About Crafty Cocktail’s Beer Cocktail Kit

As much as we love making cocktails at Crafty’s, for our bartender, there’s nothing better than opening a cold beer after a long day behind the bar and enjoying the simplicity of it all. No shaking, stirring, straining or muddling; its just crack the seal and enjoy the goodness. Besides, who wants to make themselves a fancy cocktail after making them non-stop for hours on end?

However, making cocktails is what we do, so even though the simplicity is enjoyable, our cocktail brains couldn’t help but straying down an inevitable path of, well, creating cocktails. The goal was to take the beautiful flavors present in our favorite craft beers from across Canada and turn them into cocktails that keep the integrity of the beer intact while providing a unique and thought-provoking drinking experience, and this month’s Crafty cocktails box, 99 Bottles, does just that.

For this box, we focused on 3 distinct beer styles and paired them with ingredients which complement the typical flavour profiles associated with them, both to show the potential beer cocktails have as legitimate drinks, but also to educate on what the countless craft brewers across Canada strive for when creating the beer itself.

The KiwIPA Smoothie plays off the tropical notes found within the hop profiles of quality IPA’s. While kiwi is the main component here, the delicious smoothie adds many other subtle fruit flavours. The kiwi/sumac bitters and a hint of fresh lime provide a sour background that helps to lift the flavours of the beer against the other fruits, giving this cocktail a surprisingly balanced and easy-drinking feel.

The Weißes Glas drives home the classic flavour profile of Belgian style wheat ales, specifically banana and clove, but also the floral citrus profiles that are always found in a good weißbier or saison. Some ingredients are straightforward, such as the dehydrated banana or dried clove, while others, such as  Grapefruit/Elderflower Barmalade, an exciting new cocktail syrup alternative from Texas, add layers of complexity that emphasize the thirst-quenching elements of this particular style.

And what would a beer cocktail box be without featuring the king of beer cocktails, the Michelada? A mainstay on cocktail menus in Mexico (and ever-growingly around the world), the Crafty’s version features both classic elements, like OG sauce and dab rimmer from Big Mich, one of the preeminent michelada producers out of Chicago Il, but adds a little Crafty’s flair with more unique ingredients like pickled cactus, jalapeno and chamoy sauce.

If you’re into beer, this box is for you. If you want to know more about craft beer and beer styles, this box is also for you. And if you don’t like beer, maybe this box will help change your mind. Any way you look at it, this month's Crafty Cocktails box 99 Bottles is for you, so get yours now.

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