Halloween party: 3 boo-zy cocktail recipes to channel your inner engineer

Here are just three of the many ways an engineer, or non-engineer, can make a splash at the Halloween bash.

Flaming Engineer

When you need some inspiration for the next innovation, try lighting a fire at the beer barrel. The Flaming Engineer is an advanced beer with next-level improvements to the basic device.

Originating at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, it is said to be popular among the university's engineering alumni and student body in general.

This is as close as you can get to rocket fuel for the body. Maybe set a fire inside your partner, and make a Halloween swing on the dance floor.

Ingredients

• ¾ pint Molson Canadian® beer
• ½ oz amaretto
• ½ oz Canadian Club® whisky
• orange juice

Directions

• Pour the beer into the beer mug
• Add the amaretto and the whiskey
• Fill with orange juice
• Serve!

Before we get to the next round of cocktails, let's put in a few words on the use of dry ice in your creepy cocktail. There are some guidelines for best practice that are essential to making your engineer party safe and fun, while still having a spooky good time. One of those is always using dry ice in a safe way.

Everyone thinks engineers are cut-and-dry, by-the-book gals and guys. Nothing could be further from the truth. As much as anyone else, they like to see the smoky and often magical way dry ice makes a drink boil and bubble. There is something ultimately pleasing and satisfying about holding a smoking cocktail. We've all seen it in nightclubs and restaurants, but can we do it at the Halloween party up the block, or in the next apartment? The short answer is - you sure can.

Just so long as you follow some safe handling instructions and guidelines. You'll be showing your foggy creations to the ghouls and ghoulettes in no time.

Can you put dry ice directly in a drink?

Dry Ice is carbon dioxide in solid form. As it warms, it sublimates into a milky gas, which is what makes the smoking effect. Dry ice is so cold it can cause instant frostbite or burns if touched with bare skin and swallowing it can severely injure or even kill (if swallowed, the sublimation of dry ice into gaseous carbon dioxide could lead to an extreme build-up of pressure which could rupture your stomach). The question is, is it safe to use in a drink?

• Can you drink dry ice? No, do not directly swallow or touch dry ice with bare skin or lips. Dry ice is extremely cold -109F or -78.5C and touching it to any exposed body part including lips and tongue will cause immediate burns and frostbite.
• Can dry ice be used in a drink? Dry Ice is safe in a drink or cocktail. This is true as long as you don't swallow the ice, letting it sublimate completely in the cocktail before drinking. And the person handling the dry ice must wear gloves and use tongs to place the cubes in the liquid.
• A 1 -inch chunk of dry ice will settle to the bottom of a drink or cocktail and sublimate in about five minutes. For best safety, wait until the solid dry ice disappears completely.

• What about for the kiddies? If the kids are going to drink from a punch, like for Halloween or at the Engineer's Ball, then use a large punch bowl with the dry ice cubes in the bowl and ladle out servings without the cubes.

One of the ways to use and maintain dry ice is not to store it in a freezer or refrigerator, because it turns to gas so quickly it won't last in any type of storage. Use it right way and keep it in a Styrofoam cooler, or other container like a bowl with no lid, or a loose covering. This is to prevent the carbon dioxide gas from building up and blowing the lid off the container.

Now that you know your development strategy, let's talk about prototypes of dry ice drinks. Hopefully, these prototypes will allow you to mass-produce the drinks required for maximum output of application - i.e., fun.

The Professor's Poisoned Cocktail

When the professor in your engineering class finds out you made this drink, he or she will be overjoyed. But you might become worried about that groundbreaking design or application if the professor hands you this drink.

Ingredients

• Amaretto
• Laphroaig Scotch (we used the 10-year)
• Cranberry Juice
• Apple Cider
• Peychaud’s Bitters (for the red color)
• Dry Ice (more info below)

The best of the fall season goes into this development prototype consumable. Apple cider, cranberry juice, and the ever-popular (or maybe not so much) Peychaud's Bitters. Getting a real boost for your design creativity is Scotch, and Amaretto, and just to scare your Engineering fellows — dry ice.

Eyeing the software engineering consumables?

Our last two cocktails have a real attraction to CaaS (Cocktails as a Service).

Mass produce this software.

Smoking Love Potion Cocktail

Engineers are always looking for love, but never seem to get it from their devices. So maybe what is needed is a little help from the software prototypes consumables and a little witchery.

The Smoking Love Potion Cocktail will woe the man or woman of your dreams, with a reasonable amount of goodwill thrown in for good measure.

This raspberry cocktail is made with vodka, Chambord (raspberry liqueur) and ginger beer. Add some dry ice and it becomes the basis for iterations of fun. And maybe, a little hanky-panky to boot, with your dream partner. Or maybe stick with your actual partner, for a little more realistic fun.

Ingredients

• Vodka - any brand - about an ounce
• Ginger Beer - or club soda, but Ginger Beer is a bit spicy, like your favorite engineer. Add it after the liquor to fill the glass
• Chambord - a rich, sweet raspberry liqueur that adds a brightness to any cocktail - about an ounce

Remember to hug your engineer, both software and hardware, during this Halloween season. Have a safe and fun holiday.