Summer Melon Beer
Cocktails come in many variations and although beer isn’t commonly used in the mix, this drink wouldn’t be the same without it. Juicy watermelon, orange zest and maraschino cherry combine with Hefeweizen beer, which adds banana and apricot flavours. This beverage is less sweet than you might expect.
Ingredients
3/4 oz. (22 mL) Banff Ice Vodka
1/4 oz. (7 mL) Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1-2 oz. (28 mL-56 mL) Watermelon Juice
2 dashes Orange Bitters
8 oz. (250 mL) Granville Island Hefeweizen Beer
Slice of watermelon for garnish
Method
Cut three watermelon cubes about one inch by one inch. Press the liquid out with either a juice press or muddle. Measure approximately one ounce and pour into a beer glass. Add Banff ice vodka, maraschino liqueur, and bitters. Gently pour beer into the glass and garnish with a watermelon slice.
Tips
Banff Ice Vodka is distilled from Canadian prairie wheat and goes well with a wheat beer like Hefeweizen.
The use of orange bitters is a great way to add intense flavour to your cocktails. If you don’t have any, use a small amount of fresh orange juice. It won’t be quite the same as the bitters, though.
Hefeweizen means suspended yeast and is an unfiltered wheat ale.
