‘Tis the season of holiday parties and holiday spirits! We’ve put our in-house Certified Cicerones® to work on something that may be a little outside of their beer-loving wheelhouse but delicious and festive nonetheless.
After a little kitchen mixology adventure, we’ve got a solid list of holiday-inspired spirits to spice up your traditions. And, let’s be honest… the Cicerones® snuck in a few of their favorite festive brews, too. Whether you've been nice or naughty this year, get ready to be merry (and cozy) with one of these drinks in hand!
Enjoy the Holiday Spirits!
When it comes to mixed drinks, it’s easy to add a little holiday flair. From traditional favorites like hot buttered rum to new twists like mistletoe margaritas, there’s something for everyone, even the resident grinch.
Hot Buttered Rum
There are a lot of variations on this holiday favorite, but the basics are simple. Combine spiced rum with four common ingredients — butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg — to create a drink that’ll keep you toasty and holly jolly.
Spiked Eggnog
Playing bartender for a crowd? Or just looking for the simplest holiday tipple? Grab your favorite liquor and add a splash or two to a cup of eggnog. The true purists use bourbon, but a mix of dark rum and cognac is our favorite. We err on the side of a 5::1 ratio of eggnog to liquor to keep the evening flowing and festive rather than overserved and, well, over.
Mulled Wine
It’s easy to turn a bottle of your favorite red into a festive drink. Oranges, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks help to bring mulled wine its distinctive “holiday” flavor, making it a major crowd-pleaser for large gatherings this time of year. This is actually a winter favorite of one of our own Cicerones® since a Craft 128 oz Growler keeps it perfectly warm for up to 24 hours of merriment. Just remember not to leave any spices or fruit in the growler if you’re serving from a Keg Cap®!
Holiday Punch
What’s a party without punch? You’ll need a cart at the grocery store for this ingredient list, but we promise it’s worth it. Pomegranate seeds, oranges, orange juice, cranberry juice, vanilla extract, and sparkling wine mingle with rum or vodka for a drink that’s easy to make and hits the holiday spot.
Apple Cider Mimosa
Feeling fancy? Of course you are. So put on that Ugly Sweater and some fuzzy socks and dust off the champagne flutes! Top some apple cider with prosecco or champagne, and you’ve got yourself a holiday spin on the classic mimosa. Take that toast up a notch and line the flute rims with cinnamon sugar. Go ahead. It’s been a long two years.
Mistletoe Margaritas
We know. You and everyone else loves margaritas. Even though the holidays aren’t exactly margarita weather in the Northern Hemisphere, we like an excuse get creative. You can keep your secret margarita recipe under wraps and just use fresh cranberries and cranberry juice to enjoy this holiday twist. A mint garnish also makes you look like you know what you’re doing, but don’t worry. Your secret is safe with us.
PRO TIP: With any DrinkTanks Craft Growler you don’t have to worry about passing Mixology 101 to prep these cocktails for a crowd. All our Craft Growlers feature ounce markings on the inside of them, making measuring fast and easy!
Milk for Santa and a Brew for You
You know what they say? If you give a Cicerone® a cocktail list, they’re gonna give you a beer list to go with it. So, here we are to lure those hop head taste buds into trying out something new this holiday season...
Celebration Ale | Sierra Nevada Brewing
… except for this one. We’re from the Northwest, so we just can’t make a holiday beer list without this iconic fresh hop brew. It's citrus, floral, and seasonally appropriate pine notes have made it a West Coast holiday favorite for over 40 years.
Christmas Ale | Great Lakes Brewing
If you want to see a city-wide cult beer following, take a trip to Cleveland, Ohio in the month of December. You will see Christmas Ale everywhere, not just because its fresh ginger, sweet honey, and cinnamon make it the actual perfect holiday beer, but also because it’s insanely delicious. You’d never know it clocks in at 7.5% ABV, so remember your eyes are definitely bigger than your liver and be sure to share your six-pack with friends.
Fistmas | Revolution Brewing
Our brewing friends in Chicago took the holiday theme a bit literally with this red ale steeped with ginger and orange peel. Our Cicerones® pick up notes of fresh-baked bread, caramel, stone fruit, and dare they say, a dash of holiday cheer. We can definitely say Cheers to that!
Jubelale | Deschutes Brewery
Brewed right here in the DrinkTanks® backyard of Bend, Oregon, this winter ale is packed with notes of holiday spice doing a literal sugar plum dance with toffee, dusted cocoa, and a Santa-sized dose of robust malt. Like its Cleveland pal, this one is best shared with friends... and neighbors. Here’s looking at you, Deschutes Brewery!
Mad Elf | Troegs Independent Brewing
Ahh, yes, it is the holidays, and we know at least one of you wants the beer with the festive punch. Look no farther than the 11% ABV Mad Elf from Troegs in Hershey, PA. It’s more than worth the slow sipping to take in the complexity of this perfectly brewed Belgian Strong Ale. It drips with flavors of cherry, rich chocolate, honey, and holiday herbal spice and sports a ruby red color to perfectly complement the reindeer sweater your grandma knit you.
(512)Oatmeal Coffee Stout | (512) Brewing Company
There is no better time of year than the holidays to drink your dessert, and for this, we turn to 512. Their Oatmeal Coffee Stout is brewed with a Ugandan coffee that helps impart a deep mocha nose and flavor that’s the perfect treat after any holiday meal. And at 8% ABV, it will warm you up for those chilly winter nights by the fire.
PRO TIP: Keep your festive brews perfectly chilled throughout that holiday party with our vacuum-sealed Pint Cups. And if things get rowdy, protect that precious nectar and throw on the cup’s lid. We won’t tell.
SUPER PRO TIP: Get some of your friends together and host a bottle share with some of those seasonal picks listed above!
SUPER DUPER PRO TIP: Make that shindig even more festive with our Limited Edition Ugly Sweater Pint Cups.