10 Drinks to be Thankful for this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving brings loved ones together to enjoy each others company, give thanks, and indulge in an abundance of food.  Laughs will be had, toasts will be made and love will fill the room.  Oh wait, that’s how it goes in the movies.  Here is a real life Thanksgiving celebration – The host is stressing over the main course, the kids are running amuck, the men are tuned into the big game (trying to ignore the rest of the chaos), and the women are all bickering about how so and so did this and that.  All while Aunt Mary is going into unwanted graphic detail about her latest medical issue.  Let’s face it though, in either scenario you can still be thankful for a room full of family and friends.  We also think you may enjoy a nice spirit in your hand to help celebrate the fun or ease the madness.  Here’s some of our favorite cocktails that will compliment any meal and add to the Thanksgiving festivities.

SINGLE BARREL CIDER SANGRIA

Ingredients:

• 4 parts chardonnay (low-oak)
• 2/3 parts Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel
• 1/3 parts parts apple brandy
• 1 1/2 parts pure apple cider
• 1/3 parts honey
• Sliced ginger
• Cinnamon sticks
• Apple slices
• Juice of one lime
• Juice of one lemon

Preparation: In pitcher, combine all ingredients besides apple wedge and citrus, then refrigerate. Before serving, add apple slices and citrus and mix well.

The Baked Apple 46

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Maker’s 46
• ½ part Apple Brandy
• ¼ part Cinnamon Syrup
• 2 Dashes Baked Apple Bitters
• Smoked Cinnamon Stick, to garnish
• Lemon Twist, to garnish

Preparation: Fill rocks glass with ice and set aside. Combine Maker’s 46, Apple Brandy, Cinnamon Syrup and Apple Bitters into a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for 10 seconds. Empty out rocks glass with ice. Take a lighter and heat the end of the cinnamon stick. When it start to smoke rim it around the inside of the glass. Strain into the rocks glass with a 2 inch ice cube. Zest a lemon twist and put it inside.

Hornitos Harvest

Ingredients: 

• 2 Parts Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila
• 1 Part Pomegranate Juice
• ½ Part Lemon Juice
• ½ Part Simple Syrup
• Lime Wedge

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Spiked Cranberry Brew

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. DeLeón Platinum Tequila
• 6 oz. hot cranberry batch (1 part fresh unsweetened cranberry juice, ¾ part fresh lemon juice, ¾ part simple syrup, cinnamon clove and nutmeg to taste)

Preparation: Simmer together ingredients for hot cranberry batch. Combine hot cranberry batch with DeLeón Platinum Tequila in glass mug. Garnish with a thin pear slice dusted with cinnamon.

Cranberry Cordial

Ingredients:

• 1.25 oz. NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
• 1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Cranberry Reduction*

Preparation: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Shake well. Fine strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

*To Make Cranberry Reduction: Add 1 cup of Fresh Cranberries, 1 Cup Orange Juice and .5 Cup of Simple Syrup to a pan. Simmer until reduction is formed. Strain into a glass storage container.

Pumpkin Spice Martini

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. vanilla vodka
• 5 oz. Licor 43
• 3 pumps of Fontana pumpkin spice sauce

Preparation: shake this decadent martini into your favorite holiday glassware or a traditional martini glass. Top with your favorite whipped cream and then dust with cinnamon. For an extra special treat you can also use crushed chocolate or graham cracker to rim the glass.

The Spiced Ginger Ale

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. CAPTAIN MORGAN Original Spiced Rum
• 0.5 oz. Sour Mix
• 1.5 oz. Ginger Ale
• Aromatic Bitters
• Lime Wedge

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass filled with ice, stir and serve.

Malibu Island Spiced Cidertini

Ingredients:

• 1 part Malibu Island Spiced
• 3 parts fresh cider
• Cinnamon powder

Preparation: Wet the rim of a chilled martini glass and dip in cinnamon powder.  Mix ingredients in shaker over ice.  Strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a fresh cinnamon stick if desired.

Cruzan Black Strap Belle

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Cruzan Black Strap Rum
• 2 parts Coconut Water
• 1 teaspoon Honey Syrup*
• Squeeze of Half Fresh Lime
• 6 dashes of Angostura Bitters
• Nutmeg

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake well. Pour into a rocks or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice. Garnish with nutmeg.

*Honey Syrup: Combine equal parts honey and warm water. Shake/Stir to dissolve.

SMASHING HARVEST

Ingredients: 

• 2 parts American Harvest Organic Vodka
• 1½ parts Leopold Brothers NY Sour Apple Cordial or other apple liqueur
• ¼ part of fresh lemon juice
• ¼ part of agave nectar
• 2 thin slices of ginger

Preparation: Muddle Ginger with agave nectar in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients and add ice. Shake well and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

There you have it folks.  We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and happily share one of these beverages with the company that surrounds you.  Enjoy responsibly.