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!
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.
Christmas in Chartreuse
TRIO Grill (Merrifield)
1.5 oz. • Titos Handmade Vodka
0.5 oz. • chartreuse yellow
0.5 oz. • cinnamon syrup*
0.5 oz. • fresh lime juice
1 oz. • cranberry juice
2 sprigs • rosemary
Build in shaker tin. Add all ingredients except one of the rosemary sprigs. Add ice and shake. Strain into Coupe glass and garnish with rosemary sprig.
*To make the cinnamon syrup: In a saucepan on medium heat, add 4 sticks of cinnamon, and press to break into pieces. Add 2 cups water, and 2 cups granulated sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar, let simmer for 15 minutes but DO NOT bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool before straining off cinnamon sticks. Will keep refrigerated for 1 week.
Keep the holiday spirit flowing with this festive cocktail from TRIO Grill's beverage program director, Paul Williams. Try your hand at home or order from the restaurant in Merrifield!
Blood Orange Bourbon Cider
Glory Days Grill (7 locations in #FXVA!)
1.5 oz • Bulleit Bourbon
5 oz • Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider
2 oz • Apple Cider
0.5 oz • Morin Blood Orange Syrup
1 each plus 1 for garnish • Orange wedges
2 each plus 1 for garnish • Maraschino Cherries
as needed • ice
Fill cup to the rim with cubed ice. Add 2-3 cubes ice, blood orange syrup, cherries, and orange to mixing tin and muddle. Add cider and bourbon to mixing tin, cap with shaker glass and shake well. Cap with mixing glass. Shake for 10 - 15 seconds. Pour contents of tin into iced highball glass. Fill with hard cider. Garnish with orange wedge and cherry.
Enjoy cocktails and all-American fare at any of the seven Glory Days Grill locations in Fairfax County!
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. Whether you make this drink at home or head to B Side's hip bar scene, you can count on a good time.
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 and the Lemon Ginger Hot Toddy Kit are available from the Shops at Mount Vernon.
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.
