Hot Winter Cocktails

Anyone can add a splash of Irish cream to a hot cup of coffee. But, delicious as that is, it’s hardly enough liquid fortitude to make it through the polar vortex months. Summer cocktails abound, but when it comes to winter warmers, we are too often creatively
challenged and end up short-changing ourselves at a time when we most need a delicious drink.   

Luckily, it’s not very hard to find inspiration for more creative winter warmers—something that modern bartenders are learning by looking at age-old recipe books. Many of the earliest colonial cocktails were actually rich, dessert-like concoctions. One of the most famous golden oldies is the Hot Ale Flip (circa 1695), which consisted of molasses, rum, dark beer and a whole raw egg mixed together then stirred up with a red hot poker, fresh out of the fireplace. It sounds odd—but it’s really just the world’s first egg nog.

And if that can fly, anything can. So don’t be afraid to use rum, tequila, spice, chocolate—or even butter to make up a batch of liquid comfort food. After all, just because we have central heating now doesn’t mean we can’t look to our ancestors for tips on staying warm. Skip the red hot poker, though—microwave or stovetop methods will work just fine!

Casa Hot Chocolate

Chocolate and tequila are a natural flavour pairing, something they know well in southern Mexico, where both ingredients are central to the food culture. For people who like a little spice in their life, add a dusting of ancho chile powder.

1 ½ oz Casamigos reposado tequila

4 oz hot chocolate (made with good
quality hot chocolate mix and milk)

½ oz agave syrup

½ oz Amaretto

2 marshmallows (for garnish)

1 graham cracker (for garnish)

On a stovetop, slowly heat up the hot chocolate mixture, stirring all the time. Pour in a mug and add tequila, maretto and agave syrup. Garnish with marshmallows and a graham cracker. Smore, por favor!

Appleton Hot Buttered Rum

Silky-smooth, hot-buttered rum is sinfully rich and totally indulgent—perfect for a small winter gathering of close friends who love the good life, even in winter. Make the butter batter in advance and use two teaspoons of it for each individual serving. It’s a two-stage process but totally worth it.

2 heaping tablespoons of
Butter Batter (recipe below)

2 oz Appleton Estate Reserve

5 oz hot water

Nutmeg (for garnish)

Stir ingredients together in  individual mugs. Grate a little fresh nutmeg over top of each serving.

Butter Batter

1 lb brown sugar

½ oz fresh extracted ginger juice

½ lb butter

½ teaspoon nutmeg

4 oz apple cider

½ teaspoon allspice

pinch of salt

Blend the above ingredients together and bring to a quick boil. Remove from heat; leave the batter to cool and store in the refrigerator.

Bailey’s Eggnog

Making traditional eggnog from scratch is a complicated process that involves cracking and separating eggs, whisking, folding and cooling. This may be fine for a large party, but if you just want a single serving, here’s a nice shortcut for a similar-tasting drink. It’s cooler than the others, but it’ll warm you up all the same! 

1 ½ oz Bailey’s Irish Cream

¼ oz Irish whiskey

3 oz milk (2 per cent)

Nutmeg (for garnish)

Cinnamon stick (for garnish)

Add all ingredients to an ice-filled shaker tin and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass and grate a little fresh nutmeg on top. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Kracken Krakaccino

Upgrade your Irish coffee with a little spicy, dark rum.

1 oz Kraken spiced rum

½ oz Irish Cream liqueur

3 oz strong, hot espresso

2 oz steamed milk

Optional: 2 oz whipped cream (for a little extra indulgence)

Add rum, Irish cream liqueur and espresso together in a cup and stir. Pour in steamed milk and, if you want to take it up another notch, top with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder.

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