Classic Cocktails, Reimagined with BERO

Mixologist Christian “Suzu” Suzuki from Netflix’s “Drink Masters” has elevated the beer cocktail with three BERO-inspired recipes. Each cocktail has been thoughtfully crafted with replicability in mind—simple, sourceable ingredients and a recipe where each BERO can yields two cocktails.

Kingston Shandy

• 6 oz BERO Kingston Golden Pils
• ¼ oz rosemary syrup
• ½ oz lemon juice
• ½ oz water
• Pinch Maldon salt 

Method: Pour/weigh out 6oz of BERO Pils into a glass and top with ice. Add the lemon juice, water, rosemary syrup, and salt on top. Give everything a quick and gentle stir, not to disturb the carbonation. Garnish and serve.

Glassware: Beer tulip

Garnish: Maldon salt rim & rosemary sprig

Profile: Bright, crisp, herbaceous, savory, refreshing 

Inspiration: The Kingston Shandy is a take on a classic shandy. Rosemary and Maldon Salt (from Maldon, England) are both staples in British cooking and friendly enough for a light twist on an old classic.

Rosemary syrup:

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 rosemary sprigs

In a pot, combine sugar and water and bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves. While still warm, add rosemary sprigs. Strain, bring down to room temperature before using. This syrup is meant to be a lightly flavored syrup, to gently add some flavor to the cocktail.

Wild Red Kites

• 6 oz BERO Edge Hill Hazy IPA
• ¼ oz hibiscus syrup
• ½ oz pineapple juice
• ½ oz lime

Method: Pour/weigh out 6oz of BERO Edge Hill Hazy IPA into a glass and top with crushed ice. Combine hibiscus syrup, pineapple, and lime juice into a shaking vessel, shake for 5-10 seconds, and strain into glass. Garnish and serve.

Glassware: Collins/highball

Garnish: Mint sprig

Profile: Bittersweet, tart, juicy, slight bitterness, tropical

Inspiration: This is lightly inspired by the flavor profiles of the classic cocktail, the Jungle Bird. The Red Kite is a bird of prey often spotted in England. 

Hibiscus syrup:

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup loose hibiscus tea
• 4 whole allspice

In a pot, combine water, sugar, hibiscus, and allspice. Bring to a boil and allow to steep for an hour (this brings out slight bitterness and helps replicate the bitter notes of a bitter apéritif). Strain and cool before use.

Silent Noon

• 6 oz BERO Noon Wheat
• ¾ oz mushroom/cinnamon stock
• ½ oz white peach syrup

Method: Pour/weigh out 6oz of BERO Noon Wheat into a glass and top off with ice. In a separate vessel, combine mushroom stock and white peach syrup–mix until combined. Pour the mixture over the top of the cocktail. Garnish and serve. 

Glassware: Highball/collins Glass

Garnish: Grapefruit twist 

Profile: Slight umami, fruity, floral, light acidity, sasparilla, homemade Cola profile 

Inspiration: "Silent Noon" (1903) is one part of a series of songs called House of Life, by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. 

Mushroom/cinnamon stock:

• 4g dried shiitake mushrooms (roughly 4 pieces)
• 5g cinnamons sticks (roughly 2 sticks)
• 8oz water

Over high heat in a small pot, lightly toast cinnamon sticks and dried shiitake mushrooms. Add water and wait for it to boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and let steep for 2 hours. Using a coffee filter, strain the stock before use. 

White peach syrup: The recipe was developed using Monin White Peach syrup. Monin White Peach,  passion fruit, and any other stone fruit or floral fruit syrup will work as an alternative.