Thirsty Thursday Cocktails

December Cocktail Recipes:

Thirsty Thursday is back on December 1 for some tasty Christmas inspires cocktails.  How much do you LOVE the smell of a fresh cut Christmas tree?  Have you ever wished you could taste it?  Well now you can!  We will be sampling a Balsam Shrub cocktail.  Its made by making a simple syrup out of your Christmas tree needles, mixed with gin and cranberry juice.  So cool right?  Swing on by Thursday night from 5-7 for the recipe and a taste.  We will also be mixing up cranberry Moscow mules,  an apple cider sangria and plain ol apple cider.

Click below for recipes:

Balsam Gin Sparkler

1½ oz citrus forward gin (like Smooth Ambler’s Gin, Tenn South’s Abernath, or Beefeater 24)
1 oz balsam syrup
1 oz cranberry juice
2 oz sparkling water
cranberries, for garnish
Fill a glass with ice and top with the gin, syrup, juice, and sparkling water. Give a stir. Top with juice, and garnish.

Balsam Fir Syrup
1 cup balsam fir needles, roughly chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
1½ tsp citric acid (can sub juice of 1 lemon)
In a medium sauce pan combine sugar and water, heat over medium high to high until boiling and sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. When boiling remove from heat, stir in pine needles and citric acid. Cover and let sit until room temp, taste, and allow to sit longer if you want a stronger flavor. When it’s ready, strain through a sieve lined with cheese cloth. Will keep indefinitely bottled in the fridge.
Cranberry Apple Cider Sangria

Serves: 8 cups

Ingredients:
1 750 ml. bottle red wine
3 cups soft apple cider (non-alcoholic)
1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
½ cup Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
½ cup honey* (or ½ cup simple syrup, made by heating equal parts of sugar and water over medium heat until dissolved)
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
sparkling water to top off
1 cup freshly diced red and/or green apple cubes
cinnamon sticks for garnish

Instructions:
Combine red wine, apple cider (or pure apple juice) cranberry juice, orange liqueur and honey (or simple syrup) in a large pitcher.
Add cranberries and diced unpeeled apples.
Serve over ice, if desired, filling glasses ¾ full and topping off with some sparkling water.

Cranberry Moscow Mules

Serves: 1 cocktail

Gather:
5 ounces Ginger Beer
3 oz Cranberry Juice
2 oz Vodka
Splash of Grand Marnier
Cranberries for garnish

Make:
Pour all ingredients over ice and stir.
Garnish Cranberries.