What better way to celebrate the pumpkin season than with a cozy little cocktail? Here's our take on an unusual, but delicious gin & pumpkin combo that might just become your next cocktail party favorite.
Pumpkin is our longtime favorite food of many faces: we use it in risottos, soups, pies... But we've recently discovered that it also goes great with gin! This somewhat unusual combination will bring a new dimension of freshness and sweetness to your drinks. If you're skeptical, try this cozy gin and pumpkin punch recipe - it may just change your mind.
Gin & pumpkin punch
Punch is the perfect party drink - easy to make in advance and even easier to serve. Simply pour it into a wide bowl with ice and garnish as you like. We recommend that you prepare this fall-inspired punch the same day, no more than 12 hours before serving, and keep it in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:
30 ml Shabby Cat Gin (Old Tom gin)
20 ml Bitter Orange Liqueur
20 ml pumpkin juice
10 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
20 ml pumpkin spice syrup
*Old Tom is an old gin style popular in 18th-century England that had its revival in the craft gin movement. Inspired by its intriguing history, we created our own version of the recipe: The Shabby Cat Gin. This gin has prevailing aromas of juniper, orange peel, and cinnamon. It also has a hint of sweetness coming from licorice, and pleasant notes of vanilla coming from maturation in an American oak barrel. These sweet and spicy flavors make it the perfect addition to fall and winter cocktails, including this particular pumpkin & gin combo!
Directions:
You can use store-bought pumpkin puree, but it's also easy to make at home. Boil diced pumpkin in water and blend it to your desired consistency. (Aim for a slightly thinner texture than a soup; it should be more juice-like so it can mix more easily with other ingredients.) Let it cool and then mix it with gin, liqueur, lemon juice, and syrup. Serve in chilled glasses or a punch bowl with ice and garnish with orange slices, star anise, and cinnamon sticks.
Make your own pumpkin spice simple syrup
Ingredients:
500 g sugar
500 ml water
5 g ground cinnamon
3 g ground cloves
3 g ground all-spice
3 g ground nutmeg
Directions:
Boil the water, sugar, and all the spices together for approx. 10 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Leave it in the pot to cool overnight so that all the ingredients can get to know each other. Keep the syrup refrigerated and use it within a week. When it’s time to make mulled wine or gin, you can simply add it in place of your usual spices.
Give this punch a try and let us know how it turns out! You can also share your concoctions with us on social at @brigljevicdistillery.
Discover more exquisite craft gin
Consider yourself a gin aficionado? Want to try more recipes like this one? Join us at Brigljevic Distillery for a gin tasting experience like no other! Our tasting room is a longtime favorite meeting spot for gin enthusiasts. Spend a fun evening with our distillers and learn everything you ever wanted to know about gin. Not only will you taste the best of Croatian gin, but we'll also teach you how to feel your way through various gin recipes so you can create any concoction imaginable. You'll also get some practice right away by playing around and inventing your own gin cocktail concoctions! Find out more about this experience here.