With summer (nearly) in full swing, there’s a wave of refreshing cocktails heading back to bar lists and a lot of bartenders eager to mix the new, hip sip of the summer. In years past, imbibers have learned how to love everything from the low-ABV Aperol Spritz to hundreds of thousands of different versions of the Spicy Margarita.
Our main takeaway from all these days, weeks, and years of careful research and development? Maybe there’s never a set drink of summer. Maybe instead, fans are actually just pumped to drink in summer.
And who can blame them? As the days inch closer and closer to Memorial Day, the sun seems to still stretch farther every evening, and its warmth is a welcome relief after the last year of complicated, party-poor imbibing.
So with this in mind, it only makes sense to turn our attention to an often-overlooked cocktail category: Beer Cocktails.
When we first asked bartenders to submit their favorite beer cocktails, we were expecting fan favorites like the Michelada or Shandy. Still, we were pleasantly surprised to discover a slew of unexpected recipes. Of course, that’s what you get when you ask the pros who have taken the time to not only craft and design a perfect hops-driven mixed drink but also boast years of industry-specific beer knowledge to pull from.
Because these trusted bartenders aren’t just cracking canned Macro Brews. They’re working with everything from Brooklyn Black’s Chocolate Stout to Island to Island Brewery’s Mint Pale to create some genuinely unbelievable concoctions.
One stand out recipe is called the “Super Bee Racer” and was submitted by Richard Norgrove Jr., the COO and brewmaster at Bear Republic Brewing. Not only does it sound extremely delicious, but it’s built around the beer geek fave: Bear Republic’s Racer 5 IPA.
Follow along below for our Super Bee Racer cocktail, and make sure to serve in a pint glass as Norgrove recommends. We love this Mountain Peak Pint Glass because it’s as sturdy as your favorite barware but also features a silver mountain peak at the base of the glass for some added flair.
The glass accommodates up to 14 ounces comfortably and makes a great gift for any beer lover. Fill it with your favorite brew (or beer cocktail), garnish with a citrus wheel, and serve for an elevated take on classic Beer o’clock.
Super Bee Racer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounce Whiskey
- ½ ounce Kina Lillet
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- ¾ ounce orange honey syrup
- 3 ounces Racer 5 IPA
Directions
- Combine all ingredients but beer in a shaker tin with ice
- Shake until chilled
- Top with 3 ounces of Racer 5 IPA
- Fine Strain into the Mountain Peak Pint Glass
- Garnish with an orange wheel
