Brew up a bit of Halloween magic!
This Halloween, give your guests something a little witchy to sip on. Our Witches' Brew Lemonade is a fizzy potion with a moody blue layer settled at the bottom of the glass, and it only takes about two minutes to make.
We've got two versions for you: a grown-up brew with gin and blue curaçao, and a booze-free potion the kids can stir up themselves.
Halloween is this Saturday, so everything here can be made this weekend. Grab some shop-bought sparkling lemonade, then mix up your gin and blue curaçao on the day with our Top Shelf essences. No brewing or waiting required. Love it? Scroll down to see how to brew your own lemonade base for your next party.
The grown-up brew
You'll need
- Ice
- 30ml gin, made with Top Shelf Dry Gin Essence
- 150ml shop-bought sparkling lemonade, chilled
- 15ml blue curaçao, made with Top Shelf Blue Curaçao Essence and Top Shelf Liqueur Base A
- A lime wheel and a gummy worm to garnish
First, mix up your spirits (about 10 minutes, same day)
- Gin: In a large jug, stir the Top Shelf Dry Gin Essence into 2.2 litres of vodka (40%). Bottle it up and it's ready to pour. Makes 2.25 litres.
- Blue curaçao: Shake the Top Shelf Blue Curaçao Essence and add it to 850ml of vodka (40%) in a jug. Whisk in the Liqueur Base A (made up as per its pack), then top up with water to 1.125 litres. Ready to go.
That's plenty for a big Halloween crowd, with leftovers for summer cocktails.
Method
- Fill a tall glass to the top with ice.
- Add the gin, then top up with lemonade, leaving a little room at the top.
- Slowly pour the blue curaçao down the inside of the glass, or over the back of a spoon. It's heavier than the lemonade, so it sinks and settles in a deep blue layer at the bottom.
- Hang the gummy worm over the rim, add the lime wheel and serve. Give it a stir at the table for the full potion effect.
Please enjoy responsibly.
The booze-free potion for kids
You'll need
- Ice, or "magic" ice cubes (see below)
- 200ml sparkling lemonade, chilled
- 20ml blue cordial or blue raspberry syrup
- Gummy worms or lolly eyeballs
Method
- Fill a glass with ice and top it up with lemonade.
- Let the kids slowly pour the blue cordial down the side of the glass. Being sugary, it sinks straight to the bottom for that two-tone potion look.
- Finish with a gummy worm crawling over the rim, or pop a lolly eyeball on a skewer.
Make it magic: The night before, brew a cup of butterfly pea flower tea (try your local tea shop or health food store), let it cool and freeze it in an ice tray. The cubes start out bright blue, then turn purple as they melt into the lemonade. The kids will think it's actual witchcraft!
Tip: Serve the kids' potions in different glasses or with a different coloured straw, so nobody grabs the wrong cup.
Tips for a top-notch brew
- Go slow on the blue. Rush it and it all mixes into one colour. Hold a spoon upside down against the inside of the glass and pour over the back of it.
- Keep it cold. Chilled lemonade holds its fizz longer, so pop it in the fridge the night before.
- Making a batch? Mix a jug of gin and lemonade for the grown-ups (and plain lemonade for the kids), then add the blue to each glass as you serve.
- Spook it up. Gummy eyeballs, a black sugar rim or a cauldron-style punch bowl all add to the theatre.
Grab your Brew Shed supplies
For this weekend:
Everything you need for the grown-up brew, ready to mix on the day. Just add vodka, shop-bought lemonade and ice.
|
Product |
What it's for |
Price |
|---|---|---|
|
A classic dry gin. Stir into 2.2 litres of vodka to make 2.25 litres. |
$9.99 |
|
|
That bright blue layer, with a citrusy orange flavour. Makes 1.125 litres. |
$9.99 |
|
|
Gives the blue curaçao its liqueur sweetness and body. |
$4.99 |
For your next party:
Brew the whole thing from scratch. The Colony West Lemonade kit makes about 23 litres, booze-free for the kids or alcoholic for the grown-ups. Give it a few weeks from brew day to party day, so it's ready for Christmas and New Year's.
|
Product |
What it's for |
Price |
|---|---|---|
|
Your zesty lemonade base, booze-free or alcoholic. Makes about 23 litres. |
$19.99 |
|
|
The brewing sugar for the alcoholic version (check the kit for how much). |
$3.90 |
|
|
Pop one in each bottle for that sparkling fizz. |
$3.90 |
Pop into our team at Morayfield, Strathpine or Ningi/Bribie and they'll walk you through your first brew.
Happy Halloween from the Brew Shed crew
Whip up a round this weekend and show us your potions. Tag us on Facebook or Instagram, we'd love to see them. Grab your supplies in-store at Morayfield, Strathpine or Ningi/Bribie, or online at thebrewshed.com.au.