Sometimes I genuinely surprise myself. This blueberry sour vodka beertini I made is a case in point. It knocked me off my feet. Mostly figuratively, but to a large extent literally as well.
Figuratively because adding vodka to the flavors of an oak aged mixed fermentation blueberry sour ale was a heavenly experience. I mean – the vodka added strength without significantly altering the complex flavors of the ale…
As to the literal part… that happened due to the fact that even though I adore craft beer and like wine and certain hard liquors, my tolerance for the alcohol content in the latter two has never been very high. It actually seems to be getting lower as time carries me farther and farther away from the day I was born. So the vodka component of the vodka beertini got me:) It’s kind of funny, but not really.
But let me backtrack a little bit. Here is how things went. I intend to write a post about the differences between craft beer and industrially (mass) produced beer. The way Chris and I see it. So I was at the local craft beer store selecting beers to reference. Looking at the hundreds of options (yeah, our store rocks!) I saw an opportunity to illustrate our point visually by using a mass produced fruit flavored beer and the real deal. So I bought several blueberry beers. The post is coming up.
One of the beers was Crooked Stave Petite Sour Blueberry. Which we love. Their bottled elixirs are very sought after. Once home I was anxious to open one of the bottles right away. Since it has ABV of only 5.5% and it was very warm outside I had the idea to add some vodka, run both over some ice and have a nice chilled vodka beertini in the backyard. Best idea I’ve had in a long time!
The Petite Sour Blueberry is exquisite. There is a bit of funk and a slight and very pleasant tartness – hence the ‘petite’ quantifier attached to the sour and as I figured out no need for a twist. There are delicate blueberry and yellow raspberry flavors, a passionate tannin kiss in every sip, dry fruitiness and just enough malty sweetness. Pure brewing artistry. I can only wish for everyone to taste a similar brew at least once in their lifetime. Which is not at all hard to accomplish these days – beautifully crafted wild/mixed fermented and oak aged beers with fruit are sweeping the nation. One of your local breweries is bound to have crafted one (at least) or find a liquor store with a good beer selection and they will hook you up.
Somehow chilling the Petite Sour Blueberry and the vodka in a shaker of ice made all the flavors and aromas come out in a more pronounced manner. Cranberry juice and Cosmos… I am sorry. You have been officially displaced by the sour beer vodka beertini. I will be sipping on this craft perfection many more times to come, I can tell. So many wild sours to experiment with and beertini-ze! Perhaps an apricot one next time.
I do have to leave you with a word of caution should you greedily decide to have two of these drinks back to back like I did – remain seated. Two shots of vodka and a wild sour beer after a quick photo shoot may not seem like much, but… Just be sure your phone is nearby so you can order dinner for your husband to pick up on his way home. Since you will now not want to drive to a restaurant to meet him nor will you feel like cooking anything.
Cheers my friends – to a beautiful summer and do get those martini glasses ready.
Blueberry Sour Vodka Beertini
Vodka beertini with the exquisite and complex flavors of a wild fermented, oak aged fruit sour craft beer. Faint malty sweetness, tannins, pleasant acidity and hints of funk, dry fruitiness.
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz wild fermented and/or oak aged fruit sour beer ex. Blueberry Sour
- 3 oz vodka, preferably chilled
- fresh blueberries, or other fruit ex. if cherry sour, cherries for garnish
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Pour beer in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Add vodka. Wait a few second for the carbonation to dissipate, place shaker lid on and shake. A few shakes is enough.
- Pour into martini glasses.
- Garnish with fruit pieces.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 365Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 6gSugar: 33gProtein: 4g
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
J (my Hubby) & I never liked sours much until we went to a Belgium beer fest last summer. We drank some kick-ass sours there and now we actively seek them out every time we go to a beer store. We love finding rare beers too and we giggle like little kids on the drive (rush) home so we can get our beer on. Pinning this recipe so I can make it over the weekend and so nice that I won’t have to decide between a beer or a martini. AND totally wish we were neighbors cos I would’ve helped you out on getting rid of those drinks ?
CraftBeering says
So true Karrie – sours totally grown on you! I wish you guys were our neighbors!
Mary says
I’m a sucker for blueberries, craft beers, and martini glasses so this cocktail is right up my alley. It looks very refreshing before for a warm summer night.
CraftBeering says
Thank you Mary for stopping by! Yes, it is very refreshing – just made another one last night:)
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
I think I would totally be having two of these and ordering take out. We went to Brewvival in Charleston this year and there were some really amazing sours there. The blueberry were my favorites.
CraftBeering says
We love sours too Rachelle, never made one though. Thinking to get dedicated equipment and give them a try:)
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
My hubby has been drinking a lot of craft beer lately. There is a place right down the street from us that is so good that people start lining up hours before it even opens as they often sell out of their beers. I myself am not a beer drinker at all and a prefer sticking with cocktails (with tequila or vodka). This cocktail is the best of both worlds. . .giving something for the hubby and something for little, old moi. Plus it certainly has the looks.
CraftBeering says
Wow, Lynn, now I’m wondering what the brewery you are talking about is:) I must go. I definitely think that even people who do not consider themselves beer drinkers will like this – there is so little of ‘traditional’ beer in it and so many complex flavors… Hope you get to share some blueberry vodka beertini with your husband soon!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
This looks so refreshing! And sounds perfect for sipping out on the patio when I have nothing to do that requires me to be fully sober. I love that color, too–and I think pink drinks just taste better than any other color :).
CraftBeering says
True Kelsie – there is something special about pink colored drinks:)
CraftBeering says
Thank you Dawn! I’m so excited about summer and cocktails and grilling and wearing flip flops everywhere. Virtual cheers to you:)
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Milena, this looks SO good!! So refreshing! I really enjoy beer and vodka happens to be the liquor I go for when I have a drink so this one is made for me. Love the blueberry touch. I’m so looking forward to yourpost with blueberry beer; we get some around here every so often and it is so lovely in the summer months. Pinning this beauty and trying soon! Cheers, my friend! P.S. As I get older, my tolerance is not so great either 😉