Winter Warmers: Cold-Weather Cocktails from our Favorite Après Spots

We have a secret… 

Our favorite part of a ski day is après. 🤫 Don’t get us wrong—we love making turns on the hill, especially on a beautiful, bluebird day. But there’s something about cozying up with a cocktail after a day on the slopes that fills our cup. 

We’ve teamed up with some of our favorite après spots around the country to bring you 6 seriously tasty cocktails you can make at home! These picks are perfect for warming up on a cold winter day. Tap into your inner mixologist—then make your way to these après spots to taste how the pros do it!     

Wassail

Montanya Distillers

Crested Butte, CO

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon Apple Cider
32 oz Cranberry Juice
1 Orange (stuffed with 5 cloves)
2 tsp Cloves
2 tsp Allspice
7 Cinnamon Sticks
2 drops Citrus Bitters
2 oz Montanya Oro Rum

Directions:

1. Mull the apple cider, cranberry juice, orange, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon sticks in a pot.
2. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally. 
3. Simmer for a bit.
4. Strain and transfer to a glass jar for storage (lasts up to 30 days in the refrigerator).
5. If stored, reheat 6.5 oz of Wassail in the microwave for 2 minutes. Add 2 oz rum, 2 drops citrus bitters, and garnish with an orange twist.

Winter Squash Martini

The Dogwood Cocktail Cabin

Bend, OR  

Butternut Squash Vodka Infusion:

Make your own butternut squash-infused vodka! Roast whole butternut squash, about half a squash per 750 mL bottle of vodka, for 2 hours until soft. Cut off skin and throw away seeds. Toss the hot cubes of squash into your favorite vodka. Let infuse for 5 days. Strain well before using.

Ingredients:

2.5 oz Butternut Squash-Infused Vodka
1.5 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 sprinkle of Nutmeg
1 Sage Leaf

Directions:

1. Combine the above ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake with ice and strain into martini glass.
3. Garnish with nutmeg and sage leaf.

Boil Over

High West Distillery

Park City, UT

Created by High West Distillery Lead Bartender Robbie Remmes

Ingredients:

1.5 Double Rye 
.25 Tempes Fugit Crème de Cacao (sub Crème de Cacao of your choice if needed) 
.25 Tempes Fugit Crème de Menthe (sub Crème de Menthe of your choice if needed)
.25 Averna Amaro
.5 Cinnamon Syrup (steep 1 cup cane sugar, 1 cup hot water, and 3 cinnamon sticks for 4 hours—will keep in the fridge for a month)
1 dash Black Walnut Bitters
5 oz Hot Dark Roast Coffee
1 sprinkle of Nutmeg
1 Mint Leaf 

Directions:

1. Pre-heat a goblet.
2. Build drink in glass, combining the Rye, Crème de Cacao, Crème de Menthe, Averna Amaro, black walnut bitters, and coffee directly in the goblet. 
3. Add 2 oz heavy cream to a shaker tin with .25 cinnamon syrup.
4. Shake for 10 seconds to whip, then float on top of drink. 
5. Garnish with nutmeg and a mint leaf. 

Feuerzangenbowle (FOY-er-tsangen-BOH-leh)  

Alpenrose

Vail, CO

Traditional German Drink

Ingredients:

1 bottle Dry Red Wine 
1 sliced Orange
8 Cloves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
2 Star Anise
2-4 tbsp Sugar 

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the wine, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, 2 tablespoons sugar, and stir briefly.
2. Cook the mulled wine over medium-high heat until just barely simmering (avoid bubbling—you don't want to boil off the alcohol).
3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer the wine for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours.
4. Strain. Using a fine-mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. 
5. Flavor the mulled wine and stir in additional sugar if needed.
6. To up the wow factor and impress your guests, dunk a cinnamon sugar cone in Stroh 160 Rum (or a high-proof rum of your choice). 
7. Place cinnamon sugar cone in a slotted spoon over the drink, light it on fire, and let the magic happen.

The Incendiary

High West Distillery

Park City, UT

Created by High West Distillery Ambassador Arianne King

Ingredients:

2 oz Double Rye
¾ oz Honey Water (1 part honey to 1 part hot water)
½ oz Elderberry Syrup
¾ oz Lemon Juice
¼ oz Ginger Juice
4 dashes Angostura Bitters

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a pre-warmed mug.
2. Top with 5 oz. boiling water, stir, and garnish with a lemon peel.

Rosemary Hot Toddy

The Dogwood Cocktail Cabin

Bend, OR  

Rosemary Bourbon Infusion:

Make your own rosemary-infused bourbon by adding a sprig of rosemary to your favorite bottle of bourbon for a couple of days.

Ingredients:

2 oz Rosemary-Infused Bourbon 
.75 oz Honey Simple Syrup
.5 oz Lemon Juice
1 spring of Rosemary

Directions:

1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a glass or mug. 
2. Fill the rest of the glass or mug with hot water.
3. Garnish with lemon wedge and sprig of rosemary.