What Are Good Drinks for Thanksgiving? Serve Them From a Keg
Good drinks for Thanksgiving are the ones you can make ahead and serve to a crowd: a cranberry whiskey drink, a warm apple cocktail, a bourbon old fashioned, and a few non-alcoholic options. The easiest way to serve them is from a keg. The Gloria 7L keg holds 1.8 gallons (236 oz), about 39 six-ounce drinks, so the host stays at the table instead of at the bar.
Gloria Keg was built so hosts can spend time with guests instead of constantly stepping away to mix drinks. Below are the Thanksgiving drinks in Gloria’s recipe library, how to batch them, and how to carry a full keg to someone else’s house.
Why Serve Thanksgiving Drinks From a Keg?
Thanksgiving is busy. The kitchen is full, guests arrive at different times, and the host rarely has a free hand. A keg solves three problems:
You mix once. Pour the batch in before guests arrive.
Everyone serves themselves. The tap handles refills.
It travels. Gloria is made to be portable, and the ball locks let you remove the tap and regulator from a full keg without affecting the pressure of the contents.
The Thankstini
The Thankstini is a Thanksgiving recipe on Gloria’s site. It uses four ingredients:
1.75 L Wild Turkey Whiskey
4 L cranberry juice
15 oz lemon juice
1 L seltzer water
The seltzer is listed last because carbonated items go in last, poured slowly, to preserve the bubbles. Comments on the recipe page show how hosts adapt it: one added simple syrup and a sugared cranberry garnish, and another found it strong and topped glasses with Sprite. Keep any garnish in the cup, not in the keg.
Warm Apple Maple Drop
The Warm Apple Maple Drop is the cozy option, and it comes in two sizes. For the 7L Gloria:
1.75 L white tequila
1 1/4 cups apple brandy
1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 gallon warmed apple cider
For the Big G 10L, the recipe scales to 3 L white tequila, 2 cups apple brandy, 2 cups pure maple syrup, 1 cup lemon juice and 1.5 gallons of warmed apple cider. Gloria’s FAQ explains that if the keg and the ingredients are heated before use, they stay hot longer. The neoprene sleeve also provides some insulation.
Apple Cider Bourbon Old Fashioned
The Apple Cider Bourbon Old Fashioned comes in a Classic and a Social version. Both use 750 mL of bourbon, 1/3 cup of brown sugar mixed into the apple cider before it goes in, and 2 tablespoons of bitters. The Classic version adds 2 tablespoons of Fireball and 1 cup of apple cider. The Social version scales up with 1/3 cup of Fireball. Check the recipe page for the cider amount in the Social version before you buy.
The Three Recipes at a Glance
Non-Alcoholic Thanksgiving Drinks
Gloria is not only for cocktails. It also pours mocktails, juice, soda, coffee and hot chocolate, so you can set up a second keg for guests who are not drinking. The pour order stays the same: base ingredients first, carbonated items last. Gloria’s recipe library also includes a Homemade Hot Chocolate for cold days.
Hot or Cold?
Gloria’s FAQ is clear about how the keg handles temperature. It is designed to keep drinks fresh and carbonated, and you pour them over ice. The neoprene sleeve gives some insulation. If you heat or chill the keg and the ingredients first, they stay hot or cold longer, and you can place the keg in a cooler, on ice or in a refrigerator.
How Many Drinks Do You Need?
For a big family, the Big G (10L) serves about 56 six-ounce drinks. You can also fill Gloria partway. The CO2 pressurizes the keg to the level of the liquid.
How to Batch Thanksgiving Drinks in Gloria
Lock or remove the tapper before you mix.
Pour ingredients in the order listed, with carbonated items last.
Put the lid on and gently roll the keg to mix.
Check the gauge. Gloria works best at 5 to 7 psi. Pull the pressure release valve ring on the lid to bring the pressure down.
Give her a gentle shake before pouring if the drink sat for a day or two.
Taking Gloria to Thanksgiving Dinner
Gloria is made to travel. Because the ball locks let you take off the tap and regulator without affecting the pressure of the contents, you can carry a full keg to someone else’s house. A highly carbonated drink can build pressure during the trip, so check the gauge when you arrive and release pressure back to 5 to 7 psi. A full 7L Gloria weighs 23.5 lbs, so plan how you will carry it.
What Not to Put in the Keg
Thick liquids, seeds, herbs and drinks with a lot of pulp clog Gloria’s 1/4 inch pickup tube. Keep apple slices, cinnamon sticks and herb garnishes in the glass.
After Dinner
If your ingredients are shelf stable, carbonation lasts at least 3 weeks, and leftovers can stay in the keg. If an ingredient needs refrigeration, put the keg in the refrigerator. To clean it, flush hot water through the tap, fill the keg with hot water and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, soak for 10 minutes, rinse and let it air dry. Avoid soaps and detergents inside the keg.
Order Before the Holiday
Gloria ships by ground through UPS or USPS, and orders over $100 ship free. Gloria does not currently ship internationally, so order ahead of Thanksgiving. The Gloria FAQ has setup, CO2 and troubleshooting answers in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good drinks for Thanksgiving?
Batch drinks that serve a crowd: The Thankstini (whiskey, cranberry juice, lemon juice and seltzer), the Warm Apple Maple Drop, an Apple Cider Bourbon Old Fashioned, and non-alcoholic options like juice or hot chocolate.
How many drinks does a Gloria keg make?
About 39 six-ounce drinks for the 7L and about 56 for the Big G.
Can Gloria serve warm drinks?
Gloria’s FAQ says heating the keg and the ingredients first keeps drinks warm longer, and the Warm Apple Maple Drop uses warmed apple cider.
Can I bring a full keg to a friend’s house?
Yes. The ball locks let you remove the tap and regulator without losing pressure.
What should I keep out of the keg?
Thick liquids, seeds, herbs and pulpy drinks.
Final Thoughts
If you are wondering what good drinks for Thanksgiving are, pick one or two batch recipes, mix them before guests arrive, and serve from a keg. A cranberry whiskey drink, a warm apple cocktail and a non-alcoholic option cover most tables, and Gloria keeps them fresh until the last pour.
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