Drinks

The Boilermaker Revisited

Makes 1

Bourbon and beer get the craft cocktail treatment

by Hanna Raskin

Oct/Nov 2011

photo: Jack Thompson

Anvil Bar & Refuge bartender Alex Gregg wanted to update a boilermaker for the Houston bar’s menu of Southern-inspired cocktails. “You can’t get more Southern than a shot of whiskey and a beer,” says Gregg, whose Rooster Cogburn puts an elegant spin on the beer cocktail. Texas gets a shout-out with a simple syrup made from Lone Star lager, while traditional cane syrup gives the drink its richness and an egg adds “luxurious body.”

Ingredients

The Rooster  Cogburn
- 1 1/2 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon
- 2 oz. “hoppy” IPA
- 1/2 oz. lager syrup (recipe below)
- 1 tsp. Steen's cane syrup
- 1 whole egg
Lager Syrup
- 2 12-oz. bottles lager beer (Gregg uses Lone Star)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake for several minutes until the egg is incorporated and the mixture is nice and frothy. Strain into a tall collins glass with no ice. If desired, garnish with a  little bourbon in half an eggshell and a bourbon-macerated cherry.

For the syrup:

In a deep saucepan over medium-high heat, add the beer and reduce by half, taking care not to let it bubble over. Stir in sugar and mix until it dissolves.  Allow to cool.

Cocktail recipe from Alex Gregg of Anvil and Refuge in Houston, Texas