Halloween is here once again and despite Covid-19 still very much being a present issue worldwide but thanks to the eased UK restrictions earlier this year, it feels a touch more normal than October 2020. With Sunday the 31st looming, Saturday night is set for costume parties nationwide whether it be home based of hosted by your local. And for both domestic and commercial hosts alike the night’s drinks selection must cater to the Halloween spirit.
As such, Alliance Online have put together the following Halloween drinks recipes which are sure to make the party memorable (albeit a fuzzy memory!).
The Zombie
Obviously sitting in at number one on the list is one of the few year-round cocktails that is actually named after a typical Halloween ghoul; the Zombie. Made with a mixture of rums, liquors and fruit juices the zombie offers makers various options to create numerous flavours and colours all with the intention of fuelling the senses. Its first appearance was in 1934 by Donn Beach in California and has since become a favourite of the cocktail world. It’s International Bartender Association (IBA) definitive recipe includes unique and hard to find ingredients including falernum, pernod and “Donn’s Mix”. As such we have listed a variant below that a cocktail purist may snub but will still pack a punch and make for a great tasting beverage (serves one).
- 30ml Dark Rum (dark, opposed to dark spiced)
- 30ml Spiced (or Gold) Rum
- 20ml White Rum
- 40ml Pineapple Juice
- 40ml Papaya Juice (or Lime Juice for some added freshness)
- 1 tsp Grenadine Syrup
- Orange Bitter (if available)
- Passionfruit syrup (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice, once done so pour the contents into a tall hiball glass or a hurricane glass. The drink can be served with a wedge of lime or orange for garnish and due to the high alcohol content, the cocktail can be lit if desired for a dramatic serve-show.
Halloween Punch
Now this is a fantastically fun option which can be concocted to either serve children or with a few dashes of aged rum can become a favourite for all the of age monsters and demons that come out to play on Hallows Eve! The basic recipe is as follows (note, amend as necessary to fit your punch bowl, the below serves roughly 24 drinks):
- 1900ml Cranberry 100% Juice Blend (available at most supermarkets and saves the effort of having to mix multiple fruit juices)
- 1900ml Apple Juice (or Apple Cider for a slightly tangier taste)
- 2000ml Ginger Ale
- Blood Orange Slices (optional garnish)
Simply place all ingredients in a punch bowl and mix with a large spoon, once mixed place in a refrigerator to cool prior to serving. To add an alcoholic undertone, you have two options:
- Replace the 2000ml of ginger ale and instead opt for (1000ml Ginger Ale and 750ml rum).
- Equally, if you are catering for both young and old prepare the punch as instructed without any alcohol and place a bottle of rum beside the punch bowl and allow your guests to add it to their drinks upon serving.
If opting for the latter both bourbon and vodka also work with the punch so let your guests enjoy their own preference.
The Witches Brew
This drink although not a standardised beverage is known by mixers for having a striking colour, usually bright green, blue or purple dependent upon the ingredients and the way it is mixed. The following recipe will produce a bright green drink exuding a radioactive aesthetic combined with a sweet and tart taste. What you’ll require is (serves one):
- 45ml Midori
- 45ml Cointreau
- 30ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 Cocktail Cherry (Equally other garnish can be used)
Once your ingredients have been amassed just pour all three into a cocktail mixer with some ice, mix well and then strain the drink into a rocks (lowball) tumbler glass, add fresh ice and garnish with a cherry.
For those unfamiliar with Midori it is a unique Japanese bright green liqueur, which boasts a honeydrew melon flavour. Its usage is almost exclusively reserved for mixing into cocktail, the most well known being the Midori Sour which is another fantastically visual drink.
Jack-o-Spice Martini
What Halloween cocktail recipes list would be complete without a pumpkin inspired option and this martini will hit the desired taste buds. The Jack-o-Spice martini is basically a pumpkin spiced martini and is an easy to make cocktail sure to impress your guests. To make this drink, use the following (serves one):
- 45ml Vanilla Flavoured Vodka
- 45ml Irish Cream Liqueur
- 45ml Pumpkin Flavoured Liqueur
- 1 cup of ice cubes
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
Pour the vodka, Irish cream and pumpkin liqueur into a cocktail shaker along with the ice. Cover and shake until the outside of the shaker begins to frost. Strain the contents into a martini glass and garnish with a sprinkle of the cinnamon and nutmeg ready to serve.
This martini recipe is great because it is open to experimentation which can produce flavoursome results. For example, try and swap the vanilla vodka for coffee flavoured vodka (we would note, ensure it is only a subtle flavoured vodka opposed to a strong punchy taste), or try producing a caramel and brown sugar rim for a delicate yet scrumptious finish to your drink.
Corpse Reviver
Is there a more aptly named cocktail for the 31st of October besides the Corpse Reviver? We are going to specifically focus on the Corpse Reviver No. 2 which is the most common variant of the reviver family. Much like the Zombie, it too dates back to the dirty thirties with it first being printed in the Savoy Cocktail book in 1930. But, unlike the zombie which was so named due to it’s mindless trance inducing effect, the corpse reviver is noted for providing the drinker with a boost of energy temporarily clearing the mind. For this drink you’ll need (serves one):
- 30ml Gin
- 30ml Lemon Juice
- 30ml Curacao (Cointreau)
- 30ml Cocchi Americano (or Lillet Blanc / Dry Vermouth)
- ½ tsp Absinthe
- Orange Peel / Orange Wedge for garnish
Much like with the other recipes on this list, add all of the above except the orange for garnish into a cocktail shaker with ice and thoroughly shake. Once the ingredients have been mixed strain the resulting cocktail out into a coupe glass and finish with the orange peel / wedge. The coupe glass adds a degree of elegance and sophistication whilst you enjoy your boozy pick me up.
Absinthe: a note on the absinthe, this can be used in one of two ways, the first being as mentioned above, simply mix with the rest of the ingredients and serve. An alternative however, is to put the absinthe in the empty glass instead and roll it around until the glass has been coated with a layer of absinthe giving the drink a subtle aroma as well as taste.
There are numerous other recipes that can be used when putting on a Halloween party or amending your cocktail menu for the October month. Alliance Online provide a full and extensive range of glassware, barware, cocktail essentials and bar equipment. We have been servicing the hospitality and leisure industries for over twenty years and during this time have developed a vast amount of knowledge and expertise for what our customers need. If you can’t find what you need on our ecommerce website, contact your local branch and one of our friendly reps will no doubt be able to assist you.
