Get in the holiday spirit(s) with these winter-themed cocktails at Springfield bars
Crack open the bottle of champagne (or your favorite festive beer) because the holiday weekend is upon us.
If you're looking to get out of the house this weekend or in advance of the New Year, there are plenty of bars and restaurants around Springfield offering specialties with extra holiday cheer. The News-Leader compiled a list of 10 businesses to consider stopping by this weekend.
The following list is not comprehensive, as many bars and restaurants serve holiday specials during the winter season. If you are curious whether or not your favorite business is offering any specials, check their social media or contact them directly.
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Mudlounge
Eggnog Martini: Sailor Jerry spiced rum, white chocolate liqueur, eggnog and nutmeg
Aunt Carol's Mule: vodka, ginger beer, lime and cabernet
Slutty Sailor: Kirk & Sweeney rum, orange simple syrup, espresso and tonic
Admiral Jason's Nog: Sailor Jerry spiced rum, white chocolate liqueur and eggnog
Cookie Dough Hot Chocolate: JOJO cookie dough whiskey, hot chocolate and steamed milk
Butter Brickle White Mocha: Sweet Blondie's Butter Brickle Liqueur, white chocolate liqueur, white chocolate syrup, espresso and steamed milk
Candied Orange Mocha: Sweet Blondie's Candied Orange Liqueur, chocolate, espresso and steamed milk
Cousin Eddie's Hot Nog: Kahlua, vanilla vodka and eggnog
Through the weekend, Mudlounge is open 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Golden Girl Rum Club
The Golden Girl Rum Club shared its Happy Holidaze menu to Facebook on Dec. 8:
Egg Nog: rum, brandy, sherry, eggs, coffee-infused cream and nutmeg
Coquito: Puerto Rican-style vegan coconut nog, coconut cream and milk, rums, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg
Santa's Slay: vodka, Génépy, blue coloring, coconut, pineapple, lemon and sherry
Isle of Gold: Monkey Shoulder-blended scotch, coconut golden milk, cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, ginger, nutmeg and garam masala foam
Frozen Malted Chocolate: rum, brandy, Swiss Miss hot chocolate, malt, marshmallows (with the option to add a float of Branca Menta)
Polar Expresso: rum, cold brew, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, amaretto cream, chocolate bitters and cinnamon
Rum-Cha-Cha: house-made rum horchata shot
According to Golden Girl's holiday menu, the bar also offers "A Hot Offering," a daily special that can be inquired about by asking a server.
Through the weekend, Golden Girl is open 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The Royal
Egg Nog: spiced rum, German brandy, egg, sugar, milk, cream and nutmeg (offered through Saturday, Dec. 23)
Barrel-Aged Manhattan: Rittenhouse Rye 100, Redemption White Rye, Spanish Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Amaro (aged seven months)
Cranberry Beton Spritz: Becherovka, rosemary simple syrup, cranberry and house brandy
Barrel-Aged Boulevardier: High West Double Rye (aged two months in a Campari-seasoned barrel), Campari, Spanish Sweet Vermouth
The Royal's current beer and a shot special is a Ska Hazy IPA with a shot of Mean Mule Gold.
Through the weekend, The Royal is open 4-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
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Vantage Rooftop Lounge and Conservatory
Vantage Rooftop Lounge and Conservatory's special holiday cocktail is called Elf On The Top Shelf. The cocktail includes Broker's gin, Giffard Elderflower, Pernod, juniper-vanilla syrup, basil and lemon.
Through the weekend, Vantage is open 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
417 Taphouse
Jack Frost: cake vodka, blue Curaçao, pineapple and coconut cream
White Chocolate Peppermint Martini: peppermint Schnapps, white chocolate liquor, sea ice vodka and heavy cream
The Grinch (shot): melon liquor, rum, Sprite and grenadine
Through the weekend, 417 Taphouse is open 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Shot Shack
The Shot Shack isn't playing around with its Merry Shotsmas menu, which features more than 35 unique shots.
Notable combinations include Shoot Yer Eye Out (cranberry vodka, strawberry, peach and lemonade), Son of a Nutcracker (hazelnut, amaretto and cream), Gin-Gle Bells (gin, lime, grenadine and ginger ale), Buddy The Elf (maple whiskey, butterscotch and orange juice) and Rudolph Bomb (vanilla vodka, strawberry and cream soda).
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Through the weekend, Shot Shack is open 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Inner Circle Vodka Bar
For the holiday weekend, Inner Circle Vodka Bar introduced seven winter infusion cocktails:
Cranberry Crisp: apple, cranberry, cinnamon-infused vodka and cranberry juice
Honey Pear Blitz: pear, ginger, clove, honey-infused vodka and ginger ale
Nutty Espresso: dark cherry, vanilla, hazelnut-infused vodka, coffee liqueur and half-and-half
Frostbite: pear, cinnamon, vanilla-infused whiskey, Sprite and soda
Peach Pit: peach, pecan, maple-infused whiskey, ginger ale and apple cider
Not Your Grandma's Candy: butterscotch, vanilla, apple-infused spice rum, soda and apple cider
Naughty But Nice: cranberry, honey, jalapeno-infused tequila, sweet-and-sour, cranberry juice
Inner Circle is also offering holiday mocktails, including Christmas Punch (pomegranate, lime, orange and pineapple juices, simple syrup, ginger beer and soda), Santa Claus (cranberry, lime and orange juices and soda) and Cranberry Spice (apple cider, cranberry and lemon juices and soda).
Through the weekend, Inner Circle is open 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Aviary Cafe
Holiday Punch: cranberry, orange, spices and champagne
DoodleNog: spiked snickerdoodle eggnog
Peppermintini: white chocolate and peppermint espresso martini
Through the weekend, the Aviary is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
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The Vineyard Market
Located in Ozark, The Vineyard Market has been sharing sneak peeks of its holiday cocktail menu over the last month on Facebook:
Tiramisu Martini: Luxardo Espresso Liqueur, Grand Marnier, Vanille De Madagascar and heavy cream
Boozy Hot Chocolate: Chocovine, Peppermint Schnapps, Frangelico and whipped cream
Jack Frost: Peppermint Schnapps, half-and-half, Irish cream, Vanille De Madagascar and whipped cream
Cranberry Blood Orange Margarita: tequila, cranberry juice and blood orange
Apple Pie Old Fashioned: apple pie syrup, bourbon and black walnut bitters
The Ornamentini: Starlight Blackberry Whiskey, Vanille De Madagascar, Razzmatazz and lemon juice
Through the weekend, Vineyard Market is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.
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Mother's Brewing Company
It may not be a cocktail, but it's hard to do a roundup of holiday beverages without including Mother's Brewing Company's Winter Grind.
The beloved coffee stout, a partnership with Mudhouse Coffee, is the brewery's signature winter special. The Mother's website recommends paring the beer with Oaxaca mole pork, a stack of flapjacks, sweet potato casserole or tiramisu.
Winter Grind is available on tap and in bottles and cans at the taproom on Grant Avenue and at various grocery and liquor stores in Springfield.
If you're interested in a twist on the classic, Mother's also offers a Vanilla Winter Grind, only available at the taproom.
Through the weekend, Mother's taproom is open 2-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
How to make Holiday Rum Cider at home
If you're looking to stay in or hosting family and friends for the holidays, Mandi Fritz with 417 Cocktails recommended whipping up a batch of Holiday Rum Cider.
To make, add two cups of a dark, aged rum, four cups of apple cider, two cinnamon sticks, six whole cloves, eight allspice berries and one orange (washed and sliced into wheels) into a sauce pan. Warm the mixture of ingredients slowly over low heat until warm. Do not let the mixture get to a boil. Serve in mugs and garnish with an additional cinnamon stick. The recipe makes six to eight servings.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 10 bars, restaurants offering holiday cocktails this weekend
