APRÈS SKI

Ski, Drink & Be Merry

Have a sip of something special at the end of your ski day.

BY LAYLA SCHLACK

“A lot of times people want warm drinks,” says Michelle Weeks, a bartender at Montagna Bar at Aspen, CO’s The Little Nell (www.thelittlenell.com). One popular cocktail is Little Nell Coffee mixed with Bailey’s, Kahlúa and Grand Marnier. “Our hot chocolate is also very special,” Weeks says. Made with ganache and topped off with your choice of liquor, it will prepare you for a good night’s sleep so you can get back on the mountain tomorrow.

Michael Crane, corporate chef for Intrawest Resorts, which owns Colorado’s Steamboat and Copper Mountain, among others, says that while the drinks, food and atmosphere diff er between locales, the après ski cocktail is “about completing the whole experience for the day.” That’s why Steamboat’s specialties are hot chocolate-based favorites like the Gobbler and Snuggler. Over at Copper Mountain, a hearty, vegetable-laden Bloody Mary is the order of the day at Endo’s Adrenaline Café (www.endoscafe.com), while an Asian-themed mojito reigns at Storm King Lounge (www.experiencecopper.com), which is more in line with the drinks favored in Vermont.

“It can be such a frozen tundra out here, people are probably wishing they were somewhere tropical,” says Tom Kinnally, bar manager at The Garlic (www.thegarlicinkillington.com) in Killington, VT. His answer is the Tropical: “Your choice of vodka, and a banana… and we muddle that. We add some lime juice and a splash of pineapple juice.”

Over in Stowe, the Pearfect Storm provides a fruity fix to patrons of the Rusty Nail Bar & Grille (www.rustynailbar.com). Bar manager Tiffany Parsons says Absolut Pear, combined with a secret recipe of mixers, is popular anytime, but many skiers also choose a dark beer, like local brew Wolaver’s Oatmeal Stout. But, as Kinnally points out, after a cold, invigorating run, most people just want a drink—of any kind. So sit back, relax with a mug or martini glass, and think about tomorrow, when you get to do it all over again.

DIY Drink

Impress your guests—or treat yourself—with an indulgent après ski cocktail.

GOBBLER
1/2 oz DeKuyper Peppermint schnapps 1/2 oz Wild Turkey Fill the rest of the glass with hot chocolate and top it with whipped cream.

Courtesy Steamboat