The year may be coming to a close, but we wanted to leave you with some fun and festive cocktails to celebrate with on New Year's Eve (or any time of year, really!). Several local Fairfax County mixologists and bartenders have selected some of their favorite holiday cocktail recipes to share with you.
If you give these a try, be sure to share your photos and reviews with us on social media using #FXVA and @VisitFairfax.
Happy New Year to you from all of us here at Visit Fairfax!
Ginger & Juice
Sixty Vines (Reston)
Image courtesy Sixty Vines, photo by Sarah Gher.
1.5 oz. • Bombay Dry Gin
.75 oz. • Cut Raw Honey
.75 oz. • Lime Juice
1 oz. • Cranberry Juice
3 dashes • Fee Bros. Cranberry Bitters
1 oz. • Fever Tree Ginger Beer
Shake all ingredients with ice, add 1 oz. Fever Tree Ginger Beer, and strain over ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with an activated rosemary sprig and half a dried fig on a pick.
Sixty Vines is the newest addition to the Reston Town Center, which just held a grand opening in early December. The restaurant offers guests vineyard-inspired menus and hand-crafted cocktails, plus 60 wines on tap at the bar. Stop by to try this refreshing cocktail or try your hand at home.
Winter Caipirinha
bartaco (Reston & Merrifield)
1/2 lime • cut into 4 wedges
1/4 oz. • lime juice
5 • sugar cubes
3 • bar spoons pomegranate seeds
2 oz. • well cachaça
In a cocktail shaker, muddle lime juice, pom seeds, and sugar seeds. Add limes and muddle gently to release juice. Add cachaça, then fill with 7 ice cubes. Shake well. Pour contents into a clean rocks glass. Top with fresh ice.
There are two locations of bartaco in Fairfax County - one at Reston Town Center and one at the Mosaic District. Try this recipe at home and then head to either location to try a second. Pair it with their spicy homemade guacamole and fresh tacos for a delicious meal.
Trio Manhattan
TRIO Grill (Merrifield)
2 oz. • Open Road Distilling Co. Eagle Eye Rye Whiskey
1 oz. • Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes • Fee Brothers whiskey barrel-aged bitters
Add all ingredients into mixing glass with ice and stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into Coupe glass and garnish with luxardo cherries.
Keep the holiday spirit flowing with this festive cocktail from TRIO Grill, using Whiskey from the new Open Road Distilling Co. based in Reston. Try your hand at home or order from the restaurant in Merrifield!
More about TRIO Grill. More about Open Road Distilling Co.
Coffee Tiddle
B Side (Merrifield)
2 oz • Rittenhouse Rye
0.75 oz • Coffee Liqueur
0.75 oz • Cocchi Di Torino Vermouth
0.5oz • whipped cream
Nutmeg & espresso beans for garnish
Stir your Rye, Coffee Liqueur and Vermouth together. Pour into a chilled coupe glass. Top with lightly whipped cream, a dash of grated nutmeg and three coffee beans as garnish!
Tucked in the corner of the Mosaic District, B Side curates a diverse tracklist of funky craft cocktails. Showing off their creativity, the bar team seasonally switches up the menu to give you the best drinks outside of DC. With a thoughtful selection of liquors, stellar food and charcuterie to die for, you never know what's next at this spot.
The Krampus
Trummer’s Restaurant (Clifton)
by Stefan Trummer
1 oz • dark rum
1 oz • white rum
1 oz • housemade chestnut orgreat
½ oz • housemade sour mix
1 • splash of simple syrup
The Krampus is a dark, mean demon who tortures children who misbehave around Christmas. In Austria, the Krampus goes door to door seeking out the bad kids and taking them with him. St. Nicolas follows, rewarding well-behaved children with gifts. The cocktail is strong and a bit mean - yet delicious - in honor of the Krampus.
More about Trummer's Restaurant
Jingle Juice
Maggie McFly’s (Springfield)
2oz • Champagne
2.5oz •Mt. Defiance Rum (Middleburg, VA)
1oz • Ginger Beer
1oz • Cranberry Juice
Combine rum, ginger beer, and cranberry juice. Stir. Top with champagne and garnish with orange slices.
Don't miss Maggie McFly's Happy Hour where you can enjoy some food and drink specials from Monday - Friday, 3-6 pm.
Cranberry Sauced
2941 Restaurant (Falls Church)
by Nikki Drake
Image courtesy 2941 Restaurant
1 oz • Tanqueray gin
1 oz • Pratt Standard Cranberry Orange syrup
.75 oz • verjus rouge
1 • dash orange bitters (we suggest Regan’s)
3 oz • Cava
In a shaker, combine all ingredients except Cava. Shake with ice and double strain into a coupe. Top with Cava. Garnish with cranberry skewered on a sprig of rosemary. Cheers!
Warming Toddy Cocktail
Mount Vernon Inn (Mount Vernon)
by Oliver Pluff
1.5 oz • George Washington’s Straight Rye Whiskey® per mug
1 tsp • honey per mug
1 • Lemon Ginger Hot Toddy Kit
1. Open the toddy kit and fill provided spice bag with about 1 tablespoon of spices, then securely tie with provided string.
2. Steep spices in boiling water for 5 minutes, then remove spice bags from the pot.
3. While spices are steeping, prepare your mugs by adding 1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) of honey and one shot of whiskey.
4. After removing spice bags, carefully pour the steeped liquid into each mug and stir with a cinnamon stick (provided in the toddy kit).
George Washington’s Straight Rye Whiskey is available from the Shops at Mount Vernon and the Lemon Ginger Hot Toddy Kit is available at Oliver Pluff's shop.
More about Mount Vernon Inn
More about George Washington's Mount Vernon
Want more recipes? Did you miss our favorite Apple & Pumpkin beverage recipes here? Or, take a gander at these sweet desserts for the holidays here. Want to make reservations at these or other Fairfax County restaurants? Check out a list of options here. Want more holiday and winter fun ideas? We've got that too.
Share your favorite recipes or show off your fab creations in the comments below or on social media using #FXVA and @VisitFairfax.
