MxMo LIX: Beer Cocktails: Southern Magic

This month's Mixology Monday is sponsored by Cocktail Virgin Slut, and the theme is Beer Cocktails.  As mentioned in the announcing post, beer cocktails aren't exactly a new thing, but they've been getting a lot of press in the past year or so:  

Bartenders are drawn to beer for a variety of reasons including the glorious malt and roast notes from the grain, the bitter and sometimes floral elements from the hops, the interesting sour or fruity notes from the yeast, and the crispness and bubbles from the carbonation. Beer is not just for pint glasses, so let us honor beer of all styles as a drink ingredient.  

My first introduction to beer cocktails in a cocktail type of form was actually at Tales of the Cocktail last year in one of the tasting rooms.  The cocktail involved egg white, ROOT liqueur, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Recipe and video!  Thanks to Frederic for knowing what I was talking about!).  As soon as I interviewed for my current job I knew that if I got the position I wanted to utilize this style of cocktail in some way, shape, or form on my list.  The Southern Magic is the drink that resulted. I decided to start with a bourbon base, as it is a southern style restaurant--and not many liquors are more representative of the south than bourbon--and built from there.  I really wasn't sure how Cincinnati would react to beer cocktails in this form since the only thing in the "beer cocktail" realm I'd seen around before was a michelada at a restaurant we enjoy downtown, but I was pleasantly surprised by a nice following for it!  Also, a couple people have described it as "It's like summer in my mouth!" so I felt it rather appropriate for a July post.

Southern Magic
Method:  Shake, Box, Strain
Glassware:  Brandy Snifter
Garnish:  Flamed lemon twist

Ingredients:
.75 oz Maker's Mark bourbon
.5 oz Apricot brandy
.25 oz Simple syrup
Squeeze of fresh lemon (just a few drops, really)

Shake above ingredients with ice, then add 4 oz of Magic Hat #9 Not Quite Pale Ale, box ingredients, and strain into brandy snifter.  Flame a piece of lemon peel over drink, and drop peel in to garnish.