Tip a cup of good cheer this holiday season

‘Tis the season for a cup of good cheer and bartenders around the foothills are brewing up something special for their clients looking to celebrate the season.

At Rylie’s Cattle Barn Cookhouse and Saloon in Okotoks general manager Brendan McGilton and owner Rob Bolton put their heads together to come up with some festive drinks that are getting a lot of attention.

McGilton’s Kris Kringle is a fruity and festive combination of pineapple vodka, watermelon and raspberry liquor and Sprite that is hung with a couple candy canes to tie in all the red and green inside the glass.

At Rylie’s they also serve a decadent chocolate martini with the added touch of Irish cream, a favourite at this time of year.

Another Christmas treat, that can be enjoyed by young and old, is an After Eight hot chocolate. They come topped with whipped cream and chocolate flakes and are sipped through two After Eight straws. For those who enjoy a little nip with their hot chocolate, crčme de menthe is an option.

McGilton said their festive cocktails are not on their menu, but the staff will let you know about them. Once they are on the table they get a lot of attention, he added.

“People see them and say ‘I want one of those’,” he said.

Other holiday standards like spiced rum and eggnog are also available.

Creating a festive drink menu helps complete the holiday feel at Riley’s, where snowflakes dangle from the ceilings and the boughs have been decked with twinkling lights and red ribbon. “During the holidays three things happen,” McGilton said. “People eat, they drink and they get together.”