By Nicole Bayne
Cocktail popularity remains steadfast well into the winter months, but low temperatures sometimes make the consumption of chilled liquids—in hopes of a heated buzz—not to be worth it.
That’s where warm cocktails come in. Here’s where to find them.
Pisco Caliente from Trummer’s On Main, $14
Trummer’s is debuting its hot cocktail menu today with a tasting at 6 p.m. ($34, includes snacks). One of the drinks is a combination of Macchu Pisco and filtered apple cider scented with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and star anise and heated with honey-whipped butter. / 7134 Main St., Clifton
Orange Line from 703 Bar + Kitchen, $10
Simplicity is doubly satisfying here with an ideal cold-weather mix of Johnny Walker Black and Earl Grey Tea with freshly squeezed orange juice and sweet lemon comprising this gem from the brand new restaurant (opened in December) at the Marriott in Fair Oaks. General manager Leo Cappelli says this is a “fantastic drink” that is “popular because the scotch melts so well with the tea and juices.” If you are feeling something even sweeter, they also has a spiked hot chocolate with Baker’s Bourbon. / 11787 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax
Irish Brigade Coffee from Columbia Firehouse, $9
Columbia Firehouse’s take on an Irish coffee includes a housemade Guinness syrup to give the drink and even thicker consistency, plus the usual Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, heavy cream, hot coffee and a tuft of whipped cream—plus an extra drizzling of Guinness syrup. “You get the best of both worlds here with both the coffee and the booze,” says general manager Daniel Perkal. / 109 S. Saint Asaph St, Alexandria
Not a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Restaurant Eve, $14
This eyebrow-raiser from Restaurant Eve’s Todd Thrasher is made with real pumpkin and the winter spices nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, cloves and brown sugar. This concoction is delicate; the ingredients are cooked at 170 degrees overnight in a vacuum-sealed bag by the water-bath method of sous-vide cooking. Thrasher uses Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum and Catoctin Watershed Gin—and no caffeinated beverages. / 110 South Pitt St, Alexandria
Oaxacan Hot Chocolate from Rhodeside Grill, $10
This Mexican-inspired hot chocolate includes Del Maguey Vida mezcal, ancho chile chocolate syrup, heavy cream and Bittermens mole bitters. After shaking, Rhodeside Grill bar manager Paul Taylor pours the ingredients into an Irish coffee glass filled with boiling water and finishes it with freshly grated cinnamon. “The idea behind the cocktail is taking a classic hot chocolate South of the Border,” he says. “We have flavors inside the basic cocktail that resemble a traditional mole, then we add mezcal which adds a smokey stone fruit flavor: imagine an apple or pear in a s’more.” / 1836 Wilson Blvd, Arlington
Shine Warmer from Copperwood Tavern, $12
About an ounce and a half of Virginia Lightning Moonshine is mixed with Copperwood Tavern’s housemade spiced chocolate syrup, coffee and a little bit of hot water for a bitter-then-sweet cocktail. / 4021 Campbell Ave, Arlington
