When the autumn and winter months fall upon us and I need something to warm me up on chilly evenings, I turn to making a hot adult beverage that’s perfect for the Thanksgiving/Christmas time: Phirewater Cider.
What is Phirewater Cider?
Phirewater Cider is a drink I developed back the college days to capture the tastes (such as apples and cinnamon) and smells (like butterscotch) of the seasons. I kept the recipe secret for a number of years to develop of friendly rivalry of the different brotherhood lines within my fraternity. My Brothers always looked forward to the coming of autumn as that meant the return of Phil’s Phirewater Cider to warm them by the campfire.
Now that those whimsical college years are behind me I no longer saw much reason to withhold the recipe from the masses. What point is there to know the recipe if myself and a less than a handful of fraternity Brothers could replicate it? Why should the enjoyment of this delicious be enjoyed, if at all, by few?
The Recipe
I chronicled the history of Phirewater Cider and its recipe in a poem I published on Facebook years ago, but for simplicity I wanted to outline the recipe on my blog for posterity and easier reference in the future. Continue reading for the full breakdown and an additional bonus recipe!
The ingredients:
Goldschlager
Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
Laird’s Applejack Brandy
Dekuyper Buttershots
Apple Cider
Phirewater mixture:
2 parts Goldschlager
2 parts Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1 part Laird’s Applejack Brandy
1 part Butterscotch Schnapps
Preparation:
Heat the apple cider in a pot on the stove over low heat. Be careful not to heat the cider over 172°F (78°C) if you want a boozy drink! Prepare the Phirewater by mixing proportions noted above. I recommend making a small batch of Phirewater and then using 2oz to 3oz per 8oz of warmed cider.
Additional Notes: Measuring
The measurement of parts are denoted for ease of scaling. The basic rule is to use 2x the amount of Goldschlager and Spiced Rum as is used for the Brandy and Butterscotch Schnapps. I normally make this drink for two (my wife and myself), and I find that doing 1 shot each of Goldschlager and Spice Rum with 1/2 shot each of Brandy and Butterscotch Schnapps to give us 1.5 shots of Phirewater in each of our drinks. We normally make almost 2 liters of Phirewater at once to enjoy all throughout the autumn and winter months.
Additional Notes: Substitutions
Although I listed the four original spirits I used to develop Phirewater, substitutions can be made. For example, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum may be used instead of Captain Morgan’s, and any butterscotch schnapps may be substituted for Dekuyper’s Buttershots.
I have not tried substituting Goldschlager for another cinnamon-based liquor such as Fireball or Dekuyper’s Hot Damn schnapps. I find the gold flakes of Goldschlager add a pleasing aesthetic to the Phirewater mixture, although this is lost when mixing with the cloudy apple cider.
Laird’s Applejack Brandy is the only ingredient on this list I consider should not have a substitute, with Goldschlager coming in a close second. The availability of Laird’s and Goldschlager on liquor store shelves is the main reason these are on the “must have” list. The smoothness and sweetness a brandy provides combined with the fact that Lairds’ Applejack is made with apples to compliment the cider further cements this liquor on the list.
Keeping these caveats in mind, please feel free to build upon and experiment with this recipe, making substitutions and sharing your findings!
Bonus Recipe: A Drink of Ice & Phirewater
Happen to find out about this recipe during the spring or summer months and worried you’ll have to wait until it gets colder to enjoy Phirewater? Worry no more! Substitute hot Apple Cider for cold hard cider (such as Angry Orchard’s Crisp Apple Cider). Pour 2oz Phirewater and hard cider over ice, garnish with maraschino cherries, and enjoy a cool drink during those hot days.