Clyde Common’s Tequila-Sherry Egg Nog

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I used to have this recipe crammed in with the original Egg Nog post, but this year I think it deserves its own page. And for many reasons. I mean first off, the Clyde Common egg nog has surpassed the original base recipe in popularity. I never could have imagined how popular a tequila-sherry egg nog would become when I debuted it back in 2009.

And even more importantly to me, this egg nog is one of the most delicious drinks I’ve ever created in my (almost) twelve years in this building. And as we transition away from the original Clyde concept of a big, busy restaurant and into the new model of Clyde Tavern and the Common Market, I’ve been feeling all of my emotions about everything we’ve created here, while desperately trying to stay positive about the future.

The Clyde Common egg nog is very Clyde, and it’s very me. It’s a fun, quirky, and ultimately exquisitely delicious variation of a classic cocktail, but not so quirky and fun that it distracts from the original drink. This is 100% egg nog, and there’s no arguing with that.

Why Tequila-Sherry Egg Nog?

The idea to spin añejo tequila and Amontillado sherry into a traditional egg nog as the new bar manager of Clyde Common came from a place of insecurity: I’d just moved here from the college town I’d been living in, and I was afraid that Portlanders were too cool for my brandy and spiced rum egg nog that had become so popular.

And so a line of quirky, fun. unexpected nogs was born in my head. Every week, I told myself, I would introduce a new egg nog to the restaurant, all season long. There was a Manhattan egg nog with rye whiskey and Spanish vermouth. There was a Cynar egg nog. And it would all start with this one: Week One was going to be a tequila-sherry egg nog.

It’s the perfect combination of flavors for egg nog. The añejo tequila has a brandy-like quality with a much less sweet profile than, say, Cognac. And the Amontillado sherry brings this dry, nutty flavor to the party that’s perfect for the holiday flavor palate. I never expected it to take off quite the way it did, but as I discussed in the PX Sherry Mudslide post, once it was in the wild it would have been a dumb idea to change it.

Anyway, enough talk. I know you’re just here for the recipe. And here it is, again. Happy holidays and happy egg nogging.

PS – If you’d like to watch a video about this egg nog, you can do so here.

UPDATE: I realize that most of you at home don’t have commercial restaurant equipment on hand 😂 – If you’d like to scale this recipe for two servings that will fit in a home blender, simply divide everything by 6. The final result should look like this:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 oz/90 ml (by volume) or 75 grams (by weight) superfine or baker’s sugar
  • 2 oz/60 ml añejo tequila
  • 2½ oz/75 ml Amontillado sherry
  • 6 oz/180 ml whole milk
  • 4 oz/120 ml heavy cream

Añejo Tequila and Amontillado Sherry Egg Nog Print Me

  • 12 large eggs
  • 18 oz (by volume) or 450 grams (by weight) superfine or baker’s sugar (NOT powdered!)
  • 12 oz anejo tequila
  • 15 oz Amontillado sherry
  • 36 oz whole milk
  • 24 oz heavy cream
  • Fresh nutmeg, for garnish
  1. In a stand mixer on low speed, beat eggs until smooth.
  2. Slowly add sugar until incorporated and dissolved.
  3. Slowly add sherry, tequila, milk and cream.
  4. Refrigerate overnight and serve in small chilled cups.
  5. Dust with fresh nutmeg before serving.

Makes approximately one gallon.

Recipe printed courtesy of jeffreymorgenthaler.com

112 Replies to “Clyde Common’s Tequila-Sherry Egg Nog”

  • Keith says:

    I see you emphasizing in both the alcoholic and non-alcohlic recipes that ingredients should be added slowly. Why does that make a difference?

    (I make this every year and love it. This year I tried a cup each night to track how it was mellowing in the fridge. For science, you know. For me, one week is perfect.)

  • Ian says:

    Those unable to find Amontillado might attempt a “medium” Sherry instead. Sherries sold as Medium are usually blends but based mostly on Amontillado and then sweetened. Be advised you would have to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe although I can’t say by how much. Cream sherries like Harveys Bristol however, should be avoided at all costs as those are far too sweet

  • Anthony says:

    The full batch of this is under 20% ABV. Is there any reason you didn’t add more booze? I considered adding another 4oz or so.

  • Shannon Hill Hanson says:

    Jeffrey,

    I do a tequila egg nog every year that is aged and lasts up to a year in the fridge. I thought I’d try this recipe, do you think it would last a least a few months?

    Thanks,
    Shannon

  • Mike says:

    This is an excellent cocktail. The anejo tequila and sherry provide for a really nice, subtle flavor profile. I made the scaled down 2 cocktail recipe. . .used 1/8 tsp. nugmeg and 1/16 tsp cloves – the spices definitely add to the cocktail. Love the anejo here, the sweeter, deeper flavor of the anejo really compliments this drink. I like to taste a bit more booze in my cocktail so I might add a bit more anejo for furture iterations but that’s just my taste. This is an exceptional cocktail as-is. If you’re searching for a fun dessert cocktail this is worth a try, especially around the holidays. I shook the ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice and strained over a mesh filter into chilled coupe glasses. Excellent!

  • Michael Geller says:

    I made a big batch and had some nog left over so I put it in a couple of ramekins in waterbath and let i stay for 40 minutes in the oven on 150C/300F. Added some granulated suger and burnt. A very good alternativ to creme Brulee, a bit mor egg to taste but both the tequila and the sherry was forward. I’ll do this more times in the future.

  • Jennifer says:

    I spent many years visiting Clyde Common for egg nog multiple times each holiday season — often bringing all my friends along. I’ve even made this recipe at home for family gatherings in years past. Now, I’ve been vegan for 2+ years and I am sorely missing this recipe (and Clyde Common). Do you have any suggestions for replacing the rich silkiness of the eggs in the recipe? I’m planning to sub full fat oat milk and coconut cream for the whole milk and heavy cream, respectively. Thanks so much. ♥︎

  • Marc Nowicki says:

    Jeffrey,

    Fantastic recipe, I’ve been making it for years. This season I was hoping to gift a couple non-alcoholic nogs to some friends. Would the recipe sans booze stand alone? Or would you recommend looking up a virgin nog or maybe adding anything additional in place of the booze?

    Thanks!

    -Marc N.

  • Hello Jeffrey, once again a recipe that has made it into my list of go to cocktails to wow my friends and relations. I have a question: I assume you R&D’d the other versions that never hit the menu… If I was interested in trying the Manhattan egg nog, do you have a recommendation from your experience on the ratio of rye and Spanish vermouth? Would you follow the typical Manhattan ratio of 2/1 rye to vermouth (and if so would you cut back on total booze since it’s more strong spirit)? Or something similar to the ratio of spirit to aromatized wine above (like 1/1.25 tequila to sherry)? Thanks Jeffrey, my friends cannot wait for me to make egg nog again this holiday season!

  • Ryan says:

    I saw on another comment that someone couldn’t find amontillado sherry, and it looks like you were suggesting oloroso would be a good replacement. I came across the same issue, and I couldn’t find amontillado, but I did find Lustau oloroso. Do you still think this is a good replacement for amontillado?

    Thanks!

  • Ryan says:

    I’ve only ever tried you base recipe (amazing by the way), but I’m going to try this one this year! What brand of anejo tequila do you recommend?

  • Pyrrhus says:

    I am not sure this will reply to the comment about separating egg whites from the yolks but a very popular recipe posted by Alton Brown has the egg yolks kept separate.
    https://altonbrown.com/recipes/aged-eggnog/

  • Pyrrhus says:

    Say I wanted to make this in a few weeks and age it until Christmas, do you think the flavors would hold up well or should I prepare it a few days before Christmas?

  • Birdy says:

    I am making this nog in the autumn to age it slightly before drinking this winter. Most recipes for aged eggnog I have found asked for yolks only, but there’s no step in your recipe for separating the eggs. Do the whites go in too? Would it change the drink a lot if I separated the eggs and used the yolks only? Thank you!

    • I’ve never seen an eggnog recipe that calls for yolks only, as traditional eggnog always calls for the whole egg. I strongly recommend not separating your eggs for the best, silkiest texture.

  • Suzanne says:

    This was so good! I did cut the sugar back some because this seemed like a LOT of sugar.

  • Megan says:

    Sooo let’s say I have a carton of decent store-bought eggnog in the fridge, and I want to make this cocktail. What ratio of eggnog to tequila and sherry would I use? Thank youuu!

  • Theo says:

    Holidays have come and gone, and I have a bunch of left over amontillado sherry, any ideas what to do with it so it doesn’t sit in the fridge for a year?

    I’m all nog’d out.

  • Dave W says:

    I finally got around to making a batch of this version and loved it. I made it right after Thanksgiving and have been enjoying it here and there ever since.

    When you serve it from the bottle when made ahead of time, how do you typically serve it? Just poured into a chilled glass? Over ice? Shaken? It’s been delicious just poured into a chilled glass, but I was just curious how you go about it.

  • Martin Albeck says:

    In Denmark Egg Nog is not a traditionel thing for Christmas. We have other stuff like Pork Rind and our Risalamande dessert. But I have tried different approaches to the Egg Nog to serve to our guests. The Clyde Commons is by far a new favorite. Very interesting choice of spirits (especially the tequila – which over here is associated with sombreros and slammers) – but everybody is pleasantly surprised by the richness and full flavor. Bravo.

  • Ty King says:

    I have fond memories of Christmas Eve at my grandparents’ house where homemade eggnog was always served. My grandmother would whip eggs and sugar over a makeshift double boiler until just barely thickened, add whole milk, and then grab the first liquor (brandy, whiskey, or rum) in the front of the cabinet – maybe all three if we’re being honest – and serve it up. I grew up for years thinking a lot of booze smelled reminiscent of eggnog until I realized later in life the imprint was actually from the fact my grandmother’s eggnog was probably half liquor. I do miss her.

    Needless to say, I still love all things eggnog. Maybe not the awful fake-nogs now everywhere. Sadly, I developed a dairy intolerance late in life, and good eggnog was sorely missed. In recent years, through much experimentation, I finally made a dairy-free (still has eggs) recipe based on Alton Brown’s recipe, which most people couldn’t distinguish from, or even preferred to, the original.

    This recipe really intrigued me. Interesting booze selection, much faster to make, shorter ingredient list, and proportions that allow for smaller servings. I subbed full-fat oat milk and a canned product billed as “coconut whipping cream” (not the pressurized Reddi-whip stuff) for the milk and cream respectively.

    The first words out of my mouth after that first sip were, “Goddamn that’s good.” Against your rum and brandy version that I made right alongside, this one is definitely superior in my opinion. Something about that sherry.

    Thanks, Jeffrey for your contributions. I was fortunate enough to sit at the Clyde bar years ago. Even though it was a busy night, you took a few moments to talk with me when I mentioned I had been having great success with your ginger beer recipe for my home cocktails. Cheers to you, and cheers to grandma Marian. She would definitely approve of this eggnog.

  • Phil says:

    Hey Jeff,

    In your book you say to use half and half when a recipe calls for cream but this recipe calls for heaving cream. Which one should I use?

    Thanks!

    • Oh! Yes in this case you should definitely use heavy cream. Alternatively you can combine the milk and heavy cream amounts in this recipe and use an equal volume of half-and-half in place of both. Not as great as the original but I’ve done it in a pinch.

  • David Brasher says:

    Would it work to sub a rye for the tequila without it adjusting the recipe?

  • Daveman says:

    Regarding the aging, is there a sweet spot in the first few weeks, or longer? And, what would you think about using raw whole milk and cream?

    • I’ve found anything over a few days to be great. I’ve had eggnogs that have been aged for 1-5 years and I honestly don’t think it gets a whole lot better with that much age on it. But a few days do really make a big difference.

  • Kody P. says:

    Made this one year and it blew me away! Now I’m excited to start making it for the holidays and giving glass flasks of it as gifts. Thank you so much again for making this recipe!

    Now I just have to ask: any recommendations to make this non-alcoholic?

  • Andy says:

    I made both the base recipe (spiced rum and Brandy) and this recipe. Both awesome. I had a small amount of each bath that didn’t fit into my bottles so I mixed them together….the blend might be my favorite of all of them. You get the proof of the Brandy and rum upfront and finishes with the sherry. Really tasty. Hoping to do a 4 serving flight this Xmas.

    Thanks for the info Jeff!

  • Rachelle Sigler says:

    I’m having a hard time finding Amontillado Sherry. Any recommendations for an alternative?

  • Marv C. says:

    Using the base recipe, we made several variations in addition to the Anejo Tequila and Amontillado Sherry.

    1. Irish Whiskey and Stout Beer (Teeling Irish Whiskey, St. Arnold’s French Press Imperial Stout aged on Cognac barrels) – base recipe; reduced sugar from 75g to 60g; bumped up the Stout ~1.5 oz to bring that flavor profile forward.
    2. Rye Whiskey and Cognac (Kentucky Owl Rye, Hennessy Master Blender No. 4) – base recipe; bumped up the Hennessy ~1 oz to highlight that flavor.
    3. Bourbon, Brandy, Rum (Blanton’s Bourbon, Copper & Kings Butchertown Barrel Proof Brandy, Black Tot Rum) – base recipe; reduced sugar from 75g to 50g; used equal parts then bumped up the rum ~0.5 oz for a touch more sweetness.
    4. Anejo Tequila and Amontillado Sherry (Fortaleza Anejo Teguila, Mil Pesetas Amontillado Sherry); base recipe; we bumped up tequila ~1.5 to 2 oz to offset the sweetness.

    Our favorites are numbers 1 and 4, with 2 following closely. Number 3 is great, but the others are a notch above. I highly recommend using the base recipe, then adjust alcohol to taste. We prefer eggnog on the boozier end of the spectrum, so we experimented with reducing sugar. We’ll probably add sugar back to number 3 after letting it sit a week or two to see how the nog flavors settle out.

  • Greg Solomon says:

    Made this for the first time tonight and I’m in love. I want to batch and age this. Is 8% abv a safe-zone?

  • Jeremy says:

    Hi Jeffrey – Killer recipe as always, everyone in my family who’s tried it so far loved how much lighter this is compared to traditional eggnogs. Surprisingly quaffable. This year I tried a few variations of your base – A tequila batch, a rye and a rum based batch, and they all brought something interesting to the table. I’m impressed how much variety you can squeeze out of the basic ratio.

    Given that your recipe is a bit lighter than other Egg Nog recipes I’ve seen, would this age well in the fridge, or better to drink it up within a few days?

    Thanks, have a great, safe holiday season!

  • Ben says:

    This is the best tequila drink I’ve ever had. Thank you for sharing, and thank you for creating what will be a Christmas tradition in our house!

  • jeremy joanes says:

    Hey quick question about the 2 serving ratio. Can i cut it in half for a single serve and shake it up in tins? Just curious

  • Franco says:

    Just used this method with your ratios, but with DeGroff’s version of bourbon and rum (I will do tequila/sherry on the next one, but most of the family really like the bourbon/rum combo). It turned out amazing and a fraction of the time. Thanks!

  • Mary G says:

    Amontillado sherry is officially sold out in Portland because of YOU, I am sure of it and LOVE it. 🙂

    Thanks, Morgenthaler, you are making our holiday a little more ‘normal’ by sharing the cocktails we would drink bellying at your bar. The only thing missing is your sarcastic banter with us and the crew.

  • Jim says:

    Shouldn’t the scaled-down recipe call for 75 ml of sherry, to match the proportions of the full recipe?

  • Brad Steinman says:

    Jeffrey, I’ve been doing your regular eggnog recipe for several years. I decided to give this I’ve a try and I was amazed at how good it was! Thanks for sharing your recipe and doing great things! Cheers to you and Merry Christmas!

  • Marc J Nowicki says:

    Jeffrey,

    Absolutely stellar nog. Thanks for the recipe. I recall watching a video of you on live TV with a blender. Good stuff.

    I was wondering how long a batch would roughly keep? Was doing some for gifts and curious.

    Thanks again. Good tidings.

  • Brooke B says:

    I look forward to this egg nog every year at Clyde Common. When I heard to-go cocktails might be an option soon, this was the first drink I thought of. So happy to find this recipe and can’t wait to try it out in the meantime (until I can pop over and pick up a to-go option).

  • brofromhouse8 says:

    Try the same recipe but replace the 16 or so oz of eggnog ingredients with 16oz of store bought eggnog and see how it turns out! It wont be as smooth and liquid-y, but it will certainly be much easier to whip up.

    Still, do give the original recipe a try, I have made it 3 xmas in a row and its always been amazing.

  • Charlie Wolfe says:

    Hi Jeffrey – Been a big fan of your blog and book since I found your recipe for ginger beer years ago. I hope to visit Portland one day and check out the Clyde. Until then I’m enjoying your great Egg Nog recipe. Thank you for sharing!

  • H says:

    Would an immersion blender in a large mixing bowl be able to sufficiently replace a stand mixer so I could knock this out in one batch or would smaller mason jar batches be the way to go? Thanks for your input!

  • Erik says:

    I recently stumbled upon your website. Since then, I have assembled a rig to carbonate beverages with a 5lb CO2 cylinder, made the best egg nog I could ever imagine, and later today I will dive into making your ginger beer. Many thanks for the inspiration. You are awesome. Cheers and Merry Christmas!

  • G says:

    I made a sugar free, dairy free version and tastes just as amazing!

    2 large eggs
    3 oz/90 ml (by volume) monk fruit sweetener
    2 oz/60 ml añejo tequila
    2½ oz/60 ml Amontillado sherry
    6 oz/180 ml coconut milk
    4 oz/120 ml coconut cream

  • Sue Armstrong says:

    I just served this to a small group, outside around a fire pit. Despite being a cold drink it is somehow warming (temp outside in the 40s in Eugene). People were stunned with how delicious and different this nog is. NO ONE could guess what alcohol(s) were in the drink. With freshly grated nutmeg, can’t go wrong.

  • toner says:

    I used the tequila & sherry from this as an inspiration for egg nog ice cream and :chefs-kiss:

  • Chris says:

    Hey Jeffrey!

    Love this recipe. In a pinch (using commercial ‘nog), what would the specs of the drink be? tequila:sherry:nog?

  • Craig Stansbury says:

    I have been making this eggnog the last 4 years (ever since I got into making craft cocktails) and even eggnog haters love it.

    I want to do it right this year. What would be your tequila of choice in making this?

    In the past I have used Costco brand tequila…but I want to do this recipe even more justice. At first glance, I can’t justify using $30 of Cabo Wabo…but at the same time if I’m spending over $100 on the food anyways…what’s another $30.

    • Hey Craig! At the bar (and at home) I’ve been using Lunazul Añejo for the past several years and it’s really fantastic. Probably my favorite tequila to use and very cost effective. Hope this helps!

  • Leesa Tucker says:

    I have been making this recipe (I think) since you first published it. I make it almost every year and people lap it up! It it soooo good and so much better than traditional eggnog with brandy or bourbon. Thank you for being so creative and being part of our annual holiday!

  • Burton says:

    Not sure if this has already been stated, but for anyone with a standard 5 cup home blender cutting the recipe to 1/4th fits perfectly without overflowing. I’m obsessed with this as a traditional nog-hater!

  • Danna says:

    Writing from Toronto! Made this Nog for some holidays boxes my partner and I are selling. Very happy with the outcome!
    I’m assuming the shelf life is quite a while considering the amount of alcohol in there, right?
    Thanks a lot!

  • Aaron Seago says:

    Another reader from Germany here. I’ve been making this recipe every year for the past however many years ago it was that you posted it. It’s always a hit and I’ve shared the link to the recipe with anyone and everyone who was interested (at least 2 people). Seriously though, thanks for all that you do and all that you share. Now I’m off to try those cookies.

  • Rahul Bhagwat says:

    I confess I had my doubts about the sherry and tequila combo in egg nog, but this turned out absolutely delicious. Made 1/4 the quantity, and was able to do it in under 10 minutes using a large mason jar and handheld immersion blender. Thank you for sharing this and other recipes… truly a gift.

  • Daniel says:

    Any suggestions if we can’t find superfine sugar in a grocery store locally? Would running regular granulated sugar through a small food processor do the trick?
    Excited to try this recipe!

  • Rachelle says:

    Thanks so much for your reply!

    I’m from Louisiana and alcoholic frozen/slushy beverages are a staple. There are entire stores dedicated to selling them. They call them daiquiris – though they are they farthest thing from an actual daiquiri.

    That’s where we got the idea from. You don’t need to add ice with the frozen drink machine, so it won’t get diluted. The results are a thicker, creamier, icy (in a good way) eggnog. An ice cream maker would likely produce similar results.

    What are your non-budget recommendations on liquor?

  • Rachelle says:

    So delicious! Best egg nog I’ve ever had! Last year we put it in a frozen drink machine. It was SO SO GOOD! This year will be the first time I’m making it myself. A few questions.

    Why do you use superfine or baker’s sugar?

    What are your recommendations on the liquors? Favorites? Also budget options (without compromising on overall flavor)?

    • Rachelle, the frozen drink machine sounds most interesting. I’m hoping you wouldn’t mind sharing your experience with everyone here, I’m sure more than a few people would be interested to hear how that worked.

      As for superfine sugar, it dissolves into the eggs much, much better than regular granulated sugar.

      And as for delicious options that won’t break the bank, we use Lustau Amontillado sherry and Lunazul Añejo tequila at the bar. Both are inexpensive, super delicious, and easy to find.

  • Leto Atreides says:

    Any idea if it makes sense to go extra anejo with the Tequlia? I have a bottle of Sierra Milenario Extra Anejo Tequila I haven’t really found anything to do with it.

    P.S. thank you for the amazing content. With the the whole situation going on I had enough time to work my way back through the blog and it has been a source of inspiration and knowledge.

    Greetings from Germany!

  • E. Jeffers says:

    Is the scaling a very direct “divide in half” if I want to scale it down?

  • Stephen P says:

    I’m the only person in my house that likes eggnog, so a gallon is going to last a while. As long as I keep it in the fridge, and drink maybe a glass a day, will it still last a long time? It’ll be cold, but not not sealed airtight.

  • John Park says:

    I love this drink so much, can’t wait to make this year’s batch!

  • Lilli says:

    Hi… What is the shelf span of your eggnog?? Hoe long can it be stored???

    Kind regards

  • Vivek Kumar says:

    Jeffrey, thank you for always sharing your knowledge with us. This is extremely valuable. I look forward to making this recipe this holiday season!

  • Neil says:

    Jeffrey— big fan! Thanks for the amazing recipe. Any suggestions on how to make it dairy-free?

  • Omlettin you know right now this is eggsactly what I want. Give me Mor-genthaler. Seriously though, I’ve had a tequila-sherry egg nog once and it was amazing. (Not at Clyde Common unfortunately.) Didn’t realize it was one if your recipes, but that does make sense.

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