I’m beginning to think that naming beer cocktails is harder than actually coming up with recipes. I’ve been sitting on this recipe for over a week, trying to find a perfect name that best captures its essence. I came up with the name Liquid Pie… here is why:

This recipe was inspired by fresh blackberries and blueberries, both of which are coming into season. I’m a huge fan of berries and Bourbon. Vanilla, oak, and caramelized flavors from the Bourbon paired with the juicy, tart and fruity flavors of the berries form a flavor combination very reminiscent of pie. My Bourbon of choice is Breaking & Entering from my local distillery and beer mixology partner in crime, St. George Spirits.

To lighten up the cocktail and give it a kick of effervescence, I opted to add a bit of Pilsner to the mix. My personal favorite is Trumer Pils, brewed locally just blocks from my house in Berkeley, CA. Extremely clean with hints of biscuit and a slight noble hop bitterness, Trumer Pils brought what I will call the “pie crust” character to the cocktail.

The key to executing this cocktail well is the glassware. I opted to serve the cocktail in a Champagne flute, which restricts the surface area of the beer, forcing it to produce a thick and creamy head. A signature qualities of a Pils is its nice thick head. The proper glassware for the Pilsner, especially Trumer’s signature tall thin glass, was designed to showcase this trait. Naturally, this cocktail is way too small to pour into a Pilsner glass, so I opted to present it in a Champagne flute, which I highly recommend in order to get the desired effect.

Liquid Pie

Ingredients

1 oz. St. George Breaking & Entering [Bourbon]
.5 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz. agave nectar
2 black berries
6 blueberries
3 ounces Trumer Pilsner

Instructions

Muddle the berries, agave nectar and lemon juice until berries are completely macerated. Add Bourbon and ice, shake vigorously & strain into a champagne flute. Slowly add the Pilsner, being careful not to let the foam get too out of control.