Trick Up Your Halloween Cocktails

On Halloween, in between handfuls of candy corn, snack-sized Butterfingers and packets of Pop Rocks, it's important to have a good cocktail to wash it all down.

But what makes a cocktail right for Halloween? The best ones will have seasonal flavors and unusual colors, provide an otherworldly effect (like smoke or fire) and satisfy a crowd.

H. Joseph Ehrmann, owner of San Francisco's Elixir and Cocktail Ambassadors, believes that people are drawn to "anything that's custom designed, whether it's an original cocktail menu or something thematic." Top hotels across the country understand the impact of a unique cocktail, and some hire Ehrmann to create seasonal cocktail menus.

For your signature Halloween cocktail, Ehrmann recommends using fall flavors, because "people want a drink to remind them of the season that they're in." Another tip is to get creative with Halloween-inspired cocktail names. ...