Here’s a (possibly) little-known fact: San Diego was recently dubbed Microbrew Capital of the United States. A slew of modern American restaurants in its bustling South Park area treat beer menus like dinner menus. Neighborhood favorite Alchemy recently launched a selection of Beer Tails, care of its resident mixologist, Frankie Thaheld, in collaboration with David McAtee of Toronado (a town watering hole that serves brews local and exotic). South Park Punch is Alchemy’s house staple — it packs a wallop in a highball glass.
Get the South Park Punch recipe.
Alchemy also modernized some old-school beverages like the party-inducing Skip and Go Naked. We’ve seen the cheap version of this (something like a can of frozen limeade concentrate, a canful of vodka, a can of Coors Light), but we prefer the dressed-up recipe now that we’re legal.
Get the Skip and Go Naked cocktail recipe.
Jacob Grier, a writer, beer enthusiast, and mixologist in Portland, Oregon, combines his love of craft beers and spirits at the regular Brewing Up Cocktails event he throws with local ale-ficionados Ezra Johnson-Greenough (The New School) and Yetta Vorobik (The Hop & Vine). He enjoys drinking Flips in the winter and whipped up a recipe with stout and amaro.
Get the Averna Stout Flip cocktail recipe.
Grier also reminded us of hot wassail, a classic winter beverage that you can make in a jiffy with whatever’s on hand: a good malty beer; the spirit of your choice — like a port or sherry; and brown sugar, spices, and citrus. Heat it up and adjust to taste. (Pour it into a flask and go play in the snow.) We adapted this recipe from The Silver Book of Cocktails, by Carla Bardi.
Get the hot wassail cocktail recipe.
Over in Manhattan, a little farm-fresh restaurant called Goat Town works hard behind the bar to make drinking real easy. Beer shandies and wine floats keep dinner going strong — all night long. To wit, its homage to the ultimate beach-vacation beverage: the dark and stormy.
Get the Stout & Stormy cocktail recipe.
NYC’s JoeDoe has at least nine beer cocktails on the menu, so we asked co-owner Jill Schulster to give us something extra smooth. She turned out a new take on the black and tan, which intensifies the richness by adding the caramel flavor of bourbon to the classic lager-stout mixture. Think of it as a beer sundae — with a frozen marshmallow garnish for a hint of sweetness.
Get the black and tan cocktail recipe.
Mississippi brewing company Lazy Magnolia doles out hospitality from the bootleg capital with a bevy of beers showcasing the traditions of the South. We’re all about its Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale — and could have guessed it goes well with ice cream.
Get the Lazy Magnolia beer float recipe.
Out in casual-crazed L.A., chef Sang Yoon, of beer-and-burger joint Father’s Office, serves the Adult Espresso, a stiff after-dinner drink (we mean it: The beer is 9 percent alcohol; the port is 18 percent). It’s got all the taste and satisfaction of a postmeal coffee (minus the caffeine but no less buzz).
Get the Adult Espresso recipe.
Could the name be more intriguing? Philadelphia’s Percy Street Barbecue serves Texas-style meats with white bread, pickles, onions, and sauce. There’s nothing better to wash it all down than its beer concoction comprising the best piquant flavors from any proper tailgating spread.
Get the Hillbilly Gatorade cocktail recipe.
If you’ll be in San Francisco anytime between February 11 and 20, you can experience Beer Week — and, more importantly, the nightly beer-cocktail menu at 15 Romolo. On February 20, it’s hosting a mix-off with six competing bartenders (e-mail bar@15romolo.com for details). If you can’t find yourself on the Left Coast then, celebrate from afar with your own rum-ale combo.
Get the Flip cocktail recipe.
Butter + beer. Did two words ever sound so sweet together? If you’re feeling ambitious, try Romolo’s version.
Get the butter beer cocktail recipe.
According to the always-reliable Internet, rum fustians used to be the go-to drink for thirsty pirates. Strangely enough, there’s actually no rum in the warm, frothy cocktail, but don’t worry: There’s still enough sherry, dark ale, and gin in Michael Cirino’s version to help channel your inner swashbuckler.
Watch the rum fustian cocktail how-to video and learn to make winter eggnogs.
At NYC’s Vandaag restaurant, the “bier” cocktails change along with the seasonal drafts (hailing from Holland, Belgium, and Scandinavia). Resident barkeep Katie Stipe notes that craft beers make great modifiers for cocktails because they add flavor and texture. The menu’s most recent addition is the Bitter Linzer, a play on the Austrian torte of almond flour, brandy, raspberry preserves, and latticework crust.
Get the bitter linzer cocktail recipe.
Comments