Drink of the Week

The weather outside may be frightful, but inside the Ship Tavern, the corner bar of the Brown Palace, things are always warm and cozy. And a glass of Williams' Eggless Egg Nog ($6) can be a downright delightful nightcap after an evening of downtown winter festivities. To make this traditional holiday treat, the Brown bartenders combine Tuaca, Bailey's Irish Cream, Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Grand Marnier 100 Year, half-and-half, vanilla ice cream, ground allspice and ground nutmeg in a blender, spinning on medium for twenty seconds. The result is a thick, malty drink, served in a glass coffee mug and garnished with a white-chocolate swizzle stick and a pinch of nutmeg. If that's not enough to shake the chills, chase it with the Ship Tavern's Hot Buttered Rum ($6), a heavenly mixture of dark rum and butter.

Dim and decorated with wooden beams, antique models of sailing ships, a crow's nest and authentic Jamaican rum barrels, the Ship Tavern -- which has been open since the day after the repeal of Prohibition -- is usually buzzing with an older crowd of distinguished gentlemen slicing into huge slabs of prime rib. In here, it's a wonderful life, indeed.