Imbibe’s Tasting Notes Newsletter, 07.21.20

This letter was originally sent via email as part of our bi-weekly Tasting Notes newsletter. Sign up for Tasting Notes today, and every other week you’ll receive a letter from our executive editor, Paul Clarke, along with links to our favorite recipes and compelling stories, right in your inbox.

The windows were all thrown open last night to let the breeze flow through the house. This morning, I poured a short glass of cold-brew coffee from the fridge before stepping out into the yard, feeling the spray from the garden hose mist my legs as I watered the plants in the cool of the day.

Even in the middle of this most difficult of years, I’m still really happy it’s summer. We need simple summer pleasures more than ever this year, with vacation plans scuttled and uncertainty hanging over the months ahead.

Here’s something simple to put your day on the right track: kaffelemonad. Just shake your morning iced coffee with some lemon juice and simple syrup, and boom—a coffee-lemonade combo that’s more delicious than you’d expect. And if that touch of coffee creativity has you looking for other avenues to explore, then try pitching some of that cold brew into a glass along with Campari, sweet vermouth, lemon, and club soda, for a Kold Brew Americano that’ll put some bounce back into happy hour. Simple pleasures, ample rewards.

Be sure to keep up with us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you’re not already a subscriber, this is a great time to start; right now you’ll receive a free digital guide to wine cocktails with your order. Click here to subscribe.

You tossed some ice cubes into your Gin & Tonic last night, right? Read Wayne Curtis’ deep dive into the history of the ice-cube tray, for some insight into the humble cube. And for a look at summers to come, dig into Josh Bernstein’s feature article from our July/August issue, divining the future of the summer beer cooler.

Get outside when you can this summer, let the warmth and sunshine drive the day’s worries away. Just be sure to wear sunscreen and mask up, and I’ll be back with you again in a couple of weeks.