When I was working on yesterday’s post on ideas for your fall wedding of course I had to include some seasonal beverages. So who better to ask what beverages would be perfect for a fall wedding, than Dayton Wedding Bartender extraordinaire Matt Feltner with Drinks by Matt?
He didn’t just give me a short-list of great fall cocktails, but a little rundown on each one, and his recipes too, so we all can give them a try! Here’s what Matt shared with us:
Mulled Apple Cider
One thing we often associate with fall is warm apple cider. And with the possibility of cooler temperatures at your fall wedding, your guests will really appreciate a hot cocktail! For my take on mulled apple cider, I add dark rum, honey, cinnamon and cloves to the cider and finish with a splash of lemon and orange juices. Add a cinnamon stick as a garnish for a nice finishing touch. The great thing about a cocktail like this one is that it can be batched ahead of time, which makes for quick bar service for your guests!
Recipe:
1 oz dark rum (Captain Morgan works great for this recipe)
5 oz mulled apple cider (made by simmering 1 quart of apple juice for 30 mins with 2 whole cinnamon sticks and 1/16 tsp ground cloves)
0.5 oz honey
0.25 oz orange juice
0.25 oz lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a mug and stir well. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and/or a dash of ground cinnamon.
Cinnamon Spiked Cider
If you like the idea of incorporating apple flavors into your fall wedding, but you want to keep it simple (or if you end up with warmer-than-usual weather!), a good alternative is a spiked cider. The recipe couldn’t be simpler: just add an ounce of cinnamon-flavored whiskey to your favorite cider and voila! This one’s even easier on service than the mulled cider, and uses ingredients that you can also be served individually or combined with other ingredients to make cocktails.
Recipe:
1 oz cinnamon-flavored whiskey (I use Fireball)
8 oz hard cider (Angry Orchard is the original, but the possibilities are endless!)
No fancy techniques here! Add whiskey and ice to a pint glass, finish with hard cider.
Apple Brandy Old Fashioned
If you want something a little more sophisticated, you can also incorporate that great fall apple flavor into mixed drinks. The possibilities are endless, but I love an old fashioned made with apple brandy: simply swap out the whiskey for apple brandy and you’re all set! Old fashioned are best when made to order, so this one requires a bit more prep time, and a bartender who knows their stuff!
Recipe:
2 oz apple brandy
0.5 honey
Orange slice
Bitters to taste (I use Angostura)
Add honey, orange and bitters to mixing glass and muddle together. Add ice and apple brandy, stir well, and strain into rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish with an orange slice.
Cranberry Gin and Tonic
Lastly, I have a recipe for those who aren’t crazy about apples. Another fall flavor that I love to use in cocktails is cranberry. My wife loves a good gin and tonic, and the great thing about G&Ts is that they’re so easy to customize! At our wedding, her signature cocktail was a gin and tonic with fresh berries, a favorite of hers, added to make it unique. I’ve done the same here, adding cranberry juice to the classic G&T to give it some fall flavor!
Recipe:
2 oz gin (my favorite is Belle of Dayton’s Dayton Gin)
1 oz cranberry juice
Tonic water
Combine gin and cranberry juice in a rocks glass. Add ice and tonic water to fill and garnish with an orange slice.
A big Thank You to Matt for letting me share the above info. Drinks by Matt is a private events bartending service, providing the actual bartending service at your event, as well as consulting on how much and what to buy and creating unique signature cocktails to make your event truly special.
Hearts, Joy, Love!
Jean
Looking for fun ideas, or need help with your wedding plans?
Weddings From The Heart can help. Contact me today at [email protected] or by phone or text at 937-581-3647!
