Recipes

5 Après Ski Hot-tails to Warm Up With

February 07, 2023

A day out on the slopes can make for an unforgettable afternoon. But after a few hours on a snowy mountainside, most folks are ready to head in and warm back up, both inside and out. Fortunately, there is a long tradition for grabbing a warming cocktail to help shake off the winter weather and warm up those cold bones.

Après ski drinks (which literally means after ski drinks) is a well-established pastime enjoyed by skiers across the world. For many people, après ski cocktails are just as important as the skiing itself.

If you are looking for your ideal after-ski cocktail, here are five fantastic après ski drinks to warm back up.

A white Ember Mug² sits next to a glass teapot filled with warm black tea.

Hot Toddy

A classic winter beverage and popular après ski cocktail, hot toddies are essentially a liquor-infused tea. This means that not only is the hot toddy a wonderfully warming beverage but it is also incredibly simple to make.

Generally, hot toddies are made with lemon, honey, whiskey, and spices. However, if whiskey isn’t your favorite liquor, be sure to check out our hot toddy recipe round-up for delicious variations that use various kinds of spirits, such as the Caramel Apple Hot Toddy, Chai Hot Toddy, and others.

Ember Mug² filled with apple, blood orange slices, and cloves.

Mulled Apple Cider

Those who remember sipping hot apple cider as a child will likely love having mulled apple cider as a hot drink at a ski resort. What could be better than simultaneously warming up those cold bones while invoking nostalgic childhood memories?

However, even if you didn’t grow up with apple cider, our mulled apple cider recipe still makes for a fantastic winter cocktail and après ski drink. Sweet aromatic spices, a touch of tart citrus, a bit of rum or brandy, and you have yourself a cozy concoction that is sure to warm you back up after a long day in the snow.

Additionally, if you plan on skiing at a private cabin instead of a resort, mulled apple cider is great for making larger batches in a crockpot for you and all your friends.

Mulled Wine

In a similar vein to mulled apple cider, mulled wine is another widely popular après ski drink and traditional winter cocktail that can be easily made in large batches in a slow cooker.

While there are a wide array of different flavors and garnishes that can be utilized in this concoction, traditional mulled wine recipes call for red wine, spices such as cinnamon and clove, honey, and brandy.

Naturally, this wonderfully boozy blend is perfect for putting the color back into your cheeks and warming up your chest, which is exactly what has made it such a popular après ski cocktail the world over.

A Gray Ember Mug² is filled with whipped cream and topped with crushed candy cane and cinnamon. The mug sits on a dark green background filled with red and green holiday ornaments alongside a leafy branch with red berries.

Hot Buttered Rum

If you are interested in something a little more decadent and silkier for an après ski drink, then look no further than the ultimate comfort drink, hot buttered rum.

Hot buttered rum recipes incorporate classic seasonal spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove with the sweetness of brown sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup, creating a perfect balance. Top that off with butter and rum and you have one of the most luxurious après ski drinks available.

Plus, there are a variety of seasonal twists that can be put on this winter cocktail as well, such as swapping out the spices for pumpkin pie spice, making it a perfect fall beverage to drink out of an Ember Mug².

A Rose Gold Ember Mug² filled with whipped cream and cinnamon sits on a round cut of wood along wih two gingerbread cookies. The background is a deep red and is filled with gingerbread trees and cinnamon sticks.

Tropical Hot-Tail

If you fancy yourself something of a trend-setter, then our ‘Til There Was You Hot-Tail recipe makes for a fashionably warming and decadently delicious après ski cocktail.

Concocted by renowned mixologist Lerone Howard, this Hot-Tail recipe leverages tropical flavors like coconut, passion fruit, citrus, and more, mixed with Bergamot liqueur, Elderflower liqueur, and Vanilla bean-infused cognac in an inventive winter cocktail that you will want to make your après ski staple.

No matter if you are heading to the bar after the slopes or staring out a snowy window from your living room, all of these winter cocktails are a fantastic way to stay warm on a frigid evening.