Conjure up a festive and fun Witches Brew Cocktail for your Halloween parties. This color-changing, purple elixir will stir the pot at any spooky fête this year.
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About this Witches Brew Cocktail recipe
The best part of Halloween parties is how over-the-top they can get. From crazy costumes to creepy decor, there are so many ways to make it a little extra.
But it’s even better when the food menu is on theme too. Whether it’s hand-spun chocolate spiderweb tarts or gravestone-bedazzled brownie dirt pudding, there’s so much you can do to make Halloween food as fun as the decorations.
Colorful drinks in unearthly hues should be in order too, like a neon green Midori Sour or a bright blue margarita. A purple Witches Brew Cocktail, the color of a crystal ball, answers the call.
This witchy cocktail is complete with color-changing sorcery thanks to purple gin. It’s made with butterfly pea flowers that turn from indigo to pink when it meets citrus, but no one needs to know — just call it what it is: Halloween magic, witchcraft or special effects.
More Halloween recipes: Zombie Drink • Vampiro Cocktail • Devil’s Margarita • Boozy Butterbeer • Potion Cocktail
Why you’ll love this recipe
Halloween partiers will love the Witches Brew drink! It’s perfect for all your spooky October gatherings.
- Its striking color-changing effect brings a fun, spooky presentation. The black sugar rim and gummy worm garnish give it an extra eerie touch.
- The combination of citrus, gin, and a hint of blue curaçao creates a refreshing, balanced drink.
- The vibrant transformation from yellow to purple to pink to blue makes it a visually exciting party trick (and treat).
Tools & glassware
To make your own Witches Brew, you don’t need much more than a jigger, a bar spoon and a glass of some kind. While you could serve this in plastic cups, I suggest you make sure they’re clear ones or you will miss out on the color-changing action.
A goblet (what I used), coupe glass or brandy snifter are both elegant choices, but there’s no reason you couldn’t use a rocks glass either.
favorite coupe glasses
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make your own Witches Brew:
- Lemon juice: Fresh-squeezed is always best. Bottled concentrate is a bit darker than fresh, so it could alter the color of the drink slightly.
- Simple syrup: You’ll need a classic, clear simple syrup. You can have fun with flavors if you like, such as mint simple syrup or jalapeño simple syrup for a spicy twist.
- Purple gin: Empress Gin is my go-to brand of purple gin for its color changing properties. It’s perfect for this cocktail!
- Blue curaçao: This bright blue orange liqueur is optional but it gives the drink a deeper purple color. You can skip it if you want though!
favorite juicers
Garnishes
Dress up your drink with one of these Halloween garnishes:
- Black sugar rim: Give this cocktail an edge with a spooky rim. (I used this sugar.)
- Gummy worms: A sweet and spooky edible garnish, some colorful gummy worms (or vodka gummy worms) add an extra touch of Halloween pizzazz.
- Plastic spiders: Have some fun by dropping plastic spiders into the drink for a little more spook factor.
- Dry ice: Add a cube of dry ice to make this Witches Brew bubble, bubble, toil and trouble with a chilling smoky effect. Check out my dry ice cocktails for tips on serving drinks with dry ice. (It’s cool but dangerous, so please read up on it before you do it!)
Instructions
Dip the edge of the glass in simple syrup, then roll it in black sugar to coat the rim. Set the glass aside.
Fill the glass with ice, then pour in the lemon juice and simple syrup.
Slowly pour the purple gin over the top, watching as the color changes. Add a few drops of blue curaçao over top for a deeper blue-purple color.
Stir gently to combine. Garnish with gummy worms.
How to serve it
This recipe works best when served in individual cups for a Halloween party.
- Make the sour mix base ahead of time.
- Serve the sour mix in a pitcher.
- Pour the purple gin and blue curaçao into small apothecary bottles for guests to add to their own drinks. (Or just keep the bottles and a jigger on the table and serve it to each person yourself, or leave instructions.)
Tips & tricks
Here are some tips and tricks for making this recipe:
- Mix the lemon juice and simple syrup ahead of time, or use store-bought sour mix to save time. But don’t add the purple gin until party time or everyone will miss the exciting color change.
- Likewise, serve the drinks in clear glasses so that guests can witness the color-changing magic.
- While optional, the blue curaçao gives the drink a richer color. The pinkish-purple before adding the curaçao does look pretty witchy, too.
- If you want to stretch the cocktail a little bit, add some sparkling lemonade, soda water or ginger ale.
Food pairings
Serve this Halloween cocktail with some other spooky treats, of course! If you’re going for the creep factor, jello shot syringes are sure to delight.
If you’re going for cutesy, these Halloween rice krispie treats look like little monsters. Or go with these chorizo jalapeño mummy poppers that look like little mummies!
And there’s always some witchy food, like this terrifying Halloween pasta or some witch hat cupcakes.
FAQ
It’s a bit trickier, but yes. You can use a non-alcoholic gin and with butterfly pea flower syrup. It’s made from the same flower as the color-changing purple gin, so it will have a similar effect. However, it’s hard to find, so you’ll likely have to make your own by infusing simple syrup with butterfly pea flowers.
More Halloween recipes
- Glow-in-the-Dark Jello Shots
- Black Magic Champagne Cocktail
- Candy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gummy Bear Shot
— Did you make this recipe? —
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Witches Brew Cocktail
ingredients
- 1 ounce lemon juice or lime juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces color-changing purple gin such as Empress Gin
- 2-3 drops blue curaçao
- 1 tablespoon black sugar for the rim
- 3-4 gummy worms for garnish
instructions
- Pour some simple syrup on a plate and black sugar on another. Dip your finger in simple syrup and rub it around the edge of the glass where you'd like the sugar to go. Roll the syrup-covered area of the glass in the sugar to coat the rim.
- In a cocktail glass, add ice, then top with lemon juice and simple syrup.
- Add purple gin over top. (It will turn from yellow to purple to pink!)
- Add a splash of blue curaçao. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with gummy worms.
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