The Fall Cocktail You Have To Try This Season, According To Justine Doiron

When it comes to seasonal alcoholic beverages, fall often elicits cravings for pumpkin beer. There are also plenty of delicious fall cocktails like pumpkin pie martinis and apple cider slushies out there that exemplify the season, many of which are overlooked. To further expand your drink selection this autumn, Mashed spoke with cookbook author and recipe developer Justine Doiron. In addition to "Justine Cooks," her latest culinary masterpiece, Doiron will be providing samples of her blackened cod skewers at the New York City Wine Festival's Grand Tasting on October 18 as well as hosting the Cayman Jack River Cruise on October 19. 

"Fall cocktails are always SO GOOD and so overlooked," Doiron states. Her seasonal recommendation is an apple cider old fashioned that "transitions well through all the fall holidays." This cocktail features all of the classic ingredients you'll find in an old fashioned along with apple cider and garnishes such as cinnamon sticks and apple slices. The inclusion of apple cider infuses the cocktail with a pleasant, tart earthiness that nicely complements its bittersweet flavor.

According to Justine Doiron, tart and tangy are just two flavor options you have during fall. The cookbook author also states, "I think it's fun to play on how fall flavors can still be refreshing."

To this end, Doiron recommends the cider house cocktail, which consists of "whiskey, cayenne, lemon, apple, and maple syrup." This drink should not be confused with the cider house rules cocktail, which is a sweeter, fruitier concoction, thanks to the inclusion of honey syrup and strawberry cider plus the lack of cayenne pepper.

The "sweet-meets-heat flavor" of the cider house is the perfect accompaniment for fall. While it may seem like an out-of-left-field selection for an alcoholic beverage, maple syrup makes a fine addition to cocktails. Also, the addition of cayenne cuts through the sweetness of the syrup and prevents it from becoming too cloying, resulting in a better flavor balance. As illustrated by Doiron's guidance, fall cocktails might just give pumpkin beer a run for its money this season.