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Saint Arnold’s Homefront IPA debuts today
Houston’s Saint Arnold Brewing Company releases a special patriotic single-batch beer today, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
The Homefront IPA is described in the press release as “a drinkable West Coast IPA. It pours a golden amber with a big white head. It has a big citrusy nose with a slight note of fresh oranges. It is malty and sweet up front with a lighter body than might be expected. The hop bitter, orange peel and hop flavor seem to all kick in at the finish.”
100 percent of the proceeds benefit Operation Homefront, a “charity that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of U.S. service members and wounded warriors.”
The brewery expects strong demand for the limited release (40,000 22-oz. bottles), so get ready for the usual Saint Arnold special brew hunt.
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Where to get adult milkshakes in Austin
Today in print, we ran an Associated Press story about the virtues of milkshakes for the 21 and up crowd.
Amy’s has long played with beer and spirits in their ice creams (like the new Big Lebowski inspired concoction The Dude, which is a spin on the White Russian cocktail). But we also have a handful of bars in Austin that blend alcohol and ice cream in the adult milkshake format as well. To begin your boozy dessert education, try one of these three delights:
Peche’s house adult milkshake fittingly features absinthe (it is an absinthe bar after all), buffered by house-made vanilla ice cream, and Luxardo Cherry liqueur.
The Alamo Drafthouse mixes the best of both worlds with their (512) Pecan Porter shake. Last time I enjoyed one of this in the chill of the theater, the creamy concoction was littered with pecans, bringing out the base ingredient of one of Austin’s favorite local brews.
Star Bar’s Southern Gentleman features Bulleit bourbon, sea salt, caramel and vanilla ice cream. Although I haven’t tried one yet, the bar touts that it pairs well with Yume Burger, the Japanese burger trailer from the brains behind Peached Tortilla, which I think sounds like an absolutely fantastic idea.
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Jester King Craft Brewery gets organic certification
Jester King Craft Brewery is pushing the envelope on what it means to be a Texas craft beer. Again.
This time, the brewery has announced they received certified organic producer status from the Texas Department of Agriculture. They claim to be not only the first, but the only Texas beer brewery to have organic certification (Texas Sake Company was the first “brewery,” to be certified organic in Texas. Beer and sake are both brewed.)
Jester King’s Ron Extract, (who was also featured in this week’s episode of Booze a la Cart) says that they’ve been using organic ingredients since they began brewing, when it has been possible to do so “without detrimentally affecting the quality of our beers.”
The base malt for most of the beers (Weyermann Organic Pilsner Malt) is organic, and the brewery continues to increase the amount of organic ingredients in their products as availability grows. Right now the majority of the beers use 100% organic malt.
“If there are any instances where the organic ingredients will make beer that isn’t as good, we’re not going to use them,” Extract said. “But if the quality of the organic ingredient is as good or better than their conventionally grown counterparts, even if the cost is a bit higher, we’re going to go with that to try make the best beer that we can in a way that we feel is also conscientious.”
Right now, the hop varieties being used are not certified organic (hops are on the National Organic Program list of ingredients not required to be organic in order for the final beer to get certified, which will remain in effect until 2013). The brewery is testing new organic hops against their current selections, to ensure that the transition to organic hops doesn’t affect quality.
The first certified beer to be released will be the Drink’in the Sunbelt Hoppy Wheat Beer. The rest of their beers, with the exception of the Black Metal Farmhouse, will also be released with the certified organic label as soon as the current stock of labels depletes.
The Black Metal Farmhouse Imperial Stout will be labeled “Made with Organic Ingredients” because the brew uses a small amount of non-organic specialty malt, making it 70% organic.
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Booze a la Cart: Flip Happy Crepes and Jester King Craft Brewery
My jaw dropped a little when Ron Extract and Michael Steffing of Jester King Craft Brewery showed up at Flip Happy Crepes with a bucket full of 750mL bottles of beer on ice.
I had been warned that they wanted to bring along one of each expression, but the sight of so many large format craft brews in one bucket made me salivate a bit more than I had originally anticipated.
The Jester King team chose to visit Flip Happy Crepes because crepes “are a French delicacy that originated from the same country that our primary yeast strain came from. Our farmhouse yeast strain is from a French farmhouse. We use it to ferment all of our beer.”
Flip Happy offers a variety of both savory and sweet crepes, and out of the four we tried, not a single one missed the mark. Each crepe provided a satisfactory balance of sweet, spicy, savory and salty. The flavors were honest and fresh. For the tasting, we opted for three savory crepes: the tarragon mushroom crepe stuffed with warm goat cheese, caramelized onions, fresh crunchy spinach, tomato, and chives, one gooey ham and gruyere cheese with a snappy sprinkling of green onions, and the special spice-fueled, shredded Moroccan chicken and vegetable.
For the sweet side, we decided to keep it simple with one crepe, the delicate lemon curd with tart blueberry dressing.
For the beers, both Extract and Steffing suggested beginning with the Le Petit Prince, which is the brewery’s “table beer.” Extract explained that a table beer originated as a beverage “that was safe to drink when water wasn’t necessarily safe. It was consumed with all meals. Consumed by everyone in the family including children.” At 2.9 percent ABV, it’s one of the lowest proof beers I have tasted, and by itself I was skeptical that the it would stand up to any of the crepes we ordered, which all seemed to host creamy sauces, elaborate spices and cheese.
Luckily, with the exception of one pairing that didn’t work, I was dead wrong about Le Petit Prince’s ability to accompany food. The boldly herbal and creamy tarragon mushroom crepe was the only one that overpowered the mild table beer. Check out the video above for more details on what worked well with the Petite Prince, and why.
The next brew we passed around was the Noble King, “which uses essentially the same ingredients as the Petite Price, but is brewed at roughly twice the strength, twice the concentration overall and uses more hops, which brings out some different flavors,” Extract said. Both Extract and Steffing agreed that the Noble King is likely the brewery’s most versatile beer, and the best one for food pairing because of it’s remarkable balance between hops and malts. Both are subtle enough flavors in the beer itself, but big enough to be able to match food in many cases.
As predicated, the Noble King worked remarkably well with each crepe. With the earthy tarragon mushroom, the funky goat cheese and mushroom umami brought out the yeast characteristics, whereas when paired with the moroccan chicken, the exotic spice and hops became more prominent. With the Noble King, my favorite match was the ham and gruyere crepe. The beer drew out the sweetness in the ham in a delightful way.
Since the duo brought one of each of the brewery’s portfolio, we sampled a couple of other quick bites and brews, but nothing seemed to work as well as the first two. Boxer’s Revenge barrel-aged wild ale packed too much of a punch to play well with any of the crepes, and Mad Meg Provision Ale didn’t offend, but also didn’t compliment any of the crepes due to it’s higher alcohol percentage.
The beer that made the biggest impression was their collaboration brew with the Danish gypsy brewers Mikkeller that debuted last month, Beer Geek Rodeo. The limited availability beer is an imperial oatmeal stout brewed with smoked malt, chipotle peppers and Vietnamese coffee. I was so pleased to find that unlike many other chili-pepper or coffee based beers out there right now, the Beer Geek Rodeo employed both ingredients in a nuanced and subtle way. No single flavor jumped out and dominated the mix. My throat didn’t burn from chili heat, nor did I get wired from an intense java profile. Instead, the coffee and smoky chipotle weaved softly throughout the liquid, which was mellowed and sweetened with oatmeal and heavy malt.
All three of us had our doubts about which crepes the Beer Geek would pair well with, since the flavors were not as light or easy-going as the previous beers. Much to my delight, the smoke and spice danced when paired with the Moroccan chicken, and then allowed the coffee notes to come forth when matched with the citrus-forward lemon curd dessert crepe.
While I was initially concerned that beer would dominate the delicate crepes, I found the opposite to be true. Several of the Farmhouse brews from Jester King provided the right amount of nuance and subtlety in flavors to support and compliment each one of the crepes. When pairing on your own, Extract and Steffing say the sky is the limit as to what could work or fail miserably. The point is to have fun finding different matches. And I wholeheartedly agree.
Trailer: Flip Happy Crepes
Address: 400 Josephine Street (one block behind Romeo’s restaurant off of Barton Springs Road)
Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Credit Cards: No. Cash or credit card only.
BYOB Pairing: Light-bodied beers with subtle hop profiles, nothing with a super high ABV or overwhelmingly strong single flavor. Balanced beer will make the crepes shine. You could also go with a traditional wine pairing, in which case I would think a light, slightly floral white wine or light-bodied red would match up just fine.
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Texas breweries win medals in World Beer Cup
Four Texas breweries won medals in this year’s World Beer Cup, an international competition developed in 1996 by the Brewers Association.
Often referred to as “The Olympics of Beer Competition,” the Cup honors the top three beers in 95 categories. This year, 799 breweries from 54 countries entered 3,921 beers. Out of 2651 beers entered by American breweries, 208 brought home medals. For more statistical information, check out this PDF provided by the Brewers Association, to see how the United States placed overall in comparison to the rest of the world.
Out of those 208 winning American beers, four Texas breweries collectively brought home six medals from the competition.
Saint Arnold Brewing Company in Houston took home the largest number of awards, all for beers that were released within the last year. The Endeavour Double IPA won a silver medal in the Imperial IPA category. Pumpkinator won a silver medal in the Pumpkin Beer category and Santo won a bronze medal in the American-Style Dark Lager category.
Here’s the breakdown of Texas winners:
Category 5: Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer, 19 Entries
Gold: Turnip the Beets, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: Saint Arnold Pumpkinator, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: The Great Pumpkin, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 46: American-Style Dark Lager, 18 Entries
Gold: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI
Silver: Shiner Bock, The Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX
Bronze: Santo, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Category 49: German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style Altbier, 29 Entries
Gold: Alt-eration, Hops & Grain Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Rhine Heights, Vintage Brewing Co., Madison, WI
Bronze: Real McCoy Amber, Mammoth Brewing Co., Mammoth Lakes, CA
Category 54: South German-Style Weizenbock/Weissbock, 20 Entries
Gold: Brauerei Michael Plank Heller Weizenbock, Brauerei Michael Plank, Laaber, Germany
Silver: Live Oak Primus, Live Oak Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Bronze: Rhaner Lilly Bock, Rhanerbräu, Schönthal, Germany
Category 89: Imperial India Pale Ale, 93 Entries
Gold: Poor Man’s IPA, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Saint Arnold Endeavour, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: Palate Wrecker, Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
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Tips on finding quality tequila from local experts
As the tequila industry grows both in Mexico and stateside, it’s a good time to look into the ways production technologies are evolving and adapting to both an abundance of agave in the fields of Mexico, and the increasing demand from the states, and how that might be affecting the tequila itself.
That’s just what I did in this Wednesday’s story on the tequila industry, which you can read here.
With so many new brands surfacing on the U.S. market, navigating the glut on liquor store shelves can be dizzying based on marketing strategies alone. So how does one research tequila to discover which ones are worth drinking?
To begin with, always look for 100 percent agave tequila. By law, tequila must be composed of at least 51 percent blue weber agave. Tequilas that are not labeled 100 percent agave will be composed of 51 percent blue weber agave. The other 49 percent can be any other base spirit. It can be distilled sugar cane, beets or neutral grain spirits, for example. This division of ingredients will strip the final product of a significant amount of it’s natural agave flavor.
Here is some additional advice from some of the tequila aficionados and experts I spoke with for the story.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
David Suro-Piñera, the owner of Siembra Azul tequila and President of the Tequila Interchange Project says that research is key to finding quality products. “Ask the people who know for advice. Ask the producers what type of processes they are using, what is their sustainability philosophy, their biodiversity view, what is their position with NOM 186? The consumer has to question. Ask more. Why are we doing what we are doing? We do that with foods and wines, so we are going in the right direction. Why not with tequila, also?”
Bobby Heugel, co-owner of Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston suggests finding out exactly where your favorite tequilas are being produced and investigating the distillery’s production practices as a good place to start. Each tequila has a NOM number printed on the bottle. Search for that NOM number in the NOM database on tequila.net to see what other brands come from the same distillery.
Along the same lines, Pepe Zevada of Z tequila (who have Austin-based business operations) warns against discriminating against large brands from the outset. “There are big brands that make very good tequila, and there are small brands that make lousy tequila. It’s all about how they process the tequila from start to finish. It’s how they take care of it.” He says it’s very important to make sure you patronize companies who are doing the process with the quality of the tequila in mind.
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE BOTTLE SAYS
Heugel also recommends supporting brands that do not advertise as “locally produced” in America, as this can be misleading. “Marketing tequila as a local product is an abusive public relations practice that is not only is invective to Mexican traditions and culture, but part of an ongoing movement that threatens the clarity of how people relate food and drink to a sense of place. Tequila is a product of Mexico, and marketing it as anything but suggests that a company is more interested in advertising fads than a quality product.”
Trey Baumgarner, president of Puro Verde tequila (whose business offices are located in College Station), says “look for tequilas made with “Estate Grown” agave. Estate grown means that we have control of the harvest and which piñas are selected. Tequila Ocho, as mentioned in the main story, adopts this practice. Casa Noble does a single barrel series.
Baumgarner also suggests supporting organic production. “To carry the USDA organic seal, or that of any comparable organic certifier, means the tequila has employed high standards in their production and best farming practices in their fields. Puro Verde tequilas are both endorsed by the USDA and certified by BioAgriCert as 100% organic tequilas, both of which require regular field and facility visits.” Republic Tequila and Dulce Vida tequila, both referenced in the main story, are also organic producers.
FIND PEOPLE IN THE KNOW, AND ASK QUESTIONS
“Patronize a small liquor store where the salespeople aren’t working on commission, or aren’t working on incentives,” says Bill Norris, beverage director for the Alamo Drafthouse. “It’s one of the reasons I love stores like the Austin Wine Merchant, because I know if I go in there to ask them a question about something I don’t know, I’m going to get an honest response. I may not agree with the response − it may be that guy’s opinion − but at the end of the day they believe in everything they sell. It’s not being stocked from somewhere else; it’s being stocked from within the building, and if they have it there’s a reason they have it.”
Edward Bradfield of Ambhar tequila suggests finding bars and bartenders around town who know and respect spirits, and taste as much as possible so you can learn which tequila styles and brands you enjoy, and which ones you don’t. Ambhar also offers a quarterly ‘tequila lab,’ which goes over the history of tequila in a four-part series, and offers tastings of many brands (in contrast to Ambhar). He also says, “look at ratings and review websites like tequila.net or Proof66.com. And review all the various distilled spirit award competitions. They are good sources of information. You can google “tequila reviews” or “tequila ratings” for review sites and “tequila award competitions” for the competitions.”
IN THE END, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO YOUR TASTES
- Lucinda Hutson, author of ‘Tequila! The Spirit of Mexico,’ encourages people to consider the context in which they want to enjoy the spirit. ‘Vodka, gin and white rum fans can use pristine tequila blanco in cocktails, while those who prefer brown spirits will delight in the nuances of oak and agave found in añejo and extra añejo tequilas. And for those who prefer a gently reposed tequila, only slightly influenced by oak, there’s nothing like a good reposado to sip and savor.’
Agave photo above by Bill Norris.
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American Craft Beer Week events in Austin
This week is American Craft Beer Week, and there are loads of sudsy events happening around town to further your craft beer education. Get out there and taste some new and special brews, and stock your cabinet with pint glasses from pint nights. Here are some of the highlights:
MONDAY
Draughthouse: Congratulate Austin Beerworks on their 1st anniversary. Buy a Missile Drop Kick Imperial IPA or Flying Head Butt Belgian Imperial IPA, get a free cheese sample paired by Antonelli’s Cheese and get an Austin Beerworks glass with Fire Eagle IPA, Pearl Snap Pils or Peacemaker Extra Pale Ale.
Ginger Man: 6 p.m. Deep Ellum IPA pint night. Trivia at 7 p.m.
The Dig Pub: Special tapping: Dogfish Head Burton Baton. DETAILS.
TUESDAY
North by Northwest: 4 p.m. Barton Kriek Special Release. This brew took home the bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival in the Belgian-style lambic/sour ale category.
Draughthouse: New Belgium Tart Lychee tapping. Get a free glass with the Lychee, Somersault, Ranger IPA or Belgo IPA.
Hopfields: 6 to 8 p.m. Alaskan Brewery Pint Night. DETAILS.
The Dig Pub: Special tapping: Great Divide 18th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA. DETAILS.
WEDNESDAY
Draughthouse: Pint Night: Deschutes Brewing showcase, cheese pairing with glassware.
Zax Pints and Plates: 5 to 7 p.m. Independence Pint Night. Enjoy the featured beer and keep the logo glass. While supplies last. DETAILS.
Hopfields: 6 p.m. until supplies last. Left Hand Brewery Vintage Bottle Night. DETAILS.
North by Northwest: Film on Tap Special Screening of “Beer Culture” NXNW will be featured in an upcoming craft beer documentary, “Crafting a Nation.” Beer trivia challenge at 7 p.m. and enjoy a special screening of “Beer Culture” from the filmmaking team behind “Crafting a Nation.”
The Dig Pub: 7 p.m. Oskar Blues Deviant Dales IPA glass night. DETAILS.
THURSDAY
Draughthouse: Sample Alaskan Amber, IPA and Summer Ale, get and glass and expertly paired cheese sample with each.
North by Northwest: AFS SXSW Community ShortCase screening at Austin Studios. Showing and discussion about short film works. Tour of Austin Studios. Meet the brewers and enjoy complimentary local beer provided by NXNW, Austin Beerworks and Live Oak Brewing. DETAILS.
Hopfields: 6-8 p.m. Special tapping: Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner. DETAILS.
The Dig Pub: 7 p.m. Austin Beerworks 1st Anniversary Flying Head Butt Belgian Imperial IPA glass night. DETAILS.
Drink.well.: 6 p.m. “Meet the brewer” event with Austin Beerworks. Flying Headbutt, the Belgian-style IPA released at their anniversary party will be tapped. The bar will also have Pearl Snap Shandy cocktails using the Austin Beerworks Pearl Snap.
FRIDAY
Draughthouse: 4 to 6 p.m. Brooklyn Brewery showcase. Pint glasses and cheese. Independence Oyster Stout, (Convict Hill with oysters added) for Firkin Friday. DETAILS.
Skinny’s Ballroom: 7 to 11:30 p.m. American Craft Beer Week Bash. DETAILS.
Whip In: Mazel Tov Kocktail Hour. Shmaltz Brewing He’Brew Hop Manna pints for $3.00, and one of the first kegs of Coney Island Albino Python tapped. Zak from Shmaltz on-hand to sample non-draft items.
SATURDAY
Draughthouse: Special tapping: Victory Brewing Braumeister Pils and Scarlet Fire.
SUNDAY
Flying Saucer: 3 to 6 p.m. Lupulust Cask and Independence Pale Ale Pint special. DETAILS.
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Cocktails for Mother’s Day
I’ve been doing a lot of hard thinking about what to do for my mom this Mother’s Day.
After mulling over all of the usual gift ideas — books, flowers, tea, scarves — I realized that all I want to do is take her out for a cocktail.
Off the bat, that might seem kind of absurd. How is picking up a tab (something she likely wouldn’t let me do anyway) sufficient enough to thank someone for sacrificing much of their life to raising and nurturing you into adulthood?
Sometimes I think the best gift you can give someone is your full attention. A few hours where you get together and turn off all the noise of the world around you, just sit and chat about things. Be together.
See, my mom lives in Chicago, which means we only get to see each other a few times a year. So when we do get together, it means a lot to both of us. Picking up the phone or sending pretty flowers doesn’t have the same significance as sipping a fancy drink while debating about all of the things wrong with The Hunger Games series, or what color purse works better for summer in Chicago versus summer in Austin.
So if you’re anything like me, but your mom lives in town, or if she’s visiting for the weekend, here are a few places you can take her to have some quality time together over a few fresh cocktails (and I’m sure flowers won’t hurt either).
I chose these particular libations based on a single criteria — they looked like drinks my mom would enjoy. She’s a fiend for low-alcohol treats, particularly those featuring Campari.
English Summer From Eleven Plates & Wine 1 oz. Pimms .75 oz. St. Germain .5 oz. simple syrup .5 oz. lemon juice Muddle the juice and liquor with a couple strawberries, cucumber cubes, and mint. Top with club soda. (Pictured above.)
Mora Americano From Sagra Trattoria and Bar 1.5 oz Plumberry black tea infused vermouth 1.5 oz Campari Sparkling water charge half orange wheel 1 blackberry chilled old-fashioned glass In a mixing glass add Campari and infused vermouth over ice. Stir with bar spoon. Strain into chilled old-fashioned glass over ice. Charge with sparkling water. Garnish with an orange slice flagged with a blackberry.
Pink Diamond From Urban American Grill 2 oz of Tito’s Vodka Splash of Pama Liqueur Topped off with Prosecco Garnished with English cucumber and blueberries.
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Booze a la Cart: Cow Bells and Malbec
While there are a handful of good burger trailers in town, not many of them are located in areas where BYOB is allowed.
Sandra Spalding, the Events and Marketing Manager for Twin Liquors joined me to check out the very promising new addition to the burger trailer scene, Cow Bells on East Riverside, where BYOB is welcomed.
A self-professed “burger girl” and wine expert, Spalding brought a Malbec from Argentina to the three-trailer park for us to pair with one of the very reasonably priced ($5-7) burgers the trailer offers.
I chowed down on the Blue Flame, which featured blue cheese, tomato, pickled jalapenos and lettuce. The meat patty tasted fresh, was a reasonable size, and packed a strong black pepper punch. The bun was dense and chewy, with a golden buttery glisten, and the jalapenos zapped a bolt of heat into the mix. I didn’t get much blue cheese flavor from the sauce as I had hoped, but the freshness of the other ingredients made up for this lack.
Spalding opted for the double burger, known as the Spare Tire, but since she didn’t feel hungry enough for two patties, the gentlemen in the trailer were kind enough to remove one and appropriately discount the dish. Spalding described the burger as “glutinous, in a good way,” as it also featured bacon, shredded cheese, mayo and fried pickles.
For the side, we chose the sweet potato fries, which were lightly cooked to preserve the essence of fresh sweet potato, but a bit under-seasoned for our tastes. Nothing a bit of salt didn’t fix.
Since both burgers we chose to eat were fairly hefty, the fruit-forward Malbec provided a slightly dry balance to the grease and cheese. Check out why Spalding decided on Malbec for the pairing in the video above.
I will definitely revisit the trailer with a bottle of vino, as they have many options beyond the two rich choices we tasted, and it would be fun to bring different styles of wine to pair with the different styles of burger. The trailer offers a black bean burger, turkey burger, sliders, and a salad option as well.
Trailer: Cow Bells: Burgers and More
Address: 1620 E. Riverside Dr
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and Friday and Saturday.
Credit Cards: Yes
BYOB Pairing: Red wines with medium tannins, jammy fruit-forward wine
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Shiner’s Ruby Redbird back for the summer
Due to high demand, Shiner has re-released last year’s summer seasonal — the Ruby Redbird.
The beer, like many other in the Shiner portfolio, is characteristically light-bodied and features a snappy combination of zesty ruby red grapefruit juice and ginger.
The folks at McGarrah Jessee (who are responsible for Shiner’s appealing graphic identity) dropped off samples for me to try. The ginger profile is heavy on the nose, and similarly bold in the mix as well. The combination of the thin, but largely carbonated body and the explosion of citrusy grapefruit reminds me of one of my favorite guilty beer pleasures — a squeeze of lime in canned Tecate.
I can see the Redbird being a fantastic accompaniment to a sweltering hot day by the lake or pool, as it’s almost soda-like in it’s “drinkability.”
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Mint Julep history and recipes for Derby Day
This Saturday is the annual Kentucky Derby, which means women will bust out their floppy hats, men will don seersucker suits, and the official drink of the derby — the mint julep — will flow in abundance at parties across the South.
For this year’s Derby Day, I caught up with Adam Harris, the Austin-based Distillery Specialist with Beam Global to chat about mint juleps. Harris is a wealth of knowledge on all things bourbon and mint juleps, and my go-to for whiskey history lessons.
The story of the mint julep as we know it today, starts in ancient Persia, where it was known as the “julab,” Harris explained. It was a medicinal drink that employed rose water as a floral sweetener to make bitter medicine easier to consume. The name changed to Julep as it passed through England to the America.
The reason why juleps rose to popularity in Kentucky and throughout the South, and the reason why we all identify the drink today as a mint julep is because mint season in Kentucky lasts for a good chunk of time. “We have a fleeting month here in Texas where mint grows, before it gets too hot or the bugs get it, but in Kentucky, it’s everywhere,” Harris said. “With bourbon being the preferred medicinal beverage down there, it became synonymous to make a julep with Kentucky bourbon and mint in the state.”
The mint julep is a very simple drink, consisting of three basic components — the sweetener, base spirit and aromatic. Harris warns that some people might think to overlook the aromatic component, but that it is “just as crucial as the taste and flavor component, because when you take in the drink, the marriage between the olfactory sensation and the taste sensation on your palate is amazing. Drinking sweetened, slightly minty bourbon and smelling fresh copious amounts of green beautiful mint at the same time is fantastic.” So don’t skimp on the bushels of aromatic mint as a garnish.
Harris offered up some very tempting variations on the traditional julep for this year’s Derby Day. Each new cocktail utilizes the basic structure of the original julep (base, sweetener, aromatic), but swap out the ingredient pairings.
To begin, here’s the recipe for the traditional mint julep:
1.5 oz. Bourbon
Sugar cube
Mint
Crush the sugar cube in the bottom of a metal julep cup with a dash of water, to break up the sugar. Gently bruise one of the mint sprigs with the sugar and water mix. Don’t shred the leaves, just mildly muddle to release the flavors. Add crushed ice. Add the Bourbon. Harris recommends a softer whiskey like Makers Mark instead of a higher proof whiskey that might overwhelm the beverage. It’s meant to be a sipping cocktail, not just a slug of whiskey one might shoot. Stir the drink with a bar spoon until the metal frosts. Top off with a bit more crushed ice and stir briefly again. Garnish with copious amounts of mint.
For the variations, Harris’ basic formula is about .25 to .5 oz. of a sweetener and 1.5 to 2 parts base spirit. Here are some of his ingredient pairing recommendations:
Courvoisier 12 year Cognac for the base, mixed with a Raspberry Shrub as the sweetener and Mint aromatic. For the raspberry shrub, follow the instructions on how to make a shrub in this post from last year.
Tesoro Blanco tequila as the base spirit, sweetened with celery honey (fresh celery juice fine strained mixed with light local honey), and celery leaves doused in chili powder as the aromatic.
Cruzan single barrel rum as the base spirit, sweetened with a Mexican coke reduction with aromatic of kaffir lime leaves, cinnamon stick and nutmeg dusting.
Canadian Whiskey with lemongrass-citrus reduction syrup with honeysuckle garnish.
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May drinking events
Tuesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. Peligrosa Tequila dinner at Jack Allen’s Kitchen. Five-course tequila dinner featuring Peligroso Tequila cocktails created by Jack Allen’s Kitchen mixologist David Toby. $65 per person includes drink pairings and gratuity. 852-8558 for reservations.
Wednesday, May 2 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Extract/Mini Mash Beginner’s Brewing Class at Austin Homebrew Supply. Learn the basics of how to pick the right equipment, and brew your own beer at home. $15.
Thursday, May 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. Opal Divine’s American Whiskey Festival at Opal Divine’s Penn Field. Sample American bourbons, Tennessee and Canadian whiskies. Hors d’oeuvres available. $30 in advance or $35 at the door on the date of the festival.
Saturday, May 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. Twisted X Brewing Co. First Anniversary party. Brewery tours, live music, Twisted X pint glass and free beer samples all covered in the $20 admission price.
Saturday May 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. First Saturday Tour Day at Independence Brewing. Tour the brewery and sample Independence beers. Free wristband gets you 3 free samples of beer, or buy a pint glass for larger samples. Cash only.
Saturday, May 5 from 4 to 11 p.m. Derby Day party at Drink.Well. Specials on derby cocktails. Floppy hats and seersucker suits encouraged.
Wednesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. Wine dinner at Bistrot Mirabelle. Four-course wine pairing dinner featuring Napa Valley Winery Schramsberg. $70 (plus tax and gratuity).
Thursday, May 10 at 7 p.m. Five-course wine tasting menu at ASTI Trattoria. Jane & Steve Darland, producers of Traditional Aceto Balsamico of Monticello will be on hand to pair their wines with the Five-course tasting menu. Tasting Menu is $65 with a wine pairing for additional $40. Reservations at 512.451.1218.
Thursday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. Begin with a bit of bubbly at Central Market North. Five-course tasting menu paired with sparkling wines from Champagne Henriot. $65 per person.
Saturday, May 12. Austin Beerworks First Anniversary Party. Two sessions are available to RSVP for, one at noon and one at p.m. Free entrance comes with three 4 oz. samples. Buy a pint glass for $10 and have that filled 3 times. The last batch of tickets will be released Friday May 11 at 8 a.m.
Saturday, May 12 through Sunday, May 20. San Antonio Beer Week. A week full of beer activities. Check out the website for specific event details and costs.
Saturday, May 12 from 2 to 5 p.m. Kinky Friedman tequila bottle signing at Spec’s Brodie Lane. Kinky Friedman will sign bottles of his new tequila, Man In Black.
Saturday, May 12 from noon to 2 p.m. Pink Fest at Vino Vino. Taste over 50 pink wines to celebrate Mother’s Day. $20, and 10% of proceeds go to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Tuesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. WillaKenzie Estate Winemaker Dinner at Cru in the Domain. Four-course meal paired with five wines from Oregon’s WillaKenzie Estate. $65. Reservations required.
Wednesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. Whitehall Lane Wine Dinner at Sullivan’s Steakhouse. Four-course meal with wines paired from Whitehall Lane Winery and Vineyard. Whitehall Lane Winery Owner Tom Leonardini will be on hand to discuss each wine pairing. The four-course menu with wine pairings is $90 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call Sullivan’s for reservations 512.495.6504.
Thursday, May 17 at 6:30 p.m. Wines 101: France at Central Market North Lamar. Sample six wines from France, paired with small plates. $50.
Thursday, May 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Slow Food Austin’s May Happy Hour at Boggy Creek Farm. Lara Nixon of Bad Dog Bar Craft will shake up Dripping Springs Vodka and Balcones Whisky cocktail, Sommelier Dirk Miller will pour wine, and food from chef Matt Taylor will be available. Suggested donation of $15 at the door.
Sunday, May 20 from 3-8 p.m. Texas Sake Company party. Tastings of sake, live music and food trailer on site.
Sunday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m. MAX’s Wine Dive Local Farmer and Organic Wine Dinner to Benefit the Settlement Home for Children. Max’s celebrates its third year anniversary with a four-course meal paired with organic wines. $75 per person. $10 of the ticket fee goes to Settlement Home For Children. Reservations: 512.904.0111.
Tuesday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. Krupp Brothers Wine Dinner at Cru on 2nd St. four course meal carefully paired with four selected spectacular wines from Napa Valley’s renown Krupp Brothers winery. $65. Reservations required.
Tuesday, May 22 at 6 p.m. Meet the Brewer night at Drink.Well American Pub. The Thirsty Planet/Franklin BBQ/Kohana Coffee collaboration will be tapped. Jake Maddux from the brewery will be on site to answer questions.
Wednesday, May 23 from 7- to 8 p.m. Intro to Kegging Class at Austin Homebrew Supply. Learn procedures and equipment needed to keg your homebrews. $10.
Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m. Homefield Grill beer dinner. Five-course meal featuring bacon paired with beer. $49.95. 512-388-4663 for reservations.
Thursday, May 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. Leopold Spirits happy hour at Drink.Well. Leopold Bros. spirits, new to Texas this month, host a special happy hour featuring cocktails made with their portfolio.
Wednesday, May 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. The Dude ice cream launch party at Amy’s Ice Cream on Burnet. Meet Tito and Amy, taste the ice cream and listen to live music.
Wednesday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. Beer Pairings: Artisan Sausage and Brew at Central Market. Taste Central Market’s signature sausages, paired with various microbrews. $50.
May 31 at 8 p.m. Cork Dork Night at Aviary. Six wines from Duchman Family Winery paired with traditional Texas food. $40. RSVP to marco@aviarydecor.com
Latest comments
There’s also the ur-alcoshake, the venerable Green Pastures’ Milk Punch, which combines vanilla ice cream, milk, and brandy, and is an excellent alternative to the mimosa or bloody mary as a brunchtime booze option.
... read the full comment by ret3 | Comment on Where to get adult milkshakes in Austin Read Where to get adult milkshakes in Austin
Hi pal! I absolutely agree with your tips.
... read the full comment by Alda Yerka | Comment on Texas breweries win medals in World Beer Cup Read Texas breweries win medals in World Beer Cup
Horace,
Thanks for reading! To answer your question, I did have an interview lined up with Patron. I very much wanted to go into exploring the premium and super premium categories of tequila and how that has changed the industry as well. Sadly,
... read the full comment by Emma | Comment on Tips on finding quality tequila from local experts Read Tips on finding quality tequila from local experts
Great article about my favorite spirit! I’m curious though why you didn’t even mention Patron tequila, especially since the founder of the company lives here in Austin and has done so much here for the community? After all, it was Patron that
... read the full comment by Horace | Comment on Tips on finding quality tequila from local experts Read Tips on finding quality tequila from local experts
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