By Julia Stacey
We’re saying goodbye to summer as the Somers Point beach concerts come to an end and the last of those deliciously meaty Jersey tomatoes are disappearing from local farm stands. Cold, northeastern winters are generally not my idea of a good time, but I look forward to cool autumn weather with leaves turning color, fall festivals, pumpkin picking, and that feeling of hygge, as the Danish describe a cozy, homey atmosphere.
The start of autumn is also the time to look forward to seasonally inspired cocktails. We’re (temporarily) leaving the Basil Smash and fresh, fruity sangria behind in favor of drinks featuring the fall harvest. After a day of leaf peeping, there’s nothing better than to warm up by the fireplace with a seasonal cocktail.
These cocktail recipes, featuring the flavors of apples and pumpkins, use a short list of ingredients yet still offer a variety of options for different tastes. To complement our fresh-pressed apple cider and bottle of pumpkin liqueur, we’ll use bourbon with its smoky aromas and flavors of caramel and molasses, and spiced rum with a palate of winter spices such as clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Bourbon Cider Tea will warm your bones on a cool fall evening. This drink is similar to a hot toddy, the traditional British nightcap typically made with whiskey, hot water, and honey. The addition of black tea and apple cider generate distinctly fall flavors for a more complex flavor profile. For cocktails, we use a mid-priced bourbon such as Woodford Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey which has prominent oak on the nose with aromas of caramel and maple, smoky barrel char, spicy pepper, and cloves on the palate with a creamy toffee finish.
Bourbon Cider Tea
Ingredients
- 1 tea bag
- 4 oz. hot cider
- 1-2 oz. bourbon
- Directions
1. Heat the cider so it’s hot enough to steep the tea. I used an English Breakfast tea and steeped for 2-3 minutes for moderately strong flavor.
2. Add bourbon to taste.
If a hot toddy isn’t your thing and you prefer something chilled, try a bourbon cider with ginger ale. This cocktail is a take on a Whiskey Highball, traditionally whiskey and soda water, with later iterations using ginger ale or ginger beer in place of plain seltzer. Our bourbon’s smoky essence is very evident, but the apple and ginger flavors reduce the bourbon burn providing balance. It’s a great cocktail for someone who doesn’t like the taste of straight bourbon.
Bourbon with Cider and Ginger Ale
Ingredients
- 1 oz. bourbon
- 2 oz. apple cider
- 2 oz. ginger ale
Directions
1. Shake the bourbon and cider over ice, strain and pour into a highball glass.
2. Top with ginger ale.
Spiced rums such as Captain Morgan, Bacardi Spiced Rum, and Sailor Jerry are infused with spices that provide a variety of aromas and flavors such as fragrant vanilla, notes of cinnamon, and molasses, all of which are perfect counterparts to freshly pressed apple cider. If you don’t have butterscotch schnapps on hand, the Candy Apple Spiced Rum cocktail made with only spiced rum and apple cider tastes reminiscent of cinnamon toast. Adding the butterscotch schnapps increases the sweetness giving it the candy apple flavor.
Candy Apple Spiced Rum
Ingredients
- 1 oz. spiced rum
- 3 oz. apple cider
- Splash of butterscotch schnapps
Directions
1. Shake the rum and cider over ice, strain and pour into a rocks glass.
2. Top with butterscotch schnapps.
Liqueurs, or cordials as they are often called in the US, are typically used as a digestif and served with dessert. They generally contain a lower alcohol content (15-30% ABV) than spirits, but some, such as Cointreau, are more potent at 40% ABV. Liquor stores such as our local favorite Circle Liquor Store have a wide variety of different flavored liqueurs and fall is usually the best time to find a pumpkin flavored one. The Pumpkin Cider cocktail is a deliciously creamy, low-alcohol option that guests will enjoy throughout the holiday season.
Pumpkin Cider
Ingredients
2 oz. pumpkin cream liqueur
2 oz. apple cider
Splash of lemon juice
Directions
1. Assemble in a rocks glass with ice and stir.
Whether you’re making cocktails for a crowd or enjoying a quiet evening at home, savor the flavors of fall with these easy-to-make seasonally inspired cocktails. Please enjoy our Boozy Lifestyle cocktails responsibly. Cheers!
Julia Stacey Reilly is a published author and blogger. Her book, Boozy Lifestyle, is available on Amazon and her blog can be found at BoozyLifestyle.com. She is the official Tony Mart sommelier and has earned a WSET Award in Wines. She can be reached at BoozyLifestyle@gmail.com.
