All my honorable mentions are homemade drinks. They are amazing and easy to make so I’m leaving the recipes below too.
Coquito
I make these for Christmas. I’m not a fan of eggnog but I love coconut so these are the perfect alternative. They are so yummy with creamy coconut, Christmas spices and rum. My recipe makes eight servings but they can stay in the fridge for two weeks. Which is good because no one in my family drinks them, even my mom loves coconut, but that just means more for me. I’m drinking it all through the Christmas season.
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
13.5 oz coconut cream
13.5 oz coconut milk
1 tsp clove
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup white rum
In a blender, blend everything but the rum on medium-high for 2 minutes. With the motor running, pour in the rum, blend for 30 seconds. transfer to glass container. chill for 3 hours.
Virgin Bloody Mule
It’s called bloody because of the pomegranates. It’s basically a virgin pomegranate moscow mule. I love ginger beer and this recipe is my favorite way to use left over pomegranate juice. I’ve altered it from Half Baked Harvest.
1/2 oz lime juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp fig jam
1-2 slices of crystallized ginger
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
ginger beer
Add lime juice, apple cider vinegar, fig jam, crystallized ginger and pomegranate juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake to mix and strain into glass with ice. Top with ginger beer.
Virgin Mule
This is my go to mocktail for eating out because it’s hard to mess up but I also have it at home. It’s just lime juice and ginger beer to taste with ice. It’s so refreshing.
#5 Reverie at Stix
It’s gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon and ginger. It’s so light and refreshing but complex. Every time I’m at Stix I get this followed my a virgin mojito.
#4 Pear Whiskey Cocktail at Husk
This was very yummy and I loved the huge ice cube.
#3 Iced Horchata at Coffee Fox
This was so delicious! I limited myself to one but I could of had three that day. It’s a good thing I don’t live in Savannah or Coffee Fox would become a daily habit.
#2 Bar at Little Fleet
Little Fleet is a group of food trucks in Traverse City but they also and a inside bar with amazing cocktails that are always changing. I don’t remember what my drink was called because of that. It was a fruity whiskey cocktail that was so yummy and just tasted like summer. I don’t always make it but I like going there at least once a summer.
#1 The Scotsman at Alligator Soul
This was so amazing! The whiskeys really stood out and the liqueurs just enhanced the whiskeys flavor. The only $16+ drink I’ve ever had that was worth it. It was my first time having Scottish whiskey. It was so good although because there was a speyside and a peaty whiskey I’m not sure if I have a preference for one over the other. I’m just glad I walked to the restaurant.
