If you’re looking to ditch the summer spritz and switch to something more warming and fiery this autumn, ginger mead might be just the thing to buy for your drinks cabinet.
Mead, which can also be referred to as “honey wine,” stands as an historical elixir, weaving its way through the tapestry of human civilisations for over 9,000 years. With evidence of its consumption found across diverse ancient cultures in Asia, Europe, and Africa, mead doesn’t require specific topography or climate conditions for its base fermentable, honey.
One traditional Yorkshire meadery, Nidhoggr, has branched out from traditional mead and now offers a variety of flavoured meads, and this is where we start our round-up of 20 autumn cocktails…
Brocc’s Flame
- 25ml Scotch Whiskey
- 25ml Nidhoggr Ginger Mead
- 25ml Simple Syrup
- 2 Dash Orange Bitter
- 2 Dash Angostura Bitters
Method: Build into a glass and stir.
Odin’s Eye
- 25ml Brandy
- 25ml Honey
- 25ml Nidhoggr Traditional or Ginger Mead
Method: Build into a glass, and garnish with orange
Apple Pulp Martini (makes 2)
- 100ml Hernö Old Tom Gin
- 40ml White Vermouth
- Leftover pulp from 4 JAZZ Apples
- Apple Slice
Method: Add the gin, vermouth and ice to a cocktail shaker. Stir vigorously until very cold and the shaker has frosted. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish each drink with a thin apple slice.
Negroni Sour
- 30ml London Dry Gin
- 30ml Red Vermouth
- 30ml Campari
- 30ml Lemon juice
- 20ml Simple syrup
- 20ml Egg white
- Mixologist’s Garden lemon slices
Mehod: Put all the ingredients except the lemon slices into the base of a cocktail shaker (do not add ice), secure the lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to build up the foam. Add a large handful of ice to the shaker and shake hard again for another 30-45 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels ice-cold and a creamy foam has developed. Strain into a tumbler half-filled with ice and garnish with Mixologist’s Garden lemon slices. Serve immediately.
Dark ‘n’ Spicy Rum Cocktail Recipe
- 60ml Goslings Black Seal Rum
- 30ml Chilli & Ginger Syrup (Add 1 cup of peeled and sliced fresh ginger, 1 jalapeno chilli -whole but pierced with a skewer several times, 1 cup of dark brown sugar, 1 cup of water to a pan and simmer for around 30 mins. Strain well, let it cool and store in a bottle in the fridge.)
- 15ml lime juice
- 15ml soda
- Garnish: wheel of lime and slice of ginger
- Glass: single rocks glass
Method: Add ice to a single rocks cocktail glass. Pour over the rum, chilli & ginger syrup and lime juice. Top with soda and stir to combine.
Red Mojito
- 10g Mixologist’s Garden Freeze-dried strawberry slices
- 100g White sugar
- 100ml water
- ½ Teaspoon Lemon juice
- 50ml White rum
- 30ml Strawberry syrup
- 20ml Lime juice
- 50ml Soda water
- 12 Mint leaves
- Mixologist’s Garden strawberry & lime slices, fresh mint, cinnamon stick or a straw
Method: Make the strawberry syrup by placing the sugar, water, lemon juice and strawberries into a saucepan and heating until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and leave it to infuse for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight). Strain the syrup through a fine meshed sieve and discard the fruit. Decant the liquid into a bottle and store it in the fridge.
Put the mint leaves and lime into the base of a highball glass and use a cocktail muddler (or the end of a rolling pin) to squish the mint lightly. Layer ice and our freeze-dried strawberry & lime slices into the glass. Pour in the rum and strawberry syrup, stir briefly to mix with the lime juice. Top up with the soda water and garnish with more strawberry and lime slices, a cinnamon stick (or straw) and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Caipirinha
- 60ml Abelha Cachaca
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 lime
Method: Place lime pieces in a glass with the skin facing down. Add sugar. Muddle, avoiding bruising the skin too much to prevent bitterness. Add ice and cachaça, then stir and enjoy
Grey Goose Classic Dry Vodka Martini Cocktail
- 50 ml Grey Goose Vodka
- 25 ml Martini Extra Dry Vermouth
- 1 dash of Orange Bitters
Method: Add Grey Goose, vermouth, and bitters to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir deliberately and strain into a chilled martini cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.
Mexican Mule
- 40ml Tequila
- 10ml Triple Sec
- 15ml Lime juice
- 90ml Ginger beer
- Jalapeño chilli (optional)
- Mixologist’s Garden Lime slices, jalapeño slices and a cinnamon stick
Method: Fill a copper mug with ice, layering in 3 slices of jalapeño chilli (if using) and 3 of our freeze-dried lime slices as you do so. Pour the tequila, Triple sec and lime juice into the mug. Add the ginger beer. Use a cinnamon stick to stir the drink briefly, then leave it wedged into the drink. Garnish the drink with more of our lime slices and rounds of the jalapeño (if using).
Amarga
- 50 ml Abelha Cachaça Silver
- Bitter Lemonade to top
Method: Fill a highball glass with ice. Add Abelha Cachaça. Top with a bitter lemonade like Fentimans and stir well. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Hernö Old Tom Beetroot Martini
- 50ml Hernö Old Tom Gin
- 50ml beetroot juice
- 25ml lemon juice
- 1 tbsp ginger syrup (alternatively use simple syrup)
- 2 cocktail onions, to garnish
- 1cm dice kielbasa (or other smoked sausage), to garnish
- Black pepper, to garnish
For the Ginger Syrup
- 250ml water
- 200g white sugar
- 200g fresh ginger, sliced
Method: To make the ginger syrup: Add the water, sugar and ginger to a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Once the liquid boils and the sugar dissolves, remove the pan from the heat and steep for 15 minutes. Strain and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. To make the Hernö Old Tom Beetroot Martini: Add the Hernö Old Tom Gin, beetroot juice, ginger syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously then strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a crack of black pepper and a cocktail stick containing two cocktail onions and a small cube of kielbasa (or other smoked sausage).
Smooth Criminal
- 1.5 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
- .50 oz Lime Juice
- 1 oz Lemon Simple Syrup (or regular simple syrup)
- 1 oz Peach Puree
- Lime Wheel Garnish
Method: Build all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously with ice. Strain over fresh ice with dehydrated lime wheel or lemon zest garnish.
Grey Goose Espresso Martini Cocktail
- 50 ml Grey Goose Vodka
- 30 ml Single Origin Espresso
- 20 ml Premium Coffee Liqueur
- Pinch of Salt
- 3 Coffee Beans
Method: Add Grey Goose Vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and salt to a shaker. Shake briskly and strain into a martini cocktail glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.
The Brazilian Bee
- 60ml Abelha Cachaca
- 45ml Pineapple Juice
- 45ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
- 15ml Honey Syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Fresh thyme (2 sprigs)
Method: Muddle fresh thyme with the honey syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake over ice until well chilled. Double strain into an ice-filled Highball glass and garnish with thyme, pineapple and grapefruit.
There Will Be Blood (Orange)
- 1.5oz Dos Hombres Mezcal
- 1/2oz Agave Nectar
- 1/2oz Blood Orange Purée
- 1/4oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liquor
- 3/4oz Lime Juice
Method: Served on the Rocks. Garnish with dehydrated blood orange wheel.
Grey Goose Appletini
- 50ml Grey Goose La Poire Vodka
- 10ml St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
- 15ml Calvados
- 15ml fresh lime juice
- 30ml fresh apple juice
Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker filler with ice. Shake and double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an apple Goose feather garnish.
Abelha Latin Old Fashioned
- 50ml A belha Cachaca Gold
- 2 dashes The Bitter Truth – Aromatic Bitters
- 1 Sugar cube
- Few dashes plain water
Method: Place sugar cube in old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters, add a dash of plain water. Muddle until dissolved. Fill the glass with ice cubes and add whiskey. Garnish with orange slice, and a cocktail cherry and serve on the rocks; poured over ice
Easy, Now Party Punch – serves 6-8 people
- 4 ounces Fraser & Thompson North American Whiskey
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 (750 ml) bottle Prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled
- Arils from 1 pomegranate
Method: In a large pitcher, combine Fraser & Thompson, pomegranate juice, orange zest and orange juice. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add ice to the punch bowl and pour over the pitcher’s contents. Top with Prosecco and pomegranate arils. Enjoy!
Yes Chef Martini
- 2 oz of Glendalough Wild Botanical Irish Gin
- ½ oz of Cinnamon Syrup
- ½ oz of Maple Syrup
- 1 oz of Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 oz of Egg Whites
- Dehydrated Persimmon Wheel, Star Anise & Lavender seed
Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker. Dry shake without ice first, then add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a Coupe glass and add garnishes. Spray with Glendalough Wild Botanical Irish Gin to finish.
Or if you want a shortcut…
Wonderland Cocktails has expanded its range of ready-to-drink cocktails with the Chocolate Orange Espresso Martini , a grocery exclusive for Sainsbury’s.
The Chocolate Orange Espresso Martini (14% ABV) uses BrewDog Distilling’s Abstrakt vodka paired with rich Arabica coffee, and the added twist of orange liqueur that puts a fruit-forward twist on one of the UKs favourite serves. This vodka and orange liqueur combination work in harmony to deliver a cocktail that’s both rich and decadent.