Beat The Memphis Heat with the Best Summer Drinks and Coolest Ice in the MidSouth

The MidSouth heat can be unrelenting. That’s why you need some crystal clear ice to keep your refreshments and spirits nice and cold. And what better way to celebrate the heat waves of August than with the best summer drinks? 

But this week’s blog post offers more than just crafty cocktail concoctions. Keep reading to find out the best glass, the best ice, and the most important tips to stay happy and healthy.

We call this beverage The Bridge. Why? Because it connects the nostalgic taste of summer (watermelon and lemonade) with a crisp Corona. (And hey, we can’t help but shout out our hometown when the opportunity presents itself.) 

Ingredients:

• 1 small seedless watermelon (four cups watermelon juice plus watermelon for garnish)
• 4 bottles of Corona light
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1 container frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
• Several scoops of square ice

Directions:

1. Cut watermelon into small squares.
2. Transfer the watermelon to a blender and blend until it’s liquid.
3. Strain the blended watermelon over a bowl to catch the liquid. 
4. Repeat the process until you have four cups of watermelon juice.
5. Combine all of the ingredients and enjoy!

This is summer in a glass. When the heat is finally starting to relent and the neon signs are flickering on in the South Main Arts District, this drink can perfectly fit the mood.

Ingredients:

• One handle of very cold vodka (we like Old Dominick Distillery!)
• An 18 pack of light beer (the cheaper the better)
• At least four cans of lemonade concentrate
• A handful of pearl ice

Instructions:

1. Pour vodka and beer into a large cooler or container.
2. Add several cans of lemonade concentrate.
3. Stir to taste.
4. Continue adding lemonade concentrate until it reaches the desired taste.
5. Serve over pearl ice.

A simple poolside powerhouse that packs a punch!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces of preferred light beer
• 12 ounces of preferred diet cherry soda
• 12 ounces of frozen limeade concentrate
• 12 ounces of tequila
• Margarita salt 
• Lime slices
• Maraschino cherries
• Pearl or half-cube ice

Instructions:

1. In a large pitcher, mix your beer, cherry soda, limeade concentrate, and tequila.
2. Moisten the rim of your glass with lime wedges.
3. Dip glass rim into margarita salt.
4. Fill your glass with your preferred ice.
5. Pour your margarita mixture into the glass.
6. Garnish with a lime slice and cherries.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Heat Hydration Tips

Now, before we move on, we have to provide a disclaimer. It is common knowledge alcohol is not the drink of choice to stave off dehydration (not without a big jug of ice water, at least). But if you follow these tips, you can enjoy both: 

• Don’t take it neat; water your drinks down with crystal clear ice.
• Coconut water is great for your body in high heat. Mix it with your favorite spirit!
• Turns out, milk is a good choice. Fat-free milk is full of salts, proteins, and carbohydrates that help the body retain water.  

Ultimately, If you’re searching for the best drink to stay cool and hydrated right now, the answer is a crisp glass of ice water. You can’t beat it, folks.

Which glass for which drink? That’s the golden question here. Well, you have a few options to choose from.

What cup, glass, chalice, or mug you drink from matters. There’s a lot to consider before you take that first sip. From lip shape to volume, your glass of choice impacts every aspect of your drink? How so? 

• Increases or reduces melting; room-temperature or hot water reduces the speed at which your body can hydrate.
• Your choice of glass influences your choice of drink. For instance, wine is often consumed in slender cups. You don’t see too many people chugging wine from a yard glass. The same applies to non-alcoholic beverages. You’re not reaching for the big, burly beer mug to sip some morning coffee, right? Although, now that we think about it, that sounds like a pretty fun way to start the day. 
• Presentation matters. Whether you’re at home or out on the town, your glass of choice affects your overall enjoyment and appreciation of your drink.
• Since it’s summertime, we say mix and match drinks with all sorts of glasses, especially at your home bar.

If you’re a business looking to walk the walk, then choose your glass carefully. Serving your customers with the wrong glass impacts your credibility and authority as professionals. That’s why we’ve compiled the four types of bar glasses for the most common drinks. 

The four categories are as followed: cocktails, spirits, beer, and wine glasses.

Cocktail glasses: Cocktail glasses range from tall and thin to short and stocky. This is our glass category of choice since the best cocktails often feature the best ice money can buy. 

Spirit glasses: Spirit glasses are typically smaller and reserved for shots and sips. If you want to sip lager from a sake glass, then be our guest. However, if you’re a business, don’t serve lager in a sake glass. That’s what this next section is for! 

Beer glasses: Not to be confused with goggles, beer glasses, such as mugs, stouts, and pints, are available in most American bars and restaurants. This is the glass category mos people are familiar with!

Wine glasses: Last but certainly not least. Most connoisseurs won’t be caught dead watering down their wine, no matter how crystal clear their ice is. But still, people have their preferences.

Your refreshment’s ice is a game-changer. Iced coffee without ice is just lukewarm bean water. The size, quality, and texture of your ice influence your and your customer’s beverage satisfaction. That’s why we offer three varieties of ice for the home and business: half-cube, square, and pearl.

Half-cube ice: perfect for blending into your favorite beverages. Shake and mix your way to refreshment!

Square-cube ice: the ice you know and love. Square cube ice is ideal for refined drinks with at least two ice cubes in a glass.

Pearl ice: ice is like our children. We love all of our products and ice types equally. However, there’s something special about pearl ice. Whether it’s the refreshing chew or unique presentation, pearl ice cools to please. Click here to discover four-pearl ice perfections to get you through the summer heat.

Wine glasses: Last but certainly not least. Most connoisseurs won’t be caught dead watering down their wine, no matter how crystal clear their ice is. But still, people have their preferences.

We understand just how hot it can get, and how essential crisp refreshments and crystal clear ice are to your home and business. After all, we’re an ice machine company in the heart of the MidSouth! That’s why, for over 40 years, we’ve helped our community find the right ice machine and services that fit their needs. Our goal is simple: keep you cool and keep you happy! 

Discover the ice machine you’ve been missing by contacting our team of service experts today.