Green Devil Recipe

In today's San Francisco Chronicle, I write about a small but intriguing part of the mixological universe: drinks that combine beer with harder booze. While the article primarily focuses on drinks that use only an ounce or two of powerfully flavored beer to complement the taste of spirits like gin or whiskey, I wanted to highlight one beer-based drink that definitely deserves a try.

Developed by Canadian beer expert and author Stephen Beaumont, the Green Devil utilizes one of Belgium's landmark ales, Duvel, and accents its subtle flavor with a dose of gin and a touch of absinthe. Using a full-flavored, aromatic gin such as Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength, and a small amount of good absinthe (Marteau is a good one for this drink, though Lucid, Kubler or several other brands also work well), the Green Devil demonstrates how a good beer can be bolstered by distinctive flavors. I first heard about this drink last summer when Beaumont mixed it for a crowd at Tales of the Cocktail; unfortunately I missed that seminar, and went for months before finally trying the Green Devil. Don't make the same mistake yourself.