Give Thanks with Gløgg!

Last week we posted the extremely delicious and seasonal Bourbon Apple Cobbler, suggesting that it’s a great cocktail to serve alongside turkey and stuffing. And it is! But in our house apartment we’re going to be trying something a little different this year. Being the renowned boozological experts that we are, we thought we’d tackle something a bit more unique, a bit more challenging, a bit more flammable.

As if the large type above hadn’t already given it away, we will be making Gløgg, a warm spiced punch which traces its origin back to Nordic winter and autumn festivities. Like many traditional tipples, recipes vary. This is also true of punches in general, so it’s not surprising to find a vast array of Gløggular instructions on the web and in books. We’ve opted for the recipe found in our handy booze bible The Bar Guide, primarily because I get to light it on fire.

As an added bonus, we’ll be posting photos on our Facebook page. So go ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and if you’re lucky you may get to see me with half my beard singed off.

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Thanksgiving Cocktail: Bourbon Apple Cobbler

Thanksgiving is coming and you’re probably looking for a great fall cocktail before the last of the apple cider disappears from store shelves. Fear not, because Shanna invented a tasty cocktail that’s filled with autumnal goodness.

First off, you’re going to want to make a small jar of cinnamon simple syrup – if you start now (with less than a week to go until Thanksgiving) it should be ready to use in about 5-6 days. Use our instructions for making your own simple syrup, making enough for your purposes and pour into a mason jar with 4-6 cinnamon sticks. Let it chill in the fridge until it gets a little darker and taste nicely of cinnamon. This, by itself, is delicious.

Whether you’re making for a crowd or yourself, you’ll want a shaker to fill with:

2 parts bourbon

1 part cinnamon simple syrup

1 part apple cider

Shake and pour into a rocks glass over ice and top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a wedge of apple (I like to pour lemon juice over pre-sliced apples, which lends to the flavor combinations nicely). Great for a party where you have some good cheeses or a slice of Shanna’s famous Hobo Trap Apple Pie.

A Hobo Trap

Why is it called a cobbler? Cobblers are cocktails that historically have all of the following: alcohol (of course), sugar and fruit. Also, it just sounds darling.

Autumnal Experiments: Homemade Hard Apple Cider

A while back we posted instructions on making your own delicious limoncello. After several highly successful batches of that wonderful and potent concoction, we developed a rather high opinion of our own homegrown booze-making prowess and decided it was time to step up our game. This time, we thought, we would tackle fermentation. We would make yeast our tiny alcohol-producing slaves. It was time to make hard apple cider.

Our finished cider, minus a few samples. Bottles from the East End Brewery.