Escape the cold with this recipe for The Rogue Gentlemen's "Mull It Over." (Photo: Stephanie Breijo)
Winter is coming, and this weekend's impending wintry mix is expected to bring Richmond anywhere from eight to 12 inches of snow and officially send Virginia into a state of emergency. Fear not — whether you've a space heater or a central air system to keep you warm, we've found yet another device to help stave off Old Man Winter and keep Jack Frost from nipping at any of your regions: We asked this year's cocktail program Elby Awards nominees for a few of their favorite warming drinks. Below you'll find elixirs to brighten up your weekend and replace the fireplace (though, if you've got one of those, we're all for sitting down near it with one of these in hand).
The "Mull It Over"
By Paul Blumer of The Rogue Gentlemen
- 2 ounces of dry red wine
- 3/4 ounce of Cardamaro
- 1/2 ounce of (charred) Macchu Pisco
- 1/2 ounce of Grand Marnier
- 1/4 ounce of cinnamon simple syrup
- 3 dried orange peels, or 2 fresh orange peels
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 large bay leaf
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture stand for one minute, then strain into a punch cup and serve.
Bonus: The Rogue Gentlemen is hosting its two-year anniversary party this Sunday, come snow or shine, starting at 6 p.m. "[The] weather may dictate things a bit," says owner John Maher. "If everything goes according to plan, we'll have bar snacks, gratis, for everyone. If we get dumped on, it may be a few hundred Lee's chicken wings and me behind the bar. Either way it's a win/win, TBH." Regardless of this weekend's weather, expect a selection of TRG's greatest-hits cocktails, plus Maher opening a magnum of champagne with a bread knife in the middle of First Street with Whitney Houston blasting.
The "Kentucky Turndown"
By James Kohler of Saison
- 2 ounces of Bulleit Bourbon
- 3/4 ounce of cinnamon honey
- 1/2 ounce of orange juice
- 1/4 ounce of lemon juice
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
Begin the cinnamon honey by combining equal parts honey and hot water, then mixing thoroughly until fully incorporated. Add 3 cinnamon sticks and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks. To make the cocktail, combine [the cinnamon honey] with the rest of the ingredients in your favorite coffee cup and fill the remaining space with hot black tea. Garnish with a lemon wheel floating on top, and serve.
The "Penicillin B," a play on the "Penicillin" from Sam Ross of Milk & Honey
By Beth Dixon of Pasture
- 1 cup of Virginia honey
- 3/4 cup of water
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 orange, zested
- 1 ½ cups of neutral grain spirit
- 1 ounce of bourbon
- 1 ounce of single malt
- 3/4 ounce of honey-cinnamon liqueur or Bärenjager
- 1/2 ounce of lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce of simple syrup
- 1/4 ounce of fresh ginger juice (in lieu of ginger juice, muddle slices of ginger into the cocktail)
Pass your snowed-in days by making, then drinking, this honey-cinnamon liqueur: Mix the honey (Gunter's Pure Wildflower Honey is recommended), water, cinnamon sticks and orange zest in a sauce pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a Mason jar and set it aside to cool. Once it has cooled, add the neutral grain spirit (100-proof Belle Isle Moonshine is recommended). Allow this mixture to infuse, for a minimum of two hours, before straining out the orange and cinnamon. To build your cocktail, combine all the ingredients and shake, then strain the mixture over one large ice cube into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon peel and serve.
The "Roosevelt Hot Toddy"
By Thomas "T" Leggett of The Roosevelt
- 2 ounces of Laird's Apple Brandy
- 1/2 ounce of Earl Grey simple syrup
- 1 bar spoon of fresh lemon juice
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
Begin the Earl Grey syrup by steeping two Earl Grey tea bags in one cup of hot water for 10 minutes, then removing them. Combine the tea with one cup of sugar and stir until it has completely dissolved. Craft the cocktail by filling a mug with very hot water, to warm it. Dump out the water and add all of the ingredients, then fill the rest of the mug with new hot water. Add an orange twist and serve.
or
The "Bucolic Spy"
By Aidan Henn of The Roosevelt
- 1 1/2 ounce of Amaro Montenegro
- 1 ounce of Laird's Apple Brandy
- 1/2 ounce of Ancho Reyes chile liqueur
Combine all of the ingredients and stir with ice. Serve in a chilled coupe with a twist of lemon.
