New Belgium Brewing’s Katie Wallace: Best Summer Drinks
Refreshing Hot-Day Brews and Cocktails — With a Conscience
As New Belgium Brewing’s “Purveyor of the Good Life,” Katie Wallace knows a thing or two about quality quaffs.
She has a penchant for sweet-and-sour drink combinations, and claims New Belgium’s Eric’s Ale “is the best beer I’ve ever had in my life.”
OK, she may be a bit biased, but one taste of the sweet-peach-spiked sour beer may convince you she’s onto something.
We asked Wallace to give us a list of the best summer drinks, with her favorite sweet-and-sour recipe ideas.
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey
This family-owned distillery brewed up the first (legal) Colorado-born whiskey in 2004. Sip it neat or add 2 tablespoons each fresh lemon juice, honey and water. Shake, then serve over ice.
A to Z Wineworks
A to Z Wineworks aims to be a sustainable winery by using biodynamic growing techniques in all of its Oregon vineyards. A blend of grapes from various soils and microclimates across the state adds complexity to every vintage.
Hopworks Urban Brewery
Hopworks in Portland, Oregon brews with local, organic hops to create a variety of beers. Katie’s favorite limited-production “I Am a Jelly Donut” brew blends wheat beer and Starvation Alley cranberry juice for a complex, tart finish.
Fetzer
Barney Fetzer’s philosophy, “what’s good for the earth is good for the grape,” led this California vineyard to become the first certified Zero-Waste wine company in 2014. Try the sustainable winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon for a rich mélange of black cherry and chocolate.
Brew the Change Ale
Fermented at Beau’s All Natural Brewing in Ottawa, Ontario, this all-B-Corporation collaboration of 10 breweries also includes Starvation Alley cranberry juice, Guayaki yerba mate, African Bronze honey and Crosby Hop Farm hops. Tapped in May, it’s available at participating breweries across Canada and the United States.
Suerte Tequila
Hand-harvesting, slow-cooking and pure spring water are used by Suerte to create four types of tequila all made with 100 percent blue agave. This makes the list of best summer drinks when mixed with Starvation Alley cranberry juice and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Starvation Alley Farms Cranberry Juice
The first organic cranberry farm in Washington state, Starvation Alley offers artisanal beverages that will juice up any cocktail. Make a shandy with equal parts juice and New Belgium’s Snapshot tart wheat beer.
Runa’s Clean Energy
This fair-trade, organic energy drink is made from guayusa (gwhy-you-suh), an Amazonian tree leaf. Loaded with twice the antioxidants of green tea and 15 essential amino acids, it’s a naturally sweet pick-me-up. Sip it straight over ice.
