Kriza Marielle Sumang

Candy Caramel and Mad Eye by Beverage specialist, Benilde Hospitality and Luxury Management Program educator, and Hilton Manila Madison Lounge and Bar Assistant Manager Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales.

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Candy Caramel and Mad Eye

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

<p>This Halloween, beverage specialist Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales brews up a pair of fun and flavorful drinks that bring spooky season realness to life with refreshing cocktails and mocktails inspired by Filipino flavors and local ingredients.</p><p>A bar management educator from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Castro-Gonzales blends her love for local produce and her expertise in mixology to craft drinks that are both festive and proudly Filipino.</p><p>Her first creation, the <strong></strong>Mad Eye mocktail<strong></strong>, is a refreshing mix of strawberry hibiscus tea syrup and clarified lychee soda, topped with lychee fruits and cherries to complete the “crazy eyes” Halloween motif. Sweet strawberries from Benguet and lychees from the Cordillera region also take center stage in this drink—making it a perfect non-alcoholic Halloween treat.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761640710046Mad Eye by Beverage specialist, Benilde Hospitality and Luxury Management Program educator, and Hilton Manila Madison Lounge and Bar Assistant Manager Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Mad Eye by Beverage Specialist Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales </span></span></span></div><p><em></em>“In the spirit of Halloween, where ‘crazy eyes’ are a popular design motif, why not turn that playful theme into a mocktail?” she shares.</p><p>For cocktail lovers, Castro-Gonzales offers the Candy Caramel, a blend of rum, lemon juice, and apple cinnamon syrup with a dash of lavender bitters. Using native apples from Baguio and a locally crafted rum made from sugarcane, this drink strikes the right balance of sweet, tangy, and aromatic.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761640898266Candy Caramel by Beverage specialist, Benilde Hospitality and Luxury Management Program educator, and Hilton Manila Madison Lounge and Bar Assistant Manager Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Candy Caramel by Beverage Specialist Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales </span></span></span></div><p>“Inspired by the sweet and fruity notes of this classic, I envisioned a cocktail version that highlights local flavors and spirits,” she says.</p><p>With over nine years of experience in the hospitality and beverage industry, Castro-Gonzales continues to make waves as a Filipino mixologist championing local ingredients. She was a Mabuhay Awards nominee, a Diageo World Class Bartending Competition finalist, and Hilton Manila’s Hospitality Hero of the Year.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761641002454Beverage specialist, Benilde Hospitality and Luxury Management Program educator, and Hilton Manila Madison Lounge and Bar Assistant Manager Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales, Beverage Specialist</span></span></span></div><p>Her impressive journey includes working at top establishments like ABV and Simply Thai, and participating in international seminars such as “Understanding Flavor Concept” by David Arnold and &quot;Rockman&#x27;s Gin Craft of Cocktail Movement” in New Orleans.</p><p>If you’re feeling inspired, why not recreate these festive drinks yourself? Here’s how you can mix up your own Mad Eye and Candy Caramel at home:</p><div><br/></div><div><strong><u></u>Mad Eye by Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales<u></u></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Ingredients:</strong></div><p>30ml Strawberry Hibiscus Tea Syrup</p><p>Clarified Lychee Soda</p><p>2–3 pcs Lychee fruits and cherries</p><p><strong></strong>For the Strawberry Hibiscus Tea:<strong></strong></p><p>Syrup: 90ml Water</p><p>90ml Refined Sugar</p><p>60g Strawberries</p><p>10g Hibiscus Tea</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Procedure:</strong></div><p><strong></strong><em>For the Strawberry Hibiscus Tea Syrup:</em> Boil water and hibiscus tea in a pot. Add the strawberries and refined sugar, and bring to a boil for two to three minutes until the sugar is diluted. Set aside to cool down.</p><p><em>For Mad Eye: </em>Pour 30ml of the strawberry hibiscus tea syrup into a cocktail glass. Top up with clarified lychee soda. Add ice and stir.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong><u></u>Candy Caramel by Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales<u></u></strong></div><div><strong></strong><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Ingredients:</strong></div><p>45ml Rum</p><p>30ml Lemon Juice</p><p>30ml Apple Cinnamon Syrup</p><p>Lavender Bitters</p><p>Caramel Syrup and Apple Slices</p><p><strong></strong>For the Apple Cinnamon Syrup:<strong></strong></p><p>60ml Water</p><p>60ml Refined Sugar</p><p>30g Apple Slice</p><p>1–2 pcs Cinnamon Bark</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Procedure:</strong></div><p><em>For the Apple Cinnamon Syrup: </em>In a pot, boil the water, then add the sugar, apple, and cinnamon bark. Let it boil for two to three minutes until the sugar is diluted and set aside.</p><p><em>For the Candy Caramel:</em> In a cocktail shaker, pour the apple cinnamon syrup with the rum and lemon juice. Add the lavender bitters. Shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass coated with caramel syrup drippings. Place an apple slice on top. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:526px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761718789893Candy Caramel and Mad Eye by Beverage specialist, Benilde Hospitality and Luxury Management Program educator, and Hilton Manila Madison Lounge and Bar Assistant Manager Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Candy Caramel and Mad Eye by Beverage Specialist Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales</span></span></span></div><p>So whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or just simply looking to try something new, these Filipino-inspired drinks bring a local twist to your celebration—proving that world-class flavor can also be found right at home.</p>

<p>Halloween drinks get a Filipino twist with these fruit-inspired creations by<b> </b>beverage specialist Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales.</p>

Halloween drinks get a Filipino twist with these fruit-inspired creations by beverage specialist Angelica Suzanne Castro-Gonzales.

Celebrate the spooky season with fruity Filipino cocktails and mocktails made the local way

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Celebrate the spooky season with fruity Filipino cocktails and mocktails made the local way

ABS-CBN Lifestyle,

Kriza Marielle Sumang

Published Oct 29, 2025 09:10 PM PHT

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