How To Make Your Eggnog Taste Way Better, According To Alton Brown

With the holiday season and winter weather upon us, eggnog is the boozy go-to for many. It's sweet, creamy, and full of holiday flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg. Whether you like yours hot or cold, there's nothing better than putting on a Christmas movie, cozying up with a blanket and sipping on this rich and delightful drink. If you buy your eggnog bottled, you might already be amping up the flavors by adding peppermint or a little pumpkin spice. But if you're making this Christmas cocktail from scratch, Alton Brown has some tips to make it even more flavorful.

Brown's eggnog recipe incorporates a few different spirits including cognac, Jamaican rum, and bourbon. The sweet and spiced flavor notes from the mix of these spirits will amplify those similar flavors in eggnog — and don't worry about using the most expensive brands since we're using them as mixers here. Brown also suggests aging the nog for at least two weeks, although a few months or up to one year is even better. Brown says that both of these steps will add depth and complexity to your Christmas cocktail.

Alton Brown might be bringing aged eggnog back, but this is by no means a new concept. Aged eggnog has been around for a long time, and it came from a place of necessity. Since hens need 14 hours of daylight to lay eggs, farmers would often be without eggs during fall and winter. But eggnog was always a traditional winter drink (and requires a lot of eggs), so the drink was prepared while the hens were still active and left to age until it was time to enjoy it. History aside, aging eggnog is the best way to achieve a smoother and more mellow alcohol taste. The flavors in your eggnog will blend together and develop even more nuance. 

If you find the flavors of aged eggnog too intense, consider mixing aged and fresh eggnog to get the best of both worlds. If you're concerned about ageing eggnog with raw eggs, just make sure your eggnog contains 20% or more alcohol. It's well-known that this amount is enough to kill any potential bacteria. So you might want to listen to Alton Brown and start ageing eggnog for this holiday season... and the next, if you're brave enough!