Cocktail Hour
Whatever your libation occasion—a long-awaited gathering with friends or just a solo toast to the end of a weary week—here are a few ways to step up your beverage game this fall.
✅ COCKTAIL INFUSION KITS
Everything at The Dainty Dandelion gift store is made in America—including these cocktail infusion kits, which are great for the at-home bartender or perfect to give as a gift. Each infuser can be used for up to 16 cocktails. The process is simple: Add alcohol, refrigerate, then shake and sip.
58 Main St., Chester.
daintydandelion.com
✅ ORIGINAL WINE BAGS
These handmade wine bags serve as the perfect way to show up to a BYOB—or as a charming gift for the happy hour host. “Each canvas bag is embellished with an original Happenstance illustration,” says Susan Krien, owner of Happenstance Creations based in Glen Ridge. The bags are available in everyday patterns as well as seasonal choices, such as beach designs, and come with a matching mini gift card.
✅ UPCYCLED BEVERAGE CADDY
Old wood finds a new use with this reclaimed beverage caddy, which is perfect for easily transporting up to six beer or soda bottles. “Making items out of wood that would have been discarded is my way of reducing waste to the landfill and giving old wood a second chance,” says creator Matthew Myers of One Man Gathers Studio. Available through Etsy or at Just Jersey in Morristown.
etsy.com/shop/onemangathersstudio
✅ BOOZE & VINYL, VOL. II
This sequel to the original Booze & Vinyl comes from Philadelphia-based authors André and Tenaya Darlington, a sibling duo raised to pair great music with elevated cocktails. The book features curated music lists, as well as history and backstories of popular songs and albums, plus two perfectly paired cocktail choices, aptly referred to as “Side A” and “Side B.”
✅ HANGOVER PRETZELS
Take bar bites to a new level with The Hangover Pretzel Company’s flavored pretzels. The family-owned business based in Freehold is best known for its Original Zesty Lemon Pepper pretzels, though other options include Sweet Heet, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Caysabi (a bold blend of cayenne and wasabi). Find the pretzels online or at various breweries, vineyards, and marketplaces around the state.
Photos: Courtesy Of Featured Businesses
