Spaghett

It’s called a Spaghett. That’s the irresistibly silly name of a beer cocktail that, in some circles at least, has been the runaway hit of 2019.

Simply built by combining about 85% of a bottle of Miller High Life, a healthy pour of Aperol, and a squirt or two of lemon juice right in the High Life bottle (take a big swig and you’re ready—I love a cocktail that doesn’t dirty a glass!), a Spaghett is easy, wildly refreshing, and playful as hell.

I saw a little item in Bon Appétit about the drink and decided to give it a whirl. I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I spent hard-earned bucks on Miller, but I wanted to stay true to the recipe. And damn if it doesn’t taste great! The light-bodied beer supplies fizz and body, the Aperol adds a dash of herbaceous depth and a beautiful hue, and the lemon juice ties it all together with some citrus flare.

Apparently this little gem originated in Baltimore. My kudos to the clever Marylander who came up with and christened the Spaghett—well done!

Old Tomorrow Honey Ginger Shandy

It's not really beer, but I had a 473mL can of Old Tomorrow Honey Ginger Shandy, so I decided to give it a whirl. According to the can, this "flavoured malt beverage" is an "easy drinking beer cocktail". The ingredients list shows "beer", as well as Muskoka Springs Ginger Ale, as well as natural lemon and honey flavour.

Brewed (or concocted) in Toronto, Ontario, by Old Tomorrow Ltd., this low alcohol (3%) beverage is a nice, clear golden liquid with a decent white head. It has a sweet tea nose with a fair measure of citrus zing. It's taste has almost nothing to do with beer, but honey, lemon, and a touch of ginger are all well represented, particularly at the front end. The finish is where things break down a bit: it finishes thin, sweet, and a bit artificial.

Though I am unlikely to buy Old Tomorrow's Honey Ginger Shandy again for myself, it is the kind of drink that lots of people would enjoy on a hot day. A bit too sweet to be genuinely refreshing, but the notes of honey and ginger were pleasant enough and very inoffensive. The Bitter Wife certainly enjoyed it, and I'm not about to criticize that!

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Cerveza Renata

Toronto's C'est What? has a curious little list of beery cocktails (they call them "craftails"), some of which sound pretty damn tempting. On a Saturday in February, the Cerveza Renata caught my eye. It's a concoction composed of Finlandia vodka, Campari, Steam Whistle Pilsner, and a twist of orange, served on the rocks.

What I got was an attractive, clear orange potion. Bitter citrus in the nose, sweet through the middle, and boozy out back. It was actually a pretty beguiling little cocktail--a touch too sweet for me, perhaps, but more than interesting. On the beer front, the Steam Whistle is buried pretty deeply, but it does provide some carbonation, a grainy subtext, and a streak of malt through the finish. 

The Cerveza Renata is a combo that I couldn't have come up with in a million years, but one that worked pretty well.  Well played, C'est What?. You've done it again!