Get Ready to Nog: Hard, soft or dairy-free, there’s something for everyone.

Each year drinkers have access to increasingly broad options for Eggnog that bush boundaries beyond the traditional rich, nutmeg laden confection that’s basically custard in a glass. There are vegan/dairy-free types that are made from oat milk, coconut milk and almond milk as well as low-fat, gingerbread and chocolate nogs. There are super-cheap nog versions (we wouldn’t) and extravagant versions (yes, please).

My favorite is actually from Longmont Dairy, which I can happy get off and on throughout the year in different variations with holiday nog in designer bottles. This year I gave it away as gifts to friends along with gingerbread and a big, red bow. My nextdoor neighbors enjoyed it the most. They immediately spiked it with brandy and texted me about how good it was. I haven’t tried Royal Crest’s version, but maybe next year.

Dryland Distillers – The fresh Eggnog source for East Boulder County

Diehard East County Eggnog lovers head to Dryland Distillers’ for a spiked, packaged version. It’s created based on the wining recipe for their annual Nog-Off, a competition where area chefs and distillers create recipes which is blind-tasted by community members during a judging day. Customers can purchase bottles made with the winner of last year’s competition, Firestone Cocktail Society.

I stopped in for the judging with a friend to see what it was like. The tasting room was beyond crowded, with participants sitting in front of a series of six text tube-like vials of nog. Each was numbered and we were given explicit instructions that we could shake all of them but number six. We weren’t given any idea about the flavor for each or who made them.

The first three were more or less what we were expecting, something like the best ice cream drink I’ve tasted. They were a little hotter than expected, but all were similar with the third being a little sweeter. The next three showed how creative Eggnog could be. One tasted spicy, as if it had a smoky chipotle in it, and the final two tasted like heavy caramel or chai spice respectively. I accidentally shook entry number six and it spilled everywhere the way a can of soda did.

For us the spices threw off the balance a little too much and we liked the first three better than the second. I liked the peppery version better than my friend. About two weeks after judging, Dryland announced the winners. First place went again to Firestone Cocktail Society and was a salted caramel version, but Dryland’s entry was a classic nog came in a close second place and third place was awarded to a Nutella-flavored nog created by Boozy Sue’s confections. The three other entrants were created by chefs at Urban Fields pizza, January Coffee and Rising Tiger.

Making Eggnog in your kitchen

If you’re feeling crafty and want to try making eggnog in your own kitchen, and impress holiday guests or just have something rich to sip on Christmas Eve, it’s more than possible. Dryland has published the recipe for it’s 2022 winner and promises to publish all of the contestants’ recipes, though none were available at press time we expect they’ll be up soon.

There are other variations available and many highlight Eggnog’s historical roots as a middle-England milk-based drink called Posset. Posset included curdled warm milk, wine and spices and, eventually, eggs. It was a cozy winter warmer that might send a drinker right off to bed.

Throughout the centuries, Egg Nog (or a version of it) was drunk by monks and aristocrats before becoming a holiday essential in Colonial America. A recipe that identifies itself (not necessarily accurately) as being George Washington’s Very Boozy Eggnog includes cream, milk and a dozen eggs as well as Jamaican rum, whiskey, and sherry. In the Southern, USm Whiskey became the primary go-to for spiking Eggnog. Whisky Critic has posted a online link to a YouTube Video for what it considers to be the best Eggnog recipe of all time.

There are also plenty of possibilities of unexpected Eggnog  mix ins. I’ve tried the Eggnog version of a White Russian, which I’ll call a Nog Russian, with vodka and Kahlúa. There are also some people who mix Eggnog and orange soda and swear that it tastes like a creamsicle. There’s also been a recipe for smoked Eggnog, which can be made with a regular cocktail smoker to infuse flavor.

Whichever approach you take, store-bought or or homemade, flavored or classic, if it’s well created Eggnog can be a fun indulgence at the holidays. It’s a world away from the dry, thin and overly sugared food that so many disparage, and can be a welcomed, celebratory treat.