Six Cocktail and Mocktail Recipes That Belong at the Three Broomsticks
A super fun way to enjoy some wizarding glamour without needing the cooking skills to follow a complicated recipe is making a cocktail. These delicious drinks and their non-alcoholic counterparts are a great way to bring a bit of the Three Broomsticks home with you in more than just a butterbeer bottle.
1. Gillywater
Fresh and botanical and looking a bit like a potions experiment, this drink will satisfy your cravings of summer while also keeping you cool as a cucumber. Choose to make it with flat or bubbly water and you’ve got yourself a bright but sensible drink worthy of Professor McGonagall circa Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Alcohol-free and as bright as a mojito but without the kick, this mocktail is perfect for summer. Other notable mentions of this drink include Luna Lovegood enjoying one at the Three Broomsticks while Harry gave his interview in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Romilda Vane’s spiked version, which Harry declined rather than accidentally be hoodwinked by her love potion.
2. Polyjuice Potion
While we normally wouldn’t recommend mixing your potions and your cocktails, this sherbet-infused vodka version of Polyjuice Potion just looks too good to pass up, and Madam Rosmerta would probably feel the same way. This is another one that will keep you cool in the summertime with that lemon-lime soda and sweet lime sherbet, and you could easily leave out the vodka if you wanted an alcohol-free version. Now, we all know that Polyjuice Potion changes color depending on the bit of the person you’re changing into, but that striking green color is so shocking that it’s fun to imagine you’re drinking a Death Eater (without the horrible side effects, of course).
3. Pumpkin Juice
While not strictly a cocktail or a mocktail, this non-alcoholic staple of the wizarding world is the perfect drink for anyone staying away from liquor who also wants something both complex and not-too-sweet. Perfect for fall, but something you (like Harry and the gang) can drink year-round, this mocktail is a little reminiscent of apple cider and your favorite fall spice mix. While Harry and his pals drank this straight from the glass, you could easily spruce it up with a fun garnish (roasted pumpkin slices, anyone?) and take it from a casual drink to a fancy one. Certainly, Madam Rosmerta (who knows how to flash a thing up) would pop an umbrella on there.
4. Flaming Goblet of Fire
You know that Madam Rosmerta added this to the specials board the minute the Triwizard Tournament was announced. While Fred and George may have still needed an Aging Potion to order it, those of us who could pass an Age Line can enjoy this flaming drink with gusto. Easy to make in the Muggle world, this cocktail has only four ingredients and requires the use of a lighter to get that flame going (not all of us can do it with a wand). If you like Blue Hawaiians without the pineapple and you love an exciting drink, then this is the cocktail for you!
5. Cherry Syrup and Soda
While it seems in Prisoner of Azkaban that Flitwick’s version of this drink, served during that fateful conversation where Harry learned the truth (read: lies) about Sirius Black and his involvement in James’ and Lily’s deaths, was non-alcoholic, this recipe gives you the option to keep it that way or jazz it up a bit with some lemon-flavored vodka. It promises to be sweet and bubble – everything you’d expect from a Flitwick favorite – and you can vary the amount of syrup you add to tweak the sweetness levels. Whichever recipe you choose to follow, make sure you make that fantastic quill garnish. “I think we’re going to need another feather over here, Professor…” (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone).
6. Unicorn Blood
Perhaps it’s a little in bad taste for Madam Rosmerta to add this one to the menu, but who knows – maybe she waited until after the Battle of Hogwarts and anything related to Harry’s adventures were all the rage. This one requires a little bit more preparation, with a recipe for “shimmery liqueur” involved, but by the looks of things, it absolutely won’t disappoint. Reminiscent of Sex on the Beach cocktails, this one is fruity and sweet and strong. But really, who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to taste a little bit of life everlasting when it comes in such a fancy glass?
So whether you’re looking for a fun way to pass the time these days or just looking for more ways to bring Hogsmeade home with you, these cocktail and mocktail recipes will bring fun, whimsy, and some deliciousness into your life.
