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Cocktail History
The Tonic Spritzer is a modern cocktail that was created by Jon and Lindsay Yeager in Nashville, Tennessee and was first published in their book The Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer & Booze. The recipe calls for a simple mixture of Mexican beer, tonic syrup, and apricot or blackcurrant liqueur to make a lager-based alternative to the refreshing Gin & Tonic.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Mexican Beer: This is a type of beer made in Mexico from barley malt, hops, non-malted cereals, corn, yeast, and water. This recipe specifically calls for Tecate, but I used Modelo Especial.
Tonic Syrup: This is a sweetener made with quinine, citrus oils, cane sugar, benzoic acid, citric acid, and water. I used Liber & Co. Premium Tonic Syrup.
Crème De Cassis: This is a liqueur made with blackcurrants, sugar, and alcohol. I used Maison Ferrand Mathilde Cassis Liqueur.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Bottle Opener: This is used to open bottles. I used the OXO Steel Bottle Opener.
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Light brown color
• Aroma: Malty beer
• Taste: Tangy fruity flavor featuring a heavy dose of bright lager alongside wintry berry
• Finish: Quinine bitterness
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “In my experience, beer cocktails tend to be pretty straightforward in their flavor. I’ve rarely come across one that doesn’t just taste like beer with a hint of whatever other ingredients are used. This one, although simple, was much more complex and reminded me of a wintry version of light beer thanks to the dark and rich flavors of the tonic syrup and blackcurrant liqueur. I have a hops allergy, so I can’t indulge in beer too much, but what I tasted of the Tonic Spritzer, a light but brooding concoction, was delicious.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer & Booze by Jon and Lindsay Yeager.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-22.
Tonic Spritzer
The Tonic Spritzer is a modern cocktail that was created by Jon and Lindsay Yeager in Nashville, Tennessee and was first published in their book The Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer & Booze. The recipe calls for a simple mixture of Mexican beer, tonic syrup, and apricot or blackcurrant liqueur to make a lager-based alternative to the refreshing Gin & Tonic.
Ingredients
Method
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Add crème de cassis, tonic syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cracked ice.
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Top with beer.
