If you've been following cocktail trends lately, or should I say, Pinterest, you might've noticed a new drink this holiday season: red wine hot chocolate. The odd-sounding combination has been around for years, but, apparently, the right food blog wrote about it, since the drink's popularity has recently exploded.
I thought it'd be a cool beverage to try while putting an On the Sauce spin to it. But there's one problem — the internet's flavor of the month isn't any good. I guess I should've learned by now, though. I mean, it's not like Pinterest hasn't failed us before.
For this week's cocktail, I went back to the drawing board. There I was — disappointed, sad, wanting the comforting and decadent treat I was promised. So, equipped with a giant pot of hot chocolate, I started experimenting. And luckily, I had everything I needed to make a much better cocktail, a beertail.
Among your neighborhood grocery store's beer shelves and anywhere else that has a decent selection of brews, you should be able to snag Terrapin Beer Co.'s Liquid Bliss. If you can't find this chocolate peanut butter porter, go with something similar.
The beer is really good as is, but a cocktail featuring half porter, half hot chocolate? Now we're in business. You could stop there to achieve the soul-warming comfort you'll need for the upcoming cold-front forecast. However, I'm adding a little bit more booze. Where you go from here is up to you. Irish cream, Kahlúa, salted caramel and whipped cream vodka are some worthy options; I had creme de cacao and vanilla vodka in my bar, so I put those to use.
Whip up this beertail when it's cold outside and you want a decadent treat to hunker down with, preferably on the couch and under a blanket.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Porter Hot Cocoa
Makes 1
6 ounces hot cocoa, prepared (I used the store-bought powder mix)
6 ounces Terrapin Liquid Bliss Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter
2 ounces creme de cacao
1 ounce vanilla vodka
Follow the hot cocoa's package instructions and pour into a large coffee mug. Add remaining ingredients and stir. (The drink may need to be microwaved after additional ingredients are added.) Top with mini marshmallows and chocolate syrup for garnish.
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