When it comes to delicious drink recipes, no one knows better than the folks mixing them up behind the bar every night. Fall is an especially exciting time for bartenders to flex their creative muscles as they craft cocktails with all the warm, comforting flavors of the season, like pumpkin, cinnamon, chai, pear, caramel, ginger and more.
We asked five Florida bartenders for their favorite fall cocktail recipes and autumn drink trends everyone should try. Now, we’re sharing them with you in this tapster tell-all.
Bartender: Paige Nast Caler
Location: TAP 42 Craft Kitchen + Bar in Fort Lauderdale
This bright, fizzy cocktail is the ideal drink for a Floridian fall: it’s refreshing (for a state whose falls are more like summer lite) but with all the spicy seasonal notes you’re craving. Blending flavors of blood orange, bourbon and ginger, TAP 42 bartender Paige Nast Caler says this is “the perfect cocktail to pair with holiday dinners like Thanksgiving.”
The Recipe:
1 ½ ounces blood orange syrup
1 ½ ounces ginger syrup
1 ½ ounces Maker's Mark 46 Bourbon
½ ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 ounces ginger beer
Candied ginger (optional)
Add blood orange syrup, ginger syrup, bourbon and lemon juice to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a wine glass over fresh ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lemon wheel and candied ginger.
On those rare chilly evenings in South Florida, Paige says she sees an uptick in orders for dark spirits-based drinks like this one. She expects to see older cocktails continue to make a comeback this fall; she has noticed Negronis trending in particular.
Bartender: Britta Wipperfurth
Location: Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen & Southern Shine Bar in Disney Springs
If bartenders are seeing throwback cocktails experiencing a renaissance, the espresso martini is surely the queen of comebacks. Seriously, we published a whole blog post of just espresso martini recipes.
In her iteration of this caffeinated classic, Homecomin’ Kitchen bartender Britta Wipperfurth swaps the typical unflavored vodka for caramel vodka.
“The warm notes of caramel and coffee capture the essence of fall flavors in an ultra-cool cocktail that is perfect for Florida’s fall heat,” she said.
For the best results, Britta recommends using a top-grade Arabica bean coffee to make your cold brew concentrate. Pro tip: your favorite local coffee shop probably sells cold brew concentrate by the growler if you’d rather leave it to the professionals. Then, you’ll have a jug of luscious, frosty cold brew on hand to use in your cocktails or to skip the Starbucks iced coffee run every morning.
The Recipe:
1 ounce Smirnoff Kissed Caramel Vodka
1 ounce Mr Black Cold Brew Liqueur
1 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce cold brew concentrate
3 espresso beans, for garnish
Add vodka, liqueur, simple syrup and cold brew concentrate to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until you have a frosty tin. Strain into a coupe glass or martini glass. Float three espresso beans on top to garnish.
Like Paige, Britta sees new twists on classics like the Negroni persevering. She said her guests are embracing floral gins, crisp proseccos and smoky mezcals in this traditionally light and sweet elixir.
She also expects frozen cocktails (especially in the Sunshine State) and spicy cocktails to stay on bar tabs for the foreseeable future.
“Spicy is still in demand,” she said. “Whether it’s on the rim or in the mix, the lure of a little sizzle will be prevalent throughout the fall.”
If Britta’s speaking your language, check out our round-up of must-try spicy cocktails here.
Bartender: Stephanie Cardenas
Location: Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila in St. Augustine
Riffing off the trend of swapping spirits in staple cocktails, Casa Reina bartender Stephanie Cardenas brings us a reposado tequila-based Old Fashioned with a few fall flavor flourishes.
“Tequila is such a versatile spirit [that is] capable of more than just a great Margarita or shooter,” she said. “We like to introduce tequila and other agave spirits to cocktails that would typically feature a different spirit, like bourbon.”
The Recipe:
2 ounces Casa Noble Reposado
½ ounce cinnamon syrup*
¼ ounce honey syrup**
¼ ounce Filthy Red Cherry juice
4 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Dehydrated orange wheel
Cinnamon stick
*Cinnamon Syrup:
1 cinnamon stick
8 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces cold water
**Honey Syrup:
3 parts honey
1 part warm water
*For cinnamon syrup: Pulse cinnamon stick in a food processor until pieces are than ¼ inch long. Combine sugar and water in a pot over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cinnamon stick pieces, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container. Refrigerate until cool.
**For honey syrup: Combine honey and warm water in a mixing bowl. Stir until well-combined. Store in an airtight container.
For cocktail: Add tequila, cinnamon syrup, honey syrup, cherry juice, orange bitters and aromatic bitters to a mixing glass with ice. Stir with a bar spoon for 10 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel, cherry and torched cinnamon stick.
Stephanie believes that tequila-forward cocktails will continue to trend this fall, especially in simple, classic cocktails like Old Fashioneds. However, she also sees mezcal, tequila’s younger brother, getting its flowers this year. When paired with the correct ingredients, she says, mezcal is a spirit that can create a beautifully balanced fall cocktail.
Bartender: Marko Struga
Location: Sal Y Mar, located atop the Aloft and Element hotel in Midtown Tampa
...and speak of the devil, mezcal dances with pisco and the comforting flavors of spiced pear in this autumnal harvest cocktail from bartender Marko Struga at Sal Y Mar Rooftop Bar in Tampa.
“[This cocktail is] a true embodiment of fall's charm. It blends mezcal's smoky warmth with pisco's smoothness, creating a perfect balance. The addition of cinnamon and lemon adds a cozy and zesty touch that resonates with the season,” Marko said.
Hosting hero tip: If making this cocktail at home for guests, Marko recommends pairing it with a simple dessert that consists of rum-infused spiced pineapple chunks, chocolate granola and whipped cream layered in a Mason jar. Now THAT’S what we call Southern hospitality.
The Recipe:
1 ounce Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
1 ounce Caravedo Puro Quebranta Pisco
½ ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 ounce pear puree*
Caramelized pear slices, for garnish**
*Pear Puree:
2 pounds pears, chopped
1 liter water
¼ cup brown sugar (adjust to sweetness preference)
3 star anise pods
3 cinnamon sticks
3 pinches nutmeg
Caramelized Pear Slices:
Granulated sugar
*For pear puree: Combine chopped pears, water, brown sugar, star anise pods, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in a saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture continue to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until pears are soft and tender. Remove from heat, then take out star anise and cinnamon sticks and discard them. Puree the softened pears using a blender or immersion blender until the consistency is smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water until you reach desired consistency. If you want an ultra-smooth puree without any texture, strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer. Allow the puree to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
**For pear garnish: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice pears into thin rounds and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover pear slices with sugar and bake until the sugar has melted. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
For cocktail: Add mezcal, pisco, lemon juice and pear puree to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a caramelized pear slice.
Marko finds that his guests are increasingly seeking out cocktails with unique, high-quality spirits and artisanal ingredients. Of course, it doesn’t hurt if the cocktail photographs well for the Gram, either. Luckily, this drink ticks all the boxes and then some.
Bartender: Vicente Lavayen
Location: Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar at Epicurean Hotel in Tampa
Just like any other artist, bartenders take inspiration from everywhere for their cocktail creations: nature, music, family and more. For Vicente Lavayen, Corporate Beverage Manager at Élevage at Epicurean Hotel, his favorite fall cocktail is inspired by a fond childhood memory of growing up in Michigan.
“I still remember to this day, as soon as the season turns to fall there are McIntosh and Honeycrisp apples and pears everywhere. No need for an orchard, there were apple and pear trees in people’s yards and roadside in every small town. I even had a few apple trees I would pick apples from while walking to grade school,” he said. “To me, fall is all about apples, pears and spices and the aromatics of them all.”
So, Vicente made the My G Brother’s Keeper. It brings the classic fall flavors of apple and bourbon to the table with a floral twist from the St Germain and a hint of herbaceous sweetness from the sage-basil syrup. It strikes the perfect balance of sweet, acidic, aromatic and warming. A simply scrumptious seasonal cocktail.
The Recipe:
1 ½ ounces Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
½ ounce St-Germain Liqueur
1 ounce honeycrisp apple juice, freshly pressed
½ ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ ounce sage-basil syrup*
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
*Sage-Basil Syrup:
20 ounces water
14 ounces granulated sugar
10-12 large basil leaves
6-8 sage leaves
*For sage-basil syrup: Add water to a saucepan. Slowly add the sugar to the water while stirring. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer over medium heat, then take off heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Add the basil and sage leaves and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Strain into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For cocktail: Add bourbon, liqueur, apple juice, lemon juice, syrup and bitters to a shaker filled with ice. Shake for 15 seconds, then double strain over a glass with ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel, dehydrated apple slice, basil leaf, edible flower or whatever you fancy.
Vicente predicts a fall full of fruit-forward, spicy hot and pumpkin-spiced cocktails as usual, but he spies another fall drink trend on the horizon: wine-based cocktails. Be on the lookout for concoctions featuring ports and other fortified wines on cocktail menus this season!
