As Leanne Wiberg described it "The Drink That Made John Famous." Used as the Catoctin Creek Distillery table's house cocktail for the 2016 Virginia Craft Spirits Showcase held at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia.

1 oz Roundstone Rye Whisky
3 oz Apple Cider (make your own or pick your favorite brand)
½ oz Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
*1 tbsp Cranberry Maple Syrup
2 dashes Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
2 dashes Fee Brothers Cranberry Bitters
Top With - Ginger Beer of choice (2:1 ratio or two parts cocktail vs 1 part ginger beer)

Glass Type: Short Highball
Garnish: Fresh Apples, Cranberries, Lemons and Ginger Slices
Method: Build all ingredients except ginger beer in a cocktail shaker, shake and strain over ice then top with ginger beer or build all ingredients with larger recipe in a punch bowl or 3-Gallon Drink dispenser and serve with fresh fruits and ginger in punch.

*Cranberry Maple Syrup:

1½ cups frozen or fresh cranberries
1 cup water
¾ cup Grade A Maple Syrup of choice

Place 1½ cups (about 6 ounces) frozen or fresh cranberries, 1 cup water, and ¾ cup Grade A Maple Syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low rolling boil. Watch carefully so the syrup doesn't boil over! Reduce heat to low and simmer until cranberries are falling apart, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl and let the strainer sit over the bowl until the syrup has cooled to room temperature, about 1 hour. Save and set aside the solids and refrigerate the syrup in a container with a tightfitting lid for up to 2 weeks.

Takes an hour and 20 minutes and makes about 1¼ cup.

To get the most out of your cranberries, pour the left over Cranberry solids in a glass jar, add one cup Maple Syrup or granulated sugar and add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and ¾ cup Red Wine Vinegar, shake up really well until mixed thoroughly and save in jar for a few up to two weeks then fine strain into a glass seal tight container and enjoy a fantastic drinkable Cranberry Maple wine shrub for up to three months! Try over ice with club soda or mix into your favorite cocktail to further stretch your fall/winter drink fix for the rest of the season!

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Punch Recipe Proportions

f you prefer, we have a punch-sized recipe:

2 750 ml bottles of Roundstone Whisky
1 gallon Apple Cider
1 liter freshly squeezed lemon juice
*1 quart Cranberry Maple Syrup
1 oz Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
1 oz Fee Brothers Cranberry Bitters
½ gallon (4-5 12 fl oz cans/bottles) Ginger Beer of Choice
3 Apples Diced
2 Lemons cut into wheels
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup freshly shaved and diced ginger

Recipe courtesy of John Shope.