There are quite a number of beverages that come to mind when we think of the holidays. There’s mulled wine and spiced sangria, hot buttered rum, eggnog, and hot chocolate. But if you’re looking to offer something extra special to your customers, here are three ways to craft a cocktail that is sure to spread the Christmas cheer.
Tweak the Classics
Holiday or not, people still order the classics. It’s familiar, it’s tried and true. Best of all they’re year round, and a seasonal twist on the favorites is sometimes all you need to showcase the flavors of the holidays. Take this Holiday Sidecar (1) recipe for example, where a cinnamon sugar rim and a star anise garnish accompany our well-loved classic. Aromatic bitters are also a great addition to any classic cocktail, like in this Winter White Lady (2), and in this Peppermint Bark Mimosa (3), a splash of peppermint schnapps puts a Christmas spin on the classic drink.
Taking advantage of flavored liquor is a must for this season. You can use schnapps or flavor infused simple syrups (4), like this Corduroy Daiquiri (5). Or use flavored spirits, like in this
Ginger Bloody Mary (6) and Butterscotch Martini (7). There are plenty of holiday flavors to get you started: try with cinnamon, clove, ginger, cranberry, orange, pumpkin, butterscotch, salted caramel, peppermint, chocolate and whip cream.
Make it Trendy
The beverage trends of 2019 can certainly be incorporated into your holiday cocktail recipes.
Go plant-based and substitute oat milk for dairy, like this Oat milk Honey Cocktail (8) or in this Last Minute Gift (9). Coconut milk is a terrific substitute in this Coconut White Russian (10) not only because it’s a vegan take on the classic, but because coconut milk imparts that creamy mouthfeel you’ll miss by substituting heavy cream. According to BeverageDaily (11), texture has been a big part of this year’s beverage trends. Carbonation and whipped drinks are still popular, which means that bubbly and creamy are textures that your customers will be eager to try. Use sparkling wine and champagne to top your cocktails like in this Northern Lights Cocktail (12) and Champagne Julep (13). Adding soda water is also a simple way to add bubbles to your drinks, like in this St-Germain Spritz (14). Likewise, the popularity of Coffee drinks has been on the rise these past few years and we expect it to continue. Drinks like espresso martini (15), Hummer (16) and Irish coffee (17) embody both the holiday theme and current trend. Add ice cream to great effect.
Garnish It
Our rule is that if it tastes like Christmas, then it must look like Christmas. It’s important for your customers to feel like they’ve ordered a seasonal—as in, limited time—item. For example, a sprig of thyme and skewered cranberries make this Under the Mistletoe Cocktail (18) extra special. A thick clove-studded strip of orange zest makes Autumn Sweater cocktail (19) a delight to look at. This Peppermintini (20) uses crushed peppermints, and this Sugar Cookie Cocktail (21) uses sugar cookie and vanilla frosting. The possibilities are endless.
From craft cocktail recipes to setting up and running a more profitable bar, Goliath Consulting Group can help you get the results you want. Email us at: getresults@goliathconsulting.com and visit our website at: goliathconsulting.com for a full listing of services provided.
Reference:
(1) https://bevvy.co/cocktail/holiday-sidecar/wary
(2) https://bevvy.co/cocktail/winter-white-lady/mzry
(3) https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25128817/peppermint-bark-mimosas-recipe/
(4) https://punchdrink.com/articles/guide-to-syrups-recipes-for-winter-cocktails/
(5) https://punchdrink.com/recipes/corduroy-daiquiri/
(6) https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/ginger-bloody-mary-10804
(7) https://www.livinglocurto.com/butterscotch-martini-recipe/
(8) https://imbibemagazine.com/oat-milk-honey-cocktail/
(9) https://punchdrink.com/recipes/last-minute-gift/
(10) https://drizly.com/Kahlua-Coconut-Milk-White-Russian/r-c2f7c7e40777487b
(11) https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2018/12/05/Top-five-predictions-for-2019-beverage-trends
(12) https://imbibemagazine.com/northern-lights-cocktail-recipe/
(13) https://punchdrink.com/recipes/champagne-julep/
(14) https://punchdrink.com/recipes/the-st-germain-cocktail/
(15) https://www.kahlua.com/us/drinks/classic/espresso-martini/
(16) https://punchdrink.com/recipes/hummer/
(17) https://punchdrink.com/recipes/st-john-frizells-irish-coffee/
(18) https://www.liquor.com/recipes/under-the-mistletoe/
(19) https://punchdrink.com/recipes/autumn-sweater/
(20) https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/christmas/a25415480/peppermintinis-recipe/
(21) https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/christmas/a25362483/sugar-cookie-martinis-recipe/