Brown Bag’s Guide to Holiday Drinking in May

Drink pairings for the month’s biggest moments 

January is cold, February is boring and March is very, very wet. April is when we finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel – and May? That’s when the fun begins! From the Kentucky Derby to Mother’s Day to Memorial Day and more, there’s an abundance of opportunities to get together and drink. The following is a list of all the cocktails, drinks and seltzers that you’ve got to try when celebrating in May.

First, you’ve got to try our May Product of the Month: Smirnoff Pink Lemonade Vodka

We’re calling it now: Summer 2021 is the summer of pink lemonade (don’t quote us if we’re wrong, though), and there’s no better place to start than with Smirnoff’s new Pink Lemonade Vodka. Is there any way to kiss the sour goodbye and usher in an era of sweetness than with a drink that allows you to do both? Nope! Smirnoff Pink Lemonade has a tart taste, but it’s balanced by the sweetness of strawberries and raspberries. It’s perfect for mixing or drinking poolside on its own. But don’t take our word for it! Run, don’t walk. 

Sharpen your bartender skills and try the May Cocktail of the Month

May weather calls for day-long brunches, patio sipping and trying something new. Our May Cocktail of the Month is Strawberry Sangria, and it’s perfect for all the above plus happy hours and more! To make it, you’ll need fresh strawberries, an orange and a lemon; sugar, triple sec, soda water and fresh mint. You’ll also need a bottle rosé, and you can’t go wrong with Rosé All Day, truly one of our favorites! For the full recipe, check out this one from A Couple Cooks. Tag us on social if you make it – we want to see your Strawberry Sangria concoctions!

Cinco de Mayo

Life comes at you fast, and so does Cinco de Mayo. One day it’s May 4, and suddenly it’s May 5 and you realize you forgot to prepare for your Cinco de Mayo festivities. If that’s ever been you before, it doesn’t have to be this year. Instead, prepare ahead of time with Cincoro Tequila and Cayman Jack Margaritas. Cincoro Tequila may not have as many championship rings as co-owner Michael Jordan, but it just might be the new gold standard of tequila. Likewise, Cayman Jack Margaritas are one of our favorite entries in the prepared cocktail space. Handcrafted and made with lime juice and agave nectar, Cayman Jack Margaritas truly must be experienced for themselves. So refreshing!

Mother’s Day

No two moms are alike, and the same can be said for On The Rocks premium cocktails (was that corny? At least we aren’t talking about corn whiskey!). This writer is a huge fan of On The Rocks cocktails and has turned all his friends on to them. Whatever Mom’s drink-of-choice is, On The Rocks probably has it in their lineup. Every flavor is great, but we highly recommend the Mai Tai flavor and  The Cosmopolitan for Mom. And for the moms who like their wine to sparkle on their special day, you can’t go wrong with Chandon Brut Rosé. Plus, it pairs well with salmon, sushi and lamb – just in case you need any Mother’s Day dinner ideas 😉

Memorial Day

Remember when we said that Summer 2021 is going to be the summer of pink lemonade? We still stand by that, but we’d like to open our prediction to include lemonade in general. Every drink tastes better by the pool or grill on Memorial Day, but trust us when we say that nothing will taste better than an ice-cold lemonade seltzer. We’ve got no shortage of them, either – you can pick up lemonade seltzers today from Vizzy, Hard, Bud Light and Truly. A fun thing to do would be to do a blind taste test with your friends and see which one you all like best! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any more good ideas for Memorial Day activities. We’re full of them. 

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