Thanksgiving can simultaneously be one of the best and worst times of the year for a lot of people. On the one hand, you get to eat absurd amounts of food, remember everything you have to be thankful for, and you get a break from the end-of-the-semester grind. On the other hand, you probably will have to deal with some uncomfortable family interactions and tense situations. But not to fear, this Spiced Pear Thanksgiving cocktail is ready to be your saving grace this November.
This cocktail is a twist on a classic Dark n’ Stormy, which normally includes rum, ginger beer, and a slice of lime. But since I know you don’t want your mood this Thanksgiving to get anywhere near the point of “dark and stormy,” I changed things up. To put the cocktail in an autumnal mindset, it is adapted to replace the rum with bourbon and the ginger beer with cider. Ginger syrup is added to keep the spicy kick from the ginger beer, and lime juice is included to cut through the sweetness. The star of the show, however, is St. George’s Spiced Pear Liqueur.
St. George Spirits is an artisanal distillery located in Alameda, California. It produces a wide range of different spirits such as Green Chile Vodka, Dry Rye Gin, and the Spiced Pear Liqueur that features in this cocktail. It also offers tours and tastings at its distillery.
Most liquor stores and many supermarkets carry some version of a ginger syrup. I recommend The Ginger People’s Ginger Syrup if you can find it. However, making ginger syrup yourself is extremely easy and well worth the effort. Just mix 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Then add 1 cup chopped ginger and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, let the mixture stand for 10 more minutes, and then strain out the ginger pieces. The ginger syrup can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for several weeks.
To make this cocktail look as classy as it tastes, a garnish to adorn this drink is a must. A slice of fresh pear on the edge of the glass goes a long way. So would a piece of dried pear and a slice of crystallized ginger on a skewer. How you garnish your drink, and if you do at all, is up to you, so let your creativity flow.
Spiced Pear Thanksgiving Cocktail
Ingredients
Instructions
Shake bourbon, pear liqueur, lime juice, and ginger syrup in cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Strain into tall glass filled with ice.
Top off with cider.
Garnish with pear slice and crystallized ginger.
This cocktail isn’t limited to Thanksgiving. You can make it your drink of the season, or even the year, and enjoy this Spiced Pear Cocktail as often as you please. Its fall-forward flavors make it an excellent drink for any appropriately autumnal activities—think apple picking, pie making, and pumpkin carving.
Even though there’s Thanksgiving in its name, there’s no reason to wait for the holiday itself to make this cocktail—it’s delicious enough to warrant several “taste tests” beforehand. Whether you are making the Spiced Pear Thanksgiving cocktail for yourself or your family’s Thanksgiving table, it is sure to be a popular addition.