The meaning of Halloween has meant something different each and every year, starting the year we all entered the sixth grade. Up until about then, it’s acceptable to dress up in a costume and go trick-or-treating through your neighborhood – or the neighborhood of your best friend because the residents hand out better candy. Then middle school hits and the cool thing to do is go to haunted houses, which are less scary than the girls play them out to be: hello, hand holding. And sometimes you’d hit up the “scary” movies at the theater with your big group of friends. By highschool, the haunted houses you attend are the expensive ones downtown that are legitimately horrifying.

College – whoa baby – college is a whole new ball game. Forget the haunted houses for they are too expensive for the broke college kid. Plus, we have to save that money to buy costumes that are so much money and so little fabric.

Yeah, I played into the whole college thing my first two years for the most part; although I never bought my costumes, I just did the whole homemade, little clothing thing on my own. I must say spandex DID qualify as pants on October 31, 2011. But just like the other years, this Halloween is a little different for me. I’m finally 21 and couldn’t be more excited. Call me an old soul for what comes next, I take no offense. I live in an apartment complex off campus and though I wish little kids would come trick-or-treat, it’s highly unlikely. Therefore I plan on making some of these Halloween inspired alcoholic drinks and watching scary movies. Lame? Nah, I don’t think so.

So if I’m a trend setter, as I like to believe, here are some awesome drink recipes worth trying!

Vampire Crush 

Courtesy of Liquid Architect’s Owner Kim Haasarud for Vampyre Vodka.

• 1½ oz. Vampyre Vodka, red
• 
3 ripe strawberries, hulled (plus one for garnish)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar or 1 oz. simple syrup
• Splash of club soda
• Strawberry, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, mix together the strawberries with the lemon juice and sugar (or simple syrup). Then add the Vampyre Vodka and next, about a cup of ice – shake vigorously. Pour contents into Collins glass (or a goblet, if you’re going all out). Top with a splash of club soda and stir. Garnish with additional strawberry and serve.

Spooky

On the menu at Chicago q restaurant in Chicago.

• 1½ oz. Maker’s Mark
• 2 oz. apple cider
• 
1½ oz. ginger ale
• 
Gummy worm, for garnish

Stir ingredients together, pour into a glass and garnish with a gummy worm. How simple is that?

Candy Corn Cocktail

2 oz. Pineapple Infused Vodka
1.5 oz. Orange Sherbet, softened
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Milk
1 oz. Simple Syrup

Combine Pineapple Infused Vodka and pineapple juice in cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a clear Collins glass. Combine softened orange sherbet and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain, and pour over bar spoon to layer in the rocks glass. Then, combine simple syrup and milk in cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Layer milk mixture on top of sorbet mixture.

So this is a little more complicated … but it’s so visually pleasing! It looks so good.

Ghostly Coolada

Courtesy of SKYY Vodka.

• 2 oz. SKYY Infusions Pineapple Vodka
• 
1 oz. cream of coconut or coconut milk
• 
½ oz. lime juice
• 
2 circular chocolates

Place all ingredients except chocolate in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass, and float chocolate circles on the top of the drink for the Ghostly Coolada’s eyes.

 

 

Pumpkin Martini

• 
1 ounce pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin-flavored syrup, plus extra for dipping
• 
Cinnamon, for rimming glass
• 2 ounces vanilla vodka
• 1 ounce Sylk cream liqueur

Dip the rim of a chilled martini glass into the pumpkin liqueur, then place the glass rim-down into the cinnamon until the rim is coated.

 In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the vanilla vodka, cream liqueur and pumpkin liqueur or syrup, then shake vigorously.

 Strain into the rimmed glass and serve.

Clearly I’m not going to make all of these, but if you happen to try one of these recipes, let me know what you think. Or even better, leave a comment telling us what your plans are for Wednesday night.

Enjoy!