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Appetites®
Tom Crann
St. Paul, Minn.

Appetites: Five tips for the perfect at-home cocktail

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Autumn Spice Negroni
Erik Eastman, of Easy & Oskey, customizes the classic Negroni cocktail for fall.
Jennifer Simonson/MPR News

Cocktails are a big trend and they have been for a while. There's no shortage of places to visit that boast interesting cocktail menus. But as fall gives way to winter, the taste buds might call for a something other than a glass of wine or a bottle of beer at home.

Erik Eastman of Easy & Oskey joined MPR News' Tom Crann to chat about cocktails best suited for fall. He is one of the people behind the Easy & Oskey bitters kits.

Eastman shared these five easy tips to guarantee the perfect at-home cocktail.

1) Ice is an ingredient in your cocktail — make sure it is clean and fresh.

2) Find a classic cocktail you like and make it over and over and over, tweaking ingredients and proportions as necessary, until it is to your liking.

3) Infuse your own simple syrups with herbs, spices, nuts and fruits of the moment to add a seasonal dimension to your cocktails.

4) Vermouth is cost effective, versatile and packed with flavor. Pay the extra few dollars for the good stuff.

5) Pay attention to the details.

Recipe: Autumn Spice Negroni

1.5 ounces Far North Solveig Gin

1 ounce Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

1 ounce Campari

1/4 teaspoon Easy & Oskey Autumn Spice Bitters

1/8 teaspoon Easy & Oskey Orange Bitters

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with clean ice. Stir to dilute and chill. Spritz a martini or coupe glass with oil from an orange peel and wipe around glass. Strain drink into glass and garnish with Autumn Spice bitters.

Recipe: Autumn Spice Bitters

Follow instructions included in the Easy & Oskey Naked make-your-own bitters kit and flavor with:

2 tablespoons allspice berries

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1.5 teaspoons cloves

2.5 teaspoons mace

1/2 teaspoon galangal

1 star anise pod

1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger