Thanksgiving is an American institution, and like most traditions, there’s always pressure to one-up last year’s festivities. The food has to be more ostentatious, the family gatherings larger and more jubilant. This year, the District’s bartenders are upping their game as well, providing a plethora of fall-themed cocktails in continuance of a tradition that I call Thanksdrinking.
The latest cocktail trend is creating drinks with comfort food flavors. Jack Rose Saloon’s (2007 18th Street NW) beverage director Trevor Frye has come up with a Thanksgiving week-only drink menu that lets you to enjoy all the flavors of a home-cooked meal in liquid form. “I tried to use my family’s Thanksgiving as my inspiration for this menu,” he says. His Punt On First Down is a nod to beering it up while watching football. It’s made with Beefeater gin, lemon juice, and honey with 3 Stars Peppercorn Saison beer shaken in. “The beer breaks down the flavor of the gin and creates a foam on top,” says Frye. It is fresh and sudsy with a lot of citrus and pepper zip.
The next course on Frye’s menu is a Seat At The Kid’s Table, a citrusy and ginger liqueur and ginger beer drink that’s close to a Collins with more heft. Frye makes a butter wash with Boyd and Blair potato vodka to give the drink hints of mashed potatoes, which he says were his favorite side during his childhood Thanksgiving meals. What Ya Say Bud is another cocktail side dish—this one is derived from baked beans. Frye says the name is “how my grandfather used to greet me.” Brown sugar and baked bean syrup added to Cana Brava rum, lime juice, and Peychaud’s bitters give the drink “a smoky meat-ish” flavor behind the light citrus nose.
Meat is the main course with Glazed Over, Frye’s entrée cocktail made with ham and turkey fat washed with Wild Turkey Rye 101. Orange and Jerry Thomas bitters, star anise and clove “really tie all the flavors together” and give the impression of a clove-dotted honey ham and roast turkey in a rocks glass. Dessert comes as the pecan pie-inspired Belt Loosener, made with Frye’s handmade pecan pie bitters. The base liquor is Pedro Ximenez sherry with Cocci di Torino, a wine liqueur “with gentian to bolden it up,” says Frye. Black strap molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg round out this deep brown cocktail and give it that unmistakable pecan pie filling flavor.
Rasika (633 D Street NW) has rolled out a fall cocktail menu that touches on the relationship between fall flavors and the spices of India. Their Shimla Orchard is a tribute to the northern mountainous region of India. Its apple richness comes from a house-made gala apple shrub that is sweet and spicy. The punch comes from Old Overholt rye and Laird’s Jersey Lightning applejack. Genepy des Alps adds spice and almond nuttiness, and the drink is appropriately garnished with an orchid. Another titular fall drink is the West Islayer with Amrut peated Indian whisky, spiced honey, and Allspice Dram. Both cocktails seamlessly bridge Western seasonal flavors and South Asian ingredients.
Hill Country Barbecue and Market (410 7th Street NW) doesn’t look like a place for fancy cocktails, but they’re doing surprising things with bourbon lately. Served in a jelly jar (because everything at Hill Country comes in a jelly jar), the Pearl Snap is a bitter and spicy cocktail with molasses sweetness and a real pepper burn at the finish. The heat comes from Chili Smoked Hella bitters, and it goes great with tangy barbecue sauce and brisket.
I’m going to recommend a Canadian whisky cocktail for this Thanksgiving as a reminder that Canadians also celebrate the holiday, albeit on a different day. Apple brandy and cinnamon add fruit and spice to this sour cocktail that’s perfect for autumn.
• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1/2 oz. apple brandy
• 1 tsp. sugar syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• ground cinnamon
• lemon slice
Combine whiskey, apple brandy, sugar and lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a chilled highball glass. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and garnish with the lemon slice.
