How to Spike Your Eggnog!

What Alcohol Goes In Eggnog?

Wondering how to spike your eggnog? There’s so much to choose from, and you can’t just start mixing the two together without a little research. The liquor you choose will drastically impact the taste of the cocktail, so choose your alcohol carefully!

After a hefty holiday meal, cutting a piece of pumpkin pie or popping open a beer isn’t always the most enticing idea. There’s nothing more appropriate after a holiday feast than a creamy, rich and sweet little glass of eggnog to sip on. Even if you’ve stuffed yourself, eggnog is always a good idea, and for good reason – we wait all year for the delicious, milky beverage, and it never disappoints.

Eggnog has been a beloved drink as far back as 13th century Europe, when medieval monks were known to enjoy posset, a punch consisting of ale, eggs and figs. This eventually evolved into the milky drink we know and love today. However, eggnog is only available for a short time, so we have to take advantage of it. What would be better than a tall glass of eggnog? A spiked eggnog cocktail of course.

What’s the Best Way to Spike Your Eggnog?

Deciding what type of liquor to add to your eggnog can seriously impact the overall taste of the drink. After all, no one wants to drink a glass of bitter milk, but, a pinch of something strong can be delicious. Here are our top choices for how to pour your eggnog cocktail:

Bourbon

While normally enjoyed in a Manhattan, bourbon has a smooth richness that goes pretty well when combined with an even richer eggnog. Bourbon keeps things sophisticated, but you can still definitely taste the alcohol – its smoky flavor will mask a lot of the sweet eggnog if you’re not careful. You will definitely get a strong drink if you choose bourbon for your eggnog cocktail! That’s not necessarily a bad thing, just up to your preference.

Rum

Rum is one of those drinks that kinda goes well in everything: coke, juice, punch, truffles, and eggnog too. That being said, rum is not a subtle mixer, you really have to like the taste of rum for an eggnog cocktail to work for you. It has an in-your-face alcohol taste, but it’s also no stranger to sugar -who doesn’t love a rum cake?

Whiskey

Whiskey is a strong, sharp liquor that will add some serious heat to your eggnog, cutting out some of the sweetness but still not overpowering the nog. Adding whiskey to your eggnog will give you a bit of a slap in the face – the alcohol will taste strong and will not be as masked as other liquors. Drink a whiskey eggnog at your own risk, at least we warned you!

Brandy 

All of these liquors are commonly found in a creamy eggnog cocktail, but the question remains: which is really the best? The truth is, there’s just no competing with a brandy and eggnog combo. But don’t just take our word for it, there’s a reason behind this: brandy is made from distilled wine, and the sweeter notes give it that extra edge when paired with a sweet drink like eggnog. You want the liquor to give your eggnog a kick, but brandy helps you not over do it; eggnog is moreso viewed as a dessert than a cocktail anyway, so keeping things on the sweeter side just makes sense.

Each liquor offers its own unique twist on the iconic eggnog cocktail, but at the end of the day, it’s really up to preference. If you enjoy one of these liquors regularly anyway, chances are you’ll love it in this cocktail, just play around with how much you add and you’ll have a deliciously sweet and strong after dinner beverage.