Autumn Cocktails: 5 Easy to Make Cocktails You Need To Try This Autumn

The leaves are changing, and the temperature is falling, which can only mean one thing - Autumn is here. But that doesn’t mean cocktail season is over!

If you’re looking for some fresh and exciting cocktails for autumn, you’re in the right place! We’re talking drinks to make with gin, and other suitable alternatives you can get easily.

We’ve put together five of our favourite cocktail recipes you need to try this season. They’re easy to make and easy to follow, so you don’t have to be an expert mixologist to get involved.

Whether you’re hosting a seasonal get-together, a Halloween party, or just want a little weekend pick-me-up, we’ve got you covered with some delicious seasonal autumn drinks.

We’ve included everything from fruity concoctions to spiced-up classics, with some twists on old favourites.

The Cocktails:

• Jump to Spiced Apple & Gin Twist
• Jump to Blackberry Gin Bramble
• Jump to Cranberry Moscow Mule
• Jump to The Spiced Gin Sour
• Jump to Hot Mulled Gin

What makes an autumn cocktail?

Autumn cocktails are all about embracing the season. Think warming flavours, cosy nights in, and rich berry fruits.

In actuality, any cocktail can be drunk at any time of year! If you want to carry our autumn cocktails into winter or keep the spirit of summer alive with our summer cocktail recipes, you can. 

At Filey Distillery, we think a great autumn cocktail consists of:

• Warming Flavours: Ingredients like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and spiced apple are staples.

• Hearty Ingredients: Many autumn cocktails use seasonal fruits like apples, pears, and cranberries, as well as earthy components like pumpkin puree and maple syrup. If you want to take on the spirit of the season, these are a great place to start.

• Quality Spirits: A cocktail is nothing without its spirit. The crisp, complex botanicals in a good craft gin can pair perfectly with these autumn flavours. While we’re partial to gin, spirits like whiskey and spiced rum are also great choices and pair well with these flavours.

So, without further ado, let’s get mixing!

The Spiced Apple Gin & Tonic

A warming gin twist on a classic G&T with spiced apple and cinnamon.

This is perfect for any G&T lovers out there who want to embrace the season and try out an alternative twist without too much fuss. The crispness of the apple complements the juniper notes of a classic gin, such as in our award-winning Filey Distillery signature gin.

Recipe notes:

• Prep Time: 2 minutes

• Serves: 1

What you’ll need - Ingredients:

• 50ml Dry Gin (such as Filey Signature Gin)

• 100ml quality apple cider

• Top with premium tonic water

• A few slices of fresh apple

• 1 cinnamon stick

• Ice

Instructions:

1. Fill a large glass with plenty of ice.

2. Add your Filey Gin and the apple cider.

3. Top with a generous splash of tonic water and stir gently.

4. Garnish with a few slices of fresh apple and a cinnamon stick.

Tweak to your taste:

For a sweeter G&T, use a sweeter apple cider or a ginger ale instead of tonic. For those who wish to add an extra zing to their drink, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice makes a great addition.

Blackberry Gin Bramble

The bramble is a classic gin cocktail. Blackberries are a perfect autumnal taste with their sweet, slightly tart, and earthy flavours.

Pairing both in a blackberry bramble recipe is perfect to combine the juniper, citrus, and herbal notes of gin with the tart and sweet notes of blackberries. What's great about a bramble is that it’s a quick and easy-to-make cocktail recipe that can be easily adapted to taste. 

This is truly a great adaptable, all-around cocktail.

Recipe notes:

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• Serves: 1

What you’ll need - Ingredients:

• 50ml Filey Gin

• 25ml fresh lemon juice

• 15ml sugar syrup (or to taste)

• 15ml crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur)

• A handful of fresh blackberries

• Ice

Instructions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle a few fresh blackberries.

2. Add the gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup. Fill the shaker with ice and shake hard until the outside is frosted.

3. Strain the mixture into a glass filled with crushed ice.

4. Drizzle the crème de mûre over the top, allowing it to cascade through the drink.

5. Garnish with a lemon slice and a few fresh blackberries.

Don’t have blackberry liqueur? 

You can easily make a blackberry syrup by simmering blackberries, water, and sugar on the stove until the sugar dissolves. For a good syrup, you'll need 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water for 1 cup of blackberries. Strain and cool before use.

Tweak to your taste:

The great thing about cocktails is that you can tweak them to your specific taste. 

For gin lovers and those who prefer more bitter tastes, you can add a touch of lemon juice, a dash of orange bitters, or ease back on the simple syrup.

For a slightly sweeter cocktail, you could add a berry-flavoured syrup or add more simple syrup to sweeten the cocktail and elevate the blackberry flavours.

The Cranberry Gin Moscow Mule

A Moscow Mule is a crisp, refreshing classic, but for autumn, we love a seasonal twist. 

By adding cranberry and swapping the traditional vodka for our Filey Gin, you get a spicy, tart, and deeply flavourful cocktail that's perfect for a cosy evening or a festive gathering.

The gin's botanicals, particularly its citrus and juniper notes, cut through the sweetness of the cranberry and the spice of the ginger for a beautifully balanced drink.

Recipe notes:

• Prep Time: 3 minutes

• Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 50ml Filey Distillery Signature Gin

• 100ml cranberry juice (not from concentrate, if possible)

• Top with high-quality ginger beer

• 15ml fresh lime juice

• A few fresh cranberries and a lime wedge for garnish

• Ice

Instructions:

1. Fill a copper mug (or a tall glass) with ice.

2. Add the gin, cranberry juice, and fresh lime juice.

3. Top with ginger beer and stir gently to combine the flavours.

4. Garnish with a few fresh cranberries and a lime wedge.

Tweak to your taste:

For a sweeter drink, use a blend of cranberry juice and apple juice. The addition of apple juice will help to offset the more bitter flavour of cranberry, while still keeping true to the autumnal flavours.

For a spicier kick, muddle a small slice of fresh ginger at the bottom of the glass before adding your ice and liquids.

The Spiced Sour

Whichever spirit you gravitate to, a sour is a cocktail staple. They can be made with any base spirit you like, such as Whiskey for a Whiskey Sour, Rum for a Rum Sour, or Amaretto for a classic Amaretto Sour.

As a craft gin distillery, our recipe is going to call for a quality, British gin such as our signature Filey Gin. But in truth, you can choose whichever type you like!

Recipe Notes:

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 50ml Filey Distillery Gin

• 25ml fresh lemon juice

• 15ml spiced pear or ginger syrup

• 1 egg white (optional, for a frothy top)

• Ice

• 1 Pear

Instructions:

1. Add the gin, lemon juice, spiced syrup, and egg white (if using) to a shaker.

2. Shake hard for about 15 seconds without ice. This is the "dry shake" and creates a beautiful foam.

3. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled.

4. Strain the drink into a glass.

5. Garnish with a slice of pear.

If you don’t have spiced pear or ginger syrup?

Make a simple syrup by heating equal parts sugar and water. Add a sliced pear or some ginger slices and let it infuse as it cools. This is a great way to make a homemade flavoured syrup. 

Alternatively, you could buy a pre-made simple syrup and infuse it with a few cloves, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise for a quick spiced version.

Tweak to your taste:

If you want to increase the sourness, you can add additional lemon juice or pull back on the simple syrup.

Equally, if you prefer a sweeter cocktail, you can add more simple syrup and balance until it is right.

The Hot Toddy

A hot toddy is a staple of autumn and winter. Its warming spices are served at a warm temperature, making it a perfect pick-me-up when you hit the sofa and want to unwind after a long day.

Hot Toddy recipes typically call for whiskey. The rich, smoky character of a whiskey helps to add a depth of flavour and warmth. In our recipe, we're going to use gin, although you could play with a blend of one or the other depending on your preference.

Recipe Notes:

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• Cook Time: 10 minutes

• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 200ml Filey Distillery Gin

• 500ml cloudy apple juice

• 4 cinnamon sticks

• A handful of cloves

• 1 star anise

• 2 orange slices

• Brown sugar to taste

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, gently heat the apple juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise. Do not let it boil.

2. Add a few slices of orange to the saucepan and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the Filey Gin and a tablespoon of brown sugar.

4. Ladle the hot mulled gin into mugs. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and an orange slice.

Get set for Autumn Drinks with Filey Distillery:

So there we have it - our five favourite autumn cocktails to make this season!

Ready to mix up your autumn? Pick up a bottle of our Signature Gin or our award-winning Pink Gin directly from our online store. We offer several different sizes, including our standard 70cl bottles and miniature taster bottles if you just want a sample of our Yorkshire craft gin.

Explore our gin shop today

Visit Filey Distillery: Gin Tours in Yorkshire this Autumn 

Filey is a beautiful seaside town, just 7 miles away from Scarborough on the North Yorkshire coast. It’s perfect for a weekend trip or for tourists in the area.

Filey Distillery is open for gin distillery tours, which makes a perfect activity for anyone in Filey or on the Yorkshire coast. We cover everything about how our gins are distilled, from selecting our unique botanicals and perfecting our signature blends, through to taste testing, with a few keepsakes to take home with you.