THE POUR

Are you ready for February’s best occasion for making a big batch of drinks for a lot of people? No, we’re not suggesting you turn your special date night Valentine’s Day into a group event — we’re talking about the Oscars!

The Academy Awards parties, fashion on display, and fancy Hollywood actors and actresses put us in a festive and creative mindset. You’ll want to have that same vibe at your Oscars viewing party this year, so don’t forget to plan your drinks to match the occasion.

If You’re Offering Champagne at Your Oscars Party

Who doesn’t love bubbly? Who can say no to the sparkling? We get it. Champagne screams classy party! (By the way, this is why we celebrate special occasions with Champagne.)

Flasks have a certain kind of connotation: It’s in the pocket of your perpetually drunk uncle who won’t stop talking about a bad business deal from decades ago. Or it’s in grandma's purse but no one knows … except you and all the other grandchildren.

But now you have a dilemma. You received a flask for Christmas, or was it your wedding? Or was it that one birthday a couple years back? Anyhow, while it's not as common as other drinks that come in fancy glasses with stems or big ice cubes, a good flask drink excels in its simple concoction with no worries at all about the presentation.

No need to get trashy or flashy—dust off that flask and get some practical use out of the thing. It turns out that winter is a great time to use it for some good flask drinks that travel well and fit in your pocket, so it can keep up with your activities, the events you attend, or just regular old routines—maybe even another wedding. 

Here are some good flask drinks for your winter survival.

The New Year is upon us, and that also means resolutions. For us, it means a whole new year of delicious wine, beer, and spirits. Your resolutions might be about cutting down on sugar or calories or alcohol consumption for the month, or just being more intentional about healthy choices.

Healthy Mocktails

Resolutions and tasty drinks don’t have to be at odds. In fact, this is the perfect opportunity for mocktails. No, that doesn’t mean the cocktails are mocking you — mocktails are mock cocktails, as in they are mixed drinks that don’t have any alcoholic contents, but they can still offer the flavors you might want for good times in 2020.

Never fear — we sell copious kinds of top-shelf mixers, tonics, bitters, and shrubs in our Haskell’s locations around the Twin Cities metro area. It’s no worry to find non-alcoholic drinks options you’ll actually enjoy this winter and beyond.

Cocktails aren’t just about the spirits and liqueurs. Especially in the colder months when a little boost of richness or sweetness can help you slide through the less than ideal days, maple syrup cocktails and other mix-ins might be just the kind of treat to satisfy your desire for a drink with something different.

What’s even better than using an array of many options from cocktail mix-ins highly regarded around the world? How about local Minnesota-made ingredients that elevate a drink to just the right degree?

Check out these cocktail recipes with local Minnesota syrup and jams. Plan to pick up some fine honey, preserves, syrups, and other products from our fine state to add an extra burst of flavor to these cocktails.

It’s hard to believe we’re in the throes of winter, isn’t it? Well, since we’re here and all trying to survive the cold together, it might help to cozy up with something tasty in your cup. Classic winter cocktails for snow days provide the warming feelings and flavors that turn the bitterness of winter into a special time with friends or family — or sometimes just enjoying some time by yourself to slow down.

The key to classic winter cocktails are knowing a few quintessential ingredients. Let’s dig into a few recipes for these cold-weather drinks.

You might be planning to reach for peppermint schnapps, Kahlua, or other common cocktail ingredients with the arrival of colder weather, but maybe this is the year you reach for Louisa's Liqueur.

Cocktail Recipes with Louisa’s Liqueur

Good news: Louisa’s Liqueur is ready for your home bartending practice. Start easy with the liqueur neat or over ice in a rocks glass, providing a sweet and smooth way to ease into the evening after dinner. Or go for a decadent dessert by pouring it over vanilla bean ice cream or adding a shot of it to your cup of afternoon coffee.

Louisa’s Manhattan cocktail recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Bourbon
• 1 oz. Sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Louisa's Liqueur
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Luxardo cherry
• Ice

How to make a Louisa’s Manhattan cocktail:

1. Place all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir the mixture, then strain it into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Add a free-floating or speared Luxardo cherry as garnish.

After a summer filled with Bombas and Wonderwall, the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota United Football Club are both going to the playoffs this fall. Better yet, the Twins clinched their division title and the Loons clinched their playoff berth within hours of each other.

In a state that hasn't had all that much playoff success in recent years (with the notable exception of the amazing Minnesota Lynx), cracking the bubbly for two teams on one night was something to celebrate! In fact, it inspired us to create some special Minnesota team-themed cocktails to enjoy throughout their playoff runs.

Do you know about the "Spirit of Spain?"

“Spain has a spirit?” you ask. “I thought it was only superb Rioja reds and Albariño white wines, with the occasional vermouth.”

All great Spanish choices, but there’s more: Ponche Caballero.

If you haven’t yet discovered the glory that is Caballero liqueur, don’t fret. Many of us here in Minnesota and around the United States are late to the Caballero party, so we're here to invite you.

You don’t have to wait for Cinco de Mayo or National Margarita Day (February 22) to celebrate in true margarita fashion.

While margarita-making is the obvious choice for celebrating May 5th and the anniversary of the Mexican Army’s victory over the French, this quintessential Mexican drink is too good to leave to only a couple occasions per year. And there are many options beyond the traditional margarita recipe.

A Word About Tequila

One of the reasons margaritas are so good is that this cocktail is built on simplicity, good ingredients, and balance. To authentically enjoy a margarita, one must appreciate tequila – a distilled spirit made from the blue agave plant in the Mexican city of and near Tequila (yes, it’s a place).

There are 200 types of agaves found in Mexico, and they are classified much like fine wines. Tequila that is labeled 100% de Agave can only be bottled in Mexico. It refers to being made from the blue agave plant and does not have added sugars. Mix to refers to tequila that is made with blue agave plus non-agave sugars such as sugar cane. These are usually simply labeled Tequila.

It’s time to up your Mojito-making skills. The classic Cuban highball cocktail is a summer favorite for a reason. It's refreshing and it's pretty simple to make. You don't need to tell your guests that part, but there are a few tips we'd like to share to help you impress your friends and let you kick back with these easy Mojito recipes.

There are four main Mojito ingredients to keep in mind when creating this magic. It's all about quality ingredients from the start.

What You Need to Know About the 4 Key Mojito Ingredients