KEEP COZY WITH THESE WINTER COCKTAILS
We’re indoors much more, so we are embracing those moments where we hosting our friends and loved one indoors. Here’s a set of winter cider cocktails you can make for the group. Cider is a great cocktail ingredient thanks to its crisp and dry characteristics, while still having delicate apple flavors and complexity from barrel-aging that make work equally well in drier, sweeter, or even warm cocktails. Enjoy!
Wassail:
Mulling spices (you can either place these in a cheesecloth bag, or keep them loose):
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 c brown sugar
- 1 whole allspice
- 1 juniper berry
Cider:
- 4 c Virtue Cider Michigan Apple
- 2 c non-alcoholic cider
- a bit of your favorite spirit (whiskey, rum, brandy, etc.)
Instructions:
- Heat all ingredients in a saucepan, but take care not to boil.
- Add any spirits with the heat source off.
- Ladle around the spices and serve in your favorite mug.
- Garnish with apple slices.
Michigan Old Fashioned:
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ oz Virtue Cider Michigan Cherry
- 1 ½ oz whiskey
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- ¼ oz maple syrup
- Orange peel garnish
- Ice

Instructions:
- Stir ice, both bitters, maple syrup, and whiskey in a mixing glass.
- Strain into Old Fashioned glass over cubed ice, top with cider, add garnish.
Brut Buck:
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Virtue Cider Michigan Brut
- 1 oz dry gin
- 1 oz ginger liqueur
- ½ oz simple syrup
- ½ oz lime juice
- Slice of ginger and lime wheel for garnish
Instructions:
- Hard quick shake: ice, gin, ginger liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Strain in a Collins glass.
- Fill glass with ice, top with cider, add garnish.
Brut ‘Champagne’ Toast
Ingredients (this one’s very, very simple!)
- 12 oz Michigan Brut
- Raspberry for garnish
- 2 Champagne flutes
Instructions:
- Split Michigan Brut between two Champagne flutes (long-pour the cider from a porron for maximum bubbles).
- Drop a raspberry at the bottom of each glass.
- Toast with your favorite person.
You can find more of our cider cocktail recipes here.