I can’t believe summer is over. Where did it go? 2020 definitely provided a different kind of summer, but we made it and here we are – it’s officially fall. Know what a great fall liquor is? It’s bourbon. A glass of a great bourbon will definitely take the chill out of your bones. However, I’m a lover of summer and not ready to dive right into fall yet. So to ease into it, I found another beer cocktail that will gently guide us into the new season.

You know who also loves summer? The bees! With everything in bloom, they work their little hearts out to pollenate everything and keep our planet alive. They also provide us with delicious honey! So what if the bees decided they liked drinking bourbon and beer? Well then you might imagine they would drink the beverage I’m about to describe.

This drink is a honey bourbon beer cocktail. It combines lemon juice, honey, a light beer like a lager or a pilsner, and delicious bourbon. Like the article I found mentions, beer cocktails should be simple. Too many ingredients can just ruin whatever flavor the beer was bringing to the table. This simple yet tasty cocktail is a perfect concoction for the beer and bourbon lover combined.

I made this recipe following the exact instructions the first time. For me, the beer overpowered the flavor of the honey and bourbon this way. So for my second try, I decided to use a shorter cocktail glass plus a little more honey and lemon than the recipe called for. This version was perfection in a glass. The bourbon, honey, lemon and beer complimented each other nicely without one flavor overpowering the other. I tried the recipe with two different beers as well, the Pinkus Mueller pilsner and the Samuel Smith organic lager. I liked the flavor of the pilsner better than the lager, which to my taste buds made it seem just a little too bitter.

So while I know we are saying goodbye to summer for now, you can easily slip into fall with this bourbon beer cocktail. Baby steps people, it will help the transition. 

Bourbon in the Hive

4 ounces bourbon

2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon

2 teaspoons of honey

4 dashes of bitters

12 ounces of beer (lager or pilsner)

Lemon twist for a garnish

Combine bourbon, lemon juice, honey and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice to top of the mixture. Shake will until the honey is dissolved (about 20-30 seconds should do).

Fill two cocktail glasses with ice. Strain cocktail shaker between the two glasses. Top with the beer in each glass. Add the lemon twist for the garnish. Drink in good company after a friendly toast while making eye contact. Cheers!

Link to the original article/recipe: https://www.bourbonandhoney.com/bourbon-honey-beer-cocktail/