This Memorial Day past weekend, consumers kicked off the unofficial start of summer with a more diverse selection of food and beverage options. Although beer and hot dogs remain staple menu options for the summer, emerging options likely are to join them on the menu, according to New York-based Nielsen’s recent Insights titled “This Memorial Day, American Will Substitute Summer CPG Staples for Alternatives.”

Deschutes Brewery, in partnership with Humm Kombucha, released Humm Zinger. 

Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails (JDCC), Lynchburg, Tenn., announced the launch of its newest flavor: Southern Citrus. The new Southern Citrus will hit shelves across the United States this month.

Kinky, a brand of Prestige Beverage Group, added a new flavor to its Kinky Cocktails lineup: Aloha.

To celebrate the return of Smirnoff Red, White & Berry, the brand is launching Smirnoff Party Pitch featuring a panel of fun experts to review consumers' ideas for the ultimate red, white and blue Fourth of July bash. With the help of the party panel, Smirnoff hopes to find the most exciting, outrageous, silly and wild ideas to celebrate America — all with responsible drinking in mind, of course.

Kinky, a brand of Mendota, Minn.-based Prestige Beverage Group, added a new flavor to its Kinky Cocktails lineup: Aloha. Aloha is infused with the tropical flavors of pineapple, coconut and lime, the company says.

Smirnoff Vodka, a brand of Norwalk, Conn.-based Diageo North America, announced the launch of a National Sweepstakes from Smirnoff Ice Red, White & Berry, to give 100 people across the country two paid days off to take a real July 4th weekend, it says. 

Beverage brands are debuting new and limited-edition packaging to get consumers ready for the summertime.

Launching this month, the new summer bottles will be available to consumers in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and select areas of California.

The simple things in life, like enjoying adult beverages and celebrating our nation’s holidays, have become synonomous with summer.