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All posts by Ashley V Routson

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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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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Honey Basil Beer Julep

Posted by Ashley V Routson on August 13, 2012
Posted in: Ales, Bourbon, Other, Search by Spirit. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 comment

One thing many classic cocktails share in common is simplicity — less than four or five ingredients, little fuss, and lots of flavor. Case and point: The Mint Julep — Sugar, Bourbon and Mint. Simple, yet very flavorful.

As with many recipes, ingredient substitutions can lead to exciting new twists on classic cocktails. For my beeralicious twist on the Mint Julep, I opted to use honey syrup instead of sugar and basil instead of mint. The final touch was a shot of fizz and flavor from Bison Brewing’s Honey Basil Ale — a virtually hopless organic beer with a beautiful golden amber hue.

 

Tasting Notes: Sweet honey and herbaceous basil meld together with soft vanilla and toasted oak Bourbon flavors in this refreshingly carbonated beer-inspired twist on the classic Mint Julep. Continue Reading

Tales of the Cocktail Presents BEERTAILS Seminar

Posted by Ashley V Routson on June 26, 2012
Posted in: Events. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

As the world’s largest cocktail festival, Tales of the Cocktail® is by far the best event in the world for both spirits industry professionals and cocktail enthusiasts. For five days straight, the most respected minds in mixology converge in the city of New Orleans for a seemingly endless stream of cocktails, cuisine and culture.

In addition to being the biggest cocktail party in the world, Tales boasts an event schedule of seminars, dinners, competitions and tasting rooms where brands showcase their latest products. I’m thrilled to announce that this year, Tales is featuring a seminar on a topic near and dear to my heart…. beer cocktails! Continue Reading

Liquid Pie

Posted by Ashley V Routson on June 6, 2012
Posted in: Bourbon, Lagers. Tagged: , , , , , , . 3 comments

I’m beginning to think that naming beer cocktails is harder than actually coming up with recipes. I’ve been sitting on this recipe for over a week, trying to find a perfect name that best captures its essence. I came up with the name Liquid Pie… here is why:

This recipe was inspired by fresh blackberries and blueberries, both of which are coming into season. I’m a huge fan of berries and Bourbon. Vanilla, oak, and caramelized flavors from the Bourbon paired with the juicy, tart and fruity flavors of the berries form a flavor combination very reminiscent of pie. My Bourbon of choice is Breaking & Entering from my local distillery and beer mixology partner in crime, St. George Spirits. Continue Reading

Honey Basil Ale Gin Fizz

Posted by Ashley V Routson on May 10, 2012
Posted in: Ales, Gin, Other. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 7 comments

Spring is upon us with a plethora of sunshine and warmth, demanding a new focus on more refreshing and bright beer cocktails. One of my favorite warm weather sippers has always been the gin fizz — bright, citrusy and effervescent. My rule of thumb with beer cocktails is: any drink that calls for soda water, tonic or juice can easily be substituted with beer. Case and point: The Gin Fizz.

This cocktail is loosely based on the Silver Gin Fizz, which calls for gin, citrus, sugar, egg whites and soda water. Inspired by Bison Brewing’s Honey Basil Ale, I chose to shake “spanked” basil with honey, fresh lemon juice, lime juice, egg whites and one of my all time favorite gins — St. George Spirit’s Botanivore — and top the concoction with beer.

The result is a tart, fizzy cocktail with hints of caramel sweetness, notes of clover honey, and a whisper of basil. Absolutely perfect for this time of year!

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Witty Fizz

Posted by Ashley V Routson on April 20, 2012
Posted in: Belgian Ales, Gin. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

I was recently challenged to make a Belgian Wit inspired beer cocktail for an upcoming event with Maui Brewing Company. When I think of pale malt beers that boast fruity, floral and slightly spicy esters — I always gravitate towards Gin. The botanical nature of gin is an excellent match for the lighter Belgian ales, such as wits and saisons.

The recipe inspiration came from the classic “Silver Fizz” — a gin based cocktail with lemon juice, sugar, egg whites and soda water. In an effort to add more flavor, I substituted the sugar with Elderflower syrup and the soda water with Maui Brewing’s La Perouse Belgian Wit-style Ale.

In order to incorporate more botanicals into the mix, I went with one of my favorite gins, St. George Spirits Botanivore. The result is a bright and refreshing, moderately tart and slight floral beer cocktail perfect for the hot spring and summer months. Continue Reading

The Fire Walker

Posted by Ashley V Routson on April 4, 2012
Posted in: Ales, Bourbon, Porter/ Stouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Mike Condie

This past weekend I had the honor of mixing a beer cocktail for Firestone Walker’s “From the Barrel” event at the Santa Margarita Ranch. The entire event was centered around beverages that hail from a barrel — specifically Bourbon, Port and barrel-aged beers.

I was challenged to mix a cocktail with one of Firestone Walker’s delicious ales, as well as Bourbon. To best compliment the vanilla and toasted oak flavors in the Bourbon, I opted to use Walker’s Reserve — a robust porter boasting rich flavors of toffee, caramel and bittersweet chocolate.

In my mind, nothing pairs better with chocolate and vanilla flavors like berries. For this particular cocktail, I chose to use blackberries (quite possibly my favorite of the berry family). Add touch of blood orange juice and a few dash of bitters, and you have one killer cocktail. Continue Reading