What Bartenders Drink on Thanksgiving—Before, During, and After Dinner

Here's how the experts do it.
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Illustration by Ward Sutton

Everyone’s Thanksgiving is different. For some, it’s a formal evening meal decked out in grandma's silver. For others, it’s buffet-style in front of a football game on TV while the sun’s still up. But no matter your tradition, if you show up empty handed, you will probably get your ass handed to you by somebody. It might be Aunt Martha (who, let’s be honest, will hand you your ass regardless), it might be your stressed out roommate from college who got cocky and decided to sous-vide the turkey. But someone cooked a turkey, and they expect you to contribute, too.

So bring a bottle of something. Heck, be fancy and bring a pre-batched cocktail. Whether you’re smoothing over family drama or getting the friendsgiving party started, here are 9 bartenders’ ideas for what to bring to Thanksgiving dinner.

Warm Ups
In much of the country, Thanksgiving heralds the beginning of truly cold weather. But bartenders have a drink for that: Robb Jones of Spoon and Stable and Bellecour in Minneapolis likes mulled cider for frigid Minnesotan Thanksgivings, where they have “the kind of cold that gets inside your bones and hangs on for 10 minutes” after you’re indoors. The bonus to mulled cider is you can bring the spiced apple cider (Jones uses caraway, clove, cinnamons, star anise and some raw sugar) in a thermos for everyone to enjoy, and just add booze for the grownups. In Jones’s case, he adds “a blend of brandy, benedictine, and chartreuse” but “the beauty of a good mulled cider is you can add anything you want to it.”

Bring a Bottle
Whether you’re gifting a bottle for the hosts to enjoy later or are hoping they’ll crack it open before dinner, a bottle of something autumnal is always welcome. Jeremy Allen at MiniBar Hollywood opts for a bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed because “while bourbon is never out of season, it’s never more in-season than at Thanksgiving.” Meanwhile, Dave Castillo of Truss & Twine and Workshop Kitchen + Bar in Palm Springs loves apple brandies this time of year. Specifically, Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy and Clear Creek 2-Year Apple Brandy.

Batch a Cocktail
Don’t be the guy who shows up with a bunch of bottles and makes the host give you precious kitchen space to make cocktails. Pre-batch and bring them ready to pour. Elliott Clark of Apartment Bartender likes to make big batches of classics: “An Old Fashioned is a great classic cocktail recipe that is easy to batch in large amounts.” Abigail Gullo of Compére Lapin in New Orleans agrees, adding a bit of ginger liqueur to her Old Fashioned: “Bourbon is a must for the holidays, and the ginger liqueur aids with digestion after all turkey and stuffing.”

Wine Time
The classic bottle to bring to Thanksgiving dinner is, of course, wine. If your host requests it, you must comply. Thankfully, you have a large range of options. Sarah Mengoni of Double Take in L.A. likes a nice rosé like Matthiasson (which come in magnums and will be sure to make you the most popular person at dinner). And Allen at MiniBar Hollywood love bubbles for family gatherings: “My sparkling wine bottle picks, in order, are Vigneto Saetti Natural Lambrusco from Italy, Gruet Sauvage Rosé from New Mexico and grower-producer Nathalie Falmet’s Champagne Brut Nature. The first is gamey and grapey, the second is tart and pretty, and the last is chalky and zesty with lime.”

After Dinner
Wind down the evening with a digestif—either with or instead of pie. (Hey, not everyone has a sweet tooth.) Roger Vivas at Hotel Colonnade in Coral Gables, Florida recommends Armagnac to cap off the evening, noting that it’s fruitier and less expensive than Cognac: “A VSOP or a Reserve won’t break the bank. My favorite is Larressingle VSOP Armagnac.”

Estelle Bossy of Del Posto is into amaro, Italian herbal liqueurs that aid digestion. Specifically, Averna: “It’s not too bitter, and it pairs beautifully with autumnal flavors and baking spices, especially pecan or pumpkin pie.” She likes it neat, but “for a gathering, I always bring ice on the side with orange twists” so guests can customize their after dinner drink.