Spooky Sips: Crafting Halloween Cocktails with Hudson Valley’s Best Spirits and Ingredients
When the crisp fall air starts to tingle with the anticipation of Halloween, there’s no better way to embrace the spooky season than by crafting eerie, delicious cocktails. Luckily, the Hudson Valley is home to some of the finest distilleries and local farms, making it the perfect place to source unique, seasonal ingredients for Halloween-themed concoctions. Whether you’re hosting a haunted gathering or just looking to get into the spirit of the season, these cocktails will take your Halloween celebration to the next level. Let’s dive into some spine-tingling drinks made with local spirits and fall flavors.
1. Witch’s Brew: Apple Cider Bourbon Smash
Let’s kick off the cauldron with a classic fall favorite—an Apple Cider Bourbon Smash made with bourbon from Hudson Whiskey. This distillery in Gardiner, NY, produces rich, robust bourbon with a hint of caramel and vanilla, making it the perfect base for a fall-inspired cocktail. Combine it with freshly pressed local apple cider (like from Stone Ridge Orchards) and a splash of maple syrup from Crown Maple in Dover Plains, and you’ve got yourself a potion that’s sure to enchant.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Hudson Whiskey Bourbon
1 oz. freshly pressed local apple cider
½ oz. maple syrup
Juice of ½ lemon
Crushed ice
Apple slices and cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions:
In a shaker, combine the bourbon, apple cider, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Shake well and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with apple slices and a cinnamon stick. This drink is perfect for warming up your Halloween night!
2. The Poison Apple Martini
For something with a bit more bite, try The Poison Apple Martini, featuring gin from Brooklyn Gin, crafted in New York with fresh, hand-cut citrus peels and locally grown juniper berries. This cocktail is a dangerously delicious twist on the classic apple martini, made with tart local apple juice, a splash of cranberry, and a hint of pomegranate for that deep, blood-red color.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Brooklyn Gin
1 oz. tart apple juice (try from Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook)
½ oz. pomegranate juice
½ oz. cranberry juice
¼ oz. simple syrup
Ice and apple slice for garnish
Instructions:
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a slice of green apple for a sinister touch. One sip, and you’ll see why it’s called “poison”—you won’t be able to resist another.
This Halloween twist on the classic margarita uses the robust flavors of Unburdened Spirits Vodka from Grazin' Distillery in Ghent, NY. This ultra-smooth vodka is perfect when paired with fresh blood orange juice and a dash of pomegranate syrup, giving the cocktail its deep, spooky color. The added bonus? It’s frighteningly delicious.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Unburdened Spirits Vodka
1 oz. blood orange juice (freshly squeezed from Minard Farms)
½ oz. pomegranate syrup
1 oz. lime juice
Salt for rimming and orange wheel for garnish
Instructions:
Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it into salt. Fill a shaker with ice, vodka, blood orange juice, pomegranate syrup, and lime juice. Shake well and strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Garnish with an orange wheel for a drink that’s both scary and scrumptious.
4. The Haunted Mule
Mules are a year-round favorite, but this Halloween, take it to the next level by using Beacon-based 1857 Spirits Potato Vodka, sourced from small-batch potatoes grown at Barber’s Farm. Paired with ginger beer from Ginger Bear, based in the Hudson Valley, this cocktail brings together the spicy warmth of ginger with the smooth, earthy tones of local vodka. A splash of fresh blackberries adds a hauntingly dark color.
Ingredients:
2 oz. 1857 Spirits Potato Vodka
4 oz. Ginger Bear ginger beer
½ oz. lime juice
Fresh blackberries for muddling and garnish
Instructions:
Muddle a few blackberries in the bottom of your glass. Add ice and pour the vodka and lime juice over the top. Stir and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wedge and a few extra blackberries for a spooky pop of color.
5. Pumpkin Spice Punch
What’s Halloween without a little pumpkin spice? For a larger crowd, whip up a Pumpkin Spice Punch made with Tuthilltown Spirits' Hudson Baby Bourbon and real pumpkin puree from Greig Farm in Red Hook, NY. This warm, spiced punch is perfect for setting the autumnal mood and serving to your ghoulish guests. The flavors of bourbon and pumpkin create a rich and cozy drink.
Ingredients:
2 cups Hudson Baby Bourbon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup apple cider
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
Whipped cream and cinnamon sticks for garnish
Instructions:
In a large pot, combine the pumpkin puree, apple cider, brown sugar, and spices. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm. Stir in the bourbon just before serving. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick. This punch will make you feel like you’re wrapped in a warm blanket by the fire.
6. Ghostly Martini
The Ghostly Martini is a simple yet elegant cocktail featuring Cooper’s Daughter Black Walnut Bourbon from Olde York Farm in Claverack. The nutty sweetness of the bourbon blends perfectly with vanilla and cream, giving the drink a smooth, hauntingly delicious flavor. It’s the perfect nightcap for your spooky soirée.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Cooper’s Daughter Black Walnut Bourbon
1 oz. vanilla vodka
1 oz. heavy cream
A dash of cinnamon
Instructions:
Shake the bourbon, vanilla vodka, and cream with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top. This creamy, dreamy martini is sure to have your guests floating on cloud nine.
With these locally inspired Halloween cocktails, you can craft the perfect spooky vibe for your celebration. Using spirits from some of the best Hudson Valley distilleries and fresh fall ingredients, each of these drinks will impress your guests and leave them howling for more. So stock up on local goodies, grab your favorite shaker, and get ready to sip your way through Halloween with style and a little bit of magic.
