A Guide to Choosing the Best Alcoholic Beverages for Your Holiday

The holiday season is a time for gathering, celebrating, and, of course, indulging in delicious food and drinks. Selecting the right alcoholic beverages is one of the keys to setting the tone and ensuring that your guests have a good time.

There are many options available and it can be a bit overwhelming to know what to serve. This guide should help you navigate the process so you can select the best alcoholic beverages for your holiday party.

Know Your Guests

The first step in selecting the right drinks is considering the preferences of your guests. Are they enthusiasts of wine, cocktails or do they prefer beer? If you’re not sure, it is always a good idea for you to offer a mix of all these options so that they can make the choice that is right for their taste buds. When you have a well rounded selection it’s going to ensure that your guests find something that they love.

Wine Lovers

Christmas alcoholic beverages

For those who love wine make sure you have a variety of red and white wine available. Light and crisp white wines are perfect for serving with appetizers and light dishes you may offer.

A more full bodied red wine will go well with your entrees. Sparkling wine or even champagne is a festive choice that will add a bit of a celebratory touch to just about any occasion.

Beer

There is another popular option at many holiday parties. It works especially well with more casual gatherings. It’s also a good idea to have a variety of beer on hand. You can have light lagers and pilsners. You can also include darker stouts and porters.

Christmas alcoholic beverages

Consider cooling some seasonal craft beers into the mix as well. Think in terms of pumpkin ales and winter loggers. These will reflect the flavours of the season and give your guests a wider selection to choose from. You can offer the selections in both bottles and cans so that your guests have the flexibility to choose what they like based on their personal preferences.

Festive Cocktails

Cocktails are a fantastic way to get creative and add a special touch to your holiday party. Holiday themed cocktails taste great and they also contribute to the festive atmosphere because of their vibrant colours. It’s also a good idea to add seasonal ingredients and decorative garnishes as well.

Christmas alcoholic beverages

Give those classic cocktails a bit of a seasonal twist. If you prefer you can even try your hand at something new all together. One of the most classic holiday cocktails is eggnog.

If you want to give this drink a modern twist you can add a flavoured liquor to it. Eggnog is perfect for sipping by the fire or serving as an after-dinner treat.

Holiday-themed cocktails not only taste great but also contribute to the festive atmosphere with their vibrant colours, seasonal ingredients, and decorative garnishes. Classic cocktails can be given a seasonal twist, or you can try your hand at creating something entirely new.

Non-Alcoholic Options

While alcoholic beverages often take centre stage at holiday parties, it’s important to offer non-alcoholic options. Your non-alcoholic drinks are for those who prefer not to have any alcohol.

They may be designated drivers or they simply want a refreshing alternative. The good news is that there are a lot of non-alcoholic beverages that you can serve.

Sparkling water is a great alternative to champagne as it offers the same effervescence but with no alcohol added. You can add fresh fruits such as raspberries or orange slices to give it a touch of flavour. You can also create a mocktail bar with several different juices, garnishes and syrups.

Glassware and Garnishes

No matter what drinks you decide to serve, presentation is always key. Make sure you’re using the right glassware.

This can make even the simplest drink look more festive. You can serve wine in elegant glasses and cocktails in a martini or coupe glasses. Beers look great in pine glasses or steins for a more casual vibe.

Delight Your Guests

When it comes to refreshments at a holiday party there is something for everyone and all you have to do is make sure that you provide it. This way none of your guests will be disappointed.

Christmas alcoholic beverages

You could ask your guests to pre indicate what they would like to drink so you have a better idea of exactly what you should stock up on. This will take the guesswork out of everything especially if you are on a budget and want to keep things economical while providing a good experience for your guests.

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