If ya haven't heard, the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is tomorrow at the Edmonton Expo Centre. I know I don't have to tell you, but if you are at all interested in beer and/or beer related activities, I strongly suggest you come and sample some of Edmonton and Alberta's finest brews. You might even see me there!
In stride with our lovely little local event, today's Thirsty Thursday is all about beer cocktails. With the selection of beer growing wider and wider every day, even the non-beer drinker (truly, these creatures deserve our pity) should be able to find something to their liking.
If you're looking for a simple way to change up your beer experience with an extra ingredient, check out the Black and Tan (Stout and pale ale for those who'd hate to ruin a good beer cocktail with anything other than beer), the Shandy (a mixture of beer and juice or soft drink), the Snakebite (A dangerously delicious decoction of beer and cider, once again from our beer loving friends in the UK), or the Black Velvet (Stout and champagne, if you're feeling extra fancy). If you're in the mood for something a little more complex there are favourites like the Mexican Bulldog (Usually a comically large frozen margarita style drink with a bottoms up bottle of Corona installed in the glass), or the Red Eye (A supposed hangover cure featuring vodka, lager, and tomato juice, with any number of variations to spice things up). Most bars with a decent cocktail and/or beer menu will likely have their own beer cocktail offerings, so go - play.
Based on my own experience with beer cocktails, I tend to associate these lovely lacings with summertime, and so many recipes lend themselves well to warm-weathered patio drinking. Today's recipe is a concoction I came up with that I think should be suitable for the spring-summer transition, good for rain or shine. I've used local brewer, Alley Kat Brewing Co.'s Main Squeeze grapefruit beer, but their extra hoppy limited edition Full Squeeze variation would work well if you love hops. I'm not personally big on hops myself, but I reckon any old IPA would do nicely in the drink as well, but enough abou that! It's a little bitter and scotch-y; it may not be for everyone, but if it looks like something that might tickle your fancy, brace your fancy for what I'm tentatively, yet unabashedly calling:
The Tickle Monster
- 3/4 oz blended scotch
- 1/2 oz Campari
- 3/4 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz grapefruit juice
- 8-10 oz grapefruit beer (Alley Kat Brewing Co. has TWO of these)
- grapefruit garnish, grill with some honey for best effect
Fill a shaker with ice, and add your non-beer liquid ingredients. Hold it up and the air and shake it like the tickler you fear most has your precious little piggies at the mercy of their diabolical digits. Strain into your biggest beer glass, and top with your favourite grapefruit beer. If you don't have one, see above ingredient list. If you have the time, grill up some grapefruit wheels with a little honey and garnish with those. Then with great conviction, I bid you to announce the coming of the great and terrible Tickle Monster to your willing victim. "HERE COMES THE TICKLE MONSTER!" will do.