:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Express-O-Lift-Martini-FT-MAG-RECIPE-0225-8f1fdde1ee4e462a9528592063e3d46c.jpg "Bring a Taste of the Slopes Home With These 9 Aprés-Ski Cocktails")
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Despite the irritating over-glamorization of après-ski cocktails in movies, television, and most recently by fashion influencers in flawless-yet-impractical matching snow gear, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as the first sip of a well-made drink after a long day on the slopes.
As a novice adult skier whose boyfriend comes from a family of experts, the ritual has become more a part of my life than I ever anticipated — just after lunch, while the rest of the group heads off to ski double black diamonds on the mountain, my mind starts to wander to cocktail hour.
Before my first ski trip with his family, I’d imagined après-ski (the French term for the myriad social activities that might follow a day of skiing) would be like in the movies. I’d ski up to a bar to find a spot right away. The sun would be shining, but it would still be chilly enough for a Hot Toddy, and I’d feel fabulous.
Reality, though, is not so glam. My first attempt at après-ski went more like this: I peeled off my sweaty helmet, struggled to remove my chunky rental skis, and hobbled to the overcrowded bar in a mismatched jacket and snow pants that were bought on sale in the basement of Macy’s.
Yet despite the bar being loud, jam-packed, and a little stinky, the experience was pure magic. My cocktail, a perfectly made Negroni with a fat orange twist, made the whole day of lift lines and wobbly knees worth it. Since skiing is a nonnegotiable for my boyfriend, après-ski happy hour might just save my relationship in the long run.
To bring a taste of the slopes home, here are 9 stellar après-ski–inspired cocktails.
Apricot-Orange Negroni
Fred Hardy / food styling by julian hensarling / prop styling by julia bayless
This orange-hued Negroni riff was developed by Aurélien Boutry, bar director at the Aman Le Mélézin in Courchevel, France, and is a favorite among guests looking for a warming après-ski beverage after a long day spent in the French Alps. Sweet vermouth and a blend of store-bought apricot jam and orange marmalade add fruity flavor. Gin, along with Suze, a bittersweet French aperitif, balances out the drink's sweetness.
Bourbon-Vanilla Milkshake
Fred Hardy / food styling by julian hensarling / prop styling by julia bayless
This thick, creamy milkshake is made with vanilla ice cream and bourbon. It’s a classic drink now served for aprés-ski happy hour from at the Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection in Aspen, Colorado. This simple spiked milkshake has a 100-year history. Originally called the Aspen Crud, the drink was invented during Prohibition at the hotel's bar, which had been converted from a saloon to a soda fountain.
Tequila Espresso Martini
Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy / food styling by julian hensarling / prop styling by julia bayless
Swapping tequila for vodka in an espresso martini is nothing new. While fans of the agave spirit will often customize the cocktail when ordering, this recipe builds the drink around reposado tequila, an aged agave spirit that has notes of vanilla and toast from the time it spends in barrel. The inclusion of Licor 43, a vanilla-and-citrus-flavored Spanish liqueur, harkens back to another popular coffee cocktail, the Carajillo.
Whiskey-Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
Fred Hardy / FOOD STYLING by JULIAN HENSARLING / PROP STYLING by JULIA BAYLESS
The Whiskey-Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate is a warm cocktail made by combining a classic hot chocolate base with peanut butter–flavored whiskey. The drink gets topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a spiked sweet treat that’s perfect for cold-weather months. While homemade hot chocolate yields a decadent, creamy version of this drink, store-bought mix can be used as well.
Between the Sheets
Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf
Peak winter citrus blends with equal parts cognac, light rum, and triple sec in this high-potency cocktail. Essentially a variation on the Sidecar, the provocatively-named drink is thought to have been created by bartender and author Harry MacElhone of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. The recipe, as is, skews dry and an addition of simple syrup can be added to taste.
Irish Coffee
Tim Nusog / Food & Wine
The Irish Coffee supposedly came together for the first time at an airport lounge in the midwest of Ireland in the 1940s. But the drink didn't really take off until it came to the United States in the early 1950s at San Francisco's Buena Vista Restaurant. On a chilly November evening in 1952, travel writer Stanton Delaplane helped to recreate a coffee drink he had tried at the Shannon Airport in Ireland called the “Irish Coffee.” Alongside Buena Vista's owner at the time, Jack Koeppler, they tinkered with the recipe until they mastered the exact proportions of Irish whiskey, sugar, coffee, and cream for the drink.
Hot Buttered Spiked Cider
When temperatures drop, winds are blustery, and a heavy sweater just won't do the trick, this Hot Buttered Spiked Cider recipe is here to warm you from the inside out. The apple cider and dark brown sugar simmer with pumpkin pie spice blend — made with spices like cinnamon and ginger — that drives home the cozy vibes, and is also a quick and simple way to add flavor to the drink.
Cinnamon Old Fashioned
Eva Kolenko
A riff on the classic Old Fashioned formula, the Cinnamon Old Fashioned gets its sweetness from a cinnamon syrup made by steeping whole cinnamon sticks in simple syrup as it simmers. The syrup is viscous enough to add body and richness to the cocktail without being too thick to blend seamlessly into the drink.
Rosemary-Cranberry Margarita
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
The Rosemary-Cranberry Margarita is a wintery riff on a classic Margarita that features a rosemary-infused simple syrup, blanco tequila, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and fresh lime juice. The drink is served in a glass rimmed with a sugar-salt mixture that is flavored with fresh rosemary leaves.
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