Beer Cocktails
I think it makes sense to continue a topic which on many levels is on everyone’s mind: The Heat. It’s not like we are not accustomed to high temps and high humidity. It is, however, the reality that this particular siege of those combinations is oppressive and attention-getting. Truthfully, there not much else demanding our thoughts.
When it is oppressive morning noon and night and when our air conditioners never cycle off, not even at 4 a.m., and when we make decisions based on whether we have to go outside at all, that’s worthy of additional words of wisdom.
I don’t know if I can off any of those (past experience would suggest not), but I feel another approach to cooling down is in order. Many of us rely os rely on the simple stand-by antidote to hot weather: cold beer. And some of us have relied on the New Orleans tried and true hot weather response: sno-balls. Then there are always cooling cocktails.
Somewhere along the way, let’s see if a combination of those solutions make sense.
LAGERITA
· Salt, to rim (optional)
· 2 ounces tequila
· 3/4 ounce Cointreau
· 1 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
· 4 ounces Modelo Especial beer, or your favorite Mexican brew.
· Garnish: lime wheel
Construction:
· If desired, coat the rim of a highball glass with salt, fill with ice and set aside.
· Add the tequila, Cointreau and lime juice to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
· Strain into the prepared glass.
· Top with the beer.
· Garnish with a lime wheel.
Something a bit more out of the usual with a New England flavor:
Rye House Spring Beer Cocktail
· 3/4 ounce Bols genever
· 3/4 ounce Laird’s applejack
· 1/2 ounce Clear Creek loganberry liqueur
· 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
· 3/4 ounce ginger syrup
· Lager beer, chilled, to top
· Garnish: lime wedge
Construction:
1. Add the genever, applejack, loganberry liqueur, lime juice and ginger syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge
Michelada
This excellent combination of flavors may cause you to abandon your usual favorite, the Bloody Mary.
· 1 pinch salt
· 1 pinch cayenne pepper
· 1 lime wedge
· 1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
· 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
· 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
· 1 pinch ground black pepper
· 1 pinch celery salt
· 1 bottle Mexican lager beer, chilled
· Garnish: lime wedge
Construction:
1. Add equal parts salt and cayenne pepper to a plate or shallow bowl. Rub the lime wedge along half the rim of the pint glass and then dip the rim into the salt-cayenne mixture.
2. Add the lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, black pepper and celery salt into the glass.
3. Fill with the beer and garnish with a lime wedge.
Here Comes the Sun
Pay particular note here that the beer suggested is Wheat. IPA would be too strong and a light been would never stand up properly.
· 1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey
· 3/4 ounce ginger syrup*
· 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
· 1 ounce wheat beer
· Garnish: lemon wedge
Construction:
1. Add the whiskey, ginger syrup and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe, and top with the beer.
3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
*Ginger syrup: In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup fresh ginger juice (squeezed from freshly grated ginger root) until warm over low heat. Do not let the juice boil. Add 1 cup sugar, and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Store the syrup in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Should keep for several weeks.
Boiler Room
An unfortunate name for a warm-weather drink but you can call it what you wish. I never did think that a drink featuring marigold tea should be “boiler” anything.
· 1 ounce bourbon
· 1/2 ounce ginger liqueur (such as Domaine de Canton)
· 1 1/2 ounces marigold tea, brewed and chilled
· 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
· 1/2 ounce honey syrup
· 3 ounces Belgian-style wheat white beer, chilled
· Garnish: lemon twist
Construction:
1. Add the bourbon, ginger liqueur, marigold tea, lemon juice and honey syrup into a pint glass filled with ice and stir to combine.
2. Top with the beer and stir again gently and briefly to combine.
3. Garnish with a long lemon twist.
Just a few suggestions here, courtesy of Liquor.com, offering a change of pace but keeping in line with extremely hot weather. Many of these drinks would actually stand up to a base of New Orleans sno-ball ice. Drink fast, however.
