Tuesday, November 12, 2024

5 Whiskey Cocktails Full of Fall Flavor

Cocktails

    As we find ourselves in that sweet, brisk interlude between summer’s swelter and the holiday chaos that will soon begin its annual reign, we’ve been reuniting with old friends—the cable knit sweater, the soundtrack of crunching leaves under our feet, balmy afternoons with chilly evenings nipping at their heels. And of course, we’ve been enchanted anew by that most autumnal of spirits, American whiskey. The sweet and spicy notes of bourbon and rye conjure those fall vibes all on their own. Mix them into a cocktail, and suddenly the oncoming cold weather seems downright enticing.

    In the spirit of celebrating the new season (and our favorite one, if we’re being honest), we tapped five renowned bartenders to create a Pinhook cocktail for fall. Sarah O’Neal, Sother Teague, Dante Wheat, Ramsey Musk, and Gina Hoover have each contributed original recipes filled with rich, peppy, citrusy flavors that perfectly complement this season of comfort and abundance.

    Here’s to your hygge.

    .01 Unbridled


    Created by: Sother Teague


    Like the fall season itself, this comfort cocktail can veer warm or cold. Half its considerable charm lies in never knowing which way it will go, but that it will taste like perfection either way. Whispers of peach and maple mingle to reflect the transition from hot August days to crisp autumn evenings in a way that’ll make you sentimental about both. 



    Ingredients

    • 2 tbsp Maple syrup
    • 4 oz Cream (colder the better)
    • 1.5 oz Pinhook Bourbon
    • 2 oz Cold brew coffee 
    • .5 oz Peach syrup (or Giffard peach liqueur)*
    • 2 dashes Lemon bitters (or oils expressed from a lemon twist)**  
    • Nutmeg 


    Cold Instructions

    1. Add the maple syrup and cold cream to a cocktail shaker, then shake without ice until frothy and slightly thickened. (This will yield enough for several cocktails but it’s impractical to make less.) 
    2. Add the whiskey, coffee, peach syrup (or liqueur), and bitters (or expressed oils) to a double old fashioned glass and add ice. Stir gently to combine. 
    3. Float thickened cream on top. 
    4. Grate nutmeg over the top and enjoy. 


    Hot Instructions

    1. Heat an Irish coffee glass or coffee mug by filling it with boiling water and letting it sit for 30 seconds. 
    2. Discard the hot water and add whiskey, hot coffee, peach syrup (or liqueur), and bitters (or expressed oils) to the mug. 
    3. Float thickened cold cream on top. 
    4. Grate nutmeg over the top and enjoy.

    *For the home enthusiast I’ve offered an easier alternative to peach syrup. The liqueur version will be slightly drier and have a touch more alcohol by volume.

    **Lemon oil instead of bitters will add an aromatic pop, while the bitters will serve more as a seasoning.



    About the Bartender: 


    Sother Teague is a founding partner and beverage director at Overthrow Hospitality, an NYC-based restaurant and beverage group that includes award-winning bitters bar Amor y Amargo. He co-hosts the long-running show “The Speakeasy” on Heritage Radio Network. In 2017, Sother was named Mixologist of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine and has been featured as a cocktail expert in countless publications. He has written two books about cocktails and cocktail culture; I'm Just Here for The Drinks and Let’s Get Blitzen.

    You can currently find Sother behind the bar at Gus’s neighborhood restaurant and bar in Brooklyn.

    Watch how Sother makes his Unbridled here.


    .02 Yuzu Smash


    Created by: Sarah O’Neil


    Fun fact: the smash is a close cousin of the julep, that quintessential springtime cocktail. In this version, the combination of yuzu, an East Asian citrus plant, and hoji-cha, a sweet and nutty Japanese tea, brings a delightful Asian-infused hardiness to what might otherwise present as a summer cocktail.



    Ingredients

    • 2oz Pinhook Bourbon
    • .75 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Yuzu Late Harvest
    • .75 oz Yuzu juice
    • .75 oz Hoji-cha simple syrup*
    • 4-6 Mint leaves
    • Fever Tree Ginger Beer


    Instructions

    1. In a cocktail shaker, add all ingredients except ginger beer and mint leaves. Then smack a few mint leaves and add them to the shaker.
    2. Shake and strain into a double old-fashioned glass.
    3. Add more fresh mint leaves and ice.
    4. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a mint sprig.


    *To make Hoji-cha simple syrup, pour a 1:1 ratio of hoji-cha and hot simple syrup. Let steep for 30 minutes. Strain. Let cool. 


    About the Bartender: 


    Sarah is the lead bartender at the Elizabeth Hotel in historic Old Town Fort Collins, Colorado. She’s an accredited bartender, a Court of Masters Sommelier and a two-time Wine Spectator Award recipient for her work at the Elizabeth Hotel’s restaurant, the Emporium. The Boulevardier is her favorite whiskey cocktail to pour. She relishes any opportunity to incorporate her favorite ingredient, Cynar, into a cocktail.

    Watch how Sarah makes her Yuzu Smash here.


    .03 Bloodstock Sour


    Created by: Ramsey Musk


    The classic whiskey sour gets contemplative with this horseracing-inspired cocktail, making it ideal for sipping over long conversations in front of the fire. Pinhook Rye’s warming notes of vanilla, clove, and toffee join a host of other fruity, tart ingredients in meandering toward that perfect balance between sour, bitter, and sweet that the drink is known for.



    Ingredients

    • 1 oz Pinhook Rye
    • 2 dashes Orange bitters
    • 3 drops 5:1 Saline (one part salt dissolved in five parts water)
    • 1 oz Acid-adjusted orange juice
    • .25 oz Yellow Chartreuse 
    • .25 oz Cherry brandy 
    • .5 oz Cassis 
    • Egg white (optional) 
    • Orange (for garnish)
    • Cherry (for garnish)


    Instructions

    1. If adding egg white, add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously WITHOUT ICE, then add ice and vigorously shake for another 10-15 seconds. Otherwise, add all ingredients to cocktail shaker along with ice. Shake vigorously until ice has broken (10-15 seconds).
    2. Double strain the cocktail (through the cocktail strainer and a fine mesh strainer) into a Nick and Nora or coupe glass. (fine strain only for the egg white version).
    3. Garnish with the zest of an orange and a cherry flag. 



    About the Bartender: 


    Ramsey can be found behind the bars at Accomplice and Mama’s Boy in Los Angeles, the city where he’s been bartending for eight years. During this time, he’s received numerous accolades, including Spirited Awards Top 10 nominee, VinePair Bartender of the Year finalist, and one of the Punch Best New Bartenders of 2023. He’s also a graphic designer, photographer, and all around avid silly goose.

    Watch how Ramsey makes his Bloodstock Sour here.


    .04 Old Sorrel Punch


    Created by: Gina Hoover


    Old Sorrel was a legendary quarter horse in the early 20th century, sturdy and serene, just like this boozy punch. Its spicy notes ease us into October while the fruit infusion evokes late summer harvests. When she created the cocktail, Gina envisioned a happy marriage between the Old Pal and Blinker cocktails. The result is wildly successful and a new fall classic.


    Single Serving Ingredients

    • 1.5 oz Pinhook Rye
    • .5 oz Campari
    • .75 oz Lemon juice
    • 1 oz Club soda
    • 2 Lemons
    • 2 Grapefruits
    • 6 oz (one standard container) Raspberries
    • 2 cups Sugar
    • Small pinch Salt



    For a Crowd Ingredients

    • 1 bottle Pinhook Rye
    • 6 oz (single) Campari
    • 8 oz (single) Lemon juice
    • 10 oz (single) Club soda
    • 2 Lemons
    • 2 Grapefruits
    • 6 oz (one standard container) Raspberries
    • 2 cups Sugar
    • Small pinch Salt


    Instructions

    1. Prepare oleo (aka a citrus oil-based syrup) the night prior to making the punch by adding the peels of the lemons and grapefruits, the raspberries, and the sugar to two cups of hot water. Let sit overnight, then strain.
    2. Pour all ingredients, including 8 oz of oleo, into a punch bowl (or a rocks glass if making a single cocktail, with .75 oz of oleo).
    3. Stir thoroughly.
    4. Pour into a rocks glass filled halfway with ice (or add ice to the rocks glass if making a single cocktail).



    About the Bartender: 


    Gina is a bartender at Cure Bar in New Orleans and soon-to-be beverage director at Charis Listening Room in Chicago.

    Watch how Gina makes her Old Sorrel Punch here.


    .05 A Little Late


    Created by: Dante Wheat


    Here’s a cocktail that tastes deceptively complex, and therein lies its magic, since it’s a cinch to make. Amaro on its own has the ability to stir up the deep moods of autumn. Using one like Cocchi Dopo Teatro, with its richness and after-dinner appeal, and combining it with Pinhook Bourbon teases out the season’s more celebratory aspects. 



    Ingredients

    • 1 oz Pinhook Bourbon 
    • 1.5 oz Cocchi Dopo Teatro 
    • .25 oz Lemon 
    • Tonic water
    • Lemon peel (for garnish)


    Instructions

    1. Pour Pinhook Bourbon and Cocchi Dopo Teatro into a collins glass over ice.
    2. Top with tonic water.
    3. Garnish with lemon peel and enjoy!



    About the Bartender: 


    Dante is an award-winning bartender, writer, and photographer. His work has been featured in The Leo Weekly, Imbibe Magazine, and at the James Beard House. He is the lead bartender for Louisville’s Neat Bourbon Bar & Bottle Shop and owner of Spent Lemons, a company focused on providing bars, restaurants, and hotels with citrus juice and syrups for their drink programs.

    Watch how Dante makes his A Little Late here.