Rainy day cocktails

Something for everyone this Vancouver spring

By Brittney MacDonald, Life & Style Editor

Oh the weather outside is frightful—but at least it’s not snowing! Congrats everyone, you’ve made it to that special, quintessentially West Coast time of year where we experience torrential downpours on a near constant basis. Spring is just around the corner, and with that comes listening to the rain pitter-pat against the window as you sit curled up with a tasty beverage. To help you enjoy these stormy evenings, I’ve put together a list of rain-inspired cocktails.

The Cloudburst

Feeling very Canadian? Well, enjoy my take on the Raymond Massey—a cocktail staple in Ontario. Now, the normal version requires ginger simple syrup and champagne, but that is expensive and complicated, so we’re going to Home Depot it and cut a few corners. Rim a glass with lemon juice, then dip it in sugar. Combine 1.5 shots of rye with a couple cubes of ice, then fill the glass with ginger ale and a drizzle of maple syrup. Stir, and garnish with a sense of Canadian pride.

Dew drop

In a shaker, combine 2 shots of vanilla-flavoured vodka, a few drops of orange extract, and 1 shot of blue curacao. Shake and serve in a martini glass. Garnish with cherries or a sugar cube.

Rolling Thunder

Now, normally I’m not really one for beer cocktails, but when the night’s dark and full of terrors, sometimes it’s best to just roll with it. Here’s my take on a Black Velvet. Fill a champagne flute half way with cold sparkling white wine, then float a chocolate lager or a chocolate stout on top of the wine. Serve it without mixing, and without ice.

Hopefully at least one of these little recipes will make your rainy day a little bit brighter!