Since the pandemic, the brickyard has not been open for business, limiting or even canceling the traditional festivities that make the Indy 500 an event that we all know and love. This year, the Indy 500 will return to its former glory, with no crowd limits and all the typical festivities.

Whether you are attending the event in person or watching it from home, it is time to start thinking about what you will be holding as you cheer on your favorite racers. With this list of fun and simple cocktails, you can get into the spirit of the race wherever you may be.

White Lady

If you are a fan of tradition and gin, the white lady is a perfect Indy 500 drink for you. First crafted by Harry McElhone in 1919, the white lady is the perfect combination of sweet and sour. Made with only three simple ingredients: gin, triple sec, and lemon juice, this drink is made for easy sipping on a hot race day.

Recipe:

Step One: Combine two ounces of gin, one ounce of triple sec, and ¾ ounce of lemon juice into a shaker with ice.

Step Two: Shake until extra cold and frothy.

Step Three: Pour into a glass with a lemon twist.

Spiked Milk

Anyone familiar with the Indy 500 knows that it is a tradition that the winner of the race, along with posing for tons of pictures and getting decorated with an elaborate flower wreath, also celebrates by drinking milk. To get into the spirit of the race, try a spiked milk cocktail and prepare to be amazed by its sweet yet refreshing taste.

Recipe: To prepare this drink. You will need to pick up a bottle of Fuzzy’s Premium Vodka. Each drink contains 1.5 ounces of vodka, ¾ of an ounce of Drambuie, 1 ounce of vanilla simple syrup, 1 ounce of cream, and 3 muddled mint leaves.

Step one: Combine all of the ingredients in a shaker, minus the mint leaves, and shake.

Step Two: Pour into a small milk jug or any other glass.

Step Three: Add the muddled mint leaves and enjoy.

Sparkling Grapefruit

Not a huge liquor fan? No problem, one of the best-tasting drinks for a hot, summer race day is a sparkling grapefruit cocktail. This drink is light and will keep you refreshed. In addition, the grapefruit juice will give you that much-needed boost of vitamin C to make sure you remain healthy all weekend long.

Recipe:

To craft this race cocktail, you will need ½ grapefruit juice, ½ Aperol spritz, basil leaves, sparkling champagne, and a grapefruit peel.

Step One: Muddle the basil leaves and throw them into a shaker with ice.

Step Two: Add the Aperol and grapefruit juice to the shaker.

Step Three: Shake consistently and add the mixture to a champagne flute. Top off with sparkling champagne and a grapefruit peel.

Plan Your Race Day with Us

At payless liquors, we have a large variety of liquors to help get the festivities started. Visit us in person or fill out our online order form.

There is no denying that hard seltzers are highly popular, and their popularity shows no sign of slowing down. Hard seltzers are light, refreshing, low in calories, and often contain little to no sugar. Hard seltzers are available in a wide variety of flavors, infusing flavor profiles of fruits, herbs, flowers, soda, and more. White Claw was one of the first seltzer options to really gain momentum, but today, you can find seltzers options from a wide range of companies such as Bud Light, Corona, Truly, and Vizzy. While these seltzers are perfect to be enjoyed alone, they can also be used to create light, refreshing cocktails that are sure to tickle your taste buds.

Must-Try Hard Seltzer Cocktails

When it comes to selecting the perfect seltzer, it depends on your brand of choice. Our list is designed to provide you with base suggestions, but when it comes to your seltzer, don’t be afraid to experiment!

Hard Seltzer Margaritas

Margaritas are one of the best summer beverages to enjoy. They are light, refreshing, and can be enjoyed over ice or blended. You’ll need tequila, limes, triple sec, and your favorite hard seltzer. You can stick to lime flavors to keep it traditional, or you can experiment with other flavors such as mango, watermelon, or raspberry. To make this recipe you’ll use:

· 1.25 oz of tequila

· ¾ oz of triple sec

· ½ oz lime juice

· Top with your favorite hard seltzer

If you want to get the full experience, you can rim your drinking glass with salt. You’ll want a dry glass to avoid water ruining your salt. Simply line the top of the glass with lime juice and delicately dip it into a saucer of salt.

Summer Sangria

Sangrias are a perfect summer drink. To craft this cocktail, you’ll need a bottle of red or white wine, triple sec, apple cider, and your favorite seltzer. Fresh fruit makes a perfect garnish. Sangrias are highly versatile, making them the perfect drink for experimenting. If you are making a large batch, you can use:

· 1 bottle of wine

· 1 cup apple cider

· 1 can of your favorite seltzer

· ½ cup triple sec

· Fresh fruit

Hard Soda Floats

Bud Light has been a leader in experimenting with how far a seltzer can go. Their newest line of hard sodas has experienced immediate popularity. They offer flavors such as orange soda, cherry soda, lime soda, and cola. For a fun, unique beverage, fill a glass with a few scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream. Pour your hard soda over the top and enjoy!

Have Fun With It

There is no wrong way to enjoy a hard seltzer. Hard seltzers can be used to replace the mixer in several different popular cocktails. With the wide range of flavors available, you’ll be able to experiment with something new all summer. When you’re looking for the perfect ingredients, Payless Liquors can help. We offer a wide range of hard seltzers, wines, liquors, and all the mixes you need to embrace your creative side. Use our convenient pickup order form to have your supplies ready.

Charcuterie boards provide an array of tantalizing meats, cheeses, and other snack items to create an amazing treat that pairs perfectly with a wide range of wines. When designing a charcuterie board of your own, there are a few key elements to consider. You’ll want to provide a variety of meats and cheeses that are perfectly complemented by great-tasting wine.

What Is a Charcuterie Board?

Charcuterie is the term used for the meat that is a highlight of these popular boards. Most charcuterie boards come with at least three different meat options, ranging in different spice levels and textures. Cheese is the next most popular item for this platter. It is recommended to include at least three different types of cheeses. With cheese, you also want to provide a variety of textures, fat content, acidity, and saltiness.

Other items that can be found on a charcuterie board include pickled vegetables, bread, crackers, olives, fruit that is either fresh or dry, nuts, and some type of spread, such as honey or mustard. After you know what you want on your board, the next step is the wine selection. It is best to choose wines following your meat and cheese choices. Wines are meant to pair with your food flavors, not overpower them.

Pairing Wine With Your Board

Once you’ve decided on your meats and cheeses, you can consider the best wines to complement your selection. The main focuses when it comes to meat are the texture, fat content, salt, and spice. When selecting a wine, you want to focus on acidity, structure, and the undertones it features.

If your board consists of salty mild meats, which are great for beginner boards, you may choose prosciutto or mortadella. These savory meats pair best with a lighter-bodied white wine such as Pino Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. If you are more of a red drinker, light or medium reds, such as a Pinot Noir or a Merlot, pair perfectly. In general, it is best to go with a wine that has high acidity.

Mild spice meats such as peppered salami pair well with light whites such as a sweet Riesling or fruity reds like Malbec. If you are looking to include bold, spicy meats such as bresaola, you’ll want to pair it with a wine that is equally as bold. For red wine, Syrah is a great option, or you can go with Chardonnay for a white wine.

When it comes to cheese, you’ll want to consider a variety of soft cheeses, semi-soft, fresh cheese, and hard cheese. Each category comes with its unique flavors and textures. You’ll want to consider their acidity, fat content, and saltiness. Soft cheese such as brie or robiola pairs well with sparkling whites and light-bodied whites. Semi-soft cheese like asiago, gruyere, and Havarti pair well with a dry wine such as Chardonnay. Fresh cheeses like burrata, goat cheese, and feta pair with medium-bodied whites and reds such as Pinot Noir. Hard Cheeses like aged cheddar or parmesan pair perfectly with bold reds like Chianti.

Get Creating and Pairing

When it comes to creating your perfect charcuterie board, there is no wrong way to do it. You’ll want to provide variety, creating an array of flavors that your guests are sure to love. Having a few different bottles of wine on hand, ranging from light to bold provides the perfect options for your guests. At Payless Liquors, we have a huge wine selection to create your charcuterie pairings. Use our pickup order form, or stop into the store!

For more than three decades, Bell’s has been making a variety of one-of-a-kind, artisanal beers, and as a result, Bells’ breweries have become a preeminent Great Lakes Regional and further.

The Brewery was the first in Michigan to sell beer by the glass and open an onsite pub. Bell’s beer is distributed to 43 states, and their two breweries feature an unparalleled beer garden, a space for concerts, and a taproom and are operated with environmental sustainability in mind.

Bell’s takes pride in their beer and breweries and in an equitable, inclusionary workplace that encourages diversity, individualism, and a business environment that nurtures diverse ideas among their 500 plus employees. In short, Bell’s is craft beer on a mission.

Some Historical Perspective

After arriving in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to attend Kalamazoo College, Larry Bell started humbly home-brewing beer in his basement in the early 1980s. In 1983, in Downtown Kalamazoo, Larry opened a homebrew supply shop.

As word spread about his beer, people requested more samples. Larry responded by opening the Kalamazoo Brewing Co, started brewing beer commercially in a 15-gallon soup pot, and his brewing company sold its first beer on September 19, 1985.

A Bell’s Brewery timeline:

· 1985: Bell’s first brew beer was Amber Ale.

· 1900: By installing a 2-barrel brew system, Bell’s increases brewing capacity.

· 1995; Bell’s debuted their Beer Garden. An outdoor space near the Eccentric Café.

· 2000: Comstock Township, Michigan, becomes the home of Bell’s main Brewery.

· 2005: The Comstock Brewery expands.

· 2010: Oarsman Ale and The Oracle were first brewed; Larry Bell takes home the Brewers Association Recognition Award

· 2015: Improvements at the Comstock Brewery: A wastewater treatment facility called “the Cube” comes online. The Quality lab upgrades its technology game to measure water quality and analyze beer DNA.

· 2020: Bell’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion strengthens through implementing multiple initiatives.

Celebrate Spring. Celebrate Oberon Day

On March 21, 2022. Bell’s Brewery released their renowned seasonal wheat beer Bell’s Oberon and celebrated the release of the beer and being one step closer to spring by celebrating Oberon day at their breweries in Michigan.

Next year, celebrate Oberon Day Like They Do at Bell’s Brewery!