Bourbon, Suze, Creole Shrubb, Spaten Optimater

This week is beer cocktail week, so we'll be posting a series of beer drinks. Today's drink came together almost on its own, although its construction was controversial. Joe and I were trying to think of something to do with his bottle of Suze, maybe a spirit-driven drink. We came up with an idea and had something that tasted marvelous, but then Joe wanted to pour beer all over it. We debated whether or not we should add beer for about five minutes, and in the end Joe convinced me and we did it. I must say that it was worth it.

Kaiser Suze1.5 oz Bourbon.25 oz Suze.25 oz Creole ShrubbDash of aromatic bitters (Angostura)Stir over ice, strain. Top with 2.5 oz Spaten Optimater (or any doppelbock will do). Garnish with an orange twist.

The beer we chose was Spaten Optimater, which is a dark German malt beer. On its own, it has a floral, malty, toasty bouquet and tastes of dark fruits - maybe prunes - and caramel, and finishes with a slight bitterness. What convinced me about this beer? Well, it just tastes great with bourbon. Also, this is one of Joe's all-time favorite beers (as well as his father's, so I'm told), and so in it went.Even without the beer, this drink tastes great. With the beer, though, it tastes even better, although it does loose a bit of its hard edge. The beer's caramel and dark fruit flavors complement the bourbon, and its sourness emphasized the bitterness of Suze. The creole shrubb is almost a cheater's ingredient (it's so tasty!), and the citrus notes in the beer help it feel at home in the glass.Enjoy!