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How to Make Your Favourite Après Ski Drinks at Home
Embrace the Alpine Spirit: Host an Après Ski Party at Home!
Living and working in the charming French ski resort of La Plagne and being married to one of La Plagne’s best cocktail mixologists (in my opinion, of course!) I know first hand the joy of sipping on delicious après ski drinks after an exhilarating day on the slopes.
But you don’t have to wait for the snow to arrive! While you’re eagerly awaiting your next ski holiday, why not bring the après ski experience home? With these simple cocktail recipes, you can recreate your favourite ski holiday drinks and indulge in the cosy atmosphere of the mountains right in your living room.
Gather your ingredients, put on your favourite ski sweater, and let's dive into the world of Alpine libations.
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Alpine Après Ski Drinks: Equipment & Ingredients Needed
Before we jump into the Alpine cocktail recipes, let's make sure you have everything you need.
Firstly, the measurements I am using are ml and cl, so 1 shot = 25 ml or 2.5 cl. If you are US based and want to work in ounces, then 1oz (fluid ounce) = 29.57ml or 2.9cl
Next up, here's a list of essential equipment and ingredients to prepare these ski holiday drinks at home:
- Large saucepan for mulled wine
- Ladle for serving mulled wine
- Whiskey glass for Bombardino
- Collins glass for Long Island Iced Tea
- Gin balloon glass for Aperol Spritz
- Mug for hot chocolate
- Blender for Calientes
- Beer glass for Beer Peche
Here is a list of all the ingredients you'll need include to make all of these Alpine cocktails:
- Red wine
- Cloves
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Sugar
- Orange syrup
- Lemon syrup
- Peach syrup
- Soda Water
- Coke
- Prosecco
- Spirits:
- Vodka
- Brandy
- Tequila
- Rum
- Aperol
- Liqueurs for hot chocolate such as Amaretto, Baileys, Cointreau.
To really make your Alpine cocktails pop, don't forget the garnishes to add that extra touch of Alpine charm:
- Orange slices
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whipped cream
- Marshmallows
1. Warm Up with Vin Chaud: A Classic Mulled Wine Recipe
To recreate the comforting flavours of Vin Chaud or mulled wine, follow these simple steps:
- Ingredients:
- 1 litre of red wine
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 cl Cointreau
- 1 cl vodka
- 1 c l brandy
- 4 cl orange syrup
- 2 cl lemon syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5 cloves
- Garnish: Orange slices and cinnamon sticks
- Serve in: Heat-resistant mugs or glasses
Instructions:
- In a large saucepan, combine the red wine, sugar, syrups, liquors, cloves and cinnamon stick.
- Heat the mixture over low heat until it reaches a gentle simmer.
- Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
- Allow the flavours to infuse for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- This actually tastes better if made the day before.
- Remove from heat and ladle into heat-resistant mugs or glasses.
- Garnish with an orange slice and cinnamon sticks.
- Serve warm, and enjoy!
TOP TIP: You can also store this vin chaud mix once cooled in the fridge. And because the flavours blend together the longer it is left, it tasted better and better! We often have a pre-made bottle in the fridge, which we can pull out as and when needed. You can heat a single glass in the microwave or reheat it in a saucepan.
WARNING: This mix will not keep if you have added orange slices to the core mixture. This is why we only add the orange slices when garnishing.
2. Savour a Refreshing Beer Peche: A Peachy Delight
Super simple, but people always want to know how to make this classic après ski beer! To prepare the delightful Beer Peche, follow these steps:
- Ingredients:
- 1 pint of larger beer
- In most La Plagne bars, the house beer will be Amstel or Heineken
- 1 shot of peach syrup
- To be really authentic, use Tessiere or Monin peach syrup
- 1 pint of larger beer
- Garnish: None
- Serve in: 1-pint beer glass
Instructions:
- Pour the lager beer into a beer glass, leaving some room at the top.
- Add 6 cl of peach syrup to the beer. But this is to taste, as some love this sweet!
- Don’t put the syrup in first, as it won’t mix.
- Serve chilled and enjoy the refreshing Beer Peche!
3. Spice Things Up with Calientes: A Fiery Ski Holiday Secret
You might not have seen this cocktail on many après ski menus. But it is a secret La Plagne favourite amongst long-time seasonnaires, myself included! It’s the perfect pick-me-up to give you an energy boost at the beginning of your après ski session.
To create the fiery Calientes, here's what you'll need:
- Ingredients:
- 1 shot of rum
- 1 espresso
- Garnish: nothing
- Serve in:
- Rum in a shooter glass
- Espresso in an espresso cup or shooter
Instructions:
- Make an espresso. If you don’t have a coffee machine, make a strong black coffee.
- Let the coffee cool.
- Line up 1 shot of rum
- Get ready to drink as follows:
- All together, you pick up your espresso, cheers together and shout, “Calientes!”
- Then slam the espresso cup on the bar and drink ½ of it
- Then drink the shot of rum
- Finish the espresso!
4. Stir Things Up with a Long Island Iced Tea: A Classic with a Ski Holiday Twist
To prepare the crowd-pleasing Long Island Iced Tea, follow these steps:
- Ingredients:
- 1 cl of vodka
- 1 cl of rum
- 1 cl of tequila
- 1 cl of gin
- 1 cl of Cointreau
- 1 or 2 cl of lemon/lime/orange juice (to taste)
- 1 cl of sugar syrup (to taste)
- Coke
- Garnish: Lemon wedge
- Serve in a 35-cl glass
Instructions:
- Fill the glass with ice cubes.
- Fill the shaker with ice.
- Add all the ingredients (apart from the Coke into the shaker)
- Shake a lot!
- Add Coke to the drinking glass, about ⅔ to ¾ full
- Add a wedge of lime or lemon to garnish
- Pour the liquor mix over the ice slowly to keep the layers separated.
- Sip and savour the delightful combination of spirits in this classic ski holiday drink.
5. Embrace the Italian Influence with an Aperol Spritz: A Sophisticated Après Ski Delight
To create the refreshing Aperol Spritz, follow these simple steps:
- Ingredients:
- 12 cl of Prosecco
- 8 cl of Aperol
- 4 cl soda water
- Garnish: Orange slice
- Serve in: Wine glass
Instructions:
- Fill a gin balloon / Aperol Spritz glass with ice cubes.
- Pour in the soda water.
- Add in the Prosecco, followed by Aperol.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Garnish with an orange slice.
- Sit back, relax, and enjoy the vibrant and sophisticated flavours of the Aperol Spritz.
Après Ski Like a Local
Free Recipe Book for Chalet-Style Drinks at Home
Inspired by Alpine ski bars across Europe. This free mini book gives you all the warm, cosy, and boozy drinks you’ll want after a long day (even if it was just the school run).
What’s Inside:
- Chalet-style drink recipes inspired by après bars across the Alps
- No fancy kit required. Just warm mugs, simple ingredients, and a touch of mountain magic
- Tips on how to host a ski night at home (or turn your garden into a ski terrace)
Perfect For:
- First-time skiers dreaming of their trip
- Mountain lovers needing a snow fix
- Anyone who believes après is a lifestyle, not just a location
6. Indulge in Creamy Delight with a Bombardino: A Ski Resort Staple
Whilst my skiing experience is largely French, I couldn’t create an après ski cocktail list without including the Italian classic, the Bombardino. To prepare the creamy and indulgent Bombardino, follow these steps:
- Ingredients:
- 50 ml of Advocaat liqueur
- 10 ml of brandy (or whiskey)
- Garnish: Whipped cream and cinnamon
- Serve in: Whiskey glass
Instructions:
- Heat the Advocaat liqueur until just before boiling
- Pour into an re-enforced glass, the size of a whiskey glass.
- Add the brandy and stir gently to combine.
- Add a dollop of heavy or whipped cream
- Garrnish with a dusting of cinnamon
- Sip and savour the rich, velvety goodness of the Bombardino!
7. Cosy Up with a Classic Hot Chocolate: The Quintessential Ski Holiday Drink
To prepare a classic hot chocolate, follow these simple steps:
- Ingredients:
- 4 cups of milk
- ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup dark chocolate chopped up
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: Whipped cream, marshmallows, or chocolate shavings
- Garnish: Whipped cream, marshmallows, or chocolate shavings
- Adults option: add a slug of your liquor of choice. Try these for ideas:
- Chocolate Orange: Cointreau
- Almond Chocolate: Disaronno
- Milkey Chocolate: Baileys
- Mint Chocolate: Get 27
- Coffee Chocolate: Kahlua
- Serve in: Mug
Instructions:
- In a saucepan, heat the milk, cocoa powder and sugar over medium heat until hot, but not boiling.
- Gradually add the dark chocolate until melted, whisking regularly.
- Add the vanilla extract and stir thoroughly.
- Pour the hot chocolate into a mug.
- Garnish with whipped cream, marshmallows, or chocolate shavings, if desired.
- Adults: this is when you can add a slug of your favourite liquor for an extra kick!
- Grab a cosy blanket, take a sip, and let the warm and comforting flavours of hot chocolate transport you to the ski slopes.
This is my favourite hot chocolate recipe. But I have also got some other great options here for some great gourmet hot chocolates. Perfect if you wanted to make a hot chocolate drinks station. Yum! And head to these places for the best hot chocolates in La Plagne.
That’s La Plagne & how to make your favourite ski holiday drinks at home
With these recipes in your repertoire, you can recreate the ski holiday drinks you love right in the comfort of your own home.
From the spiced warmth of Vin Chaud to the refreshing fizz of Aperol Spritz, each drink carries the essence of the mountains and après ski culture.
So, gather your ingredients you can find everything here you'll need here to wow your ski buddies! Raise your glasses, and toast to the joy and spirit of skiing.
Whether you're reminiscing about past trips or preparing for future adventures, these ski holiday drinks will help you create unforgettable moments with family and friends. Cheers to bringing the mountain vibes into your home!
Santè!
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