Toasty, malty, and a little nutty, a good brown ale is plenty complex in its own right. But sometimes I find myself wishing it packed just a little more punch. Enter hard cider. This simple two-ingredient cocktail manages to highlight the mouth-coating caramel-toffee quality of the brown, cut with a nice, sharp rinse of tart cider.
Note: Do be sure to seek out a really dry, crisp cider—ask for something tart and not too funky, like the Nine Pin in the image above, a Bordelet Sidre Brut, or Le Père Jules Brut. Can’t find them? Give Angry Orchard Traditional Dry a shot, or Original Sin Apple Cider. If you’re on the East Coast, consider Harpoon Cider or Doc’s Cider. West Coasters, keep an eye out for Seattle Cider Works Dry Cider or 2 Town’s Bright Cider. And for the Midwesterners out there, Uncle John’s Hard Cider or Vandermill Hard Apple Cider will do the trick!
- 9 ounces brown ale, like Bell’s Best Brown
- 3 ounces dry hard cider, like Nine Pin
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Combine both beers in a Collins or highball glass and stir gently.
This Recipe Appears In
- Beyond the Black and Tan: 4 Great Beer Blends to Try