Cold-Weather Cocktails Worth Ordering This Winter

August 25, 2026 · Bar, grill and good times in Ephrata

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Winter in Grant County means short days, cold mornings, and a lot more time spent indoors. The cocktail menu should change with the season. Light, citrusy summer drinks lose their appeal once the temperature drops below freezing. What you want in December, January, and February is something with weight to it: whiskey, brandy, warm spice, maybe something served hot in a mug instead of over ice.

What makes a cocktail a good cold-weather drink

A few things separate a winter drink from a summer one. It usually leans on a darker spirit like bourbon, rye, brandy, or aged rum instead of vodka or gin. It often includes warm spices such as cinnamon, clove, or nutmeg. And it may be served warm rather than cold, in a mug instead of a rocks glass. None of that is a hard rule. Plenty of people order a classic Old Fashioned year round. But if you are picking a drink specifically because it is cold outside, these are the qualities to look for on a menu.

Whiskey and bourbon drinks worth ordering

Whiskey is the backbone of most good winter cocktail lists, and for good reason. It has enough weight and spice character to stand up to cold weather without needing much dressing up.

• Old Fashioned: bourbon or rye, sugar, bitters, an orange twist. Simple and reliable, and a good test of how a bar handles a classic.
• Whiskey sour, hot version: some bars will warm this one or serve a spiced variation with cinnamon and clove. Ask if it is available.
• Manhattan: rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters. Stronger and more vermouth-forward than an Old Fashioned, good for someone who wants something a little more complex.
• Hot toddy: whiskey, hot water, honey, lemon, sometimes a cinnamon stick. This is about as close to a winter cocktail as it gets, and it works well if you are fighting off a cold or just came in from the wind.

Warm and mulled drinks

If you want something that actually arrives hot, look for mulled wine or a hot buttered rum on the menu. Mulled wine is red wine simmered with orange, cinnamon, clove, and sugar, usually served in a mug. Hot buttered rum is dark rum mixed with a butter and brown sugar base, topped with hot water, sometimes with a bit of nutmeg on top. Both are heavier, sweeter drinks, better suited to after dinner or a slow afternoon than to a quick drink at the bar.

Not every bar keeps these in regular rotation because they take more prep than a standard pour. If a place offers a hot drink menu in winter, that is usually a sign they are taking the season seriously rather than just running the same list year round.

Brandy and spiced rum options

Brandy gets overlooked outside of the holidays, but it fits cold weather well. A brandy old fashioned, a hot brandy cider, or a simple brandy and ginger ale are all reasonable choices if whiskey is not your thing. Spiced rum works the same way, especially mixed with hot apple cider or a splash of cinnamon syrup. These drinks tend to be a little sweeter and less bitter than whiskey cocktails, which makes them a good entry point if you are not used to drinking straight spirits.

Coffee cocktails

Coffee and liquor is a natural winter pairing, especially in the late afternoon or after a meal. An Irish coffee, hot coffee with Irish whiskey, sugar, and whipped cream, is the standard version. Some bars will do a version with a coffee liqueur added, or swap in bourbon for a different flavor. These work well if you want the warmth of a hot drink without the sweetness of a mulled wine, and they double as a pick-me-up if you have to drive home or head back to work.

Non-alcoholic and family options

Cold weather drinks do not have to be alcoholic to make sense on a winter menu. Hot apple cider, hot chocolate with real cocoa instead of a powder mix, and spiced steamers made with milk and cinnamon are all reasonable options for kids or for anyone who is not drinking. If you are bringing the family in on a cold night and want everyone to have something warm in hand, these are worth asking about even if they are not printed on the main drink list.

What to skip in winter

A few drinks just do not suit the season, even if they are well made. Anything built on a lot of ice and citrus, like a mojito or a frozen margarita, tends to feel out of place when it is fifteen degrees outside. That is not to say you cannot order one. Some people want a taste of summer in the middle of winter, and that is fine. But if you are asking a bartender for a recommendation and you want something that matches the weather, these are usually not what they will point you toward.

Pairing drinks with a winter meal

Cold-weather cocktails tend to pair well with heavier food, which is also what most people order in winter. A whiskey sour or Manhattan holds up next to a burger or a steak. A hot toddy or Irish coffee works better after a meal than during one, since the sweetness can compete with savory food. Mulled wine pairs reasonably well with roasted meats or a hearty soup. If you are not sure what to order, it is fair to ask your server what they would put with the dish in front of you. Most bars that take their drink menu seriously will have an answer.

Where to find these in Ephrata

Around Ephrata and Grant County, options for a real winter cocktail menu are more limited than in a bigger city, so it is worth asking ahead if a specific drink matters to you. At 12 Hawks in Ephrata, the bar runs a full menu of craft cocktails alongside the regular food menu, so a hot toddy or an Old Fashioned is a reasonable thing to ask for on a cold night, along with something to eat while you watch whatever game is on. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 2 to 4pm if you want to try a few things without committing to a full-price round.

Whatever you order, the basic idea holds: in winter, reach for something with weight, spice, or warmth behind it. Save the frozen drinks for summer.