[fredthecat]

i need to prepare some kind of drink (doesnt have to be alcoholic, or can be technically alcoholic but not very) for a somewhat discerning (but not too much) group of about 30 to 40 people soon.

i really dont care, but just dont want to look dumb or like i dont care (i actually dont care - but appeasing these people sort of matters for my RL). Does anyone have any recommendations for something interesting that is not too much more than simply adding a 750ml bottle of liquor or so to a ~4 litre(?) container of some other liquid and calling it a day? i have a lot of stuff to do besides this

it can be anything really even an equivalent price of beer mixed with or wine - please no gluehwein - i just dont want to bother and want more festive/hip than necessarily christmassy.

[KellerBrauer]

My wife makes a Mulled Cranberry Cider for our gatherings.  It’s pretty tasty and can be spiked with Ole Smoky Salty Caramel, of, Amaretto, etc. or nothing.

1 qrt Apple Cider
1 qrt Cranberry Juice Cicktail
8 Whole Cloves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbl brown sugar

Heat and Simmer for about 10 minutes and serve.  We keep it warm in a crock pot.  You may want to double or triple the recipe. 

[BrewBama]

Wassail is time tested.

[fredthecat]

My wife makes a Mulled Cranberry Cider for our gatherings.  It’s pretty tasty and can be spiked with Ole Smoky Salty Caramel, of, Amaretto, etc. or nothing.

1 qrt Apple Cider
1 qrt Cranberry Juice Cicktail
8 Whole Cloves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbl brown sugar

Heat and Simmer for about 10 minutes and serve.  We keep it warm in a crock pot.  You may want to double or triple the recipe.

nice, cranberry is that kind of in your face, sharp taste im looking for. spiced cranberry should cover some basic booze. appreciate the flavourprofile brainstorming because i cannot think these days.

Wassail is time tested.

was thinking of that, but i dont have easy access to good cider and i know one guy is doing non-alc apple cider. thank you though, was also thinking of dumping some of my beer in a bucket and adding christmassy spices but i dont have mediocre beer to waste at the moment

[fredthecat]

i ended up not having to do it, there was way too much food and drinks.

some kind of mulled non-alc apple cider with rum AND mead mixed in. lots of floaties from the spices and raw cider. 4/10

"blackberry gin" (lol what - not sure how it was gin at all, it tasted like a fruity vodka - no juniper, no spices???) in raspberry soda water. you can imagine how it tasted. 2/10 for my tastes

jello shots - no pretense, is what it is and competently done - 4/10

sweet italian asti sparkling wine mixed with a shot of whiskey - tasted like a late 70s party drink - 5/10

a bunch of pathetic beers ie. bud light, miller light. i dont even recall their taste - ?/10

more mulled mystery christmas crap sort of cranberry focused i think - 2/10

lol, i didnt mention (but just did) that i had to go home and grab a fin du monde in a can after the cloyingly sweet and spiced first cider.

cant believe people drink the way they do

[erockrph]

If it were me, I'd make a fresh batch of ginger beer concentrate, dilute it with carbonated water, and add an appropriate amount of Goslings Black Seal. Float a bunch of lime slices, and you have Dark & Stormy punch. A bit more adult flavored and a bit warming from the ginger. Much better than that garbage

[fredthecat]

If it were me, I'd make a fresh batch of ginger beer concentrate, dilute it with carbonated water, and add an appropriate amount of Goslings Black Seal. Float a bunch of lime slices, and you have Dark & Stormy punch. A bit more adult flavored and a bit warming from the ginger. Much better than that garbage

there is a LOT of bad rum out there but goslings, since i was first informed of it by a bermudian about 18 years ago is simply too good to drink. it checks every box in terms of rich, cakey caramel smoothness. i end up drinking way too much of it.