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Martinis, make way for 'beertails'

By JANET K. KEELER
Published June 29, 2005

In a famous episode of The Bob Newhart Show, the one in which Newhart was a psychologist in Chicago and not an innkeeper in Vermont, the star discovered something about mixing beer and booze.

The episode was called "Freudian Ship," and Newhart learned that one beer and a shot of whiskey is a boilermaker, but more than that is not a good idea.

Trendy beer cocktails may be starting to rival fruity 'tinis. Anheuser-Busch has recently published a booklet of drink concoctions that pair beer with such ingredients as peach schnapps, Grenadine, creme de menthe, strawberry daiquiri mix, vanilla vodka and Jagermeister. Of course, not all at the same time.

For a generation that likes its vodka with vanilla and rum with coconut, playing with beer is the next likely step.

But "beertails" have been around for ages. A shandy, beer lightened with ginger ale or lemonade, dates to 17th century England. A similar drink, called alster wasser, is enjoyed in Germany, a country that begat an entire month of beer celebrations.

Here are some beertail suggestions from Anheuser-Busch and www.thatsthespirit.com:

BEER BLOODY MARY: Mix beer and tomato juice, half and half. Add a dash of Tabasco and a dash of Worcestershire. Over ice.

RED EYE: Add a shot of tomato juice to any ale or lager (this cocktail is also known as Tomato Beer or a Red Rooster). If you add a splash of Tabasco, the drink becomes a Ruddy Mary. Serve straight up.

BEE STING: Dark beer and orange juice. Serve over ice or straight up, your choice.

CARIBBEAN NIGHT: Beer and an ounce of coffee liqueur. Serve over ice.

SOUTH WIND: Beer with a shot of melon liqueur. Serve straight up.

PASSION TWIST: Light beer, 2 1/2 ounces passionfruit juice, 2 ounces ginger ale, 1 1/2 ounce simple syrup. Serve over ice.

METROPOLITAN: Light beer, 1/2 ounce Blue Curacao, 1/2 ounce Grenadine. Serve straight up.

IGUANA: Light beer, 1 ounce Midori, 1 to 2 ounces Galliano, 1 to 2 dashes bitters. Mix Galliano and bitters with ice in a cocktail shaker. Add beer and mix gently with the other ingredients. Strain and pour into a short pilsner glass. Pour Midori down the side of the glass to layer. Serve straight up.

BEER TOP: Beer and 7-Up. Fill glass mostly with beer and top with a few ounces of soda. Serve straight up.

Janet K. Keeler can be reached at 727 893-8586 or krieta@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 28, 2005, 09:33:26]