Small Planet’s Oktoberfest 2020 Beer and Cocktail Guide
Every year around this time we do a list of Small Planet’s favorite beers to kick off fall. This year we needed a little something stronger, so we added in some choice cocktails for good measure.
Spicy Gin & Jam
1 oz lemon juice
2.5 oz gin
2 table spoons of jam/jelly (Your pick! Adjust as needed.)
1 egg white
1 habanero
lemon zest
A wonderful sweet and spicy drink for any occasion, but perfect for fall. Cut the habanero in half and put both halves in the shaker (seeds and all!). Add in the other ingredients and a few ice cubes. Shake aggressively for about 1 minute. Strain using a Hawthorne strainer into your glass. Add a garnish that will help cut the heat as you drink it (e.g. pineapple). -Ian D.
Inferno Negroni
1 oz gin — Haymond’s of London Old Tom Gin
1 oz sweet vermouth — Dolin Rouge Vermouth de Chambéry
1 ounce Inferno Bitter. Not actually Campari, and that’s a good thing.
Italy’s effortless aperitif is all about casual excellence. Ooze confidence when preparing for your guests and you’re halfway to victory. It’s really simple: just mix equal parts of good quality ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Campari is often the standard, but please try the superlative Inferno Bitter, it will change your Negroni life. Strain over a large ice cube and add about a three-inch length of orange rind as garnish. Don’t skimp on the liquor. -Alex Little
Final Ward
¾ oz. bottled in bond rye whiskey
¾ oz. Green Chartreuse
¾ oz. maraschino liqueur
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
A new classic created by Phil Ward from Death + Company, this is a play on the prohibition-era cocktail, the Last Word. He substitutes rye for Gin and lemon juice for lime juice. Green chartreuse and Maraschino liqueur give it notes of cherry, spice, and an abundance of herbs, as Steve the Bartender says. The rye gives it notes of carmel and vanilla, but it’s still refreshing with the lemon juice. -Mike Seidler
Smoky Mezcal-Fig Sour
1 1/3 cups simple syrup
10 dried figs, halved
1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1 (750-ml) bottle mezcal
1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice (from 8 large lemons)
3/4 cup water
Whole nutmeg
This fiery autumn cocktail, quite simply, rules. I love Mezcal and fig individually, and together they are unstoppable. When you add the sweetness of ginger, citrus of lemon, and spicy kick of nutmeg, it balances out the smokiness of the mezcal. It packs a potent punch into a mellow and cozy cocktail. It takes a little extra care to make, so check out the excellent instructions here.* -Carly Deiter
Zero Gravity Little Wolf
This American Pale Ale from Vermont brewery Zero Gravity is an optimal fall drink for folks who don’t want something too heavy. Light, bright, floral, and a sharp can design. Bonus points if you try their popular, excellent, Conehead IPA. -Matt Brown
Fallkill
Ok, we don’t have the exact measurements here, so a little improvisational genius may be required on your part. A favorite bourbon cocktail once the weather gets a little snappy, Brooklyn’s Camperdown Elm has a drink named a Fallkill that’s 1 oz bourbon with light additions of ginger, lemon, and bitters. Magnificent.
They also make a tremendous Father-In-Law cocktail: Knob Creek bourbon, Ramazzotti Amaro, Luxardo maraschino & bitters. Bitters in everything, that’s a good policy. -Gavin Fraser
Bitter Guiseppi
2 oz Cynar
1 oz Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth
¼ ounce lemon juice, plus lemon twist for garnish
6 dashes orange bitters, preferably Regans’
We made this after seeing it in the New York Times recently, and it really hit the spot. So easy to make: just add ice and stir for 20 seconds or so, then strain over ice in a high ball glass and garnish with lemon. -Fred Lee
Banana Daiquiri
1 ripe banana
1 lime, juiced
3/4 oz simple syrup
2 oz spiced rum
2.5 oz white rum
Sometimes you just need it to be summer, and you don’t care about leaf colors or pumpkin-flavored beverages. Blend with ice until liquified. This recipe serves 2. Optional: Angostura bitters on top. Doesn’t get any easier than that. -Angie Sanders
Montauk Pumpkin Ale
We snuck a pumpkin ale in here because, let’s face it, it’s the season. Plus Montauk makes great beer and this one doesn’t hit you over the head with its pumpkin-ness. It’s subtle, and muchcheaper than actually visiting Montauk. -Taylor Plimpton
