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5 Craft Beers You Need to Try

August 28, 2018 by Vanessa 2 Comments

I can’t say when it happened, but there’s not debating it now. I’ve clearly switched over from my former life as a red wine drinker to a true craft beer fan. Cheers to that!

According to the Brewer’s Association, there were over 6,300 craft breweries in the United States as of 2017. The largest segment of growth in that count came from the opening of new brewpubs starting in 2012, a number that has exponentially grown since the report. So, it’s no surprise that my love of the suds is also growing exponentially!

A fan of unfiltered and fruit-forward brews, I’ve narrowed down my list to five must-have beers. I don’t like hoppy beers so you won’t find those on my list. However, my go-to selection includes a few shining stars you should be sipping on! Without further a do, I give you 5 Craft Beers You Need to Try!

  1. Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat 4.4% – Described as an “ale with natural citrusy flavor,” it’s Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing Company’s best selling beer for its drinkability. Why do I love it? It’s smooth, full of flavor, and drinks like a slightly  sweetened ballpark light beer. I’ve yet to find a type of food that I can’t drink it with OR a friend who doesn’t want to drink one with me. If you have the opportunity to visit the brewery, I highly recommend making a reservation for a tour of the facility. Having visited on my birthday a few years back, I have fond memories of toasting to another great year in their tasting room!

    Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
  2. Free State Brewery’s Guavatas Sour 4.65% – A graduate of the University of Kansas, I spent Mondays at Free State Brewery drinking ales shoulder-to-shoulder with townies and college students alike on $1 Pint Night. The “sour” craze wasn’t popular back in the day (boy did I just sound old!) so I drank their Wheat State Golden or Ad Astra Ale. Today, I’m a big fan of sours so I can’t recommend their small batch Guavatas Sour enough! Don’t be alarmed to see pulpy bits of guava in your glass after the pour – that’s normal! Why do I love it? It’s tropical notes beckon thoughts of summer and it’s mild tartness finishes nicely. The brewery’s slogan “Because Without Beer Things Don’t Seem To Go As Well” basically sums up my college experience and I’m still drinking their beer two decades later. That says something about their beer’s consistency and quality.
    Free State Guavatas Sour

    3. Uinta Crisp Apple Ale 4.0% – Clearly I’m a fan of beers with fruity notes. I grabbed a six back of Uinta’s Crisp Apple Ale on a whim and I’ve purchased it many times since then. The Uinta Brewery, located in Salt Lake City, was founded by a guy who transitioned from a home brewer to a professional set-up in a leased mechanic’s garage. They brew all types of craft beer, but I’m partial to their brews featuring fruit including grapefruit, mango, and apple. Why do I love it? It’s a light beer with a slight apple after-taste, which is always refreshing on the palette. Craving apple pie, now?

    Uinta Apple Ale

    4. Boulevard Jam Band Berry Ale 5.9% – Unlike any beer I’ve ever tasted, Boulevard’s Jam Band Berry Ale is like a dessert in a glass. This ale’s bold taste includes blueberries, raspberries, and tart cherries. I assumed this beer would be one Boulevard would make only for awhile due to the cost of using loads of fruit. I assumed it would be one of those one-offs that wouldn’t stay on liquor store shelves. I’m glad they proved me wrong. Lucky us! If you don’t like sweet beers or ciders, steer clear of this one. Why do I love it? Loaded with berry and citrus flavor, this beer balances malt with real fruit flavor. It’s my jam! 5. Roadie Grapefruit Radler 4.2% – So I need to apologize. This beer isn’t one that you can try today because it is a seasonal that is only available April-August, but it is worth the wait! Brewed in 5 gallon barrels to be heavy in citrus flavor using grapefruit puree, it’s an tangy, crisp beer perfect for drinking on a hot summer day. Why do I love it? I love all things grapefruit. Denver’s Great Divide Brewing Company’s seasonal beer is one of my must-haves. It even smells good (ha!). Although it has a tart finish, you can drink more than one in a drinking session.

    It’s not easy to narrow my list to five craft beers, but this compilation represents my current faves. I might just have to write another post for my go-to seasonal picks this fall! What are you drinking right now? I’m eager to hear which craft beer you think I should try next – remember I like ales and sours more than any other kind! Leave your recommendation in the comments section below.

 

 

Filed Under: Cocktails, Drinks Tagged With: alcohol, ale, apple, apple ale, beer, berry, Boulevard Brewing Company, brew, brewery, citrus, craft beer, Denver, faves, fruit, grapefruit, Great Divide, guava, happy hour, Jam Band, Kansas, Kansas City, Lawrence, Roadie, Salt Lake City, sour, tart, Uinta, unfiltered wheat, Utah

Blackberry Mint Fizzy Cocktail

June 16, 2018 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Of all of the seasons to make cocktails, summer is my favorite! A cool drink with the fresh flavors of muddled fruit and mint is refreshing and bright in flavors and colors. My Blackberry Mint Fizzy Cocktail is a drink you can make for one or as a big batch for guests, if you triple the ingredients!

The best part of a serving a muddled cocktail is that it looks as if it required a ton of effort to make, but that’s simply not true. If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, you can use a wooden spoon inside of a tall glass to smash the blackberries for this drink.

I would recommend wearing an apron or coving the mortar with your other hand when muddling the blackberries to prevent stains on your shirt.

Once the blackberries are completely smashed, scoop the fruit goop (that’s a yummy word!) into the cocktail glass. (Instead of muddling the mint leaves, I tore them into super small pieces with my hands releasing their herbal aromatic flavor before dropping them into the glass.) Then add the sugar.

Next, add the juice of one lime wedge.

Summer drinks are made so much better tasting because of citrus from an orange, lime or lemon.

Now, add the vodka – yes, please!

You’re almost done! All you need to do is top off the glass with crushed ice and bubbly club soda to the rim.

:: Wishing I had Sonic ice for this right now ::

No need to transfer this cocktail to another glass to try to shake up the ingredients. Simply add colorful straws and stir the drink gently.

Garnish the glass with a sprig of fresh mint, a lime wedge, more blackberries, and colorful straws before serving! Cheers my dears!

You could easily swap blackberries for strawberries, blueberries, or another fruit of your choice.

Have a muddle cocktail recipe that you think I’d love? Please share the recipe in the comments! Happy Summer Drinking, friends!

onedelightfullife.com

1 cocktail

Blackberry Mint Fizzy Cocktail

This bubbly summer cocktail is a balance of tart and sweet and will remind you of a mojito but better!

15 minPrep Time

15 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 4-5 blackberries
  • 4-5 mint leaves
  • 1 tsp sugar.
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • Crushed ice
  • Lime juice of one lime wedge
  • 1/2 cup club soda
  • 1-2 blackberries and a mint sprig for garnish.

Instructions

  1. Muddle 4-5 blackberries.
  2. Tear 4-5 mint leaves. Add blackberries and mint into a cocktail glass.
  3. Add 1 tsp sugar.
  4. Add 1/2 cup vodka.
  5. Fill cocktail glass halfway with crushed ice.
  6. Lime juice squeezed from one small lime wedge.
  7. Fill glass nearly full with crushed ice.
  8. Fill remaining space in glass with club soda about 1/2 cup.
  9. Stir cocktail with straw and top with fresh blackberries and a mint sprig for garnish.

Notes

You could easily substitute vodka for rum or silver tequila. Looking for a non-alcoholic cooler? Take out the booze!

7.8.1.2
89
https://onedelightfullife.com/blackberry-mint-fizzy-cocktail/
onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

540 cal

Fat

3 g

Carbs

68 g

Protein

8 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: berries, berry, blackberries, citrus, club soda, cocktail, crushed ice, drink, fizzy, lime juice, mojito, mortar, muddle, pestle, smashed, straw, sugar, summer, vodka

Pink Lemonade Blueberry Splash

July 5, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Some of the best tasting recipes are simply made and cocktails are no different.

Made with Bacardi Limon Rum this boozy Pink Lemonade Blueberry Splash cocktail uses fruit that is in season and doesn’t require you to make fresh lemonade. Simply add citrus flavored rum over ice, fill the glass 3/4 of the way full with store bought pink lemonade, top with lemon seltzer water, a squeeze of lemon wedge and stir. I prefer to cut the citrus sour flavor with a teaspoon of sugar or Splenda. Then, garnish with a sprig of mint, a slice of lemon and you’re on your way to happy hour!

Here’s the recipe rundown quick list:

  • 1 travel sized bottle of Bacardi Limon Rum
  • 1 small bottle of store bought pink lemonade
  • 1 can of lemon seltzer water
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp sugar or Splenda
  • ice
  • garnishes = sprig of mint, slice of lemon

Don’t forget to add a fancy Nancy straw. Now that’s one pretty drink. Pretty delightful that is…;-) Cheers!

If you’re not interested in adding alcohol and want to drink a poolside mocktail instead, simply add more lemonade or seltzer water in place of the rum.

Pink Lemonade Blueberry Splash

A big fan of seasonal blueberries? Try my take on a warm Vanilla Blueberry Sauce that goes great over lemon bars or ice cream. Still craving blueberries? Add them to fresh fruit to create a last minute picnic side Watermelon Blueberry Salad with Feta and Mint. 

Filed Under: Cocktails, Drinks Tagged With: Barcardi, Barcardi Limon, Barcardi Rum, blue, blueberries, blueberry, booze, boozy, citrus, cocktail, drink, fresh fruit, fruit, garnish, happy hour, juice, lemon slice, lemon-lime, lemonade, mint, mocktail, pink, pink lemonade, poolside, rum, seasonal fruit, seltzer, sip, splash, summer, water, yellow

Cantaloupe Margaritas

May 4, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Read about the seven health benefits of eating cantaloupe by clicking on the photo.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo and my love affair with margaritas, I created a refreshing cocktail recipe – Cantaloupe Margaritas! I was equally inspired to try a new version of the standard lime Mexican cocktail by using up a ripe cantaloupe that was sitting on my kitchen counter and some leftover silver tequila. You’re going to love this recipe!

Read about the 7 health benefits of eating cantaloupe by clicking on the photo.

This cocktail reminds me of the fresh cantaloupe smoothie I ordered once at an authentic Mexican restaurant in our city. Imagine a backdrop of festive music, multi-colored decorations, and authentic food with a fresh drink to go with it. It was like a time warp back to our fabulous visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. You can read my travel tips from that vacation here.

We’ve also spent time in Playa del Carmen, my favorite spot in Mexico, thanks to the beautiful turquoise color of the water and soft sand beaches.

This cocktail, made by first blending fresh cantaloupe, is a slight variation of the traditional lime cocktail thanks to the added honey, lemonade, and refined sugar. The sweet additions counterbalance the acidic citrus taste of the freshly squeezed lime juice and lemonade, giving the margarita an easy finish.

After blending the cantaloupe until very smooth, pour it into a cocktail shaker and add the tequila, lime juice, lemonade, honey, and sugar. Shake and strain into ice-filled glasses rimmed pre-rimmed with lime juice and kosher salt. If you want to garnish each glass with more cantaloupe, use a melon baller to form several circular pieces of melon and skewer them with a toothpick. I added fresh mint and a wedge of lime for added color. One look at your finished cocktail, and you’ll quickly take a sip – it’s refreshing and delicious!

As you know, I love to celebrate a holiday or host a party. Inspired by the Cinco de Mayo holiday, my Cantaloupe Margarita is the essential cocktail to accompany sizzling fajitas or savory tacos. Let me know in the comments section how you prepare your favorite party cocktail. I’m always ready to try a new recipe! Cheers.

onedelighfullife.com

4 small cocktails

Serves 1.5 cups

Cantaloupe Margaritas

This new take on the traditional margarita is refreshing and will wow your party guests on Cinco de Mayo.

15 minPrep Time

15 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups blended cantaloupe
  • 1/2 cup silver tequila (I used Camarena Tequila)
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 T lemonade
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T sugar
  • cubed ice
  • Garnish:
  • 1 T kosher or maragarita salt
  • lime wedge
  • sprig of mint
  • 2 cantaloupe melon balls
  • 1 toothpick

Instructions

  1. Rim the cocktail glass with a lime wedge and then salt.
  2. Blend cantaloupe in your blender on puree setting until very smooth. This may take a couple minutes.
  3. Pour blended cantaloupe in a large cocktail shaker.
  4. Add tequila, lime juice, lemonade, honey, and sugar.
  5. Shake vigourously.
  6. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish.

Notes

Tip: Spray your measuring spoon with a little cooking spray before measuring the honey. The spray helps the honey pour from the spoon leaving very little extra on the spoon.

7.8.1.2
73
https://onedelightfullife.com/cantaloupe-margaritas/
onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

114 cal

Carbs

29 g

Protein

2 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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Filed Under: Cocktails, Drinks, Taste Tagged With: agave, Camarena, cantaloupe, Cinco de Mayo, citrus, cocktail, drink, fajitas, fresh squeezed, happy hour, herb, honey, juice, lemonade, lime, margarita, martini shaker, melon, melon baller, mexican, mint, party, salt, shaker, silver tequila, sugar, tacos, tequila

Sunset Gold

July 25, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Is anyone ready for a TGIF cocktail for happy hour? Me too! Why does it feel like the clock is moving in s-l-o-w motion today? If you’re going to sit on the deck or just in your good ol’ easy chair after work today, this gorgeous drink is perfect for chillaxin’.

When I created this recipe I was trying to make a cocktail similar to and Orange Julius. Do you remember heading straight for the Orange Julius stand at the mall in the 1980s? Oh, wait, that might just be me? When you approached the counter to place your order you had to yell it over the blaring sound of the blenders behind the counter. Why oh why is Orange Julius gone? No worries, my Sunset Gold cocktail reminds you of those sweet flavors but has the tang from fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice.

sunset-gold

If you don’t have vanilla rum, you could use regular rum or an orange-flavored liquor instead.

Kick off your work shoes, mix up this beauty in five minutes, and prepare to relax. Enjoy!

onedelightfullife.com

1 glass

Sunset Gold

Like an Orange Julius, this copycat sweet cocktail has hints of grapefruit. A great cocktail to serve at brunch.

5 minPrep Time

5 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 3 oz. vanilla rum
  • 1 c. orange juice
  • 1/2 c. grapefruit juice
  • cubed ice

Instructions

  1. Fill a small cocktail glass with cubed ice.
  2. Mix all ingredients in a separate larger glass and stir them.
  3. Transfter mixture into cocktail glass.
  4. Garnish with a grapefruit or orange slice.

Notes

You could rim the glass with sugar.

7.8.1.2
38
https://onedelightfullife.com/sunset-gold/
onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

125 cal

Carbs

30 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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sunset-gold-co

Filed Under: Cocktails, Drinks, Taste Tagged With: alcoholic drink, citrus, cocktail, drink, gold, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, orange, orange juice, rum, sugar, sunset, vanilla rum

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Hello! I'm Vanessa. Welcome to One Delightful Life, a blog created to add more delight to your life with delicious recipes, travel destinations, and lifestyle improvement ideas. Thanks for exploring my blog!

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