Our home town of Crested Butte looks a little different these days, with all but the most essential businesses closed to slow the spread of COVID-19. We ourselves have been closed to the public since last weekend, and are mobilizing to support our staff during this time. Even amidst the uncertainty, we’re taking heart from the togetherness we see despite social distancing:

A staff meeting hosted via video to check in and see how everyone is doing. Families with kids and dogs spilling onto the streets for walks and bike rides (perhaps that meme we saw is true! “The real winners appear to be dogs, experiencing an unprecedented level of People Being Home.” 😆) We’ve even seen friends posting about virtual happy hours—such a genius idea we wish we’d thought of it ourselves!

The way we see it, though, we didn’t have to have the idea to share it with you. If you’re craving connection during this uncertain time, here are some resources for hosting a virtual happy hour with your friends and family near and far:

Tech Options

According to this post from Thrillest, setting up a group FaceTime call is pretty simple and now allows for up to 32 people. That’s one big happy hour!

If your friends don’t have supported devices, we’ve started using Zoom for group meetings. The free plan allows for 40-minute calls. It also looks like Skype allows for free video calls with up to 50 people at a time.

Cocktail Options

We’ve always believed that, while not required, a cocktail can make any occasion feel extra-special. Meeting up virtually doesn’t mean you have to scrimp in this department. As always you can check out our online recipe collection for ideas, or order a copy of our founder Karen’s recipe books, Elevated Cocktails.

This might be the perfect time to try a homemade infusion like Vanilla Rum or one of the recipes that requires a little planning ahead. That said, you can always keep things simple with these recipes using 3 ingredients or less, and this post on enjoying happy hour without added sugar. Simple doesn’t mean it has to feel less special!

Alcohol Optional

If you didn’t stock up on bar ingredients, or you’re forgoing alcohol for boosting your immune system, we’ve got you covered. A mocktail, or zero-proof cocktail, can be just the thing to dress up your virtual happy hour. You’ll find a few recipes in our online recipe collection (just scroll to the bottom).

If you give it a go, drop us a line and let us know how it goes! It will be one more sign of togetherness to help us all take heart.