Halloween Drinks

Pumpkin Martini Garnish

2015-10-31T14:28:00.001-07:00

Always on the hunt for a new pumpkin martini garnish. I stumbled on these Halloween Peeps Tombstones in the grocery store. Not too big a fan of extruded marshmallows, but these worked surprisingly well and they were a hit. Just take a sharp knife and cut a slot in the bottom and slide it over the rim of the glass.

This is the package I found:

This just in.... from Distillery Trail, a Pumpkin Old Fashioned Cocktail!

2015-10-26T15:12:00.002-07:00

I'm a fan of the cocktail known as the Old Fashioned. Especially a particular recipe that uses rum and rye as the base. But being a bigger fan of all-things-pumpkin, I can't wait to try this version.

From Natalie Migliarini at Distillery Trail, comes a recipe for a Pumpkin Old Fashioned.

Now I need to make a run to the store for some pumpkin butter.

Check out the Pumpkin Old Fashioned recipe here.

Spherified Pumpkin Balls - Engineer Pub

2012-10-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Four thousand seven hundred ninety-nine miles away from me, at the Engineer Pub in London, "pumpkin balls" are being prepped for Halloween cocktails. This brilliant image shown here came via twitter, with the tease, "Making pumpkin balls for Halloween..." I replied hoping for more information, and got a quick response adding, "@antlerhandler mango bellini cocktails with 'spherefied' mango to celebrate the night of the wicked and weird!"

Spherification has been a hot topic in the high tech cooking circles over the last couple of years. Seattle has been the epicenter of some of the experimentation that has been taken place. I've been meaning to experiment with spherification but hadn't made it there yet. Seeing this picture provides some great incentive.

If I left for London now, I think I could make it in time...

Update: This just in.... Here is the cocktail with the pumpkin balls.

Via: The Engineer Pub

Pumpkin Liqueur, The Final Product - Bottling and Labeling

2012-10-23T21:54:00.003-07:00

If you've gone to the trouble of making your own pumpkin liqueur, the final step is to bottle and label it. I've tried a few variations over the years and here is my latest effort. The bottles, label paper, and shrinkwrap caps all came from a local brewing supply company, and I designed the labels and printed them on a basic inkjet printer.

The labels are easy, they can be laid out in most any word processing program and printed to the special label paper which has a water soluble glue on one side. Cut, wet, and place the labels being careful not to get the ink damp, as it can bleed or run. I also put small labels on the back with my recipe notes for the particular bottling as I'm always experimenting and refining the recipe.

Filtering of your pumpkin liqueur is the hardest part to achieve a professional looking product. Even after extensive filtering, you'll likely find a layer of sediment at the bottom of your bottles after a period of time.

The final touch that really makes them look pro, is to add a shrinkwrap sealing cap. These are the same caps used on wine bottles and they come in a variety of colors. Just slide them on and shrink them (carefully) with a heat source, such as a heat gun, hair dryer, propane torch, or even your stove top.

Best Halloween Cocktail - The Pumpkin King Cocktail

2012-10-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

I just learned something new about cocktails today while reading a book about bitters. It seems that for a drink to be called a cocktail, it must have bitters as one of the ingredients. And while this particular drink may not be my overall favorite Halloween drink (hard to beat the pumpkin martinis), it is my new favorite Halloween cocktail.

I've already blogged about this particular drink in a previous post which has a video by local bartending guru Jamie Boudreau. In his video, he shows how to make a pumpkin beer liqueur, followed by the Pumpkin King Cocktail, which uses the pumpkin beer liqueur as an ingredient. I've experimented with this drink in several variations now so I'd thought I post the recipe directly with some minor variations.

The Pumpkin King Cocktail

1-1/2 oz. Blended Scotch Whisky (Jamie suggests Pigs Nose, I used Old Crofter)
1/2 oz. Pumpkin Beer Liqueur (Jamie used the liqueur he made in the video which is excellent, I used my own homemade pumpkin liqueur) If you use mine, increase the amount closer to 1 oz. Jamie's is very sweet in comparison to mine, so use a little more.
1/2 oz. Lime juice (my preference based on my ingredients was to use a little less)
Dash of Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters. I couldn't find this locally, but I found Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters, which sounds similar and smells and tastes amazing! More like Halloween than the Island spices it wants to be. I preferred two dashes, though don't go any further, it is definitely bitter if overdone.
Ginger Beer

Add ice to a cocktail shaker, add the whisky, lime juice, bitters, and pumpkin liqueur. Shake well. strain into an ice filled collins glass, then top up the glass with ginger beer. Stir and garnish with a lime slice. That's it, but I suggest watching the video to see the master at work.

This drink is an amazing fall cocktail. Its flavor is rich and unique, but its complexity is what makes it so fascinating. I found myself flinching at the thought of lime as I watched the video, but it works really well. And I'm now a new-found bitters fan. There will be more to come on the topic of bitters.

This drink still needs one thing in my humble opinion, a proper Halloween garnish -- the bane of so many Halloween Drinks. Once again, I'll have my eye out for a proper garnish for this one.

Original cocktail recipe and video via Jamie Boudreau. Bravo!

Pumpkin Liqueur -- There's Still Time to Make it Before Halloween

2012-10-10T21:38:00.002-07:00

Halloween is quickly approaching so it is time to start your batch of pumpkin liqueur. We've got two recipes here on HalloweenDrinks.net, the original slow steep method, and the new one-hour pumpkin liqueur.

The original slow method has the most complexity and nuances in the flavor, but the one-hour is still terrific and you can be sipping a pumpkin martini by tonight. So pick the version that is right for you.

Pumpkin Martinis - Garnish Ideas

2012-09-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

The best pumpkin martinis in the world, need world class garnish. I've struggled to come up with garnish that complements the coveted pumpkin martini both visually and taste-wise. I've seen the tapioca pearls in some Halloween drinks and they can be quite dramatic, but I'd never had so much as a bubble tea and had no idea what to expect. So I headed off to our local Uwajimaya Asian grocery store and picked up some tapioca pearls to test out. I picked up three varieties, "black", "black sugar", and a mixed color. There wasn't a lot of descriptive text on the packaging, it was mostly what you see is what you get. I like the black in contrast to the pumpkin liqueur and while I haven't tasted all of them yet, I think the two black types may be very similar, they are in appearance after being boiled.

They are very simple to prepare, they just need boiling for 5-10 minutes and they are ready to go. They have the consistency of gummy worms but not much flavor. They do tend to pick up the flavor of whatever they are in, so I'm testing soaking them in pumpkin liqueur to see how they taste.

They are very Halloween, but I think this martini needs a proper Halloween name. Hmmm?

Absinthe and Halloween!

2012-09-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

Absinthe has a long history and such a unique mystique. It seems only fitting that a potion known as the Green Fairy would have a place of honor on any Halloween bartender's bar shelf.

Our Halloween drink today comes via Absinthes.com, and is called, The Corpse Reviver No. 2 Cocktail

Gin, Cointreau, Lillet, lemon, and of course, absinthe.

Update: Here is a variation of the same drink via BoyDrinksWorld

Aurora-Borealis Maybe, Halloween Definitely

2012-08-16T07:30:00.001-07:00

A friend (thank you Matt!) pointed me to BoingBoing's post on making a cocktail that looks like outer space and digging deeper we find the source of this glowing concoction is the Party Lab at Campus Companion. And while space, Mars, and the Perseid Meteor Shower are in the news right now, Halloween is just around the corner and this drink looks more at home at a Halloween party.

Pumpkin King Cocktail

2011-12-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

Right in my own back yard, a truly innovative pumpkin drink by Jamie Boudreau of Cannon Seattle. And the beer-based pumpkin liqueur sounds fascinating. Can't wait to give this a try.

Indirectly via The Cocktail Party.

One Hour Pumpkin Liqueur -- Finally!

2011-10-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

One-Hour Pumpkin Liqueur just after filtering

Halloween is near and you get the brilliant idea to search the Internet for some Halloween drink recipes.   You land on this site and find pumpkin martinis, and even better, the recipe for pumpkin liqueur.   You get excited, right up to the point that the recipe say's it has to steep for five weeks!   Halloween will have come and gone by then.

But no longer, we've been working hard for several years in the HalloweenDrinks.net test kitchen, trying different methods to speed up the process.    After many iterations and plying friends with different versions in blind taste tests, we are ready to unveil the newest version of the pumpkin liqueur recipe, the HalloweenDrinks.net One Hour Pumpkin Liqueur.

The taste is very close to the original recipe, though it definitely gets more complex and interesting when it gets to steep for 5 weeks.   And I should come clean now, it steeps for 1 hour, but the filtering still takes some time and effort.   And if you want the beautiful crystal clear look, the only way I know now is to let it sit for several weeks after filtering, then siphon off above the sediment.    This will be our next task, to devise a quicker and more efficient filtering method.   But if you need it, you can be drinking homemade pumpkin liqueur tonight!

About the recipe....   It isn't that different from the classic recipe, it is just how we go about the process that makes the difference.   There are two ways to get the essence of the pumpkin and spices into our liqueur, (1) steeping in alcohol, and (2) heat. Both will extract the flavorings that we are looking for.    To speed up our process, we now employ heat in addition to steeping in alcohol.    Changing the order of several steps is what accelerates the process. And finally, we also increased the quantity of most of the spices, which helps to get more flavor quicker.

Scott's One Hour Pumpkin Liqueur

Monarch 100 Proof Vodka - 1.75 litre
Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix - 30oz can
5 Cinnamon Sticks (I've cut down the cinnamon more)
3 TBLS of vanilla extract
15 whole allspice
15 whole cloves
1.5 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground fresh nutmeg

(syrup)
3-1/2 Cups Sugar   (Also cut down the sugar, if you like really sweet, then go up to 4-1/2 C)
6 cups water

(Finish)
3 TBLS glycerin
food coloring

Filter bags
Coffee Filters

In a really large sauce pan, dutch oven, or stock pot, we start with the simple syrup.   Mix the sugar and water in the pot and stir frequently while bringing it to a boil.    Once the sugar has dissolved and it is boiling, remove from the heat, turn OFF your burner, and stir in all the ingredients above (except for the finishing items.)    The pumpkin, spices, and the vodka all go in the pot while it is still hot.

Caution!!! Be absolutely sure there are no open flames at this point! This is 100 proof vodka, and it is being heated, you do not want the vapors or liquid to catch fire!

Cover the pot and start the timer for one hour. After one hour, it is time to strain and filter the liqueur. It is very cloudy at this stage, and we need to start the process of finishing.   I have two filter bags now that I've purchased from a local brewing supply store.   A "course" filter bag and a "fine" filter bag.    I place the course bag in a colander, over a large bowl and start pouring the liqueur into the filter bag.   It drains quickly for a moment and then starts to clog.   I then gather up the filter bag around the sediment and tighten to drain all the liquid.   Then dump the damp sediment, wash the bag from behind to clear any remaining sediment, then repeat until you've passed the entire batch through the course bag.   Return the liqueur to the pot, then start again with the fine filter bag.

After the filter bags, you'll still have a cloudy liqueur, but the majority of the solids are out now.   Taste a sample for an idea of what the finished product will taste like.      Continue the filtration with the coffee filters.   This is the best I've come up with, but it is a horribly tedious process.    I put the coffee filters in anything that will hold them and allow the liqueur to drain through to a container below. You'll want several going in parallel, because it filters so slow.   I put them in strainers, coffee pots, colanders, etc. and pour in some liqueur and start the filtering.   It flows fine for a moment, but then the filter starts to clog.   Carefully pull up the edges of the filter and close in to seal the top.   Then start twisting to gently force the liquid through the filter.   Keep twisting tighter until all the liqueur is out, then toss the filter away and start again.

The resulting liqueur is still cloudy, but it only has incredibly fine particles of pumpkin and spices now.   You can bottle and be done now, but I like to let it sit a few weeks and it will become crystal clear over time.   Siphon off the clear liqueur and avoid the sediment.

Once you have the liqueur ready for bottling, add the glycerin (it gives it an interesting mouth feel) and add the food coloring.   I've bought professional grade orange, but I'm going back to mixing red and yellow as I like the color better.   I can adjust it to the perfect shade of pumpkin orange, with 35 drops total, 28 yellow and 7 red. You may have to experiment just a bit with your food coloring to get the perfect color. Pour into sterilized bottles and add some labels.

Comparison of color and clarity - finished vs. newly filtered

Your ready now to mix a fabulous pumpkin martini, choose your favorite, the Ultimate Pumpkin Martini, the Classic Pumpkin Martini, or my favorite, the Subtle Pumpkin Martini.

Indian Corn Layered Smoothy

2010-10-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

Here is another HalloweenDrinks.net original cocktail for both Halloween and the holidays that I'm calling the Indian Corn Layered Smoothy.    Indian corn candy is the inspiration, you know the stuff, the cousin of candy corn.   But the spark of invention came after spotting Three Olives Purple Vodka.      I was concerned that the grape flavor would be a problem, but the result is good, really good! And I'm a harsh critic of sweet drinks.

I had trouble with the name, but decided on "smoothy" as the cream is what makes this distinct, and it has a smooth, sweet creamy flavor that changes from the beginning of the drink to the end of the drink.   Now the hard part....making the drink.

This cocktail is in the category of flashy dramatic holiday drinks. The layers, when done right, are a thing of Halloween beauty.    Ingredients:

1- 1/2 oz. Scott's Pumpkin Liqueur
1 oz. Three Olives Purple Vodka
(just enough) Cream (or Soy Milk Creamer)

The layering is the hard part.   Layering works because the density of each ingredient is different. The pumpkin liqueur will sit on the bottom, with the vodka happily staying on the top.   The cream will float on it all. But the act of pouring is key as it is easy to end up mixing two layers.

In an open glass, like a martini glass, you can hold a spoon over the glass, just to one side and pour slowly into the spoon.   I prefer a deeper glass like the scotch glass shown here, or a champagne flute.   This requires even more care.   The pumpkin liqueur is easy, but then put the vodka in a small ladle, hold it close to the pumpkin liqueur, and pour slowly.   Same for the cream.   Use just enough cream to cover the top.

The first sip comes out mostly grape -- the vodka.   Then it mixes with a little cream.   It gets creamier as you continue and then the pumpkin emerges and gets stronger as you drink more.

There is a lot of alcohol in this cocktail so enjoy responsibly.

Subtle Pumpkin Martini

2010-10-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

And now the third in this set, the coveted Subtle Pumpkin Martini. Two fellow martini drinkers taught me to appreciate a classic Bombay Gin martini -- the gin had to come straight from the freezer. Oh so dry. Two olives and an onion..... So when it came to creating pumpkin martinis, I needed something that would appeal to me as I'm not a fan of sweet drinks.

After much experimentation, here it is. This is good, if I do say so myself. And I know it will appeal to any classic martini drinker.

The proportions are really important in this drink. You can scale it up, but keep the proportions the same. The balance is what makes it work.

Scott's Subtle Pumpkin Martini
1 oz. Bombay Gin
1 tsp Scott's Pumpkin Liqueur
And the super secret ingredient:
1/8th tsp Laphroaig Scotch

You could also use Lagavulin Scotch, but you might want just a wee bit more. It is the smokiness we're after here, so you need one of the heavier smokey, peaty Islay malts.

So good.....the color is a pale straw, just a subtle hint of pumpkin and the tinge of smokiness. This is a year-round martini. And for your classic martini drinkers, this may become their new drink of choice.

One variation that works very well, is the same basic recipe but instead of gin, I use vodka from Dry Fly Distillery. I'm not a normally a vodka fan, but Dry Fly's is amazing and it works great in this drink.

I'm still searching for the perfect garnish. I can't quite bring myself to put in olives, though they may work fine. Let me know if you discover a garnish that fits this perfect martini.

Classic Pumpkin Martini

2010-10-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

This martini is just a variation of the Sweet Pumpkin Martini, it is still sweet, but tame in comparison. Very simple, very elegant, and easy to make.

This recipe is also versatile, it works either vodka or gin, so take your pick.

1 oz. Scott's Pumpkin Liqueur
1-1/2 oz. Vodka or Gin (Bombay is my favorite)
Candy corn

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and strain into a martini glass. Add the candy corn for garnish.

Hold it up to the light, the color screams out Halloween!

This martini will serve you well through Thanksgiving and the holidays too.

Ultimate Pumpkin Martini

2010-10-26T20:44:00.000-07:00

First up is the big frou-frou Sweet Pumpkin Martini. When someone say's, I want a pumpkin martini, start here. You've got to be a fan of sweet martinis though, if not hold out, there are others on the way.

I'm not sure why pumpkin liqueur lends itself to martinis so well, but who am I to argue. Without further ado, here is the recipe:

Before mixing this up, prepare your martini glasses with a rim of cinnamon/sugar mixture. Premix some ground cinnamon with sugar (superfine us supposed to work best), pour a few drops of vodka into the glass, and turn the glass partially upside down while rotating to wet the complete rim. Then dip the rim into the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

1 oz. Scott's Pumpkin Liqueur
1 oz. Vodka
1/8 oz. Cinnamon Liqueur (such as Goldschlager)
Candy corn

Pour the above ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well, and pour into your prepped martini glass. Toss in several candy corns for garnish.

Get ready to make more, they are always a hit.

In Search of the Perfect Pumpkin Martini

2010-10-25T21:46:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a series on the coveted pumpkin martini. My adventure for the perfect Halloween drink started with the pumpkin martini and led to the creation of my own pumpkin liqueur. I'll be posting a few tuning suggestions on pumpkin liqueur recipe as well.

My experiments have led to three variations that have become hits. First, is the big over-the-top Sweet Pumpkin Martini (center). Next, is the slightly toned down Classic Pumpkin Martini (right). And last but not least, my personal favorite, the Subtle Pumpkin Martini (left).

Now that I have some new photos of my versions, I'll get all the recipes posted.

Halloween Drink Glass Charms

2010-10-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

And on the topic of garnishes and drink glass charms, check out these Halloween wine, beer, and drink charms from tartx at etsy.com. The vintage Halloween theme works great.

Garnishes for your Halloween Drinks

2010-10-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

JenniB from aWellCraftedParty.com has put together a great roundup of Halloween drinks and cocktails in her Friday Finds:Halloween Drinks column that includes everything from non-alcoholic drinks to punch, garnishes, and even barware. I was particularly intrigued by the garnishes as every great Halloween drink deserves a seasonal garnish.

Original images via hostessblog.com, bhg.com and Martha Stewart.

I've used these black cat drink charms for some time, but they appear to be discontinued now.

The Black Martini

2010-08-31T21:54:00.000-07:00

How perfectly Halloween, the Black Martini!

From Colleen Graham, the cocktail maven at About.com, we get a recipe with several variations for a Halloween black martini. Not sure how this will taste, but it looks great. I'm going to try pairing this with my pumpkin martini for an orange and black martini combo.

The Blavod black vodka gets mixed reviews on taste, but the color is nice. I'm compelled to try the black raspberry liqueur as well, that might taste better.

Via: About.com:Cocktails

Time for some Interesting Drinks

2009-11-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

This blog is all about Halloween drinks, so it is time to start featuring some. I had found several that were really interesting before, so I want to get those here first.

Check these out at Dabbled, the Brain Hemorrhage, as it is called, was originally from TangoPango.

And this florescing martini, also from Dabbled, looks terrific!

And be sure to check these out as well.

Pumpkin Liqueur - it all starts here...

2009-11-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

This cloudy concoction is where it all starts. This is a new batch of pumpkin liqueur in the early stages. It starts out looking disgusting, but the final product is anything but.

After basing my original recipe on the Bols Pumpkin Smash Liqueur, it disappeared from the market. So I went down the experimental path to reinvent it. In the end I was glad I went to all the work as I thought the Bols was too sweet and not the right spice balance. I scoured the Internet in search of recipes, and bought a book on making liqueurs called Classic Liqueurs. There was no pumpkin liqueur in the book, but seeing all the recipes gave me a great head start. It took 3 generations of trials, and each generation was split into 4 batch variations, initially focusing on the pumpkin flavoring. What I discovered along the way is that pumpkin by itself tastes like squash -- go figure. What we really think of as "pumpkin" is the spices that go along with the pumpkin. So it is better to call this Pumpkin Spice Liqueur.

By the 3rd generation I was making good progress. I kept plying everyone around me with tastings, and I finally settled in on a recipe. It came out similar to Bols, but I like to think it tastes better. More flavoring (from actual pumpkin and spices) and not so sweet. Slightly higher alcohol content as well.

So here is the result from all my experiments, the recipe for pumpkin (spice) liqueur. I still tweak it a little each time, but this is where it stands now.

Scott's Pumpkin Liqueur Recipe:

Monarch 100 Proof Vodka - 1.75 litre
Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix - 30oz can (This worked the best -- really!)
5 Cinnamon Sticks (Note this is different than my previous recipe - cutting down a little on the cinnamon)
4 1/2 vanilla beans (split) or about 3 TBLS (close to an ounce) of Vanilla
10 whole allspice
10 whole cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground fresh nutmeg

(syrup)
4 1/2 Cups Sugar
6 cups water

(Finish)
3 tsp food grade glycerin (Beer supply outlets have this)
Coloring - I use Heritage Farm Food Colors
35 total drops color (28 yellow, 7 red)

You'll need a BIG jar. I use a big pickling jar seen in the pcture above. Clean and sterilize the jar and lid really well. Then toss in all the ingredients in the first part of the list. Stir/shake it around to mix well. Close up the jar and put it in a cool area to steep for two weeks. Stir/shake it every couple of days.

After two weeks, we strain the concoction through a filter bag. I got mine from a beer supply place, not too fine at this point. I also clean the cinnamon sticks but toss them back in for the final phase. At this time, we also make and add the syrup. Put the sugar and water in a large pan and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Let cool. Pour the syrup into the big jar and stir it up. Close it back up and put it back in the dark/cool location for three more weeks. Once again, stir/shake occasionally.

After the 3 weeks, it is time to filter, finish, and bottle the liqueur. Filtering is tough. The Bols liqueur had a nice orange crystal clear look that I can't quite achieve. My current method is to use a gold coffee filter with extra paper coffee filters in it. This takes quite a while and you'll use many paper coffee filters before you are done. But it comes out nice when complete. I'm thinking now of breaking down and buying a powered wine filter, but I'll have to be making this much more often to justify it.

The final finishing step is to add the glycerin, and the orange coloring. Then find some nice bottles to put your finished product in.

The final proof should be somewhere around the neighborhood of 24% alcohol by volume or about 48 Proof.

While it takes a little time, the result is well worth it.

HalloweenDrinks.net is Launched

2009-11-20T18:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world's first blog dedicated to libations solely for Halloween! We'll be featuring all types of drinks, with and without alcohol. I started researching drinks for Halloween a few years ago when I was looking for pumpkin based martinis. I gathered as many recipes as I could find, then ended up melding them into my own recipe. The very next year after refining the recipe to perfection, Bols, the maker of the pumpkin liqueur I used, stopped manufacturing and distribution of the liqueur. I then set out to make my own pumpkin liqueur and it has been a hit among my friends.

Since that time, I've created a new pumpkin martini, my personal favorite, called the Subtle Pumpkin Martini. I published the recipes for the drinks and the pumpkin liqueur in my Halloween blog TangleofWires, but now it is time for the Halloween drinks to take center stage.