Fall is upon us. We all love the colorful trees, the crunch of leaves underfoot and the abundance of apples, pumpkins and cinnamon. However, the new nip in the air might be a shock to some of us. That is why we need to harvest the resources that Café Mac offers in order to make our transition into fall as seamless as possible.

We recommend starting with the drinks. One of our readers recommended some drinks to us that we feel embrace the transitional spirit of fall: the mocha, peppermint hot chocolate and the root beer float. The mocha is a traditional cold weather beverage which embodies a hardiness that you need in your early morning pick-me-up on cold days. The peppermint hot chocolate is a warm, flavorful beverage which adds an exciting winter flavor to the classic hot chocolate drink. It reminds you of the exciting winter months ahead! Finally, the root beer float is a great alternative to anyone who feels that this reaction to fall is over the top. Embrace the last month or two of warmth by enjoying this cold dessert beverage which has been a classic for years.

The first drink we’re going to teach you to prepare is the mocha. This drink is a cold weather classic, and very easy to do yourself in Café Mac. While we don’t have any fancy syrups, the hot chocolate dispenser certainly does the trick, and conveniently enough it’s right next to the coffee! First things first: grab your mug and fill it with your desired blend of coffee. Next, fill your mug the rest of the way up with hot chocolate and stir it well. We recommend using the normal hot chocolate, but the sugar-free option is available as well.

Next up we have the peppermint hot chocolate. This drink requires slightly more preparation, but is definitely worth it. Grab a mug and fill it up pretty much all the way with hot chocolate, again choosing your sugar preference. This time, instead of adding coffee, grab a mint tea bag, open it up and stick it directly into your hot chocolate. From there just steep the tea as if it were in boiling water. The result is incredible, the perfect balance of sweetness to warm you up on a chilly day.

Our last drink can also be classified as a dessert, but we feel it still deserves just as much drink recognition. The root beer float is easy to assemble and, like the others, only requires two steps. This time, take any cup and head over to the soft serve station. Vanilla is the most classic base for a root beer float, but if you’re feeling adventurous, why not give the others a try? Next slide right on over to the soda dispenser and fill up the rest of your cup with root beer.

Our thoughts? We loved all three drinks! The warmth that emanates from the mocha and peppermint hot chocolate is the perfect motivation to get out of bed during these first chilly mornings. The flavors are a delicious reminder of all the fun that comes with these fall and winter months, and the root beer float is a wonderful reminder of the summer months which are coming to an end. If you’re in denial about the upcoming cold, it’s a great way to pretend summer is still here.