Apéritif #2

Created at The Catbird Seat in Nashville, Tenn. 

This drink was inspired by a dish at The Catbird Seat that I needed a pairing for: a raw abalone course that involved sour beer as part of the sauce. I like Champagne or bubbly with raw seafood, as well as sake, and I definitely wanted to find a way to incorporate the sour beer note. I came up with this cocktail, which seemed like a fun way to start off the meal, as well as a good pairing for all the notes in the dish. Although the sour beer is not the largest component in the drink by volume, it comes through strong in the flavor.

1 cube raw cane sugar
1/2 oz Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait (or other unfruited Lambic or Gueuze, like Drie Fonteinen, Lindemans Cuvée René or Cantillon)
1 oz Sesshu Otokoyama (or other dry, Junmai sake)
4 oz Gruet Brut (or other dry, crisp sparkling wine)
1 each lemon, for garnish

Put the sugar cube in the bottom of a flute or coupe. Cover with the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and let soak into the cube for 30 seconds. Top with sake and then bubbly. Garnish with a lemon twist. ■