What's The Best Alcohol For Spiking Your Holiday Eggnog With?
One festive drink that's synonymous with the holidays is eggnog, whether you go for an alcohol-infused variety or stick to a more kid-friendly version. If it's a boozy nog you enjoy, however, you might be wondering exactly which alcohol to use.
There are plenty of recipes out there, with some calling for brandy, others claiming that whiskey is the best pick, and still others swearing by rum. As it happens, there's no particular type of alcohol that you have to use if you want to make spiked eggnog; it's up to you which liquor you like best. However, that's not to say that there aren't some liquors that are better than others for spiking your drink.
As someone who makes homemade eggnog every year and has experimented with a few different types of alcohol, I'm here to help you figure out which to try. That way, you can whip up a batch of eggnog (or just spike a store-bought variety) that's sure to please a crowd this holiday season.
How to go about choosing the right alcohol for your nog
When making eggnog, go for darker alcohol. The main reason for this is that darker booze tends to have a richer flavor profile, which adds more flavor to your drink. Dark liquors contain something called congeners, which give the drinks their color and unique tasting notes and are generally picked up during the fermentation, distilling, and aging processes. In contrast, lighter alcohols can tend to add booze to your drink but not really enhance the flavor.
It's also not a bad idea to go for a liquor with a higher ABV. The more alcoholic the liquor is, the better it can cut through the richness and sweetness of your drink. This can provide a bit of balance to eggnog's natural flavor and gives you the boozy kick you're seeking.
If you need a couple of recommendations for which alcohols work well, a personal favorite is brandy, which has sweet notes that complement the drink well while still adding a kick from the alcohol. Another favorite pick is bourbon, which will infuse notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel into your drink. Plus, it's smoother than a straight whiskey, helping keep the creaminess of the drink without introducing too much bite. All these flavors add depth and dimension to your drink. Remember, though — it's always best to experiment with your own favorite alcohols and come up with your own preferred flavor combination.
Other considerations for spiking eggnog
Now that you've got a jumping-off point for choosing an alcohol to spike your eggnog with, there are still a couple of other considerations to keep in mind. For one thing, it pays to think about the spices in your drink. Spiced liquors can complement nutmeg, cinnamon, and other wintery additions to your drink. If you enjoy eggnog with these holiday flavors, you could consider using spiced alcohol to help enhance their tastes. At the same time, if you don't want your drink to have too much of these spices, you may want to skip the spiced liquors.
Another thing to consider is the amount of alcohol you'll use. Most people agree that somewhere between a one-to-five ratio and a one-to-four ratio works well. When making homemade eggnog, start with less liquor and adjust to add more, depending on how boozy you want the drink to be.
Finally, it's also important to consider the cost of the alcohol. Because you're mixing it into a drink, you don't necessarily need to buy expensive bottles. A mid-range alcohol works just as well for getting that boozy kick and a hint of extra flavor. With these tips, you're now ready to try your hand at spiking your own eggnog this holiday season!