With the holidays fast approaching it’s time to work on some new cocktail recipes to share with friends. So I’ve partnered with Cheerwine, the family-owned soft drink made right here in North Carolina, to create a holiday cocktail with a southern twist. This cocktail features Cheerwine’s “Holiday Punch”- which mixes the iconic cherry flavor with bright, bubbly ginger ale and tangy pineapple. It is the perfect mixer and goes well with just about any spirit from bourbon to vodka and makes for a fun festive drink!
This special punch only comes around once a year for the holidays and you can find it on shelves in the Carolinas now through December 31st. The recipe below is for what I like to call the Cheerwine “Merry Martini”. These instructions make drinks for two, but can be easily modified to create the perfect punch bowl for your big party.
The Cheerwine Merry Martini
• 4 ounces Vodka
• 1 ounce Triple Sec
• 1 ounce Lime Juice
• 2 ounces Orange Juice
• 2 ounces Cranberry Juice
• 6 ounces Cheerwine Holiday Punch
• Lime slice for garnish
• Himalayan Sea Salt
• Ice
Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add vodka, triple sec with lime, cranberry and orange juice & shake well. Add 6 ounces of Holiday Cheerwine to the mix & stir until perfectly chilled. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the martini glass and salt the rim w/ Himalayan Sea Salt. Add lime slice garnish. Strain & pour chilled contents into the martini glass w/ salted rim & enjoy!
Quick Bonus Recipe: The Cheerwine “Christmas Cuba Libre”
• 2 ounces Rum
• 5 ounce Cheerwine Holiday Punch
• Crushed Candy Cane
• Lime slice
• Ice
Directions:
This is super easy drink to make. Just fill a rocks glass with ice and add five ounces to Cheerwine Holiday Punch to two ounces of your favorite rum and stir. To add a little holiday flare crush up a candy cane and use a lime wedge to wet the rim of the glass and “salt” the rim using the crushed candy cane. Add a slice of lime for garnish and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy the recipes I shared above or creating your own cocktail ideas using this special holiday punch from Cheerwine. If you have any recipe ideas you would like to share feel free to comment below. Happy Holidays!
About Cheerwine: Uniquely Southern
Created in 1917 by L.D. Peeler, Cheerwine is a one-of-a-kind soft drink with a unique cherry flavor. It is an iconic brand from Salisbury, North Carolina. Owned by the Carolina Beverage Corporation, the 101-year-old company is still privately owned and managed by the same founding family, five generations of whom have worked there. Cliff Ritchie leads Cheerwine as president and CEO. Available in supermarkets, restaurants, mass merchandisers and convenience stores in select states nationwide and cheerwine.com. For more information, follow Cheerwine on Facebook at facebook.com/cheerwine or on Twitter and Instagram @drinkcheerwine.
The Triangle Explorer 