
When the temperature drops, it’s time to give up the big fruity chilled cocktails in favor of something cozy and relaxing. In winter, bartender Megan Coyle likes “warm and inviting cocktails” that are “full of spice.
Sean Johnson, an ambassador for Hennessy, puts a festive twist on cold-weather drinks. “When I brainstorm winter recipes, I immediately think of the classic holiday meals people enjoy this season,” Johnson says, “from sweet elements, like maple sugar and mocha coffee, to citrus flavors, like apple and cranberry.” Johnson says the spices and flavors of winter are among the best drinks of the year.
What is a winter cocktail?
If you’re looking for a cocktail to warm you up on a cold winter night, there are three drinks that can help keep you warm while you’re slightly tipsy: hot drinks, warm drinks and drinks that use seasonal flavors.Javelle Taft is the head bartender at Death and Company in New York, and all three are New Yorkers.
Coyle explains that there are different ways to make a great winter cocktail. “The temperature, the way the spices react chemically in the mouth or body, and even the way people perceive flavors over time,” she says, “that sensory memory that evokes comfort can come from a variety of different wells.”
How to make a hot cocktail
Cocktails with at least one hot ingredient are the most obvious type to make in the cooler months. No matter how cold it is outside, cocktails made with tea, coffee, hot chocolate or hot water provide warmth and comfort.
Drinks that fall into this category include Taft’s favorite winter drinks, hot palm wine, Tom and Jerrys (a rum-based hot eggnog) and drinks made with other hot beverages such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
According to Taft, when a cocktail is made with hot liquids, the flavor and potency of the alcohol in the drink is diluted. That means it’s important to look for spirits that are at least 50 percent overproof in alcohol. Taft says your base needs to be “grittier, firmer and more aggressive” for a hot drink. If you don’t use the right base, the flavor of the spirits will “disappear” and you’ll lose the integrity of the drink.
“The trick to making a warm cocktail is to use the right glass to prepare the drink,” Johnson adds. “Use [a] favorite glass that can be easily reached.” Johnson also likes to use clear, hot palm glasses when making cocktails with a strong winter hue.
Paul Zahn, a national expert on entertaining, says making hot cocktails can be simple. He suggests trying a hot gin and tonic, and if you’re not sure how to start, use what you may already have on hand. “Just mix some [gin] with hot water and add the tonic syrup,” he shares.
How to make a warm cocktail
If hot cocktails aren’t your thing, look for those made with hot spices. “Most warming herbs and spices stimulate circulation, which is helpful in cooler weather,” Johnson explains.
“With cinnamon, when you taste it, you immediately realize its warming qualities, and it can be used to flavor a variety of drinks,” he says, adding that “ginger is a warming herb that can add spice to cocktails.”
Taft likes to use ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and star anise in winter cocktails. Don’t be afraid to experiment and add your favorite winter flavors. “Szechuan peppercorns, coriander, licorice, saffron and countless [other spices] are now regularly featured in cocktail items that once consisted primarily of simply laced coffee and apple cider,” Coyle says.
Two of Johnson’s favorite drinks that use heated spices are the Hot Palm Wine Cinnamon and the Winter Spirit Cocktail with Ginger. For winter drinks, Taft likes to use a “spicy” rye whiskey. He uses vanilla to soften the notes.
An easy way to infuse warm spices into winter cocktails is to make a simple syrup infused with spices. Taft likes this method because it’s easy and can be prepared ahead of time. To make the infused simple syrup, heat equal parts water and sugar on the stove until the sugar dissolves. Then, while the syrup is still on the stove, add whole spices (such as cloves, cinnamon sticks or sliced ginger) to the mixture and strain out the spices as the syrup cools. Next, pour a bit of Simple Syrup into your cocktail for an easy way to add a touch of winter flavor to your cocktail. Want to add more winter flavor to your simple syrup, Zahn shares that when he makes simple syrups in the winter, he uses “a brown sugar base …… to get a nutty flavor and [add] an element of warmth.”
Another way to infuse cocktails with winter flavors is to slightly toast the whole spices and then let them cool. Then, add all the spices to the cocktail while mixing and strain them out before serving. This method is effective, but can be time-consuming when entertaining.
Taft warns against using ground spices, as they are difficult and sometimes impossible to strain out of syrups or cocktails.
How to incorporate seasonal flavors into cocktails
In the cooler months, Taft stays away from fruit flavors like peach and watermelon because they are more common in the summer. zahn likes to look for seasonal flavors like pomegranate that are only in season in the winter and find creative ways to use them, like using pomegranate juice in mulled wine and other cocktails in the winter.
To add complexity and introduce new flavors, Taft suggests using a conditioner (an alcohol component that is not the base spirit of the cocktail) instead of a quarter of the base spirit, up to half an ounce. For winter, Taft likes to use lead brandy, but modifiers come in a variety of flavors, including espresso and bitters.
Another way to make a seasonal drink is to add a smoky element. Taft likes Japanese whiskey, which has a smoky flavor not found in American whiskey. If you don’t like whiskey or can’t afford a more expensive whiskey with this flavor, there are other ways to get a smoky flavor. Some bartenders garnish cocktails with toasted marshmallows or use smoked cinnamon sticks to add seasonal flavors to cocktails. To use the cinnamon stick method, light a cinnamon stick, let it burn for a few seconds, and then blow it out. Immediately place the smoked cinnamon stick on a heat-resistant plate or cutting board, then place the cocktail glass over the smoke. Let the smoke swirl around in the glass before making the cocktail as usual.
As a bonus, since many winter cocktails are strong and robust, they can easily be made without alcohol for sober or underage guests.