5 Ways to Upgrade Your Summer Cocktail Game

Billie Keithley isn’t at peace until every person in her line of sight is sipping, smiling, and satisfied. The Breckenridge Distillery liquid chef (i.e., bar manager with a particularly culinary twist) lovingly guides the craft distillery’s bar program by shaking Colorado bourbon with cardamom and purple yam foam; mixing award-winning gin with almond-based orgeat syrup and grapefruit; and curating a full seasonally inspired lineup of seltzers, spritzes, and mocktails.

Keithley prides herself on her ability to create a cocktail out of any ingredient thrown her way and brings that same playful bag of bar tricks to her own soirées. For example, she’ll whip up egg foam to crown her latest rum cocktail or stir together a grilled sweet corn simple syrup to shake with vodka and lemon juice. That’s why we’ve picked the Whisky Magazine–crowned Bar Manager of the Year to share her hosting musts for a show-stopping summer gathering.

“I just love barbecues, getting everyone together, having fun with grilling and cocktails,” says Keithley. “Being surrounded by family, friends and neighbors and being outside—it all makes you smile.”

Here are Keithley’s five drink-making tips for summer barbecues:

1. Be a People Pleaser

Whiskey drinkers, vodka lovers, gin fans, mocktail sippers, kids—it’s important to have something to offer everyone at your barbecue. Don’t be scared to ask close friends and family what they like to drink as you party prep (always check about allergies beforehand) and aim to have a well-rounded variety that pairs well with your menu.

2. Bust Out the Bourbon (In the Food)

Colorado festivals have caught on to the harmonious pairing of bourbon and bacon or barbecued fare. Bourbon or whiskey provides that depth and soothing oaky finish that goes hand in hand with rich steaks, ribs, or smoked brisket. Of course, you can serve your spirit neat or in a cocktail with a classic barbecue menu, or take it a step further and infuse your favorite barbecue sauce with whiskey to bring those deep flavors into the food itself. Just make sure you cook out the alcohol before serving. Breckenridge’s port-cask-aged version has well-rounded sultana raisin and maple syrup notes and a naturally spicy finish that make it a great addition to sauces for smoked meats.

3. Lighten Up

On the flipside, it’s smart to counter the richness of barbecue with lighter citrus-based cocktails, especially on a hot, sunny day. Keithley calls on the season’s tangerines, Meyer lemons, and Key limes to make gin-based lemonades and Hemingway daiquiris and likes to add accents of pepper or apple cider vinegar to encourage flavors to pop. Grilled chicken or fish (think: a whole branzino with Keithley’s Health-Ade, a punchy mix of Breckenridge Chili Vodka, parsley, pepper syrup and citrus) pair especially well with citrusy beverages.

4. When in Doubt, Make Punch

Mix up an eye-pleasing punch the day before your barbecue and keep it as cold as possible by serving it with a large block of ice in the middle. The time-honored party favorite is a one-and-done batch cocktail that leaves your hands free to greet guests and flip burgers.

Keithley likes to make her punches with bourbon or vodka, and she’ll serve hers with everything from hot dogs to pork chops to ribeyes. Her Pitmasters Punch recipe incorporates brewed black tea and lemon, but you can make your version with pineapple and orange juices, ginger ale, and vodka.

5. Go Big with Garnishes

• Freeze blueberries and sliced strawberries in lime juice or soda water using large ice molds to fancy up summer cocktails.
• Treat guests to pre-made gin pickles for a fun barbecue accoutrement. Just soak bread and butter pickles in a mixture of gin and their own brine for a couple of days before your cookout.
• Stick a Bomb Pop popsicle (stick side up) and a tiny American flag (toothpick side down) into Mason jar vodka sodas for an Instagrammable twist.
• Garnish whiskey sours with a mini hot dog or pig in a blanket using skewered biscuit dough baked around little smokies.