Prep-ahead drinks make Thanksgiving cocktail hour easy. [Photographs: Autumn Giles]
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I'm notorious for getting in over my head when cooking for friends and family. My "making something really quick" easily turns into a four hour project. And while I'm working on being a little more practical, I'm also not really interested in serving a sub-par cocktail just to shave off a little pre-dinner prep time. My guests might starve, but at least they'll have had decent drinks! (You can see where my problem is here...)
But there's a smart method for serving drinks to a crowd without a ton of fiddly prep and shaking each drink by hand, and it's not a compromise when it comes to flavor. Mixing up a big batch of a special DIY mixer in advance means you're ready to pour one delicious drink after another—or you can delegate the simple task to someone else while you finish up making that green bean casserole.
When it's time to serve, all that happens is a top-off with something bubbly. Instant festivity.
Sparkling Bourbon Pear Cocktail
A velvety roasted pear purée is the key to this bourbon drink that speaks fall without screaming it. Roasting the pears before puréeing them until they're silky provides caramelized flavor and reduces the liquid in the pears to concentrate their flavor.
I make this drink with my absolute favorite bourbon for mixing—Four Roses Yellow Label—which gives the cocktail body without weighing it down. Nutmeg and maple bring the fall flavor and a hit of spice, while marrying the bourbon and pear. Finally, a splash of sparkling wine lightens everything up, making this fortified fall take on a mimosa endlessly drinkable.
Get the Sparkling Bourbon Pear Cocktail recipe »
Charred Lemon Gin Sparkler
If you've never tried searing or grilling lemon halves before, you're missing out. Quickly charring lemon halves in a dry cast-iron skillet before juicing them mellows their acidity considerably and gives them a surprisingly deep richness and complexity. It's something of a game changer, especially when paired with a bright, layered gin.
I love St. George Spirits' Botanivore gin here—it's distilled with 19 different botanicals including cinnamon, cilantro, and ginger for a result that's floral and rich with a fresh herbal side. Mixed with fresh rosemary and a splash of sparkling wine, the results could easily fool your friends and family into thinking you shook a custom cocktail for each of them on the spot.
Get the Charred Lemon Gin Sparkler recipe »
Spiced Cranberry Rum Fizz
Incorporating the classic flavors of cranberry sauce—tart cranberries, the warm bittersweet tang of orange zest, and a kick of ginger—this drink is anything but your standard cranberry highball. Starting with a foundation of potent unsweetened 100% cranberry juice means you can add flavor in the form of a spiced simple syrup without losing the cranberries' tart bite. A dry, light-bodied white rum like Flor de Cana Extra Seco is perfect here because it adds a boozy boost while still letting the more subtle flavors of orange and ginger shine through. After topping with sparkling wine in the glass, float a few thin slices of fresh cranberry on the surface as a garnish—don't worry, you can prep them in advance, too.
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