If you’re like me, there’s nothing like that first sip of a cold beer, and there’s nothing like that first sip of a good whiskey. If I had to choose, I’d take whiskey over beer every day—but luckily, I don’t have to choose. We can have both, and that luxury extends to cocktails.
Ale and spirits have been bedfellows for centuries, and there are plenty of old recipes that combine them—such as various wassailing punches or the yard of flannel. More recently, there is evidence that the boilermaker—a shot of whiskey with a pint of beer—originated in the 1890s in Butte, Montana, where it was called a Sean O’Farrell; miners enjoyed it after they ended their shifts. (And if you drop the whiskey shot into the beer glass, it’s called a depth charge.)
With the holidays upon us, I begin reaching into my notes of historic cocktails. I like to speak with other mixologists about what flavors they’re working with this year, and what types of spirits and liqueurs they’re into. The resurgence of beer cocktails is on the minds of many of them this year. Beer cocktails are fun and whimsical, and you can make them as refreshing party cocktails or dessert drinks. Beer cocktails are also a great way to get whiskey into the bellies of friends and family who usually think they don’t care for the stuff.
The key to a great beer cocktail is careful measurement. Unlike in cooking, where you can add a little of this and a little of that and taste as you go, cocktails are more like baking: Precision is vital. It’s also imperative to know your ingredients. Be sure to taste each cocktail component to understand its personality individually.
Here are two recipes that have been crowd pleasers for many holiday seasons.
St. Bourbon Smash
There’s a line of thinking that you should use low-shelf ingredients in cocktails because they’re mixes, and you won’t be able to taste the difference. Don’t be fooled. This thinking may be true for rum and Coke, and it may not—it depends on how much Coke you’re adding. Always use quality ingredients in your cocktails, especially for those such as old fashioneds, martinis, and Manhattans, where the spirit is the star.
For my St. Bourbon Smash, I go with a robust bourbon that will match the other ingredients. Distillery 291, out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, makes a rich, robust, full-flavored small-batch bourbon with a super long finish, big cherry notes, and assertive spices. These are the flavors I’m looking for as a base.
For the beer, I’m going straight to a seasonal ale: Strong Rope Blood of Gods, an amber ale that’s rich, malty, and a touch piney. I don’t want to stray too far from the deep cherry notes in the bourbon, while the piney flavor is a great complement to lift some of the darker notes. Notably, it’s not so piney or hop-forward that it takes over the entire cocktail—this beer must be able to play well with others.
I also include fresh rosemary and cinnamon syrup in the mix. The rosemary adds some herbaceous flavor and aroma while the cinnamon is a cohesive unifier to the rich notes in the bourbon and beer—and it just adds that extra holiday oomph.
- 1.5 oz bourbon
- 0.5 oz cinnamon syrup (see below)
- 2 oz chilled beer
- 1 sprig rosemary
Add the bourbon and syrup to a large mixing glass. Add a handful of cubed ice and stir well until the mixing glass is cold to the touch. Once your mixture is chilled and well stirred, strain the liquid into an old-fashioned glass over a handful of cubed ice. Pour the beer on top and give the drink a few swirls. Activate the oils in the fresh rosemary sprig by slapping it on the palm of your hand; don’t mash it. Garnish the cocktail with the rosemary and enjoy.
Cinnamon Syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar or agave syrup
Add the cinnamon stick to the water and simmer for 15 minutes covered. Add the sugar or syrup and stir well on low heat. Once the sugar is dissolved or the agave is incorporated, remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool. You can keep the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Ginger Ginny
This cocktail is a fantastic option for happy hour or as an aperitif. It’s wonderfully light-bodied and delivers layers of fresh flavors, yet it still has that holiday vibe.
For this, I recommend a botanical gin with standout flavors and a nice, weighty mouthfeel—and here I’m going with Freeland Gin of Portland, Oregon. Freeland Gin contains five fresh botanicals—rosemary, mint, cucumber, thyme, and honey—along with 14 dried ones. I also want some bitterness and sweetness to round out this cocktail’s floral, spicy flavors. Here you can use Campari or Aperol—the latter being slightly sweeter and less bitter. But if you have a local distillery making bitters and aperitivos, purchase those every time. I’m using Primo, an aperitivo from Brother Justus that I picked up on a trip to Minneapolis. A good aperitivo will bring beautiful orange and citrus notes, herbaceous flavors, and a welcoming bitter finish.
Last but not least, you want a high-quality ginger beer in this cocktail. Not ginger ale—it’s much too sweet, and we’re looking for a spicier ginger kick with our bubbles. I’m a big fan of Fever-Tree as well as Bundaberg—or go with a quality local producer if you have one. These should be easy to find in your local liquor store.
- 1.5 oz botanical gin
- 1 oz aperitivo
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1.5 oz ginger beer
Add the gin, aperitivo, and lemon juice to a large mixing glass. Stir well with a handful of ice until the glass is cold to the touch. Strain the liquid over a handful of fresh cubed ice into a short glass. Top with the ginger beer (do not add the ginger beer to your mixing glass) and stir gently a few times. Garnish with a lemon peel or dehydrated lemon slice for that festive look.
Have fun with your cocktails and push the boundaries by including the wide range of flavors that are possible in craft spirits and craft beer. There are many books that delve into the subject, including Jacob Grier’s Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer, and Dave Arnold’s Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail, to name just two.
Or, in our own Craft Beer & Brewing archives, check out Cramambull: Don’t Knock the Nog, Wassailing Through the Holidays, or 4 Beer Cocktails to Bring in the New Year.
Cheers to surviving the holidays, one sip at a time!