Tonic Spritzer

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Cocktail History

The Tonic Spritzer is a modern cocktail that was created by Jon and Lindsay Yeager in Nashville, Tennessee and was first published in their book The Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer & Booze. The recipe calls for a simple mixture of Mexican beer, tonic syrup, and apricot or blackcurrant liqueur to make a lager-based alternative to the refreshing Gin & Tonic.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Mexican Beer: This is a type of beer made in Mexico from barley malt, hops, non-malted cereals, corn, yeast, and water. The book called for Tecate, but we used Modelo Especial because it has a light and crisp flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Corona Cero in place of the beer.

Tonic Syrup: This is a sweetener made with quinine, citrus oils, cane sugar, benzoic acid, citric acid, and water. We used Liber & Co. Premium Tonic Syrup.

Crème De Cassis: This is a liqueur made with blackcurrants, sugar, and alcohol. We used Maison Ferrand Mathilde Cassis Liqueur because it has a tart, bittersweet flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Blackcurrant Syrup in place of the blackcurrant liqueur.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bottle Opener: This is used to open bottles. We used the OXO Steel Bottle Opener.

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Tasting Notes

The Tonic Spritzer has malty beer aromas and a tangy, fruity flavor that features a heavy dose of bright lager beer alongside wintry berry, with a hint of quinine bitterness coming out for a unique aftertaste.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This beer drink is another one stole both of our hearts in unexpected ways as we fell in love with its complex flavors and springtime mood. Do yourself a favor and make a Tonic Spritzer with any light-colored lager or pilsner you have on hand because you will not be disappointed.

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Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.

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Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I was a huge fan of this cocktail. The warm, sunshine-y Modelo beer set alongside the cool, wintry blackcurrant was a great juxtaposition, while the tonic syrup (syrup specifically, not full on tonic water) gave the drink a bitter quinine note that balanced everything out. Overall, the recipe has a slight moodiness fit for the winter season that we’re writing this in, but it would also fit in well enough at a summertime party on a beach or boat.”

Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“In my experience, beer cocktails tend to be pretty straightforward in their flavor. I’ve rarely come across one that doesn’t just taste like beer with a hint of whatever other ingredients are used. This one, although simple, was much more complex and reminded me of a wintry version of light beer thanks to the dark and rich flavors of the tonic syrup and blackcurrant liqueur. I have a hops allergy, so I can’t indulge in beer too much, but what I tasted of this light but brooding concoction was delicious.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer & Booze by on and Lindsay Yeager.

The Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer and Booze
The Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer and Booze
Hardcover Book; Yeager, Jon (Author); English (Publication Language); 136 Pages – 06/05/2018 (Publication Date) – Skyhorse (Publisher)
$16.99 Amazon Prime

AuthorThe Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails

Yields1 ServingPrep Time5 mins

Ingredients
 5 oz Mexican Beer
 1 oz Crème De Cassis
 ¾ oz Tonic Syrup

Method
1

Add crème de cassis, tonic syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.

2

Shake for 10-20 seconds.

3

Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cracked ice.

4

Top with beer.

Ingredients

Ingredients
 5 oz Mexican Beer
 1 oz Crème De Cassis
 ¾ oz Tonic Syrup

Directions

Method
1

Add crème de cassis, tonic syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.

2

Shake for 10-20 seconds.

3

Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cracked ice.

4

Top with beer.

Tonic Spritzer

Make It a Mocktail: Use Corona Cero in place of the beer and Monin Premium Blackcurrant Syrup in place of the blackcurrant liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.

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More Beer Cocktails

If you like this beer-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:

Oatmeal Stout Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Oatmeal Stout Old Fashioned: An oatmeal stout and bourbon cocktail made with simple syrup, black walnut bitters, and an orange twist

Calico Tea Cocktail Recipe

Calico Tea: A barleywine ale and apple brandy cocktail made with lemon juice, sage black tea syrup, Angostura aromatic bitters, and sage leaves

Sicilian Pour Over Cocktail Recipe

Sicilian Pour Over: A coffee stout beer cocktail made with Amaro Montenegro, cardamom bitters, and an orange peel

The Rosenthal Cocktail Recipe

The Rosenthal: A barleywine ale and cachaça cocktail made with simple syrup, lime, and a lime slice

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