September 2024 163
6 Perfect Cocktails to Elevate Your Tailgating Game This Season
Tailgating season is here.
Football fans are primed for gametime, and working on their favorite recipes for chili or wings. But while planning their dishes and transporting all that food, it’s also time to work on cocktails perfect for the occasion.
Bleacher Tea at Mordecai in Chicago.
At Mordecai in Chicago, the Bleacher Tea features bourbon, Montenegro, Earl Grey, lemon, white balsamic shrub, and sassafras. “The name Bleacher Tea is a nod to the bleachers at Wrigley Field, located right across from Mordecai in Chicago. This bourbon cocktail is delightfully fizzy, complex, and refreshing with earthy notes thanks to the white balsamic shrub and sassafras intending to inspire memories associated with baseball,” said Rena Long, Bar Manager at Mordecai.
Breakfast of Champions at Bar Stillwell at Loews Kansas City.
At Bar Stillwell at Loews Kansas City, this cocktail is made with Bloody Mary mix, Modelo Especial, Tajin rim and a fresh lemon. The cocktail was created by bartender and Chiefs fan, Anne Mercer, who wanted to make something in the classic Chiefs red and the perfect tailgate drink. “What a great way to start the season, and who doesn’t want to be a champion? Go Chiefs!” said Mercer.
Ray’s Lake Hour Frozen Rita at Ray’s Bar in New York City.
Ray’s Bar in New York City teamed up with Lake Hour, the canned cocktail brand by actor Wyatt Russell and producer Richard Peete to create Ray’s Lake Hour Frozen Rita. This cocktail is perfect for tailgating and pairs Lake Hour with a frozen mezcal margarita. “The Lake Hour-a-Rita at Ray’s in New York City is all about sharing good times. With its icy punch and bold flavor, it’s a hit. Special thanks to Carlos and Anna for the inspiration, Sweeney for the flavor combos (like the smoky Mezcal Mango Margarita and Watermelon Cucumber Lake Hour combo), Jack & Cousin Tommy for the vibes and Ben, Dylan & co. for serving them frosty. Matt Charles & Wyatt Russell are still tied for most Lake Hour-a-Rita’s drank in one night,” said Richard Peete, co-founder of Lake Hour.
Spiced Cherry Rum Runner at Rusty’s Lakeside Pub in Glasgow, Kentucky.
At Rusty’s Lakeside Pub in Glasgow, Kentucky, this cocktail is made with dark rum and fresh lime blended with Make & Muddle’s Spiced Cherry Vanilla and seltzer. “Cherry and lime go together like peanut butter and jelly! Adding rum to the mix takes this from a cocktail to a party!” said Jennifer Brian of Make & Muddle.
El Diablo at St. Paul Grill in St. Paul, Minnesota.
At St. Paul Grill in St. Paul, Minnesota, this cocktail is made with Codigo Tequila Blanco, Vida Mezcal, ginger syrup, Jamaican bitters, club soda, Creme de Cassis Float, and flamed rosemary garnish. “Get ready to elevate your tailgating game with a drink that’s as bold as your team spirit! This sweet, smoky highball, crafted with a winning combination of Tequila and Mezcal, is the perfect companion for those pre-game celebrations. The ginger and citrus add a refreshing kick that will keep you coming back for more. As you sip, the flavors build, just like the excitement before kickoff, leaving you with a smoky, fiery, yet sweet finish that’s as satisfying as a game-winning touchdown. Cheers to a drink that scores big at your next tailgate!” said Jacob Zimmerman, bartender.
Lion’s Tail at St. Paul Grill in St. Paul.
Also at St. Paul Grill in St. Paul, this cocktail is made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, allspice, lime juice, Luxardo liqueur, Angostura Bitters, and flamed cinnamon stick garnish. “Add a touch of nostalgia to your tailgate with this savory cocktail, a timeless classic that’s evolved from its Prohibition-era roots. With a slightly burnt cinnamon stick, it brings back memories of holidays at Grandma’s house, where the flavors of Christmas and Thanksgiving filled the air. This drink isn’t just about savoring the moment; it’s about reliving those warm, festive gatherings right at your tailgate. Perfect for sharing with friends before the big game, it’s a cocktail that blends tradition with tailgating in the most delicious way,” said Wesley Winfield, bartender.
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Savoring Elegance: Unveiling Benriach 50, The Distillery’s Oldest and Most Exclusive Scotch Release
Distilled in 1966, this is the oldest scotch release ever from the famed Speyside distillery.
Earlier this summer we tipped you off to the news that Benriach, the celebrated Speyside producer, would be releasing its oldest and most exclusive expression to date: a precious bottling of single malt collected from a single cask that was originally filled all the way back in the 1960s. Now that it’s available on shelves, we’ve scored a taste of the juice and can happily report that it’s high on the list of best whiskies we’ve sipped all year. Here’s what it tastes like and how you can hope to score a bottle of the $25,000 liquid.
The Benriach 50 is an entirely unpeated malt that was laid into barrel on September 21st, 1966. It spent the entirety of its maturation in bourbon cask 2383. Over the ensuing decades, the auspicious cooperage sat patiently in the distillery’s Speyside warehouse imbuing all sorts of rich and over-ripened fruit into the whiskey within.
These specific characteristics aren’t at all out of the ordinary for the mark. Indeed, when it comes to house style, Benriach’s unpeated whiskies are admired for their rich fruitiness. But there’s something almost supernaturally synergistic about the way this particular cask enhanced its charge. The hand-in-glove between barrel and distillate is remarkable.
From the moment it’s poured, the distinctive 89-proof malt begins its sensory journey. It releases aromas of honey-soaked dates and sweetened cherries that fill the air. Upon tasting, a luxuriously smooth texture delivers these flavors, smoothly introducing notes of grapefruit zest with a bittersweet edge. Enjoy the lively taste as it gracefully fades into a long finish adorned with spiced, candied fruits.
As you savor each sip, it becomes evident that the timing of retrieval from the barrel was impeccably chosen. A delay could have disrupted its graceful equilibrium. With master blender Rachel Barrie at the helm, attributing the whisky’s balance and character to mere coincidence is unthinkable.
Rachel Barrie, a renowned figure in the Scotch whisky industry, commands the creation of spirits at Benriach. Although her tenure began only in 2017, her profound influence ensures that the 126-year-old distillery continues to excel in a contemporary setting, perhaps marking this creation as her definitive work.
Barrie asserts, “The Benriach 1966 Cask Aged 50 Years stands as our crowning achievement. Our craftsmanship in flavor cultivation is a legacy of our extensive history with a varied selection of international casks. Through our imaginative and investigative approach to whisky production, decades of experience have refined our capability to identify truly exceptional casks. This defines our artistry.”
And Barrie’s contribution is just one of many in its creation. The venerable fifty-year-old Benriach is elegantly encased in a crystal decanter, meticulously shaped by the renowned Scottish glass studio, Glasstorm. It is presented in an artfully crafted box designed by master craftsman John Galvin, taking inspiration from the varied collection of casks within Benriach’s traditional dunnage warehouses.
Here comes the challenging part: acquiring one of these bottles. The Benriach 50 was initially released in Asia in May 2024 and has gradually become available worldwide, with merely four bottles making it to the U.S. markets this summer. Chances are slim that you’ll find this rare item on the shelves of your local liquor store. The most effective strategy might be directly contacting Benriach to connect with their private client team.
While waiting, you might consider the Benriach 25, which showcases much of the signature style of the house. It benefits from aging in a mix of sherry casks, bourbon barrels, virgin oak casks, and Madeira wine casks. Priced at $360 a bottle, this is a more accessible option for savoring a well-aged single malt, unlike its $25,000 senior counterpart.
Benriach 50 is a contemporary work of art, crafted over half a century.
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Exploring Esters: Understanding Their Role in Home-Brewed Beer
When assessing a beer’s quality, home-brewers will often speak of esters. But what exactly are esters, you may wonder. Esters are the fruity sweet aroma you experience when selecting the ripest carton of strawberries, for example. In beer, esters are created during fermentation when alcohol reacts with organic acids to create fruity aromas — though they can also be introduced by adding fruit to the brew.
Esters are naturally present in flowers and fruits, and chemically derived esters are used in flavorings and aromas in many foods and household products. That lemon-scented dish detergent you just used likely got its pleasant smell from esters. And the delightful aromas in esters are an all-important component for some styles of beer.
Perhaps you want to make the perfect beer to bring to a barbecue that’ll pair well with everything. Or you want to make a strong lager for some grilled mesquite beer brats. No matter what your plans, be forewarned: When brewing beer, esters can be a blessing or a curse depending on the style you intend to make.
Read more: 10 Of The Healthiest Beers You Can Drink
Introducing esters into beer without the use of fruits is a deliberate decision in crafting specific beer types such as German wheat beers, hefeweizens, Belgian pale ales, English bitters, and strong lagers. When produced, esters impart flavors and aromas perceived by beer experts and enthusiasts as citrus, fruity, or reminiscent of banana, pear, apple, and even bubble gum. These characteristics are integral and expected in these beer varietals.
However, esters in home brewing need careful management to avoid undesirable tastes. Flavors akin to solvents, plastics, heavy perfumes, or acetone can result, which are generally unpleasant. Moreover, while fruity tastes might enhance some beer styles, they are inappropriate and unwanted in others; for instance, an American pilsner should not exhibit such sweet or fruity notes.
Brewing is both a craft and a science. The American Homebrewers Association explains that ester production can be influenced by wort composition, choice of yeast, and the conditions under which fermentation occurs. For instance, ester formation tends to decrease using tall, narrow fermenting vessels, while broader, shallower vessels promote higher ester production.
The production of fermented drinks like wine, hard ciders, spirits, and beer starts from a sugary substance; grape juice for wine, apple juice for cider, and wort for beer. Wort is a highly sweetened liquid extracted from grains, and it feeds the yeast during fermentation to produce carbon dioxide, flavors, and alcohol. Managing sugar levels, zinc, and specific acids in the wort can manipulate ester levels. Factors such as oxygen and lipids can also affect ester formation, thus the selection of malts, yeast, and hops is crucial for ester control.
There are thousands of yeast strains though not all are commercially available. Some yeast strains produce more esters than others. So, if you’re making a wheat beer, you probably want to choose one with high ester-producing characteristics. Your home-brew supplier should be able to guide you to the appropriate ingredients to use for the style you want to brew. And don’t forget, when brewing your own beer, sanitation is key.
Read the original article on The Daily Meal.