Pumpkin is a great flavor. However, most people only ever eat it in pie. This Thanksgiving in-between football and family, try your hand at some of these cocktails. It might give you a new appreciation for glorious gourd.

With Halloween over, the humble Jack-O-Lantern is out of work until next year. This simple drink is a great take on an old fashioned.

Unemployed Jack-O-Lantern

– 2 Ounces Bourbon. (I used Two James Grass Widow)
– 1/2 Ounce Pumpkin Syrup*
– 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
– Spritz of Orange Peel

– Stir the bitters, bourbon and syrup with ice and strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Top with a spritz of orange oil from a piece of peel.

*Pumpkin Syrup – Make your simple syrup as usual; 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar then boil and stir until clear. However, add 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree just as the sugar melts. Stir everything until dissolved. I’m a fan of Libby’s for the pumpkin puree since you can find it everywhere. The bonus with them is it’s literally just pumpkin. I was eating it out of the can.

There are so many great pumpkin beers why not extend their life past Halloween with this refreshing cocktail.

Harvest Bubbles

– 1.5 ounces Cinnamon Liqueur (I used Fireball Whisky)
– 1/2 ounce Fresh Orange Juice
– 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
– Top with Pumpkin Beer (I used Griffin Claw’s Screamin’ Pumpkin)
– Garnish with Cinnamon Stick and Orange Peel

– Shake the juice, bitters and liqueur with ice and strain into a tall glass. Top with beer and garnish.

Egg Nog is heavy stuff but you can make it a bit lighter if you opt out of the yolks. While not technically a nog, it still is a tasty drink for a party.

Autumn Nog

– 1.5 Cups Pumpkin/Dairy Base*
– 2 Ounces Bourbon (again, I used Two James)
– 2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
– Top with fresh ground nutmeg

– Mix the bourbon  and base in a large bowl. Then gently fold in the egg whites. Dish this into a small bowl and you have enough for 4 servings. Scale as necessary.

* Pumpkin/Dairy Base – I wanted to experiment with Evaporated Milk (which happened to be Nestle). I warmed one can of it in a pot and added 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Warm this for about 10 minutes then chill for at least 2 hours. Evaporated Milk has a crazy long shelf life so this is good for days if not weeks.

Nick Drinks wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving and I hope a one of these drinks makes it to your celebrations.

Budmo!