In preparing the new beer list for beerbistro, the second in only three months for the fledgling Toronto restaurant and bar, I decided to introduce a page of beer cocktails. I was taking my cue from scores of French beer bars, almost all of which feature at least a limited selection of beer cocktails, but my challenge was to expand the bar's range beyond the predictable.
Turns out it was all quite delicious fun. Eating criticism I expressed several years ago when the now-defunct Celis Brewery introduced a similar idea, I added one part fresh orange juice to three parts Blanche de Chambly and produced a refreshing Orange de Chambly. (It's still not something I would personally order, but I have to admit that it was significantly better than I expected.) Taking a hint from a local brewer, I topped 341 ml of coffee bean-flavoured porter with about 160 ml of porter brewed with a portion of peated malt and created a Coffee and a Smoke. And going with my gut, I added a shot of Cuban amber rum to a 300 ml glass of a fruity-bitter ale called Sergeant Major IPA, and named the tasty result the Drill Sergeant.
For me, these experiments in draught tap alchemy served as a reminder that beer is indeed a food, and like any quality ingredient, it can be both marvellous on its own and differently delicious in concert with other flavours. Oh, and as for the ultimate in my beer cocktail experiments, that will be revealed shortly in an upcoming issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. If you can't find it on the newstands where you live, keep an eye on the 'Vinecuttings' section of their website at www.winemag.com, or check back here in a month or two when I promise to post the recipe.
We're very interested in your news, notes, comments and questions, so please feel free to contact SBWoB by clicking on the link below. Or you can add your comments when you sign up for the World of Beer Update, a mid-month e-mail newsletter that brings even more of the world of beer to your computer.
