NWHL All-Star Weekend Cocktails!

Hello, Katarin here!

The NWHL All-Star Weekend is upon us and we all have our different ways to celebrate. For myself, I love nothing better than mixing up a few cocktails for my friends and settling in to enjoy the festivities.

You see, over the years, I’ve somehow fallen into the role of mixologist for my friends group. Do I have any sort of formal bartending training? No. I’m just an enthusiastic novice. But with this in mind, my good friends here at Watch This Hockey asked me to mix up some NWHL themed cocktails.

And really, who doesn’t like to sit back with a drink when they watch hockey? But this isn’t just any game, this is the All Star Game! The usual bottle of my favorite lucky beer just won’t do. So here are a couple of special cocktails I mixed up, just for Watch This and the NWHL All Star Weekend.

I’m giving my recipes using parts, so its easier for everyone to do their own measure. For my own mixing, I used a small shot glass that holds 1/8ths of a Cup.

First up, my own beloved Riveters. Sure, they play in Brooklyn, but how could I pass up the opportunity to take inspiration from the classic Manhattan? Except in my take, I up the cherry flavor. Gone is the vermouth, replaced instead with cherry liquer.

The Riveter

1 part whiskey
1 part cherry liquer
Dash cherry bitters
Maraschino cherries (for garnish)

Recipe: mix together in a cocktail shaker with ice & them strain into a glass.

If you’re reading this and saying “this is great, but I don’t really like the taste of alcohol?”

Well, same. No, really! I know there’s a weird prejudice against liking alcoholic drinks that are sweet, but not all of us enjoy drinking bourbon straight, right? So, with this in mind, I thought I’d give you an option to make this a little sweeter. What’s the secret? Add soda. No really! I prefer Sprite Zero, but sparkling water will do the job just as well. For me, Sprite Zero adds a hint of sweetness without being overpowering.

The Riveter Sweet

1 part whiskey
1 part cherry liquer
Dash cherry bitters
Dash maraschino liquid (the stuff your cherries come in)
2 parts Sprite Zero/sparkling water/etc.
Maraschino cherries (for garnish)

Next up, we have The Boston Pride. But what cocktail is worthy of your very own All Star Captain, Hilary Knight?

I won’t lie, this isn’t EXACTLY my recipe. I believe it’s fairly popular among the college bro set, but it also seemed pretty perfect. There’s a lot of great cider breweries in Massachusetts, but I couldn’t manage to find a cider from one of them in all of Chicago, so instead I made do with a hard cider from Vermont.

 

Fiery Pride

1 bottle hard cider
2 parts Fireball liquer

Recipe: 20 minutes before you begin, freeze your glass.

Be sure your hard cider is chilled.

Pour chilled cider into frozen glass. Add Fireball.

And what of The Connecticut Whale? Well, I knew I had to do a wine cocktail, because everyone in Connecticut is a wine mom.

“Katarin,” I hear you say. “I am from Connecticut and I am NOT a wine mom.”

To that I say “Listen. Hold out your hands and pretend I am gently cupping them in mine. Now, I won’t hear that kind of defeatist talk. Search, deep inside your soul and there, you will find the wine mom, yearning to be free.”

Connecticut Sparkling Wine Cocktail

1 part whiskey
2 parts sparkling wine
3 parts apple cider
Sliced apples for garnish

Recipe: chill your wine beforehand.

You can slice your apples however you like, but when I use apples in a cocktail, I prefer to julienne.

Place apple slices in bottom of glass. Pour each ingredient over top. Gently stir.

Last but most certainly not least, we have our host city/team, the Buffalo Beauts. But what could possibly be worthy of the host city and New York’s own, Emily Pfalzer? Well, it all started with an idea for a take on the classic Sidecar. Except, rather than cognac, using Crown Royal, for The Queen City.

The Beaut

1 part Crown Royal
1 part Triple Sec
1 part Lime juice

Recipe: combine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a glass.

 

And there you have it! A full lineup of NWHL themed cocktails to make your All Star weekend extra special. Feel free to take pictures of your drinks and send them to me, either in the comments or at my twitter @boldmatter! I would also like any close up photos you get of Blake Bolden. Happy NWHL All-Star Weekend!