With 22 distilleries (and counting) along Maine’s distillery trail, we encountered quite a few spirited concoctions that feel like they should be sipped by a cozy woodstove fire on a blustery nor’easter night or around friends and family on a snowy-white winter’s day.  Dive into these recipes or take a road trip around Maine to these distilleries and try them in their tasting rooms yourself!

Hard Shore Distilling ~ Portland, Maine

Tweed Jacket

• 2 ounces Hardshore Original Gin
• ½ ounce honey-thyme syrup
• ½ ounce pear syrup
• ¼ ounce fresh lemon juice

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir well. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a sprig of thyme and a cinnamon stick.

“We roast a squash, then render it down and blend it with bacon using our aged gin and a little bit of simple syrup,” said Jordan Milne, founder/distiller. “This is such a beautiful cocktail to celebrate the harvest of fall!”

Chadwick’s Craft Spirits ~ Pittston, Maine

Chadwick’s Cinnamon Cider Cocktail

• 2 ounces of Chadwick’s Reaper’s Revenge
• 4 ounces apple cider
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick or apple slices for garnish

Pour two ounces of Chadwick’s Reaper’s Revenge into a glass; fill with desired amount of apple cider. Can be served hot or iced.

“This drink starts off sweet on the front and finishes with a hot pepper kick on the back end,” said co-owner Laurel Chadwick. “We make it ourselves with cinnamon sticks and the hot pepper extract that goes into it. It tends to be one of our more popular drinks during fall. If you remember the Atomic Fireball as a kid, it’s like that…with hot cider.”

Mossy Ledge Spirits ~ Etna, Maine

Peppermint Mocha Sombrero 

•  ¾ ounce Peppermint Cordial
•  ¾ ounce Espresso infused Vodka
•  Splash of half & half creamer
•  4 ½ ounces of chilled hot chocolate

Put the cordial and vodka in a glass a splash of half & half and chilled hot chocolate with whipped cream on top, and perhaps a dash of cinnamon or a mini candy cane.

“Picture Christmas morning; you’re in need of caffeine, maybe you woke up way too early,” said Jesse Lupo, owner. “The strong espresso punches through and the coolness of the peppermint is the kick you need when the kids are up tearing through presents.”

Kay Stephens is the managing editor of Activities Guide of Maine and Maine Brew & Bev Guide. You can find out what she’s up to at kaystephenscontent.com