Raise a Glass of Sauza Tequila - 2016 is Almost OVER!

New Year’s Eve often leaves many scrambling – whether it’s determining last-minute details with friends, figuring out what to wear (sparkly or black?), and, for some, who qualifies for the much-anticipated New Year’s Eve kiss once the ball drops!

While those details are still TBD, Sauza Tequila is here to relieve some 2017 countdown stress with cocktails that are easy to create and worthy of a last-of-2016 Instagram moment. The Bubbles and Berries margarita is a perfect blend of fresh flavors and bubbly!

Bubbles and Berries

·        1 part Sauza® Gold Tequila

·        1 part lime juice

·        1/2 parts simple syrup

·        2 parts Sparkling water

·        Splash of Dekuyper® RazzMatazz

·        Fresh raspberries

Preparation: Add Sauza Tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and Dekuyper® RazzMatazz into an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into glass. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with fresh raspberries. Enjoy!

Create the Holiday Toast of the Town with Help from Mary Giuliani

Ever wonder how to give a holiday toast you can boast about? This holiday season, Pinnacle Vodka’s “Life Skills of the Highly Entertained” series and celebrity caterer Mary Giuliani are offering tips and tricks to do just that.  

With the help of Giuliani – who has collaborated with Mario Batali and Rachael Ray and catered events for Bradley Cooper, Stella McCartney, and The Rolling Stones – you can be sure to put these hosting hacks to the test and take a bite out of the night.

·         Make the Most of Your Toast – Keep it short and sweet! Make sure your toast is under two minutes and don’t forget that practice makes perfect. Run your toast by a friend – or a mirror – to help you turn that speech from ‘Whoops!’ to wonderful. A fabulous closing quote is always a crowd pleaser, but the most important end to a terrific toast is a full glass of a festive Pinnacle® Vodka cocktail and a good ‘clink’

·         Swap Your Midnight Snack – Nothing says fun and whimsical like enjoying delicious mini pancakes during a midnight soiree. Turn your snack into a blissful breakfast bash with a holiday hash brown bar. Fill jars with hash browns and offer DIY toppings like cheddar cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce; let your guests add their own flair to the meal by shaking up their favorite hash brown dish

·         Dazzle with Drinks – Add a twist on the classic champagne toast with Pinnacle Original Vodka to make a Midnight’s Kiss (recipe below) cocktail your guests will adore. To add a festive flare, whip up a big batch cocktail that’s ready to go when guests arrive so your toast can be the focus. 

Midnight’s Kiss

• 1 part Pinnacle® Original Vodka
• 2 parts Champagne
• Rock Candy Stick

Preparation: Pour vodka into a flute and then top with champagne. Garnish with a rock candy stick.

Greet Mom with a Margarita on Mother's Day!

This Mother’s Day, celebrate the occasion with a cocktail that is just as sweet as mom, with Sauza Tequila’s Strawberry Margarita! This fruity and delicious margarita is the perfect treat to accompany brunch festivities, or any flowers or chocolates you plan to gift mom on her special day.   

Strawberry Margarita

·         1 ½ parts Sauza® Silver Tequila

·         ½ parts DeKuyper® Triple Sec Liqueur

·         1 part Pucker® Strawberry Schnapps 

·         3 parts sour mix

·         1 strawberry slice 

Preparation: Add all ingredients to a blender, puree until smooth. Serve in glasses rimmed with salt and garnished with a strawberry slice. Salt is optional.

Sweet or Sour: Cocktail Recipes to Express How You Really Feel About V-Day

Whether you choose a romantic night in or a night out for a singles celebration with your best friends, these Sauza® 901® Tequila cocktails will help set the mood and get the night started.  

Here are two sweet recipes for a night in with your S.O., and a bitter recipe for the perfect anti-Valentine’s Day night out with friends. Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

All recipes were created by Sauza® 901® mixologist, Eddy Buckingham.

Rosa Tequila Spritz

·         2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila

·         2 parts pomegranate juice

·         1 part lemon juice

·         1 part simple syrup

·         Splash Aperol® Aperitif

·         Splash club soda

Preparation: Combine all ingredients excluding Aperol® Aperitif and club soda in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain over ice into a tall glass. Top with club soda and a splash of Aperol® Aperitif.

Sweet Señorita

·         2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila

·         1 part lemon juice

·         ½ part agave syrup

·         5 raspberries 

·         5 basil leaves

·         Splash club soda

·         Balsamic vinegar

Preparation: Muddle raspberries and basil in mixing glass. Add Sauza® 901® Tequila, agave syrup and lemon juice. Shake vigorously over ice. Strain into ice filled highball glass. Top with club soda and a drop or two of balsamic vinegar. Garnish with basil sprig.

Bittersweet

·         2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila 

·         1 part vanilla liqueur

·         ½  part agave syrup

·         Stout beer

Preparation: Shake Sauza ®901® Tequila, vanilla liqueur and agave syrup over ice in cocktail glass. Strain into chilled highball glass and top with stout beer.

New Year's Resolution: Make It Stick with Tips from Bethenny Frankel

Setting - and keeping - a New Year’s resolution may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. As you ring in 2016, set yourself up for success with a resolution you’ll be inspired to keep for the long haul. The original Skinnygirl® Bethenny Frankel and Skinnygirl® Cocktails have compiled simple resolution tips along with easy low-cal cocktail recipes for toasting a new year and a new you!

Tips:

·         Make it realistic – Choose one resolution and make it specific. For example, instead of saying you’ll exercise more, resolve to go to the gym at least once a week. And if you can’t make it to the gym, don’t be hard on yourself. Fit in your workout whenever you can, like a yoga video at home.

·         Write it down – Put your resolution in writing. For added motivation, post it on social media and enlist your friends for encouragement. 

·         Set a date – Give yourself a deadline, and set mini-goals throughout to track your progress. 

·         Don’t get discouraged – Not everything goes as planned, and sometimes things take longer than expected. Say yes to yourself, and embrace the setbacks as a reminder to stick to your guns!

·         Just go for it – Don’t be desperate or obsessive in achieving your goals, but make sure you’re passionate about it. Want it, and don’t be deterred from going out and getting it.

·         Reward yourself – Everyone needs an incentive! Celebrate when a mini-goal is reached, and treat yourself to something special (like a glass of Skinnygirl® Pinot Noir) once you’ve completed your resolution.

Recipes:

Resolution Refresher 

·         1 part Skinnygirl® Cucumber Vodka

·         ½ part vermouth 

·         ½ part lime juice

·         Cucumber slices, thinly sliced

·         Splash of seltzer 

Preparation: Muddle thinly sliced cucumbers in a glass with lime juice. Add ice and pour in Skinnygirl® Cucumber Vodka and vermouth. Top with seltzer. 

Pink Lemon Ball Drop  

·         1 ½ parts Skinnygirl® Bare Naked Vodka

·         ½ part DeKuyper® Triple Sec

·         ½ part fresh lime juice

·         ½ part simple syrup

·         2-4 fresh or frozen raspberries

·         Lemon wheel for garnish

Preparation: Muddle raspberries in a cocktail shaker. Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel on the rim.

3 Holiday Cocktails to Make Your Guests Merry

While the temperatures begin to drop, keep spirits high with a round of delicious holiday cocktails on behalf of super-smooth, super-premium Sauza® 901® Tequila, founded by Justin Timberlake. 

All recipes were created by Justin Timberlake’s personal Sauza® 901® mixologist, Eddy Buckingham. 

Chocolate Caliente 

·         2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila

·         1 cup whole milk

·         2 oz. dark chocolate bar, chopped

·         Pinch cayenne pepper

·         Pinch of cinnamon

·         Splash agave syrup

·         Whipped Cream for garnish

Preparation: Heat milk and chocolate on hot stove and stir. When chocolate is fully melted, remove from heat and introduce other ingredients. Pour into mug and top with whipped cream.

Mexican Café 

·         1 ½  parts Sauza® 901® Tequila

·         1 part vanilla liqueur

·         ½ part coffee

·         ½ part heavy cream

Preparation: Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

Mexi Toddy

·         2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila

·         1 part honey syrup

·         1 cup hot water

·         ½ part agave syrup

·         Lemon wedge

·         Cinnamon stick

·         Cloves

·         Star Anise

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in large mug. Stir gently and allow the cocktail to steep for two minutes.

Very Merry Holiday Cocktails and Gifts from Skinnygirl

It’s (almost) the most wonderful time of the year and whether you’re preparing to entertain or searching for the perfect gift, Skinnygirl® Cocktails has everything you need to get in the holiday spirit. 

At your next holiday get-together, greet your guests with a seasonal signature drink. Party-perfect cocktails like the Very Merry Mulled Wine, White Winter Cosmo, Holiday Cherry Cheer or Candy Cane Cocktail are a delicious way to get the celebration started.

Looking for some simpler sips? These delish, low-cal options can easily be placed on a festive bar cart, and guests can serve themselves without holiday waistline worry – bonus: they make great gifts!

·         Skinnygirl® Bare Naked Vodka is the perfect base spirit for mixing up tasty, guiltless cocktails

·         Skinnygirl® Pinot Noir contains flavors of dark cherry, toasted oak and vanilla, and at less than 100 calories per serving, makes a guilt-free gift for any wine lover 

·         Skinnygirl® Chardonnay offers aromas of white peach, a hint of French oak vanilla and a whisper of orange blossoms, making it the perfect complement to holiday meals

Very Merry Mulled Wine

• 1 bottle of Skinnygirl® Pinot Noir
• 3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• ¼ part whole cloves
• 3 star anise
• 1 whole nutmeg, cracked with the side of a chef’s knife into a few pieces
• 1 orange peel
• Agave nectar to taste
• Lemon slice for garnish
• Star anise for garnish
• Cinnamon sticks for garnish

Preparation: Pour wine into a large saucepan and cook over low heat. Make a sachet with the spices by tying them together in cheesecloth and put the sachet into the saucepan. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Add agave nectar to taste, then pour the wine through a strainer and serve in a heatproof glass. Garnish with a lemon slice, star anise and cinnamon sticks. 

White Winter Cosmo

·         1 ½ parts Skinnygirl® Bare Naked Vodka

·         2 parts white cranberry juice 

·         ½ part fresh lime juice

·         ½ part DeKuyper® Triple Sec

·         3 frozen cranberries for garnish

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with three frozen cranberries. 

Holiday Cherry Cheer 

• 1 part Skinnygirl® Tangerine Vodka
• 1 ½ parts DeKuyper® Triple Sec
• ½ part DeKuyper® Cherry Brandy 
• 2 parts orange juice
• 2 parts cranberry juice
• Cherry for garnish

Preparation: Shake all ingredients except brandy in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in a martini glass and drizzle cherry brandy over top the other ingredients. Garnish with a cherry.

Candy Cane Cocktail 

·         1 part Skinnygirl® Bare Naked Vodka

·         1 part DeKuyper® Peppermint Schnapps

·         1 part fat-free sweetened condensed milk

·         Candy cane for garnish

Preparation: Shake liquids with ice in a cocktail shaker. Pour over ice. Garnish with a candy cane.

Spooktacular Sips from Skinnygirl

Halloween will sneak up on you, and what’s scarier than zombies, witches, and monsters? Celebrating without a killer cocktail! 

Whether you’re hosting a costume party or looking for something to sip on during a scary movie marathon, Skinnygirl® Cocktails has brewed up some spooktacular drink recipes to help you celebrate the most frightening night of the year. 

Skinnygirl® Spooky Sipper 

·         1 part Skinnygirl® Tangerine Vodka

·         ½ part grenadine

·         1 part orange juice

·         Splash of pineapple juice

·         Orange slice for garnish

Preparation: Shake all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice, pour over ice and garnish with an orange slice.

Fright-tini 

·         1 part Skinnygirl®  Cucumber Vodka

·         1 part DeKuyper® Pucker Sour Apple Schnapps

·         Squeeze of fresh lime

·         2 parts seltzer

·         Apple slices for garnish

Preparation: Shake all ingredients except seltzer vigorously with ice. Pour mixture into a cocktail glass, top with seltzer and garnish with apple slices.

Three Sinfully Delicious Cocktail Concoctions for your Halloween Bash

Pick your poison this Halloween and craft a batch of creepy cocktails (cauldron optional) created by Sauza® 901® Tequila, founded by Justin Timberlake. These spooky sippers are sure to impress guests and raise spirits at any Halloween bash. 

Sauza® 901® Tequila

Sauza® 901® Tequila is a super-premium tequila created by Justin Timberlake and Sauza® Tequila, one of the world’s top premium tequila brands. Perfect for a celebratory occasion, Sauza® 901® is a triple distilled, 100% agave tequila offering a smooth taste crafted using only the finest Blue Weber agave.

Recipes

All recipes were created by Sauza® 901® mixologist, Eddy Buckingham.

Corazón diablo

• 2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila
• 1 part Crème de cassis
• 1 shot espresso
• 1 part coffee liqueur
• ½  part simple syrup

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in mixing glass. Shake vigorously over ice. Strain over ice into martini glass. Garnish with sliced fig to mimic an “evil heart.”

Walking Zombie

•        1 part Sauza® 901® Tequila

•        1 part coffee liqueur

•        1 part espresso or strong black coffee

•        ½ part simple syrup

•        Chocolate espresso beans for garnish

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker over ice and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled rocks glass. Garnish with chocolate espresso beans.

The Hot Blooded

• 2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila
• 1 part triple sec
• ½  part agave syrup
• ½  part sriracha hot sauce
• 2 strawberries

Preparation: Muddle strawberries in mixing glass. Add all other ingredients and shake vigorously over ice. Strain into salt rimmed cocktail glass.

Toast to Summer's Sendoff with Delicious Cocktails from Skinnygirl!

Whether you’re staying home by the pool or going on a weekend getaway this Labor Day, it’s hard to deny that summer is slowly coming to an end. There’s no better way to give the season a proper sendoff than by surrounding yourself with family, friends, and hassle-free cocktails!

Skinnygirl Cocktails® ready-to-serve cocktails take the work out of cocktailing – simply pour and enjoy! 

·         If you’re craving a little a spice in your cocktail, be sure to try Skinnygirl® Spicy Lime Margarita. It finishes with a bright lime flavor and lingering subtle heat for those hot summer nights.

·         Cool off with Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita! It features an aroma of lime complemented by notes of peppery tequila and orange for a sweet settling finish. 

·         Trying to find the perfect fruit-flavored cocktail? Sip on Skinnygirl® White Peach Margarita! The flavors of sweet and juicy peach complemented with notes of silver tequila will keep you satisfied regardless of the weather!

If you’re up for mixing a few cocktails yourself, you’ll find easy-to-make recipes that include a last taste of summertime flavors below.

Summer’s Kiss Goodbye  

·         2 parts Skinnygirl® Bare Naked Vodka

·         2 large, muddled strawberries

·         3-4 pieces of basil

·         Splash of club soda

Preparation: Pour all ingredients except club soda over ice. Muddle strawberries and top with club soda.

Summer’s End

·         1 ½  parts Skinnygirl®  Cucumber Vodka

·         3 – 4 parts soda water  

·         Cucumber for garnish

Preparation: Mix all ingredients over ice.  Cut the cucumber into thin slices and garnish.

Have a "Pitcher Perfect" Labor(less) Day!

If you’re entertaining this Labor Day weekend, Sauza Tequila has the tips you need to maximize the celebration and ditch the unwanted labor. To spend more time at the party and less on back and forth trips to the kitchen, think pitcher-style cocktails! 

A pitcher of refreshing “Bittersweet Summer” or “Labor Day Lemonade” is sure to keep your crowd happy and keep you relaxing poolside. Check out the pitcher-style recipes below. 

To make sure cocktails are photo-ready, arrange the pitcher and drinks on a bright table cloth with vibrant garnishes to add context!

Bittersweet Summer

·         1 cup Sauza® Signature Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila

·         3 cups grapefruit soda

·         ½ cup lime juice

·         Grapefruit wedges (optional)

Preparation: Add tequila into tall glass with ice. Fill remainder of the glass with grapefruit soda. Squeeze juice of lime and garnish with grapefruit wedge (optional). Enjoy!

Labor Day Lemonade

·         1 cup Sauza® Signature Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila

·         1 cup lemonade

·         1 cup ginger beer

·         1 cup water

·         1 teaspoon honey

·         Lemon slices or peels (optional)

Preparation: Combine lemonade, ginger beer, tequila, water, lemon slices and ½ teaspoon of honey in a glass filled with ice. Stir well to combine. Garnish with a lemon slice or peel (optional). Enjoy!