“April is the cruelest month,” T.S. Eliot once penned, and this year, it certainly feels that way. The usual signs of spring are overshadowed by dark, rainy days, shattering expectations of warmth and sunlight. As the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo approach, those quintessential celebratory drinks like mint juleps and margaritas seem ill-suited for such dreary weather.
However, instead of lamenting the cold, it’s time to embrace a different approach: warm cocktails that reimagine classic recipes. Here are three comforting drink options that offer a delightful twist for chilly, spring days.
Updated Bull Shot
This version of the Bull Shot brings a surprising twist. Originally a mix of vodka and beef bouillon, it serves as a warming alternative to traditional tomato juice cocktails.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ ounces Alamere Spirits’ Espelette Chili Vodka
- 6 ounces hot water
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon beef base (or one beef bouillon cube)
- 1/4 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1 dash Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 dashes Sol Food’s Pique hot sauce
- 1 star anise
- 1 beef jerky stick
Directions:
- Mix the first six ingredients in a heat-tempered serving mug until dissolved.
- Garnish with a submerged star anise and place the jerky stick across the top.
Spiced Hot Chocolate with Ported Rye
For a cozy drink, this spiced hot chocolate offers a warm embrace enhanced by the smoothness of rye whiskey.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Sausalito Liquor Co.’s Unsinkable Rye
- 6 ounces warm milk or milk substitute
- 1 teaspoon Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa Mix
- Whipped cream for garnish
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 brandy-soaked maraschino cherry
Directions:
- Combine the first three ingredients in a heat-tempered mug and stir.
- Add whipped cream on top, garnish with a cinnamon stick and cherry, then dust with cayenne.
Apple Jasmine Hot Cider
Hot apple cider receives a delicious update with apple brandy and a hint of jasmine.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Sonoma Brothers Distilling’s Apple Brandy
- 5 ounces hot water
- 1 ounce apple juice
- ¼ ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 jasmine tea bag
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange slice
Directions:
- Combine the brandy, hot water, apple juice, and lemon juice in a heat-tempered mug.
- Add a tea bag and steep for 30 seconds before removing it.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick and orange slice.
As spring’s warmth hopefully arrives soon, these warming cocktails can provide comfort during this unusual chill. Cheers to finding joy in the unexpected!