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Easy & Oskey's Erik Eastman shows us how to make a holiday cocktail he calls "The Humboldt." 

Plus: A bonus non-alcoholic recipe, the Cranberry-Apple Shrub.


0.5 oz St. George Spirits Spiced Pear Liqueur

Combine all ingredients except sparkling wine in a mixing glass with clean ice. 

Stir 30 seconds to dilute, chill and combine. 

Strain into a champagne flute, top with the sparkling wine and a couple more drops of bitters. 

Cut a coin-sized piece of peel from a fresh organic lemon, squeeze the oils onto the drink, wipe the rim of the glass with the peel.

 Scale up the recipe to desired amounts and combine gin, vermouth and pear liqueur in a pitcher ahead of time. 

Mix cocktails for your guests to order by pouring the mixture into a mixing glass with clean ice, adding bitters and proceeding as above. 

There should be room in the mixing glass to stir up several cocktails at once.


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1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or substitute plain cane sugar)

Shred apples (no need to peel or core) in a food processor, and add to a large bowl. 

Puree cranberries and vinegars in a blender, and add the mixture and the sugar to the shredded apples. 

Store covered on the kitchen counter for two days. 

After two days, strain mixture with a fine mesh strainer and/or cheesecloth. Squeeze solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Strain again if needed. Discard solids. Store in a clean glass container. 

Shrub will keep for roughly a year in the refrigerator. 

*Play around with different vinegars (such as sherry, champagne, white wine or red wine) and different fruits. Also consider adding an herb or a spice while steeping on the counter. The possibilities are virtually endless.

How to make a festive holiday cocktail

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