TAILGATE HOT OR COLD! — Sips and Guzzles

Amp up your tailgate game with one (or both) of these perfect tailgate cocktail ideas. Both of them welcome fall ciders- one apple, and one pear!

Serve this iced up:
CIDERJACK
This is a simple cocktail that transports easily, tastes of fall, and packs flavor.

4 parts of hard apple cider
2 parts applejack liqueur
1 part lemon juice
Slug of grenadine
Cinnamon sticks to garnish
Apple slices rubbed in lemon juice to garnish

Mix all of the ingredients together. Pour into a container you can transport easily, or a large pitcher if you’re not traveling. Serve over ice with cinnamon sticks and/or apple slices for garnish.

Turn up the heat!
MULLED PEAR CIDER
Transport this in a thermos to keep it hot. On a cool fall day, it makes for a rewarding tailgate cocktail. This recipe makes 6 servings.

4 22 oz bottles of hard pear cider
1 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 orange zest, removed in one strip
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup honey

Heat the cider with the ginger, vanilla bean and orange zest to a bubbly simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the brandy and honey. Let it steep before serving, or pour it into a thermos. I usually leave all the goo in the thermos and pour carefully when serving. It’s not the worst thing in the world if a piece of ginger lands in a mug. A cinnamon stick makes for a nice garnish.

After these cocktails, if your team wins you’re ready to party. If not, you’ll care a lot less.

Happy Tailgate!