Though it's been an unseasonably warm autumn thus far, leaving kids free of coats when trick-or-treating, the crisp air, crunching leaves, and wafting pumpkin spices and flavors of fall are still very much present. As November starts and brings along the oversized plaids and pre-hibernation rituals, Eater scoured the city for the best fall inspiring boozy drinks that highlight the color and spice of this time of the year.
Some of them feature coffee, others smoky scotch or mezcal, some combine ginger or cinnamon or cardamom or nutmeg. These are the 17 drinks you should try to warm you from the inside out before the colder months to come.
Note: The bars and restaurants we spotlight here are listed in alphabetical order. If there is a fall drink that you are particularly enamored that is missing from our list, leave a comment below or send us a message down the tipline.
This hot spot is situated inside an old garage serving up pan-Asian chow and cocktails, with a side of high-stakes table tennis. The featured beverage of the season will be the Sabai Sabai as their fall beverage, with Thai rum, lemon, refreshing Thai basil and sugar and goes well with spicy Asian food.
Never dulling the action no matter the time of year nor weather outside, Punch Bowl throws a nod to the change in seasons, launching a brand new beverage menu. The Beets Me! mixes bourbon, raspberry Chambord, pear tea from teakoe, beet syrup – made in-house – and topped off wth fresh lemon juice.
The Gong Show comes to diners this fall at Lucky Cat – Troy Guard's Lowry-based Chinese eatery – filled with color and playfulness. The drink is a seasonal bourbon-based beverage with tart pineapple notes and a home-brewed ginger simple syrup that adds a dose of cozy for a pre-winter warming sipper.
Neither the food nor beverage disappoint here, as Bryan Dayton sees to it that the bar is stocked with spirits that keep sippers coming back for more. This time of year, the High Autumn has highball and an apple garnish; the Por Do Sol, a double old fashioned with turmeric, cinnamon syrup, Campari and St. Germain; last of all the English Channels is a rum-forward drink with a lime boat garnish.
Disclosure: The editor is married to one of the developers behind The Source, the development in which Acorn resides.
Pairing unique drinks with the wide variety of culinary inspirations scattered throughout this two-story space, Avanti brings the fall apple sour and the caribbean dreams, the latter of which is a special take on an espresso martini, made with coconut rum, vodka, coffee liqueur and Method Roasters cold brew.
Launching its fourth bar menu to date, Bar Fausto, is the hip joint venture of two RiNo tastemakers, The Populist’s Jonathan Power and Huckleberry Roasters’ Koan Goedman. Though they say you won't find any "grotesque zucchinis in autumn baskets on your tables" the beverage team is proud to deliver No. 41 to Denver, with Navy strength gin, squash gomme, and lemon, with a nice, heavy but smooth body in a vibrant yellow hue.
Though coffee is a staple at this Colfax hangout, you can find a host of new seasonal cocktails at Bellwether on just a 4x6 handbill, including the Fireside Bourbon Martini served with a lemon twist, the Mounty, a Canadian Manhattan served over ice and finished with a flamed orange and the Japanese whiskey flight.
The neighborhood bar inside the new, communal Denver Central Market, offers a short but impressive list of complex cocktails to satisfy shoppers, diners and drinkers alike. For your seasonal delights, try the Bitter Love with a warming flavor profile and a familiarity thanks to the aroma of chamomile that lingers after you sip.
As the days get colder, a cozy cocktail may be just what the doctor ordered to fend off any cold or flu symptoms. At Eureka Boulder, warm up with the hot buttered rum, available now.
If you find yourself adventuring in or around Golden, don't miss this speakeasy-style lounge and distillery tasting room. Try the Over Hill and Under Hill, with AppleJack, whiskey, cranberry shrub, OJ, masala, burnt honey black cardamom, egg white and toasted pipits, though there are plenty other festive beverages to sip on as well.
For something swanky as the temperature dips and the nights start earlier, trot on down Larimer Square to Green Russell, where a fall menu has some seasonal specials. Try the Spell Bound, with honey butter infused cachaca, St. George pear brandy, and spiced pear liqueur.
Tommy Lee’s take on regional Chinese fare has most dishes served up family-style and just as he did with Uncle, he has crafted a winning menu in a hip, lively space. On the beverage side, Hop Alley has several large format cocktails. On the menu this time of year, the Whiskey Tea Pot contains a hand-selected barrel of Buffalo Trace bourbon, grapefruit, Cinchona wine, lemon, and black tea.
Union Station's multi-concept Mercantile Dining & Provisions gave its bar director, Nick Lowe creative liberty to come up with some autumnal cocktails to sip on for the months to come. The Harvest Moon includes Milagro Resposado, Montenegro, Nonino, house-made peach jam, and lemon.
Equal parts glam and gritty, Mister Tuna launched this summer attached to co-working space, Industry, and dives into its second season with a whole new cocktail menu. Try the dark and moody Fall Back, with cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, paired with ginger syrup and Sailor Jerry spiced rum. A frothy egg white the drink and bitters to top it off.
The second Steuben's – 2.0, if you will – is presenting the A.C. Slater for chilled imbibers looking for a pick-me-up. This comes with Laird's Applejack, Bulleit Rye, Apple Cinnamon, lemon, and Domaine de Canton.
A popular Denver watering hole, known for its bold cocktails, stellar service and thoughtful small plates, The Way Back is launching a few, new fall cocktails, from the King of Prague with Rieger's Kansas City whiskey, ginger syrup, egg white and Strongwater golden bitters to the Cowboy Tears, with high west double rye whiskey, luxardo maraschino liqueur, and black walnut bitters.
Black Eye Cap Hill's alter ego, White Lies, is a swanky evening drinking and dining destination, complete with seasonally appropriate cocktails to wet your whistle. Don't miss the White Witchcraft, with Almeca altos resposado tequila, lemon verbena syrup, activated charcoal, huana guanoabana, and Yellow Chartreuse.
This hot spot is situated inside an old garage serving up pan-Asian chow and cocktails, with a side of high-stakes table tennis. The featured beverage of the season will be the Sabai Sabai as their fall beverage, with Thai rum, lemon, refreshing Thai basil and sugar and goes well with spicy Asian food.
Never dulling the action no matter the time of year nor weather outside, Punch Bowl throws a nod to the change in seasons, launching a brand new beverage menu. The Beets Me! mixes bourbon, raspberry Chambord, pear tea from teakoe, beet syrup – made in-house – and topped off wth fresh lemon juice.
The Gong Show comes to diners this fall at Lucky Cat – Troy Guard's Lowry-based Chinese eatery – filled with color and playfulness. The drink is a seasonal bourbon-based beverage with tart pineapple notes and a home-brewed ginger simple syrup that adds a dose of cozy for a pre-winter warming sipper.
Neither the food nor beverage disappoint here, as Bryan Dayton sees to it that the bar is stocked with spirits that keep sippers coming back for more. This time of year, the High Autumn has highball and an apple garnish; the Por Do Sol, a double old fashioned with turmeric, cinnamon syrup, Campari and St. Germain; last of all the English Channels is a rum-forward drink with a lime boat garnish.
Disclosure: The editor is married to one of the developers behind The Source, the development in which Acorn resides.
Pairing unique drinks with the wide variety of culinary inspirations scattered throughout this two-story space, Avanti brings the fall apple sour and the caribbean dreams, the latter of which is a special take on an espresso martini, made with coconut rum, vodka, coffee liqueur and Method Roasters cold brew.
Launching its fourth bar menu to date, Bar Fausto, is the hip joint venture of two RiNo tastemakers, The Populist’s Jonathan Power and Huckleberry Roasters’ Koan Goedman. Though they say you won't find any "grotesque zucchinis in autumn baskets on your tables" the beverage team is proud to deliver No. 41 to Denver, with Navy strength gin, squash gomme, and lemon, with a nice, heavy but smooth body in a vibrant yellow hue.
Though coffee is a staple at this Colfax hangout, you can find a host of new seasonal cocktails at Bellwether on just a 4x6 handbill, including the Fireside Bourbon Martini served with a lemon twist, the Mounty, a Canadian Manhattan served over ice and finished with a flamed orange and the Japanese whiskey flight.
The neighborhood bar inside the new, communal Denver Central Market, offers a short but impressive list of complex cocktails to satisfy shoppers, diners and drinkers alike. For your seasonal delights, try the Bitter Love with a warming flavor profile and a familiarity thanks to the aroma of chamomile that lingers after you sip.
As the days get colder, a cozy cocktail may be just what the doctor ordered to fend off any cold or flu symptoms. At Eureka Boulder, warm up with the hot buttered rum, available now.
If you find yourself adventuring in or around Golden, don't miss this speakeasy-style lounge and distillery tasting room. Try the Over Hill and Under Hill, with AppleJack, whiskey, cranberry shrub, OJ, masala, burnt honey black cardamom, egg white and toasted pipits, though there are plenty other festive beverages to sip on as well.
For something swanky as the temperature dips and the nights start earlier, trot on down Larimer Square to Green Russell, where a fall menu has some seasonal specials. Try the Spell Bound, with honey butter infused cachaca, St. George pear brandy, and spiced pear liqueur.
Tommy Lee’s take on regional Chinese fare has most dishes served up family-style and just as he did with Uncle, he has crafted a winning menu in a hip, lively space. On the beverage side, Hop Alley has several large format cocktails. On the menu this time of year, the Whiskey Tea Pot contains a hand-selected barrel of Buffalo Trace bourbon, grapefruit, Cinchona wine, lemon, and black tea.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58573351/Noisette_Daube_Jeff_Fierberg.149.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55912783/Champagne_Mojito_Photo_Credit_Shawn_Campbell.29.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61403165/Guard___Grace_Bone_in_Ribeye_2.25.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51497063/Spell_Bound_copy.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547068/Ace_Sabai_Sabai.0.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547078/Beets_Me.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63216804/31496183_10156322909149293_3051753535742935040_n.1552318388.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547081/luckycatdirnk.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65020702/HomeGrownArv_7196e.0.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547083/acorn_015.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70883703/Exterior_Sunset_F30B3CE6_5056_BFCE_A8D1C49F64BBF180_f30b33895056bfc_f30b49fb_5056_bfce_a8cef79efc82ca67.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67007144/90079817_2902151426503650_5876226391548100608_o.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547088/Caribbean_Dreams_2__copy.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60968707/senor_bear17__2_.6.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59451767/SourceHotel_019.7.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547091/BARFAUSTO_1450e.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60141041/GQueBBQ_6254.0.0.0.0.0.7.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547095/Bellwether.0.0.0.png)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61967847/DandCClayPigeon.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547102/13876283_639198469572203_5661118892115040723_n.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547105/14212200_287247551659895_939802802576189041_n.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547109/image1_copy.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547112/Spell_Bound_copy.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65484359/957755812.jpg.14.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63718306/about_larimer_walkway.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547117/HOPALLEY_8933e.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59342595/A5___A5_Steak_Eric_Donzella_.65.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58044665/ZoeMaMa2_RuthTobias.21.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547118/mercantile-18.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547120/MisterTuna_Fall_Back.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58025299/NYEDining.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57951571/24059009_1453589158029463_1723494912476994612_n.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547121/STEUBENS_1498e.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547123/WAYBACK_1969e.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59122725/lucybeaugard_11.1547575248.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62547126/BLACKEYE_2865e.0.0.0.jpg)