Story by Dave Eckert
Tis the season for creative and delicious adult beverages. Throughout the metro, you will find festive punches and cocktails guaranteed to lift your holiday spirit. I reached out to some of my favorite folks for thoughts and tips for crafting that perfect punch or Christmas cocktail.
Let’s start with Bronson Kistler, owner of Bronson’s Milk Punch, a modern-day version of a milk punch that was first created in England in the early part of the 18th century. “I make bottled cocktails using fresh and natural ingredients that are ready to pour on ice. After many years of crafting single cocktails as a bartender, I now make 500-gallon cocktails in large tanks, mixing fresh juices, spices, herbs, and spirits,” Kistler shared. “Once combined, I slowly filter the mixtures through a layer of isolated milk proteins, which naturally clarifies the mixture as it passes through. The end result is a perfectly clarified cocktail, or clarified punch, which is naturally preserved and imbued with a delightfully smooth mouthfeel.”
Photo courtesy of Bronson’s Milk Punch
Kistler makes three products in all. “The Perennial Punch combines vodka with fresh oranges, apricot and Earl Grey teas, floral blossoms, and garden botanicals. The Tropical Punch combines Caribbean rums, pineapple, lime, and tropical aromatics. And, perfectly suited for the holiday season, my Original Punch combines bourbon with fresh apples, ginger, lemons, and a blend of warm winter spices,” Kistler said.
And it couldn’t be easier to savor Kistler’s delicious creations. “The best way to enjoy them is to pour them directly over ice. The Original Punch is a great match for the holiday season. The flavors are bursting and intense, yet smooth and velvety,” Kistler told me. Having had Bronson’s Punch on numerous occasions, I can say he is 100-percent correct. You can find bottles of Bronson’s Punch at most major retail stores throughout the KC Metro area. Go to drinkbronsons.com to find the store nearest to you that carries it.
Up next, thoughts from Jenn Tosatto, a terrifically talented mixologist and manager at Aqua Penny’s Restaurant in Park Place in Leawood. “When I think holidays, I think special-a time where you pull out all the stops and do something you don’t do the rest of the year. In my mind, when it comes to cocktails, I tend to go to drinks that require a ‘batter’ to make. The most recognizable Christmas cocktail is the Tom & Jerry, but personally, I’m a huge fan of Hot Buttered Rum. The batter combines the flavors of brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s pretty easy to make (I use melted vanilla ice cream in mine). And the flavor? WOWZA! To give it even more depth, I use a good aged Rum like El Dorado 12-year to just send it over the top,” Tosotto shared.
Photo courtesy of DottieByrd
Now, some thoughts from Emily Boston, the co-owner and co-creator of DottieByrd, a women-owned hospitality business with the tagline “Enjoy your own party for once!”
Boston says they really enjoy a good Pomegranate Spritz around the holidays. “We’ve been using Empress Lavender Gin, pomegranate juice, a bit of simple syrup, and prosecco to top! It’s a great holiday twist to the popular French 75 and is fruity and refreshing without being too sweet or summery. Perfect for appetizers before dinner! For a Holiday Punch that will wow your guests, Alyson’s family likes a rum punch, which is quick to prep and easy to batch in large quantities. Use light rum, ginger ale, pineapple, and orange juices with a ginger ale topper for a bubbly, festive option before dinner or while opening gifts!” Boston exclaimed. You can find Dottiebyrd at dottiebyrd.com.
Final thoughts on the matter come from Bailey Swimmer, owner of the mobile cocktail business, Queen of Acorns. When it comes to holiday cocktails, Bailey likes to take into consideration a couple things. “First, can I batch that cocktail? Second, is it cocktail that I can serve hot? I love a cocktail that can be easily batched, especially when it comes to hosting holiday gatherings. I also love sipping on a hot cocktail, especially when I’m out and about ice skating, holiday shopping, or watching a holiday light show!” Swimmer shared a number of recipes for hot cocktails as well as cocktails you can easily batch. You can find Swimmer and her mobile trailer at queenofacorns.com.
Aqua Penny’s Recipe
Hot Buttered Rum Batter
- 1 pound Unsalted Butter
- 1 pound Brown Sugar
- 1 pound Powdered Sugar
- 1 quart Vanilla Ice Cream
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add sugars and stir until dissolved and the blend is smooth. Remove from heat and add ice cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until incorporated. Batter can be frozen until you are ready to serve.
To make Hot Buttered Rum
Combine 1 -2 tablespoons batter with 1.5 oz Rum in a mug. Fill mug with boiling water, and stir until batter is dissolved. Garnish with your choice of fresh ground nutmeg or cinnamon.
DottieByrd Recipes
Pomegranate Spritz
- 1 oz Empress Gin
- 1 oz Pomegranate Juice
- 1/2 Oz Simple Syrup
Shaken or stirred to chill, served in a wine glass
Top with desired amount of Prosecco
Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds as a garnish
Holiday Rum Punch
- 2 cups light rum
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup ginger ale
Mix rum and juices in a large punch bowl, adding ice and ginger ale right before serving. Garnish with orange slices and fresh cranberries.
Hot Chocolate Bar
- 6 Oz of your favorite Hot Chocolate or Coffee
- 1-2 ounces of your favorite mix in such as: Baileys, Kahlua, Frangelico, Mr. Black Espresso Vodka, peppermint Schnapps, or Rumchata.
Top with a variety of goodies such as whipped cream, chocolate chips, cinnamon, graham crackers, or of course, marshmallows!
For a Mexican twist, use Mocafe Azteca Hot Chocolate for your base, tequila for your mix in, and top with whipped cream and cinnamon.
The Queen of Acorns Recipes
Winter Wonderland Margarita
- 1 1/2 oz silver tequila (can use coconut flavored tequila for extra coconut flavor!)
- 1/2 oz triple sec.
- 3/4 oz lime juice
- 3/4 oz coconut milk
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- 1 oz coconut cream
- Dash of coconut extract
- Garnish with candied cranberries and a sprig of rosemary
Multiply this single serving recipe by the number of cocktails you want to serve and batch accordingly. When working with coconut cream, I typically give it a good blend to get rid of clumping. I love this margarita because of its festive twist and creamy, tropical flavors! Not to mention, this cocktail is so visually pleasing and impressive – the candied cranberries give it a beautiful pop of color.
Frosted Cranberry Mule
- 1 1/2oz Smirnoff Red, White, & Merry vodka
- 3/4 oz cranberry simple syrup or cranberry juice
- 3/4 oz lime juice
- Top with ginger beer
- Garnish with lime wedge
The star of this cocktail is the vodka because of its fun flavor profile of orange, cranberry, and ginger! All the ingredients really work together to create this wonderful balance of sweet and sour with a touch of spicy. The cranberry simple and ginger beer highlight the cranberry and ginger flavors in the vodka, while the orange and lime juice work together to allow the perfect amount of citrus flavor to come through. When serving this mule, please keep in mind that you do not want to add the ginger beer into the batch. This should be offered separately for guests to top their cocktail with.
Not only do I love a cocktail that can be batched, but I also love sipping on a hot cocktail, especially when I’m out and about ice skating, holiday shopping, or watching a holiday light show! I’m going to share a couple recipes that are guaranteed to warm you up, head to toe, on those bone-chilling, winter evenings where nothing seems to be keeping you cozy.
Mulled Wine
- 1 bottle of merlot (Or a red wine of your choosing)
- 1/4 c brandy
- 1 large orange
- 2 tbs honey
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- Ginger, cardamom, cloves, star anise to taste
This drink is made by gently heating all the ingredients up and serving hot off the stove top. I’ll share with you my secret! Instead of adding all those spices individually, I’ll throw in a spiced chai tea bag that is typically loaded with those spices and more. With the combination of the wine, brandy, and various spices, you get a drink that is rich, complex, and aromatic in flavor that really packs a punch. It’s a winter favorite of mine!
