The Beer, Bourbon and Barbecue Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/10/21
Beer, Bourbon and Barbecue Cocktail by Tom Fischer and Steven Dennison

Carin Krasner / Stockbyte / Getty Images

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The annual Beer, Bourbon, and Barbecue Festivals prove that the three things are great together, but what happens when we combine the trio into a single glass? Wonderful things! And that is exactly what you'll find in the beer, bourbon, and barbecue cocktail.

The drink is the creation of the Bourbon Blog's Tom Fischer and Louisville mixologist Steven Dennison. It was designed specifically for the series of festivals held throughout the year in various U.S. cities.

The concoction includes bourbon, honey liqueur, hefeweizen-style beer, and water flavored with barbecue sauce (Jack Daniel's Honey Smokehouse is recommended). It is, admittedly, a very unusual drink and will not be to everyone's liking. However, it is fun to try and you have to appreciate how the team brought together these three very distinct flavors.

Ingredients

For the BBQ Water:

  • 1 (19-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

  • 19 ounces hot water, about 2 1/3 cups

For the Cocktail:

  • 1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey

  • 1 ounce honey whiskey liqueur

  • 1 ounce BBQ water

  • 3/4 ounce orange juice, from 1/4 orange

  • 3 ounces hefeweizen beer

Steps to Make It

Make the BBQ Water

Essentially, the barbecue flavor of this cocktail is simply watered-down barbecue sauce. Rather than mixing a pasty sauce into the drink, just the essence of the sauce is used to add that signature flavor.

The BBQ water can be made in any quantity you desire. If you are just curious about the drink, it may be best to make just enough for one or two drinks. No matter how much you make, be sure to keep the sauce-to-water ratio equal.

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine barbecue sauce with an equal part of steaming hot water.

  2. Whisk until fully incorporated.

  3. Let sit to cool, or refrigerate.

Make the Cocktail

One of the most surprising parts of this cocktail is how the beer is treated. Unlike most beer mixed drinks, only the foam is used as a garnish to top off the drink. And, yes, that means this is one of the few times when shaking your beer is a good thing. Just be sure to do it in the shaker and not the bottle or you'll end up with quite the mess!

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the liquors and BBQ water. Squeeze the juice of a quarter of an orange into the shaker as well.

  3. Shake vigorously.

  4. Strain into a cocktail glass.

  5. Pour a quarter of a bottle of beer into a cocktail shaker and shake until foamy.

  6. Spoon the beer foam on top of the cocktail to garnish.

  7. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

This recipe was designed for very specific brands of each ingredient: Maker's Mark Bourbon, Evan Williams Honey Reserve, Shiner Hefeweizen, and Jack Daniel's Honey Smokehouse. While not necessary, it may be wise to stick to these recommendations so you can get the true taste of the drink. It's very likely that changing even one of these elements may not create the intended flavor and might leave you disappointed.

How Strong Is a Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Cocktail?

Not only does this cocktail have an interesting flavor, but it's also rather strong. On average and with the recommended brands, it shakes up to an alcohol content of around 22 percent ABV (44 proof), so it will not go unnoticed at your cookout.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
273 Calories
0g Fat
40g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 273
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 7mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 15%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 12mg 59%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 93mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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