Ready to elevate your next outdoor gathering? These six cabin-themed cocktails will transport your guests to a serene forest retreat. Whether you're aiming for a rustic, cosy drinks vibe or a sophisticated, upscale cocktail experience, there's a drink here to match your BBQ Cabin's unique charm.
From campfire classics to elegant forest-inspired concoctions, each cocktail is paired with a specific woodland setting. Curate a selection and let your guests sip their way through a forest adventure, one delicious drink at a time.
In order from easiest, to most complicated we have six woodsy cocktails sure to tantalise the taste buds.
- American Mulled Apple Cider - Add Rum or Serve Alcohol Free
- Root of All Evil - A Rootbeer & Absinthe Cocktail
- Mountain Berry - A Gin Cocktail
- Into the Woods - A Highball Twist
- The Woods - High-End Gin Gimlet
- Meet Me in the Woods at Midnight - Impressive Whiskey Drink
1. American Mulled Apple Cider - Add Rum or Serve Alcohol Free
Capture the essence of autumn leaves with this traditional American style cider. This family friendly drink is usually served for Thanksgiving but is perfect for a Bonfire Night Celebration. Add a touch of rum to the grown-ups only version!
Ingredients:
- 4 whole cinnamon sticks
- Pinch of ground cloves, or two whole cloves
- 8 whole allspice berries
- Orange peel from 1 orange
- Lemon peel from 1 lemon
- 125ml maple syrup (omit if you don’t want a cloyingly sweet drink)
- 3 bottles of cloudy apple juice (about 3 litres)
- A shot of dark rum per adult serving, optional (we like Kraken Dark Spiced Rum)
- Apple slices and orange twists, to serve
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman.
Directions: In a large saucepan or dutch oven place the cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, allspice berries, orange peel, and lemon peel. Pour in the maple syrup and apple cider, then bring to almost a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve in mugs with apple slices and orange twists. Add a splash of rum for an adults-only version! If you want it to stay warm while in your BBQ Cabin, keep it in a slow cooker on low. Makes 12 servings!
2. Root of All Evil - A Rootbeer & Absinthe Cocktail
This fiery and herbaceous concoction is for brave souls who would dare trek through mist-shrouded Welsh forests in search of legendary beasts. If your corner store doesn’t have root beer, this can be adapted to use Fentimans dandelion and burdock. If you can’t find absinthe or want a less lethal dose of spirit, any anisette will work. Try Pastis, Pernod, Ouzo, or Sambuca.
Recipe adapted from St. George Spirits.
Ingredients:
- 30ml St. George Absinthe Verte (or Pastis, Pernod, Ouzo, or Sambuca)
- 60–90ml root beer (or Fentimans dandelion and burdock)
Directions: Pour absinthe into a glass filled with ice and top off with a good quality root beer. Gradually let the absinthe louche, or stir gently until consistency is cloudy.
3. Mountain Berry - A Gin Cocktail
This drink transcends seasons, the tartness of the berries and the sweetness of the drink mimics the experience of foraging for wild berries in the woods. Guests experience the abundance of the forest, a nod to nature’s ability to provide sustenance and refreshment.
Recipe from BC Liquor Stores.
Ingredients:
- 45 ml Dry Gin
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- 22 ml (1.5 tbsp) blueberry or blackberry syrup
- 60 ml berry-flavoured sparkling water
- fresh blueberries, blackberries, and lemon twist, for garnish
Directions: In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, lemon juice and berry syrup. (Monin and 1883 both have flavoured syrups available on Amazon, but you can make it yourself if you prefer). Add cubed ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain over cubed ice in an old-fashioned glass. Top with berry-flavoured sparkling water and garnish with fresh berries and lemon twist.
4. Into the Woods - A Highball Twist
A crisp, comforting drink that encapsulates the feeling of grilling in a cabin in the woods. The smoky notes of bourbon, the sweet tang of apple cider, and the spicy kick of ginger beer create a harmonious blend that's both comforting and invigorating, just like an evening in a BBQ Cabin.
Recipe from Serious Eats.
Ingredients:
- 45ml bourbon
- 60ml dry hard cider
- 60ml ginger beer
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Large lemon wedge, for garnish
Directions: Combine bourbon, cider, ginger beer, and bitters in a tall glass with ice and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a large lemon wedge, squeezed into the drink and then added to the glass.
5. The Woods - A High-End Gin Gimlet
This recipe adapted from the bar director at Redbird showcases the earthy and savoury flavours of California terroir gin, with notes of Douglas fir, sage and laurel. A drink as crisp and refreshing as a winter's walk through a fir forest. Its piney aroma and cool, minty notes evoke the feeling of a brisk breeze and the scent of fresh evergreen needles.
Ingredients:
- 30ml St. George Terroir Gin
- 30ml La Quintinye Vermouth Royal
- 30ml Lime Juice
- 15ml (1 tbsp) John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum
- 1 Sprig of Mint, Spanked
- 15ml (1 tbsp) Simple Syrup
Directions: Mix all ingredients into a Boston shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a mint sprig.
6. Meet Me in the Woods at Midnight - An Impressive Whiskey Drink
Pine scent and ocean salt hangs in the air, a unique combination found on both the Coast of Maine and along the Ocean Lochs of Scotland. A sip of this cocktail is like a breath of fresh, salty air, it captures the essence of a rugged coastline. Each sip transports you to a serene escape, where the only sounds are the gentle shush of waves and the distant cry of gulls.
Recipe adapted from Capital Cocktails to use available ingredients in England.
Ingredients:
- 60ml Rye Whiskey (use anything but Jack Daniel’s)
- 15ml (1 tbsp) Cardamom-Clove simple syrup (just add 2 cloves to that recipe)
- 15ml (1 tbsp) freshly squeezed lime juice
- 22.5ml dry vermouth
- 1 egg white
- fresh thyme for garnish
Directions: Combine the whiskey, simple syrup, lime juice, and vermouth in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain the mixture into one side and discard ice. Add the egg white and shake again with no ice. Pour into a rocks glass with one large ice cube. Add thyme as garnish.
Find Your All-Season BBQ Hut
Has this cocktail list left you wanting a outdoor grill house of your own? If you want to add the thrill of a charcoal fired barbecue to your outdoor living, check out our unique BBQ Cabins, proudly made in England. We have two of these beauties at our show site in addition to everything else. Feel free to call us with any questions, or email us.
Drink photos from Dotdash Meredith Food Studios, Becca Wyant - @bardebex, BCLiquorStores, Vicky Wasik, Redbird LA, and Geoffrey Wyatt in order. Photos of trees and forests of Maine, Scotland, England, and Wales by Haley Flight.
