Dandy Cocktails - October

Whether you’re into sipping something dark and smooth, or cheery and bubbly the world of cocktails awaits you. Of my many party friends one friend stands out for his desire to find new drinks to expand his horizons from college days of rye and coke. He has inspired to stretch my view of drinking.

Turning my attention into the liquor shelf over the fridge I snapped this photo. In the upcoming series of cocktails posts I’m going to research the web for the possibilities of turning the brown and clear booze in these bottles into delicious drinks to enjoy.

Let’s start with a tough one. Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey.

The back label reads: INIGITE THE NITE. What you have here is a smooth whiskey with a fiery kick of red hot cinnamon. It tastes like heaven, burns like hell. What happens next is up to you.

Now I disagree with the last sentence. What happens next is not up to you. If you drink Fireball like most of the people I have seen do it, then you are blasting back upwards of a 2-ounce shot glass of this true firewater. People squeeze their eyes closed tight, twist their faces and curse like a ten dollar hooker abandoned at a truck stop. Once the burning effects of the cinnamon wear off the 33% alc/vol whiskey begins working, and if your so called friend buy another round of shots then what happens next is up to your distorted subconscious which might fool you to believe you can sing, that you’re damn good looking, or that your friend (ya…the one that just paid) is the greatest human alive.

Here are some palatably diluted versions of a Fireball.

Apple Pie on the Rocks

(Note: I made this one. It is so good that only a scoop of ice cream could make it better)

1 oz. Vanilla Vodka

1 oz. Fireball Whiskey

4 oz . Organic Apple Juice

Pinch of Ground Cinnamon

Brown Sugar for the rim Grind a little finer for more successful sugaring

Optional: Cinnamon Stick for Garnish

Ice

Wet the rim of your rocks glass just a little, and gently sugar the rim with the brown sugar. In a martini shaker, pour the vodka, Fireball, apple juice and ground cinnamon together with a handful of ice cubes. Shake 10 times and pour the contents into the glass without wiping off the sugar rim. Serve chilled and with a cinnamon stick, for garnish.

Recipe courtesy of veganyackattack.com

Cinnamon Old Fashioned

3 oz Fireball Whiskey

1.5 oz maple syrup (real maple syrup)

3 oz fresh orange juice

Juice fresh oranges and make sure that seeds are removed. Mix fireball, maple syrup, and orange juice in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with fresh orange peel.

Recipe courtesy of www.thenativetransplant.com

Fireball Sangria

1 cup orange peach mango juice (Dole makes this)

1 cup Fireball whiskey

1 bottle dry red wine (or sangria wine)

Combine the juice, whiskey and wine in a large pitcher. Add the frozen fruit and allow to chill for 10 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of gogogogourmet.com

Fire in Ice Apple Cider

4 cups ice cubes

1 cup apple cider

1 cup cinnamon flavored whisky (used: Fireball)

splash ginger beer

apple slices, for garnish (optional)

Add the ice, cider, and whisky to a blender. Blend until smooth and well combined. Divide the drink between glasses. Top with a splash of ginger beer and garnish with an apple slice.

Recipe courtesy of gogogogourmet.com

Fireball Pink Lemonade

1 bottle lemonade (24 oz.)

1 cup Fireball cinnamon whisky

1-2 tbsp. grenadine

2 cups ice

1 lemon, sliced

Pour the lemonade, Fireball and 1 tbsp. grenadine into a large pitcher. Stir and taste, adding grenadine until you reach the desired color/flavor you'd like. Fill mason jars or other glasses with ice. Pour in pink lemonade, and garnish glasses with a slice of lemon.

Recipe courtesy of Delish.com