—this summer will be different, yet refreshingly familiar.

I’ve already started my own summer habits, sipping iced coffee each morning and making sure the fridge is stocked with tonic water and rosé, pilsner, and fresh-brewed tea. Have you figured out your summer drinks lineup yet? We can help get you get started. I usually take my tea without sugar, unless I’m traveling in parts of the country where sweet tea is a summer staple—here’s a guide to that slice of American culture. Lawnmower beers start proving their utility at this time of year—take a look at some of those we’ve recommended in summers past. And every summer is the summer of the spritz; we’ve got plenty of recipes for you to explore all season long.

We’ve got plenty more recipes and articles to keep you busy at imbibemagazine.com. Find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest to keep up with our daily explorations of the drinks world, and the Radio Imbibe podcast gives you an opportunity to listen in on our recent interviews and conversations (this week’s episode relates San Francisco bar owner Kevin Diedrich’s experiences with running a bar during Covid and opening a new place in the midst of the pandemic). And we’d love to have you as a subscriber to the print and/or digital issues of Imbibe. Click here to subscribe.

Cafés, bars, and restaurants are gradually stepping back into service, and I’m so happy to have them back. When your situation is safe enough and you feel comfortable doing so, head out to revisit a favorite spot, and maybe discover a new one. And tell your servers and bartenders and baristas how glad you are to be back, through your words and via your tips. It’s been a long, hard stretch, but the joys of summer are right in front of us.