As we addressed in a previous article, three Christianized holidays now occupy the Samhain season:

Halloween on October 31st
All Saints’ Day on November 1st
All Souls’ Day on November 2nd

Halloween’s ghosts and goblins stand in stark contrast to the latter two days’ commemorations of the holy departed. While All Saints’ Day calls our eyes Heavenward, All Souls’ Day focuses on prayers for those in Purgatory, where some Christians believe souls are purified before entering Heaven. Personally, I don’t believe in Purgatory, but I still find the celebration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day good for the soul. Setting aside time to celebrate the deceased helps us grieve more healthily, and remembering our own mortality helps us look at life more holistically. So yeah, Purgatory or not, these holidays are a good thing.

As All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day were introduced to Mesoamerica, the holidays fused with Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos (or “Day of the Dead“) to fascinating results. Far from being somber, Day of the Dead is known for its elaborate festivals and decadent food, with candle-lit altars, cemetery picnics, costumed parades, and sugar skulls all aiding in the celebration. I love how this holiday keeps remembrance a joyful activity, and this seems like a much more fitting way to honor our loves ones.

At Beer & Hymns this Thursday, we’ll celebrate All Saints’/All Souls’ together, and I mean celebrate. Rather than being grim and somber, we’ll be toasting our loved ones between every song, so if you’d like to join in our time of remembering together, we’ll see you there!

Oh, right. Wasn’t I going to put a cocktail recipe in this article?
With the weather finally changing and Jack-o-lanterns smiling from every stoop, I decided to revisit my apple butter-inspired cocktail recipes from last Fall. Using some new ingredients, I’ve come up with a new twist to honor the season:

All Souls’ Cider
1.5 oz Two Star Bourbon
3 dashes of Hella Lemon Ginger Bitters
3 dashes of Bar Keep Apple Bitters
1/4 oz lemon juice
6 oz Beak & Skiff Sparkling Apple Cider

Rim a rocks glass with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place an ice sphere or large cube in glass, and stir together lemon juice, bitters, and bourbon. Top with cider and serve.
For a Dia de los Muertos variant, sub in a blanco tequila for the bourbon, or multiply this recipe for a great Halloween party punchbowl.

I hope you’re having a great Halloween/All Saints’/All Souls’/Dia de los Muertos, and if you don’t observe any of those, then I wish you a happy Fall!