Football played in the other room, fading into background noise behind the assembly line that had taken over Liam’s kitchen. An egg carton tower loomed on the counter as they cracked and separated yolks from whites. Bowls multiplied across every surface as careful cups of sugar, milk and cream were measured.
Cracking, pouring, whisking became a steady rhythm. It was the kind of chaos and precision that happens among friends completely at ease experimenting with new creations together, ready to fail spectacularly or make something worth being proud of.
Little did Brian Bishop or Liam O'Beirne know, under the moniker Firestone Cocktail Society, they were crafting what would become a two-time Dry Land Distillers “Nog Off” champion— a feat that would retire their recipe as per competition rules.
For Brian, entering the competition was a last-minute impulse. Outside of his freelance work for Dry Land, including producing the brand film, he was simply a customer and self proclaimed devotee of the distillery’s annual “Nog Off.” In 2022, leaning on past bartending experience, he decided to throw his own eggnog in the ring— not that he had one yet or had ever made one himself.
Firestone Cocktail Society itself was born during the pandemic. What began as Brian and his good friend — project manager and musician by trade— Liam huddled around Liam’s basement bar experimenting with riffs on classic cocktails, gradually evolved into a quarterly gathering that continues today. With vacations off the table, Liam instead began to stock his bar with new and unusual ingredients, from vermouths to chartreuse. Today, the soul of it remains the same, just with a bit more conceptual planning and friends in attendance.
Using its name to represent them and their eggnog felt natural.
Their original plan of doctoring up a store-bought eggnog ended abruptly when they realized at the last minute that the competition required entries made from scratch. With less than two days left, they recruited another friend to help in the kitchen and started over.
Who first suggested the salted caramel idea depends on who you ask, but they were both drawn to its sweet and salty pull. Still, they were careful in creating a smooth blend, with no one ingredient assaulting the senses. The yin and yang of both white and dark brown sugar, as well as both Dry Land’s aged Rum and Heirloom whiskey helped to create structure without heaviness or excess. They chose the Heirloom partly for its delicate sweetness and also simply because it’s Brian’s favorite Dry Land Spirit.
“When we first tested it, we tried it with a wheated whiskey and a rum that we had in the house just to see what it would be like… I was like ‘yeah… It's okay,’” Liam said. “Then we made it with your spirits and said ‘Oh! This is what we're supposed to use.’”
“It smoothed everything out,” he continued. “We thought it was just the perfect combination of the rum and the whiskey and the sweet and savory approach.”
FIRESTONE COCKTAIL SOCIETY EGGNOG RECIPE
4 Cups Whole Milk (Longmont Dairy)
12 Eggs, Separated (See Recipe)
¾ Cup White Cane Sugar
¾ Cup Dark Brown Cane Sugar
1 Quart Longmont Dairy Whipping Cream
2 ¼ Cups Dry Land Distillers Heirloom Wheat Whiskey
2 ¼ Cups Dry Land Distillers Holiday Gold Rum
2 ¼ Cups Torani Salted Caramel Syrup
2 ½ tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
5 Whole Cloves
INSTRUCTIONS
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Prepare the milk mixture in a large saucepan. Combine the whole milk, cinnamon, ½ tsp vanilla, and the cloves and heat on low for 5 minutes while slowly raising the heat to medium-low stirring constantly (to prevent scorching). After 5 minutes, turn the heat up to medium and bring just to a boil while stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
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Separate the 12 eggs and place the yolks in a bowl for an electric mixer. (The egg whites aren’t needed for this recipe. Save them to make a delicious Angel Cake to enjoy with your ‘nog!). Whisk the egg yolks until they are thickened and very light in color. Add the white and brown sugars and continue whisking until the eggs are light and fluffy.
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Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. (Do not pour warm milk mixture all in at once or it will cook the eggs). Mix thoroughly after milk and egg mixtures are combined.
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Pour the combined mixture into a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir constantly for 3 minutes until mixture is thick – don’t let the mixture boil!
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Remove the pot from the heat and strain into a large pitcher or jug and cool for at least an hour.
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Once cooled, add the whipping cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and ½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg. Whisk thoroughly with a hand whisk.
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Add the whiskey, rum and caramel syrup and whisk thoroughly by hand. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator to allow the ingredients to meld and mellow.
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To serve, shake or stir thoroughly before pouring into your favorite mug. Garnish with shaved salted dark chocolate. Enjoy!
