Crisp, colourful autumn cocktails

The inspiration for this column started back in the early days of this pandemic, when a friend challenged me to create cocktails with the obscure bottles that one often finds in the back of one’s liquor cabinet. That fun, 14-day social media challenge has now become a monthly recipe round-up here in What’s Up Yukon. 

In this, my sixth column, I am officially re-naming the series to match Free Pour Jenny’s official tagline, which I dreamed up last year: Cocktails with Latitude. I founded my small business in 2016 after retiring from a career as a military pilot and airline pilot. In flying, latitude is, as you might expect, really important. These days, I look at latitude in a different way, from here on the ground. I’m passionate about creating products that contain the unique ingredients of our northern climate and reflect its character.

Along these lines, in most of the country it’s still summer, but here in the Yukon, we all know that fall has arrived. Although that won’t be official until late October, these cocktails are inspired by the crisp, cool colours of autumn.

Autumn In The Yukon

I have adapted this lovely creation by using Canadian ingredients. The original is called “Autumn in the City,” by Moody Mixologist, Amy Traynor.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 oz Okanagan Spirits Canados Apple (apple brandy)
• 1 oz Lot 40 Rye Whisky
• 1 oz Odd Society Bittersweet Vermouth
• 5 drops FPJ Solstice bitters
• 1 bar spoon Uncle Berwyn’s Yukon Birch Syrup
• Preserved sour cherry or edible flower for garnish

Instructions

1. Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a preserved cherry or edible flower.

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  JBL Solstice Bitters

Birch Apple Mule

Here’s my riff on the well-known Moscow Mule. This version uses some of my favourite fall flavours, including birch syrup, apple cider and cranberry.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz birch syrup
• 8 drops FPJ Cranberry Bitters
• 1 oz apple cider
• 3-4 oz ginger beer
• Apple slice (soaked in lemon juice)

Instructions

1. Place vodka, syrup and bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until well chilled.
2. Strain into a mule mug with fresh ice. Top with apple cider and ginger beer.
3. Stir gently. Garnish with an apple slice.

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  Cranberry Bitters — Free Pour Jenny's

Archangel

This cocktail was created in 2006 by Michael McIlroy and Richard Boccato of NYC’s Milk & Honey. It is inspired by pink gin, another one of my favourite libations. It’s a strong drink and, as you might suspect, it is bitter. I have increased that attribute with the addition of some Fireweed Bitters.

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Ingredients

• 2 ¼ oz gin
• 3/4 oz Aperol
• 2 slices cucumber
• 5 drops FPJ Fireweed Bitters
• Lemon peel

Instructions

1. Add Aperol and cucumber to a mixing glass. Muddle the ingredients together (remember my May column about muddled cocktails? If you don’t have a muddler, you can use the back of a wooden spoon to bruise the cucumber).
2. Add gin and bitters, along with some ice. Stir until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe.
3. Garnish with a piece of lemon peel.

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  FPJ Fireweed Bitters

Mooseberry Cocktail

I love the flavour of highbush cranberries. To me, nothing signals the arrival of fall quite like seeing them dotting the forest landscape. Making a syrup and then straining it removes those pesky seeds and creates a fantastic, brightly-coloured cocktail ingredient! To create a boozy version, just add the optional vodka.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz vodka (optional – do not use for mocktail version!)
• 1/2 oz highbush cranberry & clove simple syrup *
• 2 oz white grape juice
• 3 oz soda water
• 12 drops FPJ Solstice Bitters
• 1 thin half-slice lemon

Instructions

1. Stir together all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice.
2. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon slice.

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  JBL Solstice Bitters

Highbush Cranberry & Clove Simple Syrup

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Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen highbush cranberries
• 1 tsp cloves

Instructions

1. Make the syrup up to 2 weeks in advance. Place all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Remove from heat, and let the syrup cool completely.
3. Strain into a clean jar and label. Store in the refrigerator until needed.