Hosting a holiday party can be stressful enough—figuring out the menu, timing everything so the food comes out close-ish to the same time, keeping your lovably kooky aunt from reprising last year's impromptu karaoke-with-a-turkey-leg-mic incident—so we totally understand why many people decide to simplify their booze options, sticking to wine, beer or spiked eggnog.
But, let's face it: Most of the parties you'll attend this winter will have the EXACT. SAME. MENU. And you do not throw parties like most people.
That's why we talked to some of Portland, Maine's top bartenders during the city's Harvest on the Harbor food festival to get their advice for creating the kind of drinks that earn you best-night-ever bragging rights.
1. Don't be afraid to give your booze a flavor boost.
Infusing your own alcohol can seem too tedious to bother with, but it's surprisingly simple to master—and the subtle hit of flavor can give even the simplest spiked cider or coffee the twist it needs to keep everyone guessing about your secret ingredient. All you have to do is add a little dried fruit, nuts or citrus zest to the alcohol and leave it alone for at least a week—or up to a month. (The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor will be.)
Your mixer can help you decide what to infuse your booze with, says Kevin Gaspardi, general manager of Coffee By Design. Think of how you'd describe the juice or coffee, and look for flavors that have a similar description. Coffee By Design, for example, worked with bartenders at The King's Head gastropub to create a spiked java for Harvest on the Harbor, adding pecans, orange zest and cinnamon sticks to a bottle of Toasted Caramel Black Velvet whisky to play up the spiced, nutty flavor in the coffee.
2. Reveal your bitter side.
If you don't have time to infuse alcohol, consider adding a few drops of bitters to your cocktails. They're just a concentrated burst of flavor—and booze—that can punch up the drink, packing on flavor without diluting anyone's buzz. Plus, today's bitters go way beyond Angostura, so you can experiment with ones that taste like anything from cranberry to alpine herbs. (Many brands will list what kinds of alcohol they pair best with.)
3. Get your punch ratio right.
A powerful—but not overwhelming—punch is typically 1/3 alcohol, 2/3 juice and other ingredients, says Caleb Cole, co-owner of Sur Lie. Also, if you want to keep the drink cool without diluting it, make a second, smaller batch of punch that you can freeze into ice cubes. As it melts, it's like the bowl refills itself.
4. Lighten the mood.
A splash of club soda or seltzer gives the drink a bubbly lightness, making it a refreshing palate cleanser as you snack on all kinds of appetizers (particularly ones that are cheesy, deep-fried or sauce-drenched—AKA all of the good ones).
5. Let your garnish balance out the flavor.
Adding an orange peel or a cinnamon stick doesn't just make the cocktail look more Insta-worthy; it can create a more complex, flavorful drink. When Erin Beaupain, bartender at Zapoteca, wanted to come up with a cocktail that tasted like "autumn and dessert in a glass," she combined tequila, cranberry puree, Licor 43 (a spicy Spanish liquor) and a cinnamon-sage syrup, then garnished it with a sage leaf, fresh cranberry and a cinnamon-sugar rim. The sage helped bring out the herbal flavors in the drink, and the cinnamon-sugar balanced out the tartness of the cranberry puree, so you weren't left puckering your lips after every sip.
6. Remember your worth.
When asked about the biggest mistake people make when mixing cocktails, the bartenders at Glass had no hesitation: "Buying the cheap stuff!" Booze that burns on the way down on its own just gives your cocktail an almost medicinal, less-burning-but-still-burning aftertaste. You don't have to go for the most expensive bottles out there, though: Aim for the price point just above bottom barrel. You and your squad are worth it.
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