In honor of National Hot Dog Day we offer this bubbling quaff spiked with a dose of barrel-aged gin and a touch of lemon. The beer, Saint Arnold Brewing Company Summer Pils, is brewed in Houston and the gin is aged by Treaty Oak Distilling in Dripping Springs, Texas. When the German frankfurter wurst crossed the Atlantic it had its length shortened; was grilled instead of steamed; slapped into a split, soft bun; and was dosed with condiments ranging from sauerkraut and mustard to (as the decades passed) melted cheese, chopped onions, bacon, and pickled jalapeños. Are we truly living in the best of times? I guess it’s not that bad; things could be wurst.

Dog Daze
1 ounce barrel-aged gin
1 lemon slice
1 12-ounce chilled bottle or can of a crisp, hoppy style pilsner

Muddle the gin and lemon slice in a heavy glass. Chill in the freezer for 3 minutes. Add the beer. Garnish with a long lemon twist.

Tasting notes: Gin’s juniper dances with beer hops

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