Earthy, rich tones with a touch of freshness… these are some of the merits of a good Mezcal. Anyway, mezcal seems to be on the rise in Europe and its popularity seems too increase more and more, although we unfortunately are far away from the diversity which the US market offers. Fresh and tangy notes alongside certain bitterness are also characteristics of a good Pilsener beer, which is why today’s drink is about the attempt to combine the two.
And let me anticipate the outcome: This combination does work really well and rewards you with a great taste experience a bit off of the familiar. The El Mariachi was invented by Arnd Heissen from the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Berlin and appears in the book “Cocktailian 2 – Bier & Craft Beer”, which is where came upon it for the first time. In addition to these ingredients, the drink is based on the classic Sour-components of lime juice, sugar syrup and egg white and is refined with cardamom bitters (which can also be replaced by similar, matching Bitters, if you don’t have access to cardamom bitters. Here you can experiment a bit).
Why it is called El Mariachi, I can only guess, since both the famous film and the music style refer to the country of Mexico, home of mezcal. Therefor El Mariachi represents an appropriate name to describe the flair for this cocktail. Fresh, bitter, smoky and tangy with a delicate sweetness. A combination that is not found every day and that really delivers what it promises!
Recipe:
2 cl Mezcal
1 cl lime juice
1 cl sugar syrup
3 Dashes Bitters Cardamom
1 egg white
8 cl Schönramer Pils (a truly outstanding and recommendable Pilsener, but another kind of Pils will also work fine)
Preparation: Mix all ingredients except beer and bitters and shake vigorously (i.e. a “dry shake”), then shake again on ice. Double strain through a fine sieve into your pre-chilled glass. Last fill with beer and add the bitters.
Glass: champagne glass
Garnish: orange zest
Buying sources: With luck you can find Mezcal and Schönramer Pils in well-stocked supermarkets. Otherwise you’ll have to visit specialized stores or simply order it online.
