A Goulish Good Time

We dissect a brain full of party planning ideas sure to make your monster mash a smashing success.

Concept 1: The Alchemist/Mad Scientist. Go with Apothecary themed decor and an Anatomical garnish bar.

Concept 2: Day of the Dead. Lean into the adjacent Mexican holiday with bright, colorful decor pieces that are more celebratory than spooky.

Concept 3: Arachnophobia. 2020 was the year of the bats; make 2021 the year of the spiders!

Custom Cocktails:

Syringe-filled Dirty Shirley Cocktail

(adult-version of the classic Shirley Temple mocktail)

Ingredients

• 2 shots top-shelf vodka

• Sprite or other lemon/lime carbonated pop, or substitute in ginger ale for less sweetness

• syringe of local Jinx Tea ruby red punch (available in crawlers, growlers and more at Jinx Tea)

• grenadine and bourbon cocktail cherries, optional

Instructions:

Pour two shots of vodka into a glass, and top with ice and pop of choice. Place syringe in a glass until ready to serve.

Optional: Skeleton garnish board with cherries, olives, lemons, limes, orange peels and more

Bloody Rum Punch

(a take on the traditional sangria)

Ingredients

• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle light rum

• 1/2 (750-milliliter) bottle red wine

• 3/4 cup triple sec

• 3/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice, (approx. 6 limes)

• 3/4 cup simple syrup (We used Prohibition Reserve, sugar free.)

• 2 limes, sliced into wheels

• 2 red oranges, sliced into wheels (We included blackberries, raspberries and blueberries to create the crown.)

Instructions:

In a large punch bowl or pitcher, combine all ingredients, including lime and orange slices. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving (overnight is better). Rim glassware with spooky, sugary cocktail rimmer.

Optional: Serve with large skull ice mold.

Rock Candy Champagne Cocktail

(Halloween version of a French 75 with a sidecar of a whisky ginger alcohol gummy)

Instructions:

Garnish Champagne flute with a gummy and stick of rock candy. Pour Champagne or prosecco into the flute, and watch what happens!! (Consider using Halloween colors for better results.)