Shanghai's Winter Cocktails
The long drinks of summer on rooftops and street-side patios are long gone, but never fear. Shanghai's beverage builders have prepared for the dropping temperatures, bringing out space heaters and stoking the fires as they offer us refreshing beverages to beat the whipping wind. The following are five drinks made for winter that promise to warm your spirits.
Smokin' Hot Margarita at Apothecary
There's an invigorating thrill that comes with tippling on a chilled drink whose main ingredient comes from cactus blood. It's even more invigorating if you do it while braving Shanghai's dropping temperatures. Combining El Jimador Reposato tequilla, Laphroaig, lime juice, Cointreau, chipotle en adobo and homemade lapsang souchong tea syrup make up this zesty drink. The initial bite of the chipotle gives way to a tangy finish, reminding you of warmer climates. If you decide to have this drink on Apothecary's patio, be sure to ask for a blanket to help you in your quest.
RMB 75. Sinan Mansions, 4F, Unit 1, Lane 507 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Chongqing Nan Lu. Tel: 3368 9419
Barrel-Aged Manhattan at Jade on 36
David Shoemaker, Jade on 36's new sommelier loves his barrels. If you're willing to listen, he'll explain to you how the wood inside barrels interacts with spirits, providing them with rich flavours like caramel and butterscotch. It's not a new concept by a long shot – the wine industry is practically built around it – but Shoemaker uses his barrels in a fresh way: to mix cocktails. His Manhattan is mixed with Wild Turkey bourbon and Dolin sweet vermouth, topped off with a dash of lemon oil – all aged in a barrel for 36 days or more. Topping it off, there's the garnish of a cherry infused with toasted fennel and vanilla bean, flavours sure to take the edge off winter’s sting.
RMB 128 + 15%. Pudong Shangri-La. 36F, Tower 2, 33 Fucheng Lu, near Lujiazui Xi Lu. Tel: 6882 3636
Spicy Pumpkin Ale at the Boxing Cat Brewery
True to its mission to provide us with seasonal brews, the Boxing Cat Brewery's newest offering, a spicy pumpkin ale, arrived just in time to toast the falling mercury. Despite the name of this libation and the fact that pumpkin pie mix was added during the brewing process, don't expect it to be a slice of Thanksgiving pie in a foamy glass. The pumpkin flavour of this beer is a subtle one that comes on slowly, only after your tongue has worked its way through the layers of cinnamon and nutmeg that first hit your palate. Still, the beer maintains a creamy texture just right for washing down some comfort food in these colder months. And with an alcohol concentration of six per cent, you'll be sure to feel spirited in the brisk winter air.
RMB 50. Boxing Cat Brewery. 82 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu. Tel: 6431 2091. Sinan Mansions, Unit 26A, 519 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Sinan Lu. Tel: 6426 0360
Grog at Rhumerie Bounty and X Bistro
With a new flagship in Sinan Mansions, ye olde Bounty is ready to sail into winter with a veritable fleet of grog. A concoction of ginger- and cinnamon-flavoured rum, honey and lime, this warm drink goes down mild, lingering with a sweet and invigorating citrus after-taste. It's the perfect choice if you're on the mend from a fall cold, but just can't bear not to go out for a drink with your mateys.
RMB 58. Rhumerie Bounty. 550 Wuding Lu, near Xikang Lu. Tel: 2661 9368. 1F, 47 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu. Sinan Mansions, Unit 33, 3F, 47 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Sinan Lu
Glüwein at Cotton's
Veterans of Shanghai's chilly, colder months know that Cotton's is a great place to go to warm up by real fireplaces. However, a lesser known reason to head to Cotton's to escape the chill outside is a glass of Glüwein, German-style red wine brewed with mulled spices. The rich cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves embedded in this steamy drink complement the strong bouquet of the wine, making for a refreshing and savoury drink. Whether you decide to sip on it by the fireplace inside or huddled by a space heater outside in Cotton's spacious garden, you'll be sure to forget the cold entirely.
RMB 50. 294 Xinhua Lu, near Panyu Lu. Tel: 6282 6897. 132 Anting Lu, near Jianguo Xi Lu. Tel: 6433 7995
