Try “Cocktail Whisperer” Warren Bobrow’s 160-Proof Spiked Hot Chocolate at Boston Shaker

Warren Bobrow / Courtesy photo

In our rundown of the best hot chocolate in Boston, a few notable spiked examples made the cut. But should you seek something a little stronger, you’re going to want to head to our favorite barware store, Boston Shaker.

On December 2-3, they host “Cocktail Whisperer” Warren Bobrow, author of cocktail books Bitters & Shrub Syrup Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, and Apothecary Cocktails (all available through the Boston Shaker online store, by the way) for a book-signing event.

Joining him are Klaus the Soused Gnome—and a mighty strong batch of hot chocolate made with Austrian-made Stroh 160. That’s right, that’s 160-proof rum. Hey, if anyone knows how ward off a winter chill, it’s the Austrians.

For your sipping pleasure, Bobrow’s whipping up traditional and frozen hot chocolate—both boozy, of course. For the adventurous, “shots of Stroh 160 are always available.”

Speaking of adventurous, you might want to keep an eye out for Bobrow’s next book, Cannabis Cocktails, coming out June 2016. (“Just in time for Tales of the Cocktail!”) “It’s the first book on the topic of using cannabis as a cocktail ingredient,” Bobrow says. “Not as a get-high-quick ingredient, but as one essential for the alleviation of many ills—I took the tack of the early apothecary-healing and pain relief.”

But for now, we’ll content ourselves with that extra-stiff hot chocolate. Can’t make it out to the party? We got Klaus, er, Bobrow to give us the recipe.

Stroh 160 with Klaus the Soused Gnome / Courtesy photo

Frozen Hot Chocolate Cocktail Whisperer Stylee’

Ingredients

• 2 ounces of Stroh 160 Inlander Rum from Austria
• 6 ounces of hot chocolate (can be either milk or water base)
• Chocolate mole bitters (Bobrow: “I’m using Bitter End from New Mexico and also AZ Bitters Lab from Arizona”)
• Fresh nutmeg

Preparation

1. Prepare your hot chocolate; keep warm.
2. Fill a Boston Shaker 3/4 of the way up with ice.
3. Add the Stroh 160.
4. Add the hot chocolate.
5. Cap and shake hard.
6. Pour into small glasses.
7. Finish with a scraping of nutmeg.
8. Add four drops of bitters to finish.

Book signing with Warren Bobrow: December 2, 5:30-6:30 p.m., December 3, 6:30-8 p.m., The Boston Shaker, 69 Holland St, Somerville, 617-718-2999, thebostonshaker.com.