Thirsty Thursday: Virtue Cider helps us make perfect fall cocktails

Thanks to Virtue Cider, we can craft the perfect Fall cocktails for Thirsty Thursday. And we can’t help but love how versatile these hard ciders really are.

When it comes to the perfect Fall drinks, nothing says autumn quite like a cider. And if it happens to be a hard cider, like the ones that Virtue Cider produces, then we are all for it. But what if you could take that cider and make it into a cocktail? Sounds like the kind of thing that would turn Thirsty Thursday on its head.

When it comes to crafting a delicious cocktail, we sometimes forget that there are other hard beverages we can use that aren’t just a standard liquor. And luckily for us, Virtue Cider wants us to explore our cocktail making skills, with four recipes that pair perfectly with each of their unique hard ciders.

Up first, we look to the Michigan Brut for what the cider makers call the Fall Spritz. This might be one of the easiest cocktails to make as it only requires three ingredients, including the hard cider itself.

To make a Fall Spritz simple take a Highball glass and fill it about a quarter of the way with ice cubes. You are then going to layer the drink, starting with 1 ounce of apertif, followed by 3 ounces of Michigan Brut, and finally 2 ounces of sparkling water. You can garnish this drink with a slice of orange and you are good to go.

The second cocktail is another easy option, and it once again utilizes the Michigan Brut. This time we are making what Virtue Cider calls the Cider Coast Daiquiri. (This cocktail was definitely a favorite here and I don’t think it had anything to do with the fact it is a Daiquiri.)

For this drink, you will need a cocktail shaker. In the shaker, you will add a squeeze of lime, followed by half of a teaspoon of sugar and 2 ounces of white rum. Add cracked iced to the shaker and shake well. Straining the shaker, you will then pour this over 1 ounce of Michigan Brut in a chilled glass.

The third cocktail introduced by Virtue Cider is the Michigan Old Fashioned. This particular cocktail definitely requires more ingredients and a bit more work, but it is definitely worth trying in honor of Fall and of course Thirsty Thursday.

To make the Michigan Old Fashioned, you will need a mixing glass and ice, as well as Virtue Cider’s Michigan Cherry. In the glass you will stir the ice, as well as 3 dashes of Angostura bitters, followed by 3 dashes of orange bitters, a quarter ounce of maple syrup, and one and a half ounces of whiskey. Once that is all stirred together, you will strain the mix into an Old Fashioned glass that has cubed ice in it, as well as one and a quarter ounces of Michigan Cherry cider.

Finish off your Old Fashioned with an orange peel garnish and this drink is ready to go. (Old Fashioned lovers should definitely give this particularly cocktail a try at least once.)

The fourth and final cocktail recipe that Virtue Cider shared with us is the Fruit Belt Boulevardier. While the company doesn’t specify exactly which of their ciders to use for this one, we opted for the Michigan Apple and it was an excellent choice.

For the Fruit Belt Boulevardier, you will once again need a mixing glass. This time you will add 8 ounces of cider, 4 ounces of rye whiskey, 2 ounces of Campari, and 2 ounces of sweet Vermouth. Stir this all together and then strain it into a cup.

You will want to garnish this drink with an orange twist, and because of the measurements needed, this will actually serve two people, so make sure you have an extra orange twist handy.

As fans of Thirsty Thursday, we think these cocktails from Virtue Cider are a must try for anyone looking for the perfect Fall drink. Not only will they leave you wanting more, but they will likely inspire you to create your own unique cocktails with these hard ciders.

What do you think of these hard cider cocktail recipes? Which of these will you be trying for yourself? Tell us what you think in the comments.