Well the holidays are upon us in full fervor. The Advent Calendar is hung, and the mouse (ours has a stuffed mouse) is being moved on a daily basis. It is time for family gatherings and holiday parties. This year will be a bit of a mixed bag for us. See it is usually just our immediate family and has been that way since we were a family, but this year one son is married and two others have serious girl friends that are adding to the mix. I think things are going to be more hectic as the boys grow up. I have some special holiday drinks I want to serve this year including Southern Tier’s Creme Brulee.
I came across this recipe for “Easy” Bourbon Egg Nog, and I thought I would pass it along. Looks good, although I’m not sure how “Easy” it will be.
Eggnog is a holiday tradition in both the United States and Canada. Usually made with eggs, sugar, spices and sometimes a base alcoholic spirit (traditionally rum or brandy), the cocktail origins of eggnog can be traced all the way back to Professor Jerry Thomas and his recipes. I like to use a good spicy bourbon in my personal eggnog recipe as the flavors of the bourbon match well with the spices to create an interesting dimension of flavor. This recipe is extremely easy to make, delicious and a great way to impress friends and family this holiday season. It will yield eight 4 ounce portions, if you want more just double or even triple the recipe.
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
6 oz granulated sugar
1 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp clove
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 oz Hennessy VSOP cognac
2 oz Grand Marnier (Navan can be substituted for a more pronounced vanilla flavor)
4 oz Bullleit bourbon
12 oz whole milk
8 oz heavy cream
Preparation:In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment or a blender, blend the eggs for 1 minute.
Add sugar and spices and blend for an additional 30 seconds to incorporate.
Slowly add the cognac, bourbon and Grand Marnier, blend another 30 seconds.
Add the milk and cream and blend 1 minute more. Cover and refrigerate.
This recipe is better made a day ahead to allow the flavors to combine.To serve, portion 4 oz of eggnog in a champagne flute or teacup, grate fresh nutmeg or cinnamon over the top (optional) and serve.
So what will you be serving this holiday season? Are you attending any holiday parties? What will they be serving? Let us know your plans, and most of all what you will be drinking over this holiday season. Have a great weekend!
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
I made something similar to this, but far lazier when I put a couple of thick glugs of Knob Creek Small Batch into some store brand egg nog. I knew I had the ratios right when I could feel the drink with my eyes before I ever took a sip!
I believe that is the litmus test that we should all use when making egg nog…the eye feeling test. That is another way to make lazy man’s bourbon egg nog. I’m assuming it was pretty tasty as well.
It was awesome. I made it for my wife but then realized she thought it was for me, so I dutifully enjoyed every sip. It’s like eating a stick of butter while doing shots – that’s gotta be good for you!
My heart may stop if I drank that.
Yeah, but just for a minute. 😉
Yeah, you forgot to add a defibrillator to the ingredients list…
I make a similar recipe once in a while, but it’s a lot of work. A big batch is really only an option when entertaining a fair sized group. Here is a good “Egg Nog for One” recipe:
1 whole egg
1/4 cup whole milk
2oz Bourbon
2 tbsp powered sugar (more or less, depending on preference)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
nutmeg
Add egg, whiskey and vanilla extract to a shaker without ice, and shake the hell out of it. Dry-shaking will emulsify the egg and (supposedly) sterilize the egg. Add milk, sugar and ice and shake again, maybe 20-30 seconds. Strain into a mug/glass and grate fresh nutmeg.
Very simple. Fresh grated nutmeg is key, much better than the powdered stuff that tastes/smells like old sawdust.
Please excuse the brief moment of cocktail-nerdiness. Enjoy!
Yeah, Rich, this is a good recipe for us. The big one that is a lot of work…not so much. I’ll have to give the Egg Nog for one a try, except maybe without the milk, egg, vanilla, sugar or nutmeg. I think that is about my style! 😉
I have a big problem with raw eggs – I have to pass on homemade eggnog.
Also guys…..I have a bunch of beer in my work fridge and I’m drinking Diet Coke. The beer is for John King. I picked up some Sun King Wee Muckle and Osiris for him today. I want to thank you for the community you provide. The craft beer community is small and it is refreshing to find a place where it is fun, respectful, disagreeable, and most of all welcoming.
Happy Holidays,
Tamre
Thanks Tamre. We like this place too. However, you should send that beer to us and not John. He is much happier with a bear, and maybe just one beer… 😉
Well….it was supposed to be a surprise, but I am sending both you and Jim some care packages from Indianapolis. My two favorite breweries here don’t package – Flat 12 Bierwerks and Bier Brewery, so I’ll offer up my house to anyone who wants to visit. In the meantime, I’ll be putting together a holiday beer box for each of you, hopefully shipping them out the week between Christmas and NYE.
Cheers. Dorks.
I’ve tried to do that with my homebrews but someone doesn’t respond to Facebook messages….
I can re-iterate the same statement, you guys are kinda like match.com, but I’m trying to get beer knowledge/conversations rather than trying to get action.
Thanks for the pickup, I’ll swing home and grab you some Bourbon Bear Ale brothers beer.
I love this stuff but its definitely on my no-no list. If its around I’m gonna drink it–all of it!
Ahh, its just once a year Wayne!
I know, but the cholesterol police (in the person of my bride of the past 40 years), watch me very closely this time of year. She knows how much I like spiked eggnog. She’s tried to foist off some “light” substitutes in the past but they just don’t do it for me.
A good friend of mine has brought over a batch of his homemade Egg Nog in years past. Sounds similar to the recipe you posted. Very very rich! He used overproof Rum, so it was quite potent and delicious.
I’m sure I will be drinking more than my fair share of wine, beer, whiskey, and whatever else people are serving. I do have one beverage that I want to experiment with: Bourbon Cream Liqueur. I have half a vat of Buffalo Trace in my liquor cabinet and I want it to go. Not cause it’s bad, but because I want to move on to other things.Here’s a link to a Bailey’s Irish Cream recipe that I stumbled upon:
http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2009/12/homemade-baileys-irish-cream-youll.html
Think I will have any problems if I substitute Bourbon for Irish Whiskey?
Nah, Bourbon is naturally sweet so it should do just fine.
I’m going to put Tito’s vodka in everything from dry cereal to Metamucil powder, with a hefty dollop in my store-bought eggnog in between.
So, could you beer & whiskey guys get a virtual party going for those of us who are so socially outcast as to not be invited to one?
I do have to go to dinner with my boss and his wife next week, and she can talk faster than any human being should be capable of. They don’t drink, but by God I’m certainly going to, starting as soon as I get home today. Merry merry and happy happy!
That’s one of the blessings of being near-deaf Linda. If I’m in the company of a jabber-mouth I can just turn my hearing aids down or off. Of course if I’m the jabber-mouth….
You once again remind me that nothing, even diminished hearing, is all bad.
LOVE egg nog made with Bourbon! That seems like an awful lot of ingredients you got there though. I usually go with this one and it never fails.
http://www.bitofthebluegrass.com/2010/12/1-day-till-christmas-recipe-countdown.html
BTW, this weekend I have a bit of last minute shopping in Lexington so I’m thinking I’ll be sipping a few Woodford Manhattans (my absolute fave when done by the amazing bartenders at Malone’s) at dinner.