We don’t often get to enjoy fresh and fruity cocktails during the winter season, but this pomegranate cocktail from Craft Cocktails is one you will enjoy even in the chilliest of winter. Served cold or warm, this drink has all the summery lightness that orange and lemon and citrus bring, with more traditional winter flavours of pomegranate juice and sweet apple cider.
Looking to brighten your winter bar menu? Keep reading to learn how to make this fruity winter pomegranate cocktail recipe, served either cold or warm!
Pomegranate Cocktail Recipe
What You’ll Need:
1 cup fresh pomegranate juice (about 2 pomegranates)
1 cup dry gin
¾ cup fresh-pressed apple cider
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 (25-ounce/750 mL) bottle dry sparkling wine
15 dashes orange bitters
Orange slices, for garnish
Arils from 1 pomegranate, for garnish
What To Do:
Pro tip 1: If you’re having a gathering, make the punch well in advance so you have one less thing to think about when it’s party time. To ensure your punch tastes bubbly and fresh, don’t add the sparkling wine until the last minute.
Pro tip 2: To make the warm cocktail version, pour the ingredients listed in step 1 (except the gin) into a pot and bring to a simmer. Add 1 ounce of the gin to each glass and top with the warm juice mixture. Leave out the sparkling wine, and garnish with an orange slice instead of the pomegranate arils.
POMEGRANATE JUICE
To make the pomegranate juice, remove the arils.
Cut the fruit in half crosswise, turn each half over, and give them several good whacks with a wooden spoon.
Add the arils to a blender and blend on high speed until all the arils are broken, about 30 seconds.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon to help extract all the juices.
The juice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
POMEGRANATE COCKTAIL
Add the pomegranate juice, gin, orange juice, apple cider, and lemon juice to a punch bowl or glass drink dispenser with a spigot.
Stir to combine.
Place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
When you’re ready to serve, remove the bowl or dispenser from the refrigerator and slowly add the sparkling wine and bitters.
Gently stir to combine.
Float orange slices on top.
Serve in stemmed wine glasses, and top each glass with a sprinkling of pomegranate arils.
Enjoy!
xo
(Excerpted from Craft Cocktails by Geoff Dillon and Whitney Rorison of Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers. Copyright © 2019 by Geoff Dillon and Whitney Rorison of Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers)