Commonly found in a diluted state in different wines, beers, ciders, meads and spirits, college students often spend weekends – or weeknights – enjoying their drink of choice.
For those of you who enjoy a well-crafted cocktail while staying warm in the wintertime, curling up with a good book, watching a movie or even eating a homemade meal, here are some elegant concoctions that will add some great flavors to your repertoire of tasteful drinks that are sure to impress your friends and leave them wanting more.
Frangelico Gingerbread
Although Christmas has already come and gone, the spirit of the holiday has not. This tasty orange-colored Christmas drink made from half part hazelnut liqueur, one part dark rum, half part cinnamon snaps, and one ginger beer is the perfect drink for those who want to make Christmas last all winter long.
To craft this festive drink mix the hazelnut liqueur – Frangelico highly recommended – dark rum, and cinnamon schnapps in a shaker with ice. Don’t have a traditional shaker? Protein shaker bottles are a resourceful substitute. Once shaken well, strain the beverage into a tall glass rimmed with powdered chocolate and enjoy.
Mojito
If you’re already sick of the Buffalo snow – or impressed by the lack thereof – immerse yourself in a year-round summer with this refreshing lime and mint cocktail. The recipe calls for six mint leaves, three quarter ounces of simple syrup, three quarter ounces of fresh lime juice, one and a half ounces of white rum and one and a half ounces of club soda and crushed ice.
Take your shaker and put your crushed ice and lightly crushed mint leaves inside of it. Next add the simple syrup, lime juice and rum. Shake the mix very well and pour all of the contents out into a tall glass. Finally, top it off with some club soda and adorn it with a mint sprig.
Irish Coffee
This drink isn’t recommended for staying awake during those long morning lectures but an Irish coffee is the perfect drink for a night by the fire – or maybe just the heat of your computer on your lap – with your cat, dog or embarrassing collection of stuffed animals by your side.
This simple blend of two ounces of Baileys The Original Irish Cream, six ounces of hot coffee, one ounce of Irish whiskey and an optional dollop of whipped cream will surely hit the spot.
To construct this drink simply combine the Baileys, coffee and Irish whiskey in a tall glass, top it with the optional whipped cream and indulge.
Grapefruit Negroni
If you love grapefruit and a good gin cocktail, this is the perfect combination. Made with one long, wide slice of grapefruit peel, two segments of grapefruit, one ounce of grapefruit juice, one and a half ounces of gin, one ounce of sweet vermouth and a half ounce of Campari, this zesty drink is perfect for a lively game night with friends.
To make this drink fill a glass with ice and let the grapefruit peel wrap around the inside of the glass. Then grab your shaker, pour your grapefruit juice and add your segments of fruit into the mixer. Then add all of the remaining ingredients and fill it with ice. Finally, shake well and strain into your glass with the peel in it. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into the prepared glass.
Coquito
This traditional Puerto Rican cocktail always satisfies and this recipe easily serves four to eight people. With two cans of unsweetened coconut cream, one can of sweetened condensed milk, one can of evaporated milk, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, one to two cups of anejo or spiced rum, one tablespoon of ground cinnamon and one tablespoon of ground nutmeg.
To make the coquito cocktail, simply blend all ingredients in a blender on high for five minutes and then refrigerate. Once chilled the coquito is ready to sip and enjoy.
These mixed drinks will definitely help any student – of age – make it through the harsh Buffalo winter with his or her sanity intact.
Tomas Olivier is a features editor and can be reached at features@ubspectrum.com
