The turkey might be the star of the show and that pumpkin pie always goes fast, but no Thanksgiving is complete without a few good drinks. Not only will a fall tipple or three help with digestion, but a little booze will go a long way to smooth over those bumpier moments in the night, when politics or your cousin Karen’s new ankle tattoo come up in conversation.
Here, the best cocktails to drink before, during and after your Thanksgiving feast.
If you’re cooking all day (or lounging in front of the game), don’t expend yourself too quickly with high-ABV cocktails. Start your Thanksgiving day with something a bit lighter like an Americano, which is like an easier, bubblier Negroni.
Second, third and even fourth helpings of turkey are totally acceptable on Thanksgiving. This turkey broth-based variant of a Bullshot proves there’s really no holding back on the day devoted to the bird. Substitute this rich meaty drink for yet another plate of dark meat, or go ham (or turkey) on the theme and indulge in both at once.
After hustling around the kitchen for five hours straight, there’s nothing better than sitting down to the table to enjoy the fruits of your labor—until you have to get up every five seconds to refresh your guests’ drinks. As with many problems in life, the solution is punch, particularly this approachable punch made with apple brandy, honey and sparkling apple cider. It will please everyone at the table—especially you, because they can all serve themselves.
Everyone has their own favorite Thanksgiving dish. For some attendees, the highlight of the meal isn’t the savory turkey or creamy mashed potatoes, but the sweet, tangy cranberry sauce. For those, we recommend a Sea Breeze, which blends cranberry juice with vodka and grapefruit juice.
Pumpkin shines in this autumnal variation on the classic Marg, but it’s also a perfect Thanksgiving dessert beside pumpkin pie. Easy drinking—even for mezcal newbies—it blends the smoky spirit with cinnamon syrup and pumpkin butter.
This colonial classic is the perfect, creamy after-dinner drink. Served either cold or hot, it’s easy to whip up a big, crowd-friendly pitcher or pot full of rum, egg and demerara syrup.
Between the pumpkin, pecan and chess pies, there is plenty of dessert on the table already. Opt for a potent, spiced digestif to cut through the sugar daze. This vodka is infused with baking spices, candied fruit, nuts and bitters, so it’s sweet but not too sweet and way stronger than your typical after-dinner liqueur. There’ll be no tryptophan-induced nap for you.
If all that Thanksgiving gluttony has you feeling bloated and ashamed, you should probably leave those problems for Friday. But if you can’t get those guilty thoughts out of your head, get a head start on your post-Thanksgiving diet with a healthier after-dinner cocktail. This tall glass of fall flavor is punched up with ginger and vinegar, to get your digestion moving and rebalance your system.
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