10 Spooky Sips to Keep the Monsters Away

By Vicki Cruz

Whether you are throwing a party or mixing up a cocktail for yourself, you can add to the grisly nature of the holiday with drinks both sweet and sour.

And with the treat-filled eve falling on a Saturday this year, there’s plenty of time for entertainment. So, gather your ingredients and start mixing up these creepy creations to celebrate the day the dead walk among the living. Happy Halloween!

Bloody Devil

Bloody Devil

Photo Courtesy of Svedka

Bloody Devil

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 oz. Svedka Clementine
  • 3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
  • 3/4 oz. Orange Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Orange Curaçao
  • dash Orange Bitters
  • Fake Blood* and Orange Peel (for Garnish)

Preparation: Line martini glass with fake blood then combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

*Fake Blood

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup White Corn Syrup
  • 1 tbsp. Cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 15 drops Red Food Coloring
  • 1-5 drops Blue Food Coloring

Preparation: In a bowl, mix the corn syrup and the corn starch together. Add water until the mixture is the consistency of blood. Mix in food coloring until you achieve the desired color.


Corpse Reviver

Corpse Reviver

Photo Courtesy of Bar 54, Hyatt Times Square, NYC

Corpse Reviver

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. Gin, Such as Bulldog
  • 1 oz. Lillet Blanc
  • 1 oz. Cointreau
  • 1 oz. Lemon Juice
  • Splash Absinthe
  • Cherries (for Garnish)

Preparation: Shake with ice. Serve in a coupe with two cherries.


Gates of Hell

Gates of Hell

Photo Courtesy of Strip House, Planet Hollywood

Gates of Hell

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. Anejo Tequila, such as Casadores (or Mezcal, such as Illegal)
  • 1 oz. Blood Orange Juice
  • 3/4 oz. Fresh Lime
  • 3/4 oz. Housemade Grenadine*
  • Red Salt and Dried Cayenne Pepper (for Rim)

Preparation: Shake and strain into a martini glass. Get a nice big rim on the glass using grenadine then dip into the salt mixture. You’ll see the grenadine dripping down the sides with the blood orange juice color. Make the salt mixture to taste, so its not too hot.

*Grenadine

Equal parts pomegranate juice to simple syrup. Reduce on low heat for 30 minutes until you have a viscous syrup. Good for two weeks in fridge.


The Monster Mash

The Monster Mash

Photo Courtesy of Hangar 1 Vodka

The Monster Mash

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. Hangar 1 Straight Vodka
  • 1 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
  • 1 oz. Unti Rosé
  • 1/2 oz. Bianco Vermouth
  • 1 oz. Seltzer Water

Preparation: Combine ingredients and serve in personalized bottles over ice for on-the-go accessibility.


Orange Scream Pop

Orange Scream Pop

Photo Courtesy of Svedka

Orange Scream Pop

Ingredients:

  • 2 parts Svedka Orange Cream Pop
  • 1/2 part Heavy Cream
  • 1/4 part Vanilla Syrup*
  • Float Grenadine
  • Garnish with Candy Corn

Preparation: Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker over ice, shake and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy corn.

*Vanilla Syrup

Scrape out inside of vanilla pod and cut into quarters. Steep in one cup of hot water, turn off heat, and add one cup of granulated sugar. Store covered for 24 hours, strain into a container.


Makers 46 Haunted Old Fashioned

Maker’s 46 Haunted Old Fashioned

Photo Courtesy Ken Gran-Pierre

Maker’s 46 Haunted Old Fashioned

Courtesy of Arley Marks of #ArleyMarksDrinks and Dimes

Ingredients:

  • 4 parts Maker’s 46
  • 1 1/2 parts Pumpkin Syrup*
  • 8 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • 8 dashes Orange Bitters
  • Soda Water Splash
  • 4 Orange Peels (Squeeze Oil from Zest Into Tin)
  • Candy Corn (for Garnish)

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with orange peels and then strain into pumpkin filled with fresh ice. Add orange peels for decoration and top with a splash of soda water. Garnish with a handful of candy corn & enjoy as a Halloween snack and a drink in one!

*Pumpkin Syrup

Remove seeds from a whole pumpkin and cut into slices that can be juiced. (A small pumpkin will yield approx. 1 cup of juice.) In a saucepan over low heat, combine 1 cup pumpkin juice and 1 cup organic evaporated cane sugar with two whole cinnamon sticks. Heat until sugar is dissolved, let cool before using. Alternatively: buy natural pumpkin syrup.


Pumpkin Spice Martini

Pumpkin Spice Martini

Photo Courtesy Aliante Hotel & Casino & Spa

Pumpkin Spice Martini

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. RumChata Cream Liqueur
  • 1 oz. Absolut Vanilla
  • 1 oz. Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
  • Bar Syrup and Crushed Graham Crackers (for Rim)
  • Whipped Cream and Candy Corn (for Garnish)

Preparation: Shake and strain into a martini glass rimmed with bar syrup and crushed graham crackers. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a candy corn.


Slimer's Revenge

Slimer’s Revenge

Photo Credit Bar 54, Hyatt Times Square, NYC

Slimer’s Revenge

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
  • 1/2 oz. Falernum
  • 1 oz. Pineapple Juice
  • 3/4 oz. Lime Juice
  • Splash Blue Curacao
  • Burnt Lemon Half (for Garnish)

Preparation: Shake and fine strain over crushed ice. Serve in a pilsner glass with a burnt lemon halve.


Strawberry Spider's Web

Strawberry Spider’s Web

Photo Courtesy Ken Gran-Pierre

Strawberry Spider’s Web

Courtesy of Niccole Trzaska, The Liberty

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 oz. Cruz Reposado Tequila
  • 3 oz. Tres Agaves Strawberry Margarita Mix
  • 1/4 oz. White Sambuca
  • Halved Strawberry and Red Licorice String/Straw (for Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients over ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with strawberry “spider.” Can be made frozen as well.


Zacapalypse

Zacapalypse

Photo Courtesy Shannon Sturgis

Zacapalypse

Courtesy of Lynnette Marrero, Mixologist

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 oz. Zacapa 23 Rum
  • 1/3 oz. Myers’s Dark Rum
  • 1/3 oz. Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum
  • 1/3 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/4 oz. Don’s Mix (2 parts Grapefruit Juice to 1 part Cinnamon Simple Syrup, or Purchase Pre-made)
  • 1/4 oz. Passionfruit Puree
  • 1 tsp. Absinthe
  • 1 dash Aromatic Bitters
  • Orange Slice (for Garnish)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Pour into glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange slice.

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