Mulled Highland Rogue

Christmastime in the Firewater Water Lounge always calls for family, blood or otherwise. For some of us, blood relation isn’t an option, which means each relationship you craft extends the definition of love. That’s the case for Cindy and I; since we didn’t have brothers from the start, we had to go find some. And, boy, did we ever get lucky that we found the Stoefflers.

Since I was 12, there was always a Stoeffler or two (and likely a Hoffman) to make life easier, more colorful, and just plan better. From pointing the way to Saturn, or joining you in a mosh pit, or putting something broken back together, or taking in a scary flick, or simply tipping back a few cold ones, these brothers are the best sort of guys anyone can hope to call friends- ones that, unquestionably, just give a damn. If you don’t know what I mean here, there’s no way for me to describe it in words; the best way to find out is just to come down and drink with us and the Stoefflers. You’ll just feel it…

This Christmas was extra special because Cindy was able to photograph a number of bottles in Grandpa Stoeffler’s whiskey bottle collection that now adorn Aaron’s bar room. Grandpa Stoeffler was an ardent collector of decanters from the 1950s-to-1980s golden era of molded-theme bottles, mostly from Jim Beam, the distiller who perfected the practice originally as an advertising campaign.

Many of the decanters in Grandpa Stoeffler’s collection are 50 states-themed, animal-shaped, or part of a smaller series like the St. Patrick’s Day bottles. Among our favorites we would like to highlight here in the Lounge are the Bull and Matador, the Castle, and the Black & White whiskey dogs.

Of course, if you are perusing the collection here online, you definitely need a Christmas cocktail to make your holiday viewing bright.


Mulled Highland Rogue
Holly's Original

1 ½ ounces blended scotch whiskey (or Jim Beam rye if you like)
¾ ounce Carpano
¾ ounce mulled Bull’s Blood syrup

To make mulled Bull’s Blood syrup, pour a ½ 750 ml bottle of Bull’s Blood Egri Bikavér into a sauce pan. Add one cup of white sugar, ½ cup of brown sugar, ½ ounce of triple sec and four mulling spice teabags (we used Wildwood) into the pan. Heat slowly and stir to dissolve sugars. Do not boil. Mull to taste. Cool.

When the Bull’s Blood syrup is cooled, add ice to a mixing vessel. Pour 1 ½ ounces of blended scotch whiskey (Grandpa Stoeffer would have used Black & White) or rye if you like it spicier (Grandpa Stoeffler would suggest Jim Beam) into the vessel. Add the Carpano and the Bull’s Blood syrup. Stir until Christmas cold. Serve up in a cocktail glass or coupe with an orange peel garnish if desired.

All of us at the Firewater Lounge would like to raise a glass to all the Stoefflers this season; thanks for making our holiday season a blast once again. To many more. Merry Christmas everyone!