The Iron Mule

Posted by Tatiana Peavey on March 14, 2013
Posted in: Ales, Other, Vodka. Tagged: , . Leave a Comment

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In honor of both Iron Maiden releasing their own beer this week and it’s name sake being my favorite dive bar in Orange County I present to you my version of the M

oscow Mule. With history steeped in the British colonial presence in India, Crabbies Scottish Ginger Beer has been brewed since the early 1800′s and enjoyed world wide! They suggest drinking this ale over ice, but I took it to the next level with a little bit of vodka and some fresh ingredients.

Simple and refreshing, this cocktail can be premade in a pitcher and enjoyed during the warm days to come! Continue Reading

Smokin’ Hops

Posted by Ashley V Routson on February 21, 2013
Posted in: India Pale Ale, Other, Tequila. Leave a Comment

Smokin' HopsBitter, sour, spicy, sweet and smokey — Smokin’ Hops was designed for those of us that like to live life on the edge.

Mezcal fills the mouth and nose with hints of smoke, while fresh serrano chiles tingle the tongue. The mouth slightly puckers from the combination of fresh lemon and hop bitterness. And then all is calmed by the crisp and refreshing carbonation of the beer.

Smoky and bitter with a hint of heat and slight tartness, this cocktail is both warming and refreshing. It will warm you up in the winter, and add a little kick to your routine in the summer. Smokin’ Hops is a perfect match for anything off the grill — especially smoked meats.

And beware, this drink will bite you.

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Naughty & Nice Spiced Apple Shandy

Posted by Ashley V Routson on September 28, 2012
Posted in: Belgian Ales, Wheat. Leave a Comment

This seductively spicy twist on the classic shandy comes to us from guest beer mixologist Derek Elefson of Cincinnati, OH.

Derek is a cocktail enthusiast at heart and flavored Alcoholic Beverage Trends expert. He is also the “Designr” of Flavored Beverages and the Director of Alcoholic Beverages at Givaudan.

Dereke’s “Naughty or Nice” beer cocktail balances honey weiss with hot chili pepper (naughty) and warm brown cinnamon notes (nice) with apple and maple for mid-ground balance. A perfect option for Fall or early Winter that is not pumpkin!!

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Grow a Pear

Posted by nicolebarker on September 24, 2012
Posted in: Porter/ Stouts, Whiskey. Tagged: , , , , , , . 1 comment

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I tend to drink more in the fall. Maybe it’s the looming of my upcoming birthday, maybe it’s the slight chill in the air, hell, maybe it’s the pheromones in the air. For whatever reason, I enjoy throwing more than a couple back in September. The shift of season brings on richer, more full bodied cocktails with wonderfully rich spices and deviant amounts of booze… Just my style.

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BBQ Bloody Mary (with beer)

Posted by Ashley V Routson on September 10, 2012
Posted in: Other, Porter/ Stouts, Tequila. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 comment

The Bloody Mary has to be one of the most versatile cocktails out there – but very few people have the audacity to alter it much from its vodka roots. As it were, I am the queen of bastardizing classic cocktails. I love switching out the vodka for other spirits – especially tequila. And I also love adding beer.

This weekend, I found myself craving a Bloody Mary (with beer, naturally!) – but I didn’t have tequila in the house (insert sad face). But, I did have some Mezcal – which got the brain ticking. Why not mix-up a smoky almost BBQ-like Bloody Mary with the Mezcal?

But in order to get that straight off the grill, molasses BBQ flavor really narrowed down – I decided to use a stout in the recipe. The result? A bad-ass Bloody Mary hybrid worthy of being garnished with a slice of bacon. In fact, you better garnish this baby with bacon – if you truly want a flavor orgasm in your mouth!!! Continue Reading

Witty Gin Fizz (Video)

Posted by Ashley V Routson on August 24, 2012
Posted in: Belgian Ales, Wheat. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

Thanks to my awesome and ever-talented videographer, Chris Eldridge, some of my beer cocktail recipes have been turned into videos! My super cool co-host and partner in crime for this new and educational video series is Jerry James Stone — a social media rockstar, killer home chef and champion of sustainability (amongst many things).

This particular video is for the “Witty Gin Fizz” — a beer cocktail inspired by the classic gin fiz. In lieu of soda water, we chose to use a Belgian Wit style beer. The result is super tasty and oh-so-refreshing!

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