Halloween is here and depending on where you live, it certainly doesn’t feel like it with the balmy temps we’re experiencing in the mid-Atlantic region. That said, beyond the tricks and the treats, grownups all across the nation want in on the Halloween action too and we’ve got a nice cocktail roundup that might give you some ideas for All Hallow’s Eve and into the weekend.
I didn’t grow up with Halloween as a big part of my childhood but after becoming a father, I got involved on that level eventually. Also as I got older, I realized a lot of adults really take the spooky season seriously. Sure, I enjoy a good scary movie like any other horror fan, complete with movie theater snacks in tow, but now I’m into connecting with my neighbors with some adult beverages while the kiddos knock on doors in their great costumes.
For this roundup, we tried to stick to the theme of Halloween, and the camp of some of the cocktail names made me chuckle audibly. Beyond that, some of the brands we’re featuring make really good base products and I’m always curious to see what folks are doing with spirits out here around this time. I know that when the night falls, I’ll use this guide to inform how the rest of my evening will but not too much. We don’t want to overindulge in case things go bump in the night.
Happy Halloween and enjoy your evening responsibly.
NOTE: I will be updating this roundup until COB (5:30 PM ET)
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Photo: Getty
1. Altos Tequila Blood Orange Margarita
Source:Altos
2 oz Altos Tequila
1 oz fresh blood orange juice
¾ oz lime juice
½ oz agave syrup
Blood orange wheel for garnish
[This should be a shaken drink served over ice and an optional salted rim, it didn’t come with directions but that’s how I’d make it – D.L.]
2. Ardbeg Begroni
Source:Ardbeg
1 oz Ardbeg Wee Beastie
.75 oz Bitter aperitif
.75 oz Sweet vermouth
Method:
Stir all ingredients over cubed ice in a mix
3. Beet-le Juice
Source:@justine.bartending
Ingredients:
2 oz Mi Campo Blanco
1 ½ oz Fresh beet juice
½ oz Triple Sec
¾ oz Fresh squeezed lime
¾ oz Agave Nectar
Directions:
To prepare beet juice, add washed and cut beets to a juicer and juice. Strain off and discard the top foam layer. Combine all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shaker until chilled. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.
4. Black Manhattan
Source:Averna
Ingredients:
1 part Averna
2 parts Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Rye
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Garnish: brandied cherry
Method:
Mix all ingredients with ice. Strain into coupe glass and garnish with a brandied cherry.
5. Bloody Party Punch
Source:Fraser & Thompson North American Whiskey
4 oz Fraser & Thompson North American Whiskey
1 cup pomegranate juice
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 (750 ml) bottle Prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled
Arils from 1 pomegranate
6. Bubbling Cauldron
Source:Sailor Jerry
Ingredients:
1 cup Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
¾ cup frozen limeade concentrate (about 1/2 of a 12-ounce can), thawed
3 ½ cups cold water
3 12-ounce cans ginger beer, chilled
1 pint green tea ice cream
How to Make:
Stir together Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, limeade concentrate, 3 1/2 cups cold water and 1 can ginger beer in a punch bowl. Scoop the ice cream into the punch. Pour the remaining 2 cans of ginger beer over the top to create a foam. Optional: Garnish with candy eyeballs. Serve and enjoy your Halloween cocktail!
7. Candy Corn Shooter
Source:Kōloa Kauaʻi
Ingredients: (Note: Recipe serves 16)
1.5 cups boiling Water
1 (3 ounce) package Lemon Flavored gelatin mix
1 (3 ounce) package Orange Flavored gelatin mix
1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
2 cups Kōloa Kauaʻi Gold Rum, divided
Ice Cubes
2 tablespoons warm water
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup Kōloa Kauaʻi Spiced Rum
Glass: Divide into shot glasses (Note: For a less boozy shot, adjust rum with water)
Directions: Step 1: Pour 3/4 cup boiling water into a small bowl. Add lemon gelatin mix; stir until dissolved. Pour 1 cup Rum into a glass measuring cup; add enough ice to make 1 1/4 cup. Stir into lemon gelatin until slightly thickened; remove any un-melted ice. Fill tall shot glasses 1/3 of the way with lemon gelatin mixture.
Step 2: Refrigerate until the lemon gelatin layer is set, at least 90 minutes.
Step 3: Pour remaining 3/4 cup boiling water into the small bowl. Add orange gelatin mix; stir until dissolved. Pour remaining 1 cup Rum into a glass measuring cup; add enough ice to make 1 1/4 cup. Stir into orange gelatin until slightly thickened; remove any un-melted ice. Pour over the lemon gelatin layer.
Step 4: Refrigerate until the orange gelatin layer is set, at least 90 minutes.
Step 5: Pour 2 tablespoons of warm water into a bowl. Add unflavored gelatin; stir until dissolved. Stir in ccondensed milk and ½ cup of Rum. Pour over the orange gelatin layer.
Step 6: Refrigerate until the top layer is set, at least 30 minutes.
8. Chocolate-Espresso Mezcal Martini
Source:Gracias a Dios
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Gracias a Dios Espadín
.5 oz Agave Syrup
1 shot Double Espresso
1/3 oz Homemade Bitter Allspice*
1 pinch of salt
2 tbsp Grated Bitter Chocolate (Note: We use chocolate from Oaxaca made by “La Jefa,” the mother of our maestro mezcalero)
Garnish: Jack O’Lantern Pumpkin Face
Directions: Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a Jack O’Lantern Pumpkin Face.
9. Devil’s Negroni
Source:Fear City
Ingredients:
1 ounce Fear City Gin
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce dry vermouth
1 ounce pomegranate juice
Orange peel (optional)
Dying flower, for drama (optional)
Instructions:
Add the gin, Campari, dry vermouth and pomegranate juice to a rocks glass over ice. Stir until cold. Garnish with an orange peel and dying rose for extra drama.
10. Dragon’s Hpnosis
Source:Hpnotiq
l1.5oz Capurro Pisco
.75oz Hpnotiq
.5oz Dragon Fruit Syrup
.5oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
1oz Key Lime
1 Egg White
Glassware: Coupe
Garnish: Bitters design on fresh foam, red dragon fruit slice
Instructions: Add all ingredients except egg white into a shaker tin. Carefully crack egg white into the opposite tin. Add 5-6 ice cubes and shake long and hard. Open the tin and fill it with ice. Short and hard. Strain frothy Cocktail into a coupe glass, shake out the last bit. Drip bitters to the top of the cocktail in circles. Run a toothpick through bitters to create a design on top of cocktail foam. Garnish with dragon fruit
11. El Diablo
Source:Tequila Partida
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Tequila Partida Reposado
0.5 oz Crème De Cassis
0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
4 oz Ginger Beer
Garnish: Lime Wedge
Directions: Add tequila and lime juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass with ice. Pour the ginger beer and top with crème de cassis. Garnish with lime wedge.
12. Elysian Brewing Pumpkin Pack
Source:Elysian Brewing
13. Escape from Houdini’s Chest
Source:Princess Cruises
Ingredients:
2oz Absolut Elyx (cinnamon and strawberry-infused)
½ oz St. Germain Liqueur
¼ oz cinnamon & strawberry syrup
½ oz lime juice
6 dashes Fee Brothers Cocktail Foam
Recipe:
Combine all ingredients into a shaker, dry shake, and add ice. Shake again and strain over a sphere ice mold. Option to garnish with a dehydrated orange and edible flower.
14. Frozen Zombie
Source:Captain Morgan
Recipe:
12 fl oz Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
4 fl oz Lime Juice
6 fl oz Grapefruit Juice
6 fl oz Passionfruit Juice
6 fl oz Simple Syrup
Ice
Angostura Bitters & Grated Cinnamon for garnish
15. Jack The Ripper
Source:Bauchant
Ingredients:
1 oz Vodka
.5 oz Raw Carrot Juice
.5 oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
Garnish: Lemon Twist
Directions: Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a shot glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
16. Message in a Bottle
Source:Cutwater
Steps:
Add ingredients to a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for about 20 seconds. Strain into a glass bottle, add smoke and cork. Serve alongside a large ice cube in a rocks glass and pour contents over the ice cube. Garnish with a rolled scroll/message clipped on a mini clothespin.
17. Nightmare On The Beach
Source:Monkey Shoulder
(Created by Anna Mains, Monkey Shoulder Whisky Brand Ambassador)
Ingredients:
2 parts Monkey Shoulder Whisky
2 parts Coco Lopez Coconut Cream
3 parts Pineapple Juice
.75 parts lime juice
Pinch of salt
Approx. 1 cup ice
Strawberry Rose Syrup (served in syringe)”
3 parts strawberries
3 parts sugar
6 parts dried rose buds
2.25 parts water
Muddle strawberries, rose buds and sugar together. Let set for 4 hours (up to 24 hours) to extract the juices. Add water and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Store in the fridge for 2-4 weeks
Method: Add all ingredients to blender or shaker. Blend or shake hard. Serve over crushed ice (Note: works as frozen machine batch, alternatively).Garnish with syringe filled with “blood.”
18. Peach “Coffeecake” Espresso Martini
Source:Juliette
Ingredients:
1.5oz Vodka
0.75oz Juliette Liqueur
0.25oz coffee liqueur
1.75oz espresso
0.25oz Vanilla Syrup
Method:
Pour ingredients into shaker tin, shake hard, double strain into coupe glass, garnish with a pinch of salt or cinnamon sugar.
19. Pumpkin Patch Batch Cocktail
Source:Sailor Jerry
Ingredients:
2 parts Reyka Vodka
2 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
1 cup Water
1 cup Granulated Sugar
¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
28 ounces Pumpkin Puree
3 ½ cups Apple Cider
1 cup Orange Juice
1 ½ cups Seltzer Water
¼ cup Lemon Juice
1 cup Orange Juice
Lemon Slices for Garnish
Cinnamon Sticks for Garnish
Method:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add water, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a hollowed out pumpkin add pumpkin, apple cider, orange juice, seltzer, lemon juice, Reyka Vodka, and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum. Whisk to combine. Pour in the cinnamon mixture and stir once more. Add lemon slices and a few cinnamon sticks to garnish.
20. Redemption Pumpkin Butter Smash
Source:Redemption
Ingredients:
2 parts Redemption High Rye Bourbon
½ part Lemon Juice
½ part Simple Syrup
2 barspoons Pumpkin Butter
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin and shake with ice until chilled and diluted. Double strain into a rocks glass over cracked ice and garnish with a toasted marshmallow.
21. Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel
Source:Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
Recipe:
1½ parts Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
3/4 parts Chocolate Liqueur
Method:
Dip chilled coupe or martini glass into a light amount of caramel sauce and rim with a small amount of sea salt. Shake Skrewball and chocolate liqueur, and strain into the dressed glass.
22. Spooky Spritz
Source:nolet's
Ingredients:
1 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
1.5 oz Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit & Rose
0.25 oz Blood Orange Liqueur
0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Splash of Agave Nectar (to taste)
Method:
Assemble in a wine glass or balloon over ice, stir, and top with a splash of Ginger Beer.
23. Spooky’n Tasty
Source:Mount Gay Rum
Ingredients:
0.5 oz Cointreau
1 oz Mount Gay Rum
4 Dashes Aromatic bitters
1 Top Cola foam
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a glass. Stir briefly. Top with the foam Garnish.
24. The Bloody Papercut – AKA “Merely a Flesh Wound”
Source:Aperol
Ingredients:
.75 oz Aperol
.75 oz Bourbon
.75 oz Cheeky Cranberry Syrup
75 oz Cheeky 100% Lemon Juice
Method:
25. There Will Be Blood (Orange)
Source:Dos Hombres Mezcal
1.5 oz Dos Hombres Mezcal
1/2 oz Agave Nectar
1/2 oz Blood Orange Purée
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liquor
3/4 oz Lime Juice
26. The Maliboo
Source:Malibum Rum
Recipe:
1 part Malibu Original
2 parts Lemonade
A splash of grenadine
Method:
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Add all ingredients.
27. Vampire Venom
Source:Bacardi
Recipe:
1 1/2 oz BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho
1/2 oz Demerara
1 Dash Chocolate Bitters
1 Dash Almond & Walnut Bitters
Orange Oil Mist from Gothic Atomizer
Peel Or Chocolate Dipped Dehydrated Orange
Method: Combine all ingredients over large format ice cube, stir, garnish with orange mist and chocolate dipped orange peel.
28. Witching Hour Martini
Source:Glendalough
Ingredients:
1 oz Glendalough Wild Rose Irish Gin
1 oz Cocchi Rosa Aperitivo Americano
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
2 oz Dry Sparkling wine
Garnish: Dried Rose Buds or Edible Flowers
Method: Shake the first four ingredients with ice, then double strain into a chilled glass and top with chilled sparkling wine, and garnish.
