Holy Day Cocktails

St. Michael’s Vigil | a Michaelmas Espresso Martini

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Recipe

  • 1.5 oz Espresso (or Cold Brew concentrate)
  • 1 oz Cognac
  • 1 oz Blackberry Liqueur (or Raspberry)
  • .25 oz Coffee Liqueuer
  • .25-.5 oz Green Chartreuse to taste
  • Optional dash of salt
  • Garnish: blackberry

Shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with the blackberry.

* * * *

September 29 is Michaelmas, the great feast of St. Michael the Archangel, now shared with Gabriel and Raphael. Once a major holy day in medieval Europe, Michaelmas was marked by parades, fairs, and feasting. An old Irish legend tells us that when Michael cast Satan from heaven, the devil landed in a blackberry bush, spat upon it, and soured its fruit. This led many people to eat blackberries on Michaelmas, but not after.

Michael himself is remembered as the protector of the Church, the one who drives back the powers of evil and bears the banner of heaven. He is the the governor of heaven — the holy counterpoint to Lucifer, the self-styled ruler of hell. And as befits a warrior feast day, we drink to those who fight for us and we strengthen ourselves for the spiritual fight ahead!

So why an espresso martini? Because this day is about wakefulness and vigilance. Michaelmas arrives as the nights grow longer, and it calls us to be alert: watchful against darkness, strengthened for the battles of the spirit. Espresso jolts us awake, both in body and in soul, a reminder that “the Church militant” does not sleep on its watch.

The cognac anchors the drink with warmth and gravity, evoking the dignity of heaven’s general. The blackberry liqueur brings both sweetness and bite, a nod to the old legend of the cursed bramble. The coffee liqueur evokes purgation and penitence. The green Chartreuse, the herbal elixir made by monks, brings angelic mystery to mind; it’s the holy herb garden of heaven condensed into liquid. Finally, the garnish: a blackberry skewered on a pick, recalling the sword of St. Michael.

Altogether, it’s dark and strong, sweet and energizing — exactly what a feast of archangels deserves. This is no gentle nightcap; it’s a drink for vigilance, courage, and joy in the triumph of light over darkness.

Raise your glass this Michaelmas—and do it before the blackberries turn sour.

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Family Reunion | A Pentecost Negroni

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Recipe

  • ½ oz Rye Whiskey (USA)
  • ½ oz Tequila Blanco (Mexico)
  • 1 oz Suze (French Amaro)
  • ½ oz Carpano Antica (Italian Sweet Vermouth)
  • ½ oz Ruby Port (Portugal)
  • ¼ oz Islay Scotch (Scotland – floated on top)
  • Flamed Orange Peel Garnish

Stir all ingredients except the Scotch with ice and strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Gently float the Islay Scotch over the top by pouring it over the back of a spoon. Flame an orange peel over the glass, express its oils, and drop it in.

* * * *

Happy Birthday, Church! It is now Pentecost, the day that God’s own Spirit filled God’s own people, crossing language, boundaries, cultures, and nationalities to create one new united family. In the tongues of fire and language, God reversed the story of the Tower of Babel.

That’s the heart of this Negroni, Family Reunion. It’s built from spirits scattered across the world: American rye, Mexican tequila, French Suze, Italian vermouth, Portuguese port, and a smoky Scotch from the far edge of Scotland. It’s a drink that doesn’t pretend the differences aren’t there but lets them all sit in the glass together. Each part keeps its accent, but together they have an incredibly unity.

The drink itself leans earthy and complex. The rye brings structure, the tequila adds depth, and the Suze’s golden gentian bitterness contributes an interesting mid-note to the flavors. The Carpano Antica and the Ruby Port round it out with deep, red sweetness, like the shared wine of communion: one cup, many vineyards. Lastly, the Islay Scotch float and the flamed orange peel garnish image the tongues of fire hovering over those first Christians.

This drink is Pentecost in miniature. But this is not a quick or delicate Negroni. It’s heavier, slower, more reflective. The kind of drink that doesn’t mind being passed around, that tastes different each time you come back to it. It’s the flavor of the Church at her best — many voices, one Spirit, the family gathered again around the same table drinking from the Common Cup of God’s grace.

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The Alleluia Negroni | For Easter

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Recipe

  • 1 oz Barrel-Aged Gin
  • 1 oz Suze Amaro
  • 1 oz Dolin Blanc (or other white, sweet vermouth such as Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano)
  • Top with Seltzer or Tonic
  • Garnish with lemon twist

Stir the gin, Suze, and vermouth with ice until chilled. Strain into a glass with fresh ice. Top with your sparkling of choice. Express the oil of a lemon peel over it all and garnish with the peel.

* * * *

It’s Easter! He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

The Church’s highest feast is one of joy, celebration, and abundance. This season isn’t content with a muted sip; it needs something golden, bright, and effervescent. The Easter Negroni takes the classic trinity of spirit, amaro, and vermouth and transfigures it into something new—bubbling with life, radiant in hue, and rich with meaning.

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Felix Culpa (Fortunate Fall) | A Lent Negroni

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Recipe

  • 1 oz Mezcal
  • 1.25 oz Spiced Apple Wine (or 1 oz rich Sweet Vermouth)
  • .75 oz Cardamoro
  • Garnish: Apple Slice and Smoked Rosemary

Add all spirits to a mixing glass. Stir with ice until chilled and diluted. Strain over fresh ice. Add apple slice and light the end of a sprig of rosemary on fire. Put out the flame and let it smoke.

* * * *

Lent begins in ashes, but it doesn’t end there. It moves through wilderness, temptation, and sorrow—not to leave us in dust, but to lead us toward resurrection. Lent reminds us of a bittersweet truth: that our sinfulness is a necessary ingredient for our redemption.​

The ancient theologians called it felix culpa—”fortunate fall”—the idea that humanity’s fall led to a greater good: the coming of Christ and the outpouring of grace. In other words, it is better to have been lost and found than to never have been lost at all. In other other words: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

As the Exsultet proclaims in the Easter Vigil: “O happy fall that earned for us so great, so glorious a Redeemer.”​

So let us raise a glass to this wonderful mystery with this Lenten Negroni. It brings together the sweetness of Eden, the smoke of exile, and the herbal bitterness of toil and grace.

The first sip greets you with the smoky depth and vegetal complexity of mezcal, reminiscent of the Garden and darkness of sin. The spiced apple wine and garnish call to mind that original temptation, now made sweet by Christ. Grounding the drink is Cardamaro, bringing an earthy bitterness evoking images of thorns, toil, and grace. Lastly, the flaming rosemary symbolizes both the flaming sword preventing re-entry to Eden and holy incense granting us entry into the presence of God.

This is a complex, surprisingly light drink with lots of layers if you let yourself sit with it. May it serve as a sensory reflection on the journey from fall to redemption, reminding us that even in our brokenness, grace abounds.

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The Epiphany Espresso Martini

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Recipe

  • 1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
  • 1 oz Espresso or Cold Brew Concentrate
  • .5 oz Molasses
  • .25 oz Dry or Blanc Vermouth
  • 2 dashes Chocolate Bitters
  • barspoon Fernet Branca
  • Lemon Peel for expression and garnish

Add all ingredients except lemon peel to shaker and shake until well chilled. Double strain into a coupe. Express Lemon Peel oil over top and garnish with the peel cut into a cross.

* * * *

The Western Church is currently in the last days of the Church season of Epiphany, which is kind of a beautiful junk drawer of a season.

Advent/Christmas cover Jesus’ anticipation and birth, and Lent/Easter cover his death and resurrection. Epiphany covers everything in between. It starts with the Wise Men visiting Jesus (they weren’t at the manger!) and covers his ministry of justice. The key motif is light breaking through the darkness, waking us from our stupor, and preparing us for the repentance of Lent.

So if we want a cocktail that’s going to wake us up and mess us up, there’s none better than this espresso martini riff.

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Plenary Indulgence | a cocktail for the All Saints Octave

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Recipe

  • 1.5 oz Brandy
  • .5 oz Fig Syrup
  • .5 oz Dry Curacao
  • 1 Whole Egg
  • 3 oz Oktoberfest Beer
  • Garnish: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

Add all ingredients except beer to a shaker without ice. Vigorously shake longer than normal to emulsify the egg and get everything frothy. Add some ice and briefly shake again just until it’s cold. Double strain into a goblet and top with the beer. Drink alongside a peanut butter cup.

* * * *

Okay, this cocktail is just for fun. Just this year, I found out that Catholics extend the official observance of the All Souls’ and All Saints’ holidays to a full eight days to form the “All Saints Octave“. This is a time for Catholics to earn extra indulgences to help those in Purgatory.

Now, being a good, Reformation-steeped Protestant myself, and knowing that Luther specifically kicked off the Reformation this week partly to protest these very indulgences, I thought it’d be a good opportunity to celebrate my spiritual heritage in this by crafting a cocktail.

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Dearly Departed | a cocktail for All Souls’ Day

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Recipe

  • 1 oz Mezcal
  • .75 oz St. Germain Elder Flower Liqueur
  • 1 oz Dry Vermouth
  • .5 oz Dry White Wine
  • 1 dash Celery Bitters (optional)
  • Garnish: Olive

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with an olive.

* * * *

I can easily forgive you for not knowing that All Souls’ Day is different from yesterday’s All Saints’ Day. If yesterday was about honoring all the saints in the world today, today is about honoring all those that have died and gone on before us. (Together, these two days constitute Mexico’s “Day of the Dead”.) This day helps us honor our ancestors–both in blood and spirit–to feel their legacy, support, and presence in some way.

It also lends itself to rich symbolism for a great cocktail! This drink is made entirely of spirits (get it?). The Mezcal and celery bitters recall the darkness of death, while the olive brings to mind the salt of tears for those that have passed before us.

But the vermouth and wine bring complexity that reminds us there’s more to it than that. Death is not the end of the story. That’s when the saintly liqueur St Germain brings a bouquet of sweetness and brightness through the darkness. It’s a lovely, delicate, complex drink, like our spiritual legacy.

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All Saints’ | a holy day cocktail

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Recipe

  • 2 oz Dark Rum
  • .75 oz St. Germain Elder Flower Liqueur
  • .5 oz Lemon Juice
  • .5 oz Falernum (or Ginger Syrup)
  • .25 oz All Spice Dram
  • Garnish: Lemon twist

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a lemon twist.

* * * *

Today is All Saints’ Day (and the beginning of Kingdomtide). It is a beautiful Christian feast day that honors all of God’s people, known and unknown.

Every description I’ve seen of this holy day includes that little tag at the end–known or unknown–and I love it. There are those who belong to God in unknown ways we could not define nor specify. This day is a celebration of all the ways God draws people to himself.

And so to all of you saints–known and unknown–I raise a glass in toast of you. And in that glass is one of the best cocktails I’ve ever made.

It is complex and spicy, with a little funk. It is perfectly balanced with some brightness and sweet floral notes. As for symbolism, I just had two requirements when conceiving of this drink: it need All Spice Dram and Saint Germain (All… Saint… Get it?). I honestly didn’t think it’d work, but boy does it.

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“Halloween By Thy Name” | a cocktail for All Hallows’ Eve

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Recipe

  • 2 oz White Rum
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • .75 oz Ube Syrup
  • 1 Egg White (or Aquafaba)

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Dry shake vigorously for at least 45 seconds. Then add some ice and shake again for 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with something creepy.

* * * *

Yes, it is Halloween. Growing up Evangelical, I was taught this was a sort of anti-Christian day. But historically, this couldn’t be further from the truth. “Halloween” is an abbreviation for “All Hallows’ Eve’ning“, as it is the day before the Christian Holy Day of “All Hallows” (more commonly known as “All Saints Day“).

But more than just being the day before a holy day, Halloween has been a truly Christian holiday in its own right for quite some time. So it deserves a holy day cocktail! (It’s also Reformation Day for Protestants, and yes–there’s a cocktail for that).

There are an infinite number of spooky cocktails out there, but I wanted to go a little more elevated. Unlike my other cocktails, there’s no special meaning to any of the ingredients. It’s just great tasting and purple–a delightfully Halloween-ish hue. It is tart, sweet, a little nutty, and velvety smooth. You will adore this drink. All treat, and no trick.

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“Semper Reformanda” | A Reformation Day Cocktail

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Recipe

  • 1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
  • 1 oz Grenadine
  • .5 oz All Spice Dram
  • .25 Lemon Juice
  • 2 dashes Orange Bitters
  • top with 4 oz of Oktoberfest

Add all ingredients (except the beer) to a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a collins glass. Top with the Oktoberfest beer.

* * * *

For Protestant Christians, it is Reformation Day, celebrating when Martin Luther kicked off the Reformation by posting his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. The cocktail’s name comes from one of the mottoes of this movement: ecclesia reformata semper reformanda (“the church reformed is always reforming”).

Is this a “holy day” in the proper sense of the word? No. And I know many would see this as a day to mourn, not celebrate. But even someone as ecumenical as myself who loves Catholics can enjoy this day in a good-natured, light-hearted way. And for that, we deserve a drink!

This is my first beer cocktail, and it is really good. It’s a tweaked version of the “Lumberjack in Love” by the always-fantastic Anders Erikson. Like the Reformation itself, this drink is bitter and sweet. Rye embodies Luther’s own spice and bite. The All Spice captures the Reformation truth that all of God’s people are priests and saints in his kingdom. And lastly, of course, we top it all off with that most German of autumnal beers: the Oktoberfest. Prost!

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The Ordinary Time Daiquiri

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Recipe

  • 2 oz Pineapple Rum
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 oz Honey Sage Syrup
  • 1 bar spoon Mezcal
  • Garnish with Lime wheel and fresh cracked black pepper

Add all ingredients except garnishes to a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Add cracked black pepper on top and a lime wheel.

* * * *

We now find ourselves in the odd season called “Ordinary Time”. It’s the longest church season of the year and is full of small holy days, but does not have any real over-arching theme. Ordinary Time is a place to apply lessons form the other church seasons. It’s a chance to to infuse the sacred into our everyday “ordinary” life, and add our own spiritual twist on time that would otherwise be the same ol’ thing, day in and day out.

And I wanted to do the same thing in a drink. I wanted to take an “ordinary” drink that everyone knows–in this case, a daiquiri–and infuse some extra soul into it. Just as the church calendar encompasses a huge range of human experience and emotion, this drink tries to bring in a range flavors the create a lovely whole. And I think I did a really good job.

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3 Trinity Cocktails for Trinity Sunday

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Recipes

For all three drinks: stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled coupe. Add the garnish. Unless specified, the numbers are in ounces.

Trinity Cocktail (1930)
– 1 Gin
– 1 Dry Vermouth
– 1 Sweet Vermouth
– Garnish with Lemon twist

Trinity Cocktail (1948)
– 2.5 Blended Scotch
– 1 Dry Vermouth
– .25 Apricot Liqueur
– .25 Creme de Menthe
– 1 dash Orange Bitters
– Express orange peel, discard
– Garnish with cherry

Sainte Trinity (Holy Trinity)
– 2 Cognac
– .66 Elderflower liqueur
– .5 Green Chartreuse
– 2 dashes Oranges bitters
– Lemon peel to express and garnish

* * * *

The first Sunday after Pentecost is known as Trinity Sunday. It was created to foster devotion and counter anti-Trinitarian heresies, so some strong, punchy drinks are in order. As I thought of this, I had in mind Michael Foley’s words in the book that inspired my entire holy day cocktail endeavor:

“The ideal cocktail honoring the Trinity would reflect the procession of the Son from the Father and the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, with three equal ingredients made from the same ingredient, the second ingredient being derived from the first and the third derived from the first and second. And, of course, the mere taste of it would induce the Beatific Vision. But since no such concoction exists, we give you what the bartenders’ guides call a Trinity Cocktail.”

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Pentecost Cocktail | A Holy Day Drink

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Recipe (this one’s a doozy)
NOTE: This recipe is in PARTS, not ounces. Please be wise.

  • .75 gin
  • .5 vodka
  • .5 brandy
  • .5 light rum
  • .5 blended scotch
  • .5 irish whiskey
  • .5 tequila
  • .25 rye
  • .5 apricot liqueur
  • .25 raspberry liqueur
  • 3 dashes cinnamon bitters (or 1 tsp Fireball — trust me on this)
  • .25 oz Absinthe and .125 oz Green Chartreuse for float
  • Lemon Peel, expressed and as garnish

Stir all ingredients (except the ingredients for the float) in a mixing glass until VERY chilled and diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express the lemon peel over the drink and garnish with the peel.

* * * *

Today is Pentecost, which is all about the Holy Spirit descending and indwelling Christians, creating unity out of a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual group of people. So, I wanted to create a cocktail that had as many “spirits” from as many regions as possible (get it?).

I ended up doing a riff on the strongest known cocktail in the world, the Aunt Roberta Cocktail (really neat history behind that drink, by the way). It has 12 ingredients (the symbolism gets a little nuts here), and what came out was an even stronger drink that is surprisingly balanced and soft for all that’s in it.

Seriously, give this a try. It will be worth your time and effort. It is one drink, with many parts. And it is beautiful.

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The Ascension Martini (His & Hers) | Holy Day Cocktails

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Paul’s Recipe

  • 2 oz Dry Gin
  • .5 oz St. Germain
  • .5 oz Lillet Blanc
  • 2 dashes Orange Bitters
  • Garnish with a Lemon Twist

Stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Amanda’s Recipe

  • 4 oz Champagne
  • .5 oz St. Germain
  • Splash of Lemon Juice
  • Garnish with a Raspberry

Add St Germain and Lemon Juice to a martini or coupe glass. Stir a little to combine. Then add champagne on top, plopping the raspberry in it.

* * * *

We are still in Easter, and yesterday was the Christian Holy Day celebrating the Ascension of Christ, a fascinating event whose theological implications continue to be explored (here’s a great book on it). It is complex, elusive, beautiful, and bright. So here are two cocktails in that same vein for you to enjoy!

I originally made my version, which has depth, character, and complexity. My wife wasn’t a huge fan so she made her own, which is bright, sweet, and fun. Hers is very delightful and playful while mine is a little more “serious”.

So pick your drink and let your glass rise as Christ himself did!

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Resurrection Punch | An Easter Cocktail

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Recipe

  • 2.5 oz Easter Honey Rum (or any Gold Rum)
  • 1 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
  • .5 oz Cinnamon Syrup
  • .5 oz Apricot Liqueur
  • .5 oz Velvet Falernum
  • 1 dash Angostura Bitters
  • Top with Sparkling Water or Champagne

Scale this punch recipe as needed. Combine ingredients (minus the sparkling) without ice and let chill. When ready to drink, pour over large ice in a bowl or crushed ice in a collins glass. Top with bubbles. If you can’t chill it ahead of time, shake everything (minus sparkling) with just enough ice to chill and not dilute. Strain into glass with crushed ice and top with bubbles. Add a straw and garnish with a cherry.

View other Holy Day cocktails.

* * * *

It’s Easter! And to remind us that this is a season and not just a day, I’m giving you your Easter cocktail a few days in. Easter is the height of joy and celebration in the Christian Calendar, where Christians are invited–nay, expected–to be as extra as possible, with laughter, singing, hope, and yes, good food and drink.

To that end, I give you this tiki rum punch for this glorious season. And it is a delight. You can have it solo or with friends. It is sweet, floral, fruity, vibrant, bubbly, and bright.

For the base, I use a heavy pour of our Easter Honey Rum. I also knew I wanted to use Passion Fruit Syrup to remind us how Easter is literally the “fruit” of Jesus’ “passion”.

Cinnamon, Falernum, and the Angostura give the drink character and backbone; they are spicy and dark ingredients made sweet and bright here. This makes me think of the fires of hell, now quenched and by Jesus’ overpowering light and life.

Apricot is also a more biblical choice than you may think. Many scholars agree that Eden’s Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was based on an Apricot tree, not an Apple tree. So this drink tries to capture how death came through one tree, but life through another.

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