The Moorish Idol

Created at Saint Arnold Brewing Company in Houston, Texas

This beer cocktail won the US National portion of the Caorunn Gin Storyteller’s Global Challenge 2012 held at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, and ultimately, a trip to the World Finals in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was inspired by the Celtic botanicals in the Scottish small-batch gin, Coul Blush Apple and Heather Honey. It is based on the classic Pimm’s Cup, and is topped with BrewDog Dogma, which was originally brewed with Scottish Heather Honey before they changed the recipe for Dogma in the UK (it is now a big, malty Scotch Ale). Either version will work though. This cocktail is autumn in a glass for sure!

1.5 oz Caorunn Gin*
0.75 oz Pimm’s No.1 Cup
2 oz fresh-pressed, cloudy apple juice (preferably Simply Apple)
2–3 oz BrewDog Dogma
2 bar spoons Scottish Heather Honey Syrup**

Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice. Shake well. Double strain into a Collins glass over ice, leaving enough room to float 2–3 ounces of BrewDog Dogma over the top. Garnish with honeycrisp apple slices.

* This gin should not be substituted! The cocktail was designed around the botanical expressions, and the fact that it is not a juniper-forward gin.
** Heather Honey is the single malt of honeys. It has smoky, toffee notes. Mix a small amount of warm water into the honey, just enough to keep it from sinking into the bottom of the cocktail once the ice hits it. ■