​Tis the season to be merry

Whatever your tipple, Christmas is definitely the season to be merry, and it's well worth starting to prepare your own drinks now for the party season, especially if you love making your own and creating delicious, quality drinks that will please all of your loved ones.

It's really easy to make homemade favoured vodkas, cocktails, eggnog and other classics, and a lot of fun too. Just don't go too wild on the tasting if you've got a full day ahead! We've covered flavoured vodkas and gins in the past, which are easy to make and wonderfully coloured. Simply steep your chosen fruits (perhaps bright berries and orange segments) in your favourite spirit for a couple of weeks and then present your brightly coloured treats in miniature bottles as great stocking fillers.

Here are some more of our favourite drinks recipes to try:

Eggnog

Creamy and indulgent, eggnog is always associated with this time of year and it has a rich history. In fact, the first American president, George Washington, used to make his own and insisted on letting it sit for a few days to allow the flavours to really develop.

To make your own, whisk the yolks of six eggs (ideally extremely fresh and organic) with 100g of caster sugar until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. This is easiest to do with a handheld electric mixture.

Stir in 500ml of whole milk and 400ml of double cream, plus 350ml of rum or bourbon. Finish it with a little freshly grated nutmeg to taste if you like. Pour the mix into glass bottles with stoppers. The drink can then be stored for up to a fortnight in the fridge because the alcohol will prevent the fresh ingredients from spoiling.

To serve, take six egg whites (you can freeze the separated egg whites from the yolks when you make the eggnog and then freeze them.) Use your handheld mixer again and whisk the whites until they are opaque and foamy. To this, add 50g of sugar and then continue to whisk until soft peaks appear. Ladle this mix into the eggnog when you are ready to serve it in glass tumblers, again with a little nutmeg.

The best cocktails

A blood orange mimosa is perfect for brunch and it couldn't be easier to make. Prepare fresh blood red orange juice by squeezing your fruit beforehand and leaving it in the fridge to chill in a pitcher. When you are ready to serve your cocktail, simply add a bottle of chilled fizz and add plenty of ice. You can also add a measure or two of orange liqueur if you like for a more pronounced orange flavour and depth. You could even serve this at brunch in miniature glass bottles.

Winter sangria is also a lot of fun to make and a great twist on a summer classic! Take a bottle of chilled white wine and add some bourbon whiskey to taste along with a spoon of maple syrup, some cinnamon sticks, some cut fresh ginger and plenty of chopped apples. Some sparkling apple juice finishes the blend. Taste the finished result and adjust the proportions to suit. Chill, add ice cubes and some freshly cut apple slices before serving and enjoy the party atmosphere!

What about rustling up an indulgent treat to gift loved ones - a chocolate liqueur? To make 750ml, caramelise a cup of sugar, and while it heats to a rich caramel sauce, melt a 125g bar of baking chocolate in a pint of whole milk. Stir the two mixtures together to make a thick chocolate caramel sauce and let them cool. Pour in vodka slowly until the resulting mix is as thick as you'd like. Transfer the liqueur into glass bottles and allow it to rest for a few days, before pouring it through a sieve to remove any sediment that appears at the top, and finally storing it ready for gifting in miniature glass bottles with pretty tags and bows.

Stock up on your supplies

Glass bottles are essential for storing your Christmas drinks. Glass jars come in a variety of sizes, from miniature bottles for gifting through to large Mason jars for serving cocktails. At Wares of Knutsford we have a wide range of glass bottles and jars in stock, and we've bought in plenty to meet our customers needs over this season. You'll find the brands, sizes and product types you need at great prices, and if you buy in bulk (perhaps for a Christmas fair stall or your own kitchen table business) you'll save even more.

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