What do Bartenders Bring to the Holiday Party?

The Academy Team share their favorite easy-to-batch holiday cocktails, perfect for winter festivities and seasonal events.

It’s the season! Whether you’re prepping for a last-minute catering gig or just got an invite to a big dinner party, the odds are good that in the near future your bartending skills will be needed for an “away game.”

We checked in with the Academy team to see what pro bartenders are bringing to the festivities. The criteria? Recipes should be crowd-pleasers and easily batchable (unless, you know, you want to spend the whole party working).

Within these parameters, the team hand-picked a creative, wide-ranging quiver of cocktail recipes: From a fool-proof blender Egg Nog to eight-ingredient Mezcal Negroni to a piping hot Tiki cocktail, there’s something on this list for everyone!

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Kalimotxo – Lo Logsdon, Academy Bartender

Lo Says: “Typically seen in Spain as a split between cheap red wine and cola, a Kalimotxo can be elevated and turned into a fun and easy punch for the holidays by using a blend of Cynar and Averna.

This recipe is infinitely riffable. Very good with the addition of sweet vermouth as well! The idea here is to be able to batch your amari at home, and grab a bottle of wine and a couple cans of Coke on the way to the party.”

Kalimotxo Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of juicy red wine, typically a Rioja
• 1-2 12 oz cans of cola, depending on your sweetness preference
• 4 parts Cynar
• 4 parts Averna

Instructions:

• Add all ingredients together in a pitcher with ice.
• Garnish with orange twists and star anise.

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Hot Zombie – Jelani Johnson, Academy Head Bartender

Jelani says: “One of my all-time favorite holiday recipes is the Hot Zombie. This recipe below is adapted one Brian Miller shared with me. I’ve made it just about every year since I first got into cocktails.

The drink is complex, tropical, warming, and altogether satisfying. A batch of this can be kept in the fridge and heated anytime for a quick trip to the islands during the holiday season.”

Hot Zombie Recipe (serving size: 8 oz)
Ingredients:

• 1 bottle (750ml) Appleton Estate 8 Year Reserve
• 1.5 quarts Hot water
• 12 oz Pineapple juice
• 6 oz Passionfruit puree
• 6 oz Lime juice
• 6 oz Honey syrup (2:1)

Instructions:

• Batch & serve from a hot drink percolator, or bottle and heat in a saucepan or kettle to serve.
• Serve 8 oz in an Absinthe-rinsed coffee mug.
• Garnish with a pat of butter.

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Blender Egg Nog – Jessamine McClellan, Academy Director

Jessamine says: “This is, by its very definition, easy to batch. This recipe is delicious (and much quieter) if prepped before your event. If you’re running on the fly, though, it can also be made quickly and quite easily à la minute.”

Blender Egg Nog Recipe
Ingredients:

• 3 parts Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
• 3 parts Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
• 1.5 cups Whole Milk
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 4 large eggs
• .75 cups Granulated Sugar
• .5 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• .25 tbsp Ground Nutmeg
• .25 tbsp Ground Cloves

Instructions:

• Add eggs to a blender and blend on medium for 4 minutes to emulsify the eggs.
• With the blender running, remove the lid cap, and add sugar and blend for 30 seconds.
• Add milk, heavy cream, spices, Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, and Grand Marnier. Blend for 30 more seconds.
• Transfer to a non-reactive container and store in the refrigerator. This recipe can be served immediately, or let it rest in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks to let the flavors combine. 
• To serve, pour over ice and garnish with freshly ground nutmeg.

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Reverse-ish Manhattan – Matt Merkin, Academy Digital Manager

Matt says: “The Manhattan is a nearly perfect Winter cocktail; something to sip contemplatively in a warm, low lit bar. Not really a party vibe, right? But there’s hope…

Built off the chassis of a Reverse Manhattan, the vermouth here is split with a Black Manhattan’s Averna and brightened by Grand Marnier, guest starring from the EO spec. These bring in complexity, dark cocoa and bitter orange. The rye’s spice notes keep the whole thing upright. And the sherry? That’s in there to dry things off a bit and add a nutty counterpoint…but mainly because it’s my recipe and I want it there.

The final result is still complex and sophisticated, but lower octane for longer evenings.

Reverse-ish Manhattan Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 part Wild Turkey 101 Rye
• 1 part Sweet Vermouth
• .5 parts Averna
• .25 parts Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
• .25 parts Amontillado sherry

Instructions:

• Full batch in an empty 750. No Dilution. Store in refrigerator.
• Serve “Midwestern style” over rocks, with a quick stir.
• Garnish with lemon twist.

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Eddie’s 8 Ingredient Negroni – Eddie Hansel, Academy Operations Manager

Eddie says: “I invented this so I had something to order when I visit a friend at work and they’re on service bar, deep in the weeds.

In all seriousness, though, this drink is delicious. You can tell the average Joe “it’s a Mezcal Negroni” and they will be happy. You can tell your bartender nerd friends what’s actually in it, and they will be happy. It’s complex but balanced and approachable. Make it. Take a sip. You will be happy.”

Eddie’s 8 Ingredient Negroni Recipe
Ingredients:

• .5 parts Montelobos Tobala
• .5 parts Montelobos Pechuga
• .25 parts Mayenda Blanco
• .5 parts Cynar
• .5 parts Del Professore Vermouth Rosso Classico
• .5 parts China-China
• .5 parts Campari
• 3 dashes of Mole Bitters

Instructions:

• Full batch in an empty 750ml bottle. No Dilution. Store in Refrigerator.
• To serve, pour over ice in a rocks glass.
• Garnish with orange twist.

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Rockefeller Center – Hector Sam-Roman, Academy Bartender

Hector says: “The Boulevardier’s whiskey base already makes it a great batched cocktail for holiday season parties, but the Chai and Wintry spice infusions really take it to another level. This is a great option if you want something that feels custom and special without giving a ton of prep work.”

Hector’s Rockefeller Center Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1.25 parts Wild Turkey 101 Rye
• 1 part Chai-infused Campari*
• 1 parts Christmas Vermouth**
• Water (15-20% of batch volume)

Instructions:

• Measure out desired amount of first three ingredients.
• Multiply this volume by .18 (“Total # of ounces” x .18) to get the amount of water needed.
• Add water to your batch, and store in refrigerator.
• To serve, pour into a chilled Nick and Nora. Or, if possible, inside of a clear tree ornament, garnished with skewered cranberry and mint.

Sub-recipes:

• *Chai-infused Campari: Add 2 Chai tea bags to 750ml Campari. Let infuse for 8 hours.
• **Christmas Vermouth: Add 15 white peppercorns, 15 whole cloves, 15 whole green cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick and one bottle of 1757 Vermouth di Torino Rosso to a pot and turn the heat to low and stir for 5-10 mins until it starts to boil. Immediately remove from heat, strain back into bottle, and cool.