Beer....Cocktails?!?

Fruit Smash & Higher Tier looking tasty

 

 

Honesty is the best policy, so I’ll get this out now - I’m a straightforward beer lover (no follower of trends, furrow your own path I say). Beer cocktails makes me think of hideous concoctions more interested in strength than flavour along the lines of stout mixed with champagne (an expensive Black Velvet) or something called a Turbo Shandy; there’s some contradictions going on with this one! Cynical is one word for my feelings on sullying a glass of dazzling beer with anything other than, well beer, downright erroneous could be another.

 

A few months back on a shindig with food blogger Clare @FeastAndGlory, I was offered a beer cocktail made with Thornbridge Brewery’s Jaipur. To my surprise the India Pale Ale infusion was tasty and moreish hitting a fragrant thirst quenching spot. I put the pleasant experience down to a one off and continued along on my 100% ale journey, no mixers please.

 

Coincidence then reared its head, this time at The Old House on Division Street in Sheffield - two beer cocktails stood out on their extensive drinks menu, bringing credibility to this beer cocktail notion. ‘Higher Tier’ presented an elixir of pale ale, tea-infused vodka, peach schnapps and Earl Grey. Promising a “summery goodness” that had me thinking along the lines of - Marble Brewery’s Earl Grey IPA meets a peach on a sunshine veranda for a tete-a-tete. If ever a beer and a peach could have such an intimate relationship.

 

I began wondering - perhaps the flavour characteristics in a beer could be accentuated and brought to life in a cocktail soundclash. Award winning Sheffield bars such as The Great Gatsby, The Old House and Graze Inn all bring their expertise to the table ensuring concoctions deliver thoughtful flavour combinations that marry beer and spirits pleasurably together. This is a big plus point for credibility in the beer cocktail arena and may well ensure this trend some longevity. The jury’s out for now so I think I’ll stick to my ‘Boilermaker’ – that’s a beer with a whiskey chaser to me and you.

Jaipur Mojito beer cocktail recipe supplied by the kind crew at Graze Inn:

 

JAIPUR MOJITO

Glass: Jam jar glass with crushed iced   

Garnish: Lime wheel, fresh mint leaves

Ingredients: 2 shots Appleton Golden Rum, 6-8 fresh mint leaves, 3 lime wedges, 1 spoon brown sugar, ½ shot fresh lime juice, ½ shot gomme, Topped up with Thornbridge Jaipur 5.9% IPA

Method: Muddle lime, sugar and mint in the jam jar. Then add rum, sours, gomme and muddle with ice. Top with Jaipur.  

Let me know your thoughts! Cheers Jules @beer_revere

 

 

 

**Featured in www.exposedmagazine.co.uk Sept 2013**