Herbal Happy Hour

homemade
holiday hooch

Bootleg-style booze without the bathtub
As we say goodbye to 2020 (thank goodness!), it might be tempting to reminisce about holiday celebrations of the past when family and friends gathered close without being separated by layers of cloth and six feet. No doubt this year’s celebrations will be small and subdued, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t be of good cheer. Our grandparents and great grandparents experienced similar trying times, whether due to economic depression, pandemic or prohibition, and they persisted by sticking to the basics and practicing self-reliance – with a little help from bathtub gin.

Fortunately, you won’t have to resort to an “alky cooker” (copper still) or keep a supply of corn sugar and yeast on hand to make flavorful (and safe) wintery spirits at home for enjoying over ice or mixing into cocktails. We offer recipes for basic, botanical-inspired, bootleg-style booze without the bathtub and some more about how the Volstead Act affected Amercian’s drinking in 1920 in our Homemade Holiday Hooch newsletter.

Gingered Gin
Juniper is the traditional flavoring for gin, but this version calls for ginger for a bright, citrusy flavor. The accompaniment of cardamom and allspice lend depth and warmth.

Fireball Whiskey
This will remind you of the fireball candies from your childhood. Perfect for a chilly winter night!

Woodland Vodka
For this recipe, you’ll need to forage for a fresh sprig of conifer from the great outdoors. Be sure it is taken from an untreated tree a safe distance away from a roadway to avoid pollutants. Also be sure to harvest from spruce (pine) or fir trees, as these are the only edible conifers. Note, too, that both spruce and fir provide a citrusy favor, but spruce is a bit resinous and fir is slightly bitter.

Bodalicious Brandy
The name says it all! Bold and flavorful, this infused bourbon is wonderful served “neat,” on the rocks, or mixed with soda.

medieval mixology

Mixology from the Middle Ages
If you enjoy mulled cider, wine or “liquid bread” (beer), you have the Medieval monk to thank for the existence of these liquid refreshments. Not only did monks maintain the monastery gardens from which herbs were harvested in the making of such spirits, but many were also master distillers. While people no longer depend on booze as a primary source of nutrition and hydration at a time when drinking water was risky, many of the concoctions of old are still — to coin a 14th century turn of phrase — wetting our whistles today. Among them: ale, beer, mead, wine, cider, Posset (eggnog), aquae vitae (brandy) and sack, the forerunner of modern sherry.

The introduction of bitters — aromatic herbs, roots, seeds and flowers infused in a combination of water and alcohol — allowed for more variety of concoctions and paved the way for modern pharmacognosy. The alcohol component acted as a solvent and a preservative, a significant advancement that extended the shelf-life of Renaissance-era tonics and digestifs. The addition of bitters to wine and brandy eventually gave rise to the modern cocktail, and many of the old recipes live on today.

Here’s a preview of the recipes we’ve gathered, read more about medieval mixology.

Plague Water (modern version)
Alcohol was consumed in liberal quantities when available — up to a gallon per person each day! — but more for medicinal purposes than recreational. In this case, to ward off bubonic plague. Plague water was a cordial made from a blend of wine and various botanicals.

Saffron Bitters
Certain medieval concoctions were formulated to ease morning-after woes. Loosely based on the like-cures-like theory in that partaking of the dog (booze) that sunk its “teeth” into you would fix a hangover. One popular such concoction was Saffron Bitters.

Medieval Mint Syrup
Mint-infused syrup has its origins in Morocco, where mint is without a doubt still the most consumed herb today. We offer a modern, simplified version.

Irish Milk Punch
Although they may not have been aware of it at the time, the juice of citrus fruits in the beverage helped sailors to keep scurvy at bay, while the addition of herbs and spices contributed to its revitalizing properties.

all that glitters

Effervescent libations with more glitter than gold
The old adage tells us that all that glitters isn’t gold. But the opposite is also true – all that is gold does not always glitter. Think of an antique store or your grandmother’s attic. The most precious of items are often more like rusty gold, but the memories attached to them make them sparkle nonetheless. In keeping with that sentiment, we’ve put together a few simple effervescent libations to help make your festive gatherings shine this holiday season.

Homemade Ginger Ale
Perfect for children and for mixing adult beverages, this classic beverage is so simple to make you’ll wonder why you ever purchased it from a store. The flavor is much nicer too – clean, mellow and smooth.
view the recipe >

Can't Beet This Cocktail
This refreshing cocktail features fresh beet, apple and ginger, topped off with tequila and a dash of chipotle. This recipe serves four, so double up for a crowd.
view the recipe >

Berry Gin Fizz
This recipe makes 10 tumblers, but if your gathering is smaller just refrigerate the fruit puree for later use and adjust the amounts for the remaining ingredients accordingly.
view the recipe >

Strawberry Basil Cocktail
This refreshing drink combines basil and strawberries with a touch of balsamic sweetness from agave nectar. Eliminate the vodka and you've got a nice "mocktail" for those who don't imbibe. This recipe is for an individual serving, so adjust accordingly for a crowd.
view the recipe >

An expanded account of our glittering inspiration can be found in our newsletter: All That Glitters.

winter wonderland

...Ain't it thrilling?
The winter season tends to bring people together, even long after the halls are decked and the New Year rung in. Whether you’re gathering with friends and family to celebrate the anticipated return of the sun, or to rejoice in a winter wedding, good food and drink are essential. Here, we offer a few twists on the traditional cocktail to make the most of your event.

Red Rudolph
This colorful cordial gets its spicy punch from a combination of vodka, Cointreau, cranberry and allspice dram, a liquor made from allspice berries. It’s easy and much more economical to make your own allspice dram, as well as more convenient, since, unlike Rudolph’s nose, it can be difficult to find.
view the recipe >

Golden Gingered Whiskey
With honey sweet and smoky notes in the mix, this cocktail warms and goes down smooth. For best flavor and color, use a good quality blended scotch whiskey.
view the recipe >

Spiced Sparkling Wine
Simple and elegant, this classy beverage is easy to serve to large groups and is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. Use a dry sparkling wine for this drink or, if you prefer, a dry golden champagne. A sprig of fresh rosemary adds a festive touch.
view the recipe >

Spiced Apple Cider
Spiked with brandy and laced with ginger and allspice berries, this classic winter drink is a party favorite. Be sure to set aside some “virgin” cider aside for the kids, perhaps identified by the addition of a candy cane in each mug instead of a cinnamon stick. For a smaller crowd, reduce the recipe by half.
view the recipe >

Here are two support formula to make some ingredients for the recipes above:
Allspice Dram
and
Ginger Syrup

allspice

cinnamon sticks

ginger

rosemary

literary libations

Dorothy Parker:
The Collected Dorothy Parker
the monterey bay martini
Our version of the herbal martini calls for dry gin infused with Cinnamon Apricot Tisane herbal tea blend, which features cinnamon chips, marigold flowers and dried apricot.
view the recipe >

William Shakespeare:
A Midsummer Night's Dream
sweet dreams
This fruity, colorful cocktail, inspired by “Shakespeare, Not Stirred,” is spirited enough to promote sweet dreams but, with moderation, you won’t end up away with the fairies (too tipsy to stay awake at the party).
view the recipe >

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
homes & watson party punch
Holmes may have commented on this crowd-pleasing punch with “It’s elementary” because it is simple and sweet, but he would not have said so to his sidekick. “Elementary, my dear Watson” doesn’t appear in any stories that feature Sherlock Holmes.
view the recipe >

Edward Albee:
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
homes & watson party punch
George reminisces that in their younger days Martha was fond of “real ladylike little drinkies,” before her taste ran to “rubbing alcohol.” One of her favorites was the Brandy Alexander, a drink so smooth that John Lennon compared it to a milkshake.
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Truman Capote:
Breakfast at Tiffany's
homes & watson party punch
No other boozy beverage described in this novella received so much attention as this version of the martini. We’ve modified the recipe just a bit, giving it a blush of pink and the subtle sweetness of elderflower..
view the recipe >

An expanded offering of our inspirations can be found in our newsletter: Literary Libations.

These recipes call for some herbal tea infusions. We use the herbal blends below but many others are also worth exploring.

avena
dream tea

cinnamon
apricot
tisane

cranberry
orange
tisane