How to

How to: winter-fy your favourite summer cocktails

Long-distance relationships aren't much fun. Your favourite summer cocktail shouldn't have to be pushed out of sight (and out of palate) until the warmer months. You can now be reunited with your favourite tipples all year round with our guide to winter-fying your favourite summer cocktails

You’re torn. The weather is telling you electric blankets, fluffy slippers and cups of tea. But your heart is telling you bare feet, ocean dips and that fresh mojito or summer fruit margarita you were sipping as the sun went down in January. Don’t fret – you can now enjoy your favourite cocktails all year round with our Toast guide to winter-fying your favourite summer cocktails.

Fruit swaps

A main feature of some of your favourite summer drinks that might be tugging at your heart strings could be the fruit factor. Strawberries, watermelon, peaches – they’ve all left you and you’re feeling lost. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Your summer fruits may be gone but replacing those with gorgeous winter fruits will add depth to your drinks and make them much more suitable for winter nights. For example:

Swap out the strawberry in your Strawberry and Rhubarb Bellini for tamarillo.

Add a squeeze of fresh orange juice to your Perfect Margarita to give it a winter feel with a kick of vitamin C.

Swap out fresh peach slices for fresh grapefruit in your Peach and Berry Cider Sangria for added kick. Use frozen raspberries rather than fresh in this recipe too (you may want to reduce the amount of ice you use).

Herb heaven

Alongside making for a beautiful garnish, herbs can also add beautiful and unique flavours to drinks. Try out some of our herb flavour pairing combinations below to give your drink a new twist. You can either add them at the end or muddle them in the glass first to release their oils:

Rosemary with pear e.g. Winter Sangria with Pear and Cranberries
Sage with apple e.g Apple Manhattan
Thyme with lemon e.g. French 75
Tarragon and lime e.g. Citrus Iced Tea

Spice it up

Nothing says winter like the warmth of a spicy chai or a dash of cinnamon. Adding a hint of spice to your favourite drink is a great way of adding aroma, decoration and depth. Try putting a stick of cinnamon into your Old Fashioned or a teaspoon of mixed spice into the shaker before making your espresso martini. And if you’re really feeling adventurous, try adding a pinch of chilli flakes to top your gin and tonic or margarita. A dash of Pimms can also add a spicy and fruity element to a drink. Pimm's is usually thought of as a summer drop but is more diverse than you might think. Try adding a dash of Pimm's to your sangria for a new feel. Yum!

Go to the dark side

Darker spirits make for a wonderful winter tipple. Why not play around with some rum or brandy to put a twist on your classic summer choice? Try some brandy in a Cherry Mulled Wine or rum in your Red Maria just for fun. Enjoy getting creative!

 

Peach and berry cider sangria

Peach and berry cider sangria

Strawberry and Rhubarb Bellini

Strawberry and Rhubarb Bellini

French 75

French 75

Old Fashioned

Old Fashioned

Perfect Margarita

Perfect Margarita

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