Thursday Happy Hour: Cocktail Recipes, Drinks, Music, and Good Times

Schneider Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock

Bitter Much? The Germans Have a Cure...

When you live in a region known for extra hoppy craft brews, a change of pace can be really nice sometimes. So after my weekend of hop-filled backyard barbecues, I stopped by my closest bottle shop and grabbed an Aventinus -- a wheat doppelbock from Germany.

Whenever I start to lose my sense of bitter from too many hoppy beers, this is my antidote. It is spicy and fruity and malty and chocolate-carmely...but amazingly enough it is also light and refreshing. How do they do that?

Caipirinha

Pucker Up and Summon the Spirit of Brazil
Our friends won several bottles of rum and a bottle of cachaça at a local school fundraiser. (This is the second time this year that we've heard of auctioning mixed drinks to raise money for kids -- brilliant idea.) They invited us over to try homemade Caipirinhas, the national drink of Brazil.

Like limey margaritas, the cachaça is more earthy, like tequila, than rum. Tasty and refreshing, as long as you didn't just brush your teeth.

Kunde Estate 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Recommendation Regret

Last weekend, I picked up a few thick rib eyes to sizzle over our charcoal grill, and needed a good wine to go with them.

The timid—but seemingly in-the-know—wine guy at my favorite shop eagerly showed me Kunde Estates 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. He purported it to be a rich red with an oakiness that would perfectly compliment the smokiness in my soon-to-be-grilled steaks.

Green Flash West Coast IPA

Have You Ever Been Flashed by the Sun?

I remember the first time I heard about the green flash -- that funny little optical phenomenon the sun sometimes shares during sunset. I was sitting on the deck of a beach-side bar when suddenly everyone stopped and turned to watch the sun’s last moments above the ocean. All too quickly, that big orange orb melted into the water out of sight. No green flash. But everyone cheered anyway.

I couldn't wait until Memorial Day for the sun to return to center stage. Tonight, I had to crack open a yummy Green Flash West Coast IPA. Mmm. Extra hoppy, nice copper sun color, friendly little notes of citrus and pine. And a slightly bitter finish. Just like a three-day weekend.

The Beer Details Brewer: Green Flash Brewing Company (Vista, CA) Style: India Pale Ale (IPA) ABV: 7.3% IBUs: 95 Price: ~$10 / 6-pack of bottles

Want to try this beer? Check your local BevMo, Whole Foods, and specialty beer establishments. It’s distributed to almost half of US states, as well as internationally.

Erin Malone is Thursday Happy Hour's newest contributing editor, providing the what's-up of beer all over on Fridays. What's your favorite beer? Let her know in the comments below.

Whiskey Sour

The Lemons Made Us Do It

Post-Memorial Day means white pants, frosty drinks, and flip-flops for at least five months (for us)! Pre-Memorial Day includes bourbon, ginormous lemons with brainy skin, and sister-talk about selling original art, the meaning of Ansel Adams: A Life's Work at MoPA, and how to be yoga instructor. All while the guys sip their sours. This kick-off to summer couldn't be better.

Novella Synergy

Deep breath. Exhale. Sip.

I was drawn to the unusual name and the foxy siren on the label.

The weather here in Minnesota has finally hit a summer-like stride -- and with my whirlwind day of toddler-chasing, middle-school math tutoring, and music-lesson chauffeuring, the night called for a simple, foxy distraction. But inside, Novella is a pretty decent wine -- well-rounded without too much bite; berries and citrus with just a hint of spice. Nice.

The Juicy Details

Bottle     Novella Synergy
Year       2007
Region   Paso Robles, CA
Grapes   37% Petite Sirah; 25% Zinfandel; 20% Merlot; 18% Sangiovese
Price       ~$7.00 (more wines under $7)
Shop      Trader Joe’s

Night has finally come, and the kiddies are tucked soundly into their beds. Deservedly, I relax with wine glass in hand, enjoying the quiet of my own little timeout. I’m so happy to be here. Cheers.

Diane Timba is our newest contributing writer at Thursday Happy Hour. Check out her lifestyle wine column here on Wednesdays. Do you have a favorite wine under $10? Let Diane know in the comments below.

Pineapple Mojito

Beware the Mojito 

I order a Mojito only under very special circumstances:

1) It's hot outside.
and
2) The bartender is offering it as a specialty drink.

Otherwise, forget it. A Mojito cocktail without fresh ingredients or know-how is sure to give your tongue something foul to say.

My sister gave us the mint plant as a hosting gift -- we celebrated Mother's Day at our place -- and the bartender in our house spotted an opportunity. He modified the traditional Mojito recipe by adding pineapple we happened to have on hand (buck fifty at Henry's market). The combination of minty scent and pineapple sweet with bubbles on top ... mmm. It's like meditation.

Between the Sheets

Can Your Guests Guess What's in This Drink? 

First: blindfold all your guests. Or, perhaps a better idea, make this drink behind their backs. G chose the latter. Then shake, shake, shake over ice, pour through a strainer and sip. Can they identify the ingredients? Close your eyes, slip, slurp. Is it gin? Is it bourbon? It must have bitters. I was way off -- and he made me guess for a long time.

It's a bright but smoky, clean summertime cocktail. Loved it. But if I had known the ingredients, I would have never ordered it.