7 Lodge Cocktails You Can Make at Home

In Lodge Life

CMH Bugaboos | Tammy Hanratty

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WORDS BY MORGAN DINSDALE & ALISON JONES | NOVEMBER 22, 2017

Your best day on the mountain should be followed by a worthy toast to the day. But what should you drink après some of the best skiing of your life? Here are some CMH lodge cocktails that you can make at home, from past and present CMH Bugaboo Bartenders, Marlee Hawkins and Rob Vinson.

The 5:30
Why is it called The 5:30? Because that’s when everyone wants to drink it. This cocktail was created by Bugaboos bartender Rob Vinson one winter when a guest asked him to create ‘something fresh tasting’.

  • 1oz Pear Brandy (Try the one from Okanagan Spirits)
  • 1oz Triple Sec
  • ½ oz fresh lime juice
  • Dash of orange bitters
CMH Cariboos | John Evely

Whiskey Sour
The original recipe for this classic cocktail dates back to the 1700’s.  Rumour has it that this cocktail was concocted by sailors attempting to stave off scurvy on long ocean crosses. Marlee adds an egg white, which is sometimes referred to as a Boston Sour. Shaken vigorously, these go down way too easy.

  • 2 oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
  • 2/3oz Lemon Juice
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • Orange slice and cherry to garnish
CMH Bugaboos | Marlee Hawkins

Rob’s First Crush
The name of this refreshing pick-me-up comes from its creator and his method of crushing of fresh ginger right into the glass, boosting the flavour of the drink and the energy of the drinker.

  • 30ml Bombay Sapphire Gin
  • 30ml lemon juice
  • 20ml simple syrup
  • 5ml freshly pressed ginger juice
  • 2 dashes of grapefruit and hops bitters (Try this one from Bittered Sling)
CMH Kootenay | Tammy Hanratty

Old-Fashioned
Any cocktail that takes time to build is always worth the wait and Marlee’s adaptation which combines grapefruit and orange bitters is no exception.  For a truly Canadian version try one made with Alberta’s Dark Horse Whiskey.

  • 1 ½ oz Dark Horse
  • Whiskey
  • 2-3 dashes Angostura Grapefruit and Orange Bitters
  • 1 sugar cube
  • Orange Peel
CMH Kootenay | Tammy Hanratty

Kiwi Gin & Tonic
A modern twist on an all-time classic. The muddled kiwis add a complex layer of flavour to this refreshing favourite, and the process involves the use of a wooden muddler to crush the kiwi fruit in the glass, infusing it with the gin.

  • 1 oz Gin
  • 3 oz Tonic water
  • ½ of a Kiwi fruit muddled
CMH Gothics | The Public Works

Burt Reynolds Shooters
It wouldn’t be a CMH cocktail list without a shooter to put in the shot-ski. This shot is always a crowd pleaser, going down as smoothly as the words from actor Burt Reynolds in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandits. To order this shot, hold your index and middle fingers together just under your nose, then motion as if tracing the outline of a moustache, just like Burt’s.

  • ½ oz Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum
  • ½ oz Phillips Butter Ripple Schnapps
CMH Bugaboos | Tammy Hanratty

The Virgin Canadian Caesar
This spicy favourite has to be the most quintessentially Canadian cocktail! Add a few extra twists and getting creative with the cocktails signature celery garnish by adding bacon or olives with blue cheese. This meal in a glass goes down quick.

  • 5 oz Clamato juice (or fill to preferred taste)
  • 2-3 dashes of hot sauce
  • 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt & Pepper rim
  • Slice of lime & celery stick to garnish

 

For more on lodge life at CMH, read ‘What’s There To Do at CMH as a Non-Skier?‘