Yet another interesting beer cocktail! A special one with very deep and strong, spicy notes, which perhaps do fit more into the cold season, but nonetheless will also taste very good on a maybe not so hot summer evening. The Rye in your Britches is a cocktail, in which you can find an absolutely dazzling interplay of flavors on your palate (and maybe also in your britches). It was created in 2012 by Charles Joly from the Drawing Room in Chicago. The recipe I once again abstracted from the great book “Cocktailian – Beer and Craft Bier”, in which you can find lots of knowledge about the world of beer next to some nice beer cocktail recipes.
Charles Joly uses the Basil Hayden’s for this cocktail, Bourbon I unfortunately can’t currently call my own, so I had to look for a replacement at this point. Luckily I have already tried the Basil Hayden’s on a tasting in the past and still remember its distinct rye notes which came along a little stronger compared to other Bourbons. As a replacement I refrained from using a 100% rye whiskey and therefor did not use a quite expensive spirit like for example the Whistlepig would be (in order to prohibit a rye flavor overpowering the drink). Normally I’m only using such spirits in cocktails where the drink is made up almost around that whiskey (such as the Sazerac for instance). So I opted for a simple Jim Beam Rye and the result has absolutely convinced me. Charles Joly says about the Rye in your Britches: “This is spirited enough to be paired with a savory main dish, or enjoyed after dinner with a cigar or rich dessert) a description, which I can connect me as much.” A description I can sign personally.
In addition to Basil Hayden’s (or in my case to Rye) the recipe asks for cherry liqueur (I have used the classic Cherry Heering), Aromatic Bitters and a Milk Stout. If you can’t obtain Milk Stout, you can also easily substitute it with normal Stout, which makes the drink a little bitterer. (A Milk Stout contains milk-derived lactose, which makes it smoother and milder.)
The result is a cocktail which has a comforting scent of spicy, autumnal and powerful rye with dark roasted malt. It tastes full-bodied and rich with dark chocolate, rye and cherry plus the vanilla from the whiskey. The Rye in your Britches is really a perfect drink for a rainy and cold autumn evening.
Recipe:
6 cl Basil Hayden’s Bourbon (can be substituted by a milder Rye)
2 cl Cherry liqueur (Cherry Heering for example)
1 Dash Aromatic Bitters
4.5 cl Milk Stout (alternatively use normal Stout)
Preparation: Shake all ingredients except for the beer vigorously on ice. Then add the beer and strain into a glass filled with fresh ice.
Glass: Tumbler
Garnish: shavings of nutmeg
Buying sources: Basil Hayden’s Bourbon is available from specialist retailers or online. The same applies to the Aromatic Bitters and Cherry Heering, the latter might also be available in well-stocked supermarkets. Milk Stout or normal Stout can be obtained in specialized stores or British food stores.
