5 Winter Cocktails to Warm You Up
Adding winter twists to cocktails is a fun way to keep the drink rotation unique and fresh, whether it's for your home bar or your next cocktail party.
By following these simple recipes based on tried-and-true classics, you'll enjoy drinks with loads of layers, complexitity, and notable winter flavors like cinnamon, allspice, and coffee, that will surely delight you and your guests. All ingredients are available at Sip Better's flagship shop in Minneapolis!
BITTER, SWEET COFFEE
A coffee cocktail is perfect in the winter to not only stave off the early sunsets but to add roasted notes of chocolate and vanilla bean to stirred cocktails. Bitter, Sweet Coffee is a cocktail that uses the structure of an Old Pal cocktail with the added twist of Two James Coffee Liqueur and St. Agrestis Brooklyn Amaro for an additional layer of complexity.
1.5 oz Dampfwerk London Dry Gin
0.75 oz Bordiga Apertivo
0.75 oz St. Agrestis Amaro
1 oz Two James Coffee Liqueur
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large glass of ice and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain liquid into a rocks glass with one large ice cube and garnish with an orange peel.
BLOOD ORANGE SIDECAR
It may be tempting to stick to stirred classics and variations as the winter approaches and temps drop but a well placed robust and sour cocktail is perfect for that much-needed variety at cocktail parties. A bold brandy base with a high quality orange liqueur do the leg work while rich and zesty blood orange juice becomes the showstopper.
1 oz Brandy Sainte Louise
1 oz Geijer California Orange
0.75 Blood Orange juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 15-20 seconds. Strain liquid into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a slice of blood orange.
MEZCAL NEGRONI
Nothing like a smoky tipple to soothe the winter blues! This classic-with-a-twist includes a beautiful vermouth from one of our favorite Californian winemakers.
*Recipe adapted from Mathiasson
1 oz Bordiga Apertivo
1 oz Yola Mezcal
1 oz Mathiasson Vermouth
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large glass of ice and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice and garnish with an orange peel.
CRISP + MINTY
What may sound like an unconventional pairing of tonic with a peppermint schnapps, the mix along with a dose of barrel gin from J. Carver, creates a refreshing take on the classic G&T. Don't skimp on the mint bouquet; the added aromatics seal the deal on this wintery, bubbly, highball.
1.5 oz J. Carver Barrel Gin
0.25 oz Dampfwerk Pfeffermenz
4 oz tonic water
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a Collins glass filled with ice. Stir gently to combine and garnish with a bouquet of mint.
WINTER NEGRONI
The Winter Negroni is a quick cocktail to recognize but the addition of a glögg liqueur from Geijer California Glogg blends warm allspice, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, with bourbon and turns the classic Negroni on its head for a tasty, cold weather sipper.
1.5 oz Etesia Bourbon
0.75 oz Geijer California Glögg
0.75 Bordiga Apertivo
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large glass of ice and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain liquid into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange peel.
*Shop for ingredients at our flagship wine shop →
—Connor Green