It’s time to start thinking about pre-Halloween preparation! (Actually, I start thinking about pre-Halloween preparation on November 1, but that may just be me.)

Over at the Halloween Drinks blog, Scott believes he’s perfected the art of homemade pumpkin liqueur. I might question his use of canned pumpkin pie mix instead of plain canned pumpkin because the latter would give you more control over the spices, but it looks like he’s put a whoooole lot of experimentation into the project.

The liqueur takes three weeks to mature, so plan ahead. (If you’re really in a hurry, he’s also got a one-hour version which would be perfect as a last-minute hostess gift.)

There are plenty of other variations out there, including ones that use pumpkin juice* and roasted pumpkin, so there’s plenty of room for additional experimentation. Once you find a variation you like, google “pumpkin cocktail” to find plenty of drinks which feature the liqueur.

I really like Scott’s bottling idea, with custom-printed labels and novelty stoppers, but there are a zillion other packaging options. One nice presentation would be a recycled wine bottle decorated with a pumpkin bottle collar. You could also paint or etch a bottle with a motif of your choice, or glue ribbons on the outside.

*Life is too short to juice a pumpkin.