Summer is taking its time here in Calgary, so getting the news that Granville Island was coming out with a Summer Ale was a refreshing reminder that sunshine is indeed on its way, despite the weather! They were lovely enough to send me some samples (and a frisbee, which I may be a little too excited about) so that I could do a recipe with their newest core beer.

Following the success of their winter ale, the Lions Summer Ale was made to be its sunny counterpart; patio-perfect, light, and fruity. In advance of trying it, I spoke with Granville Island Brewing Beer Merchant, Mike Sharpham, to get some more details. He described the beer as approachable with crisp, refreshing fruit notes and a slightly tart finish. Tasting it I was pleasantly surprised at how subtle the fruit was, I was expecting more, but the hints of pineapple and passion fruit were just enough to linger on your tongue with each sip. As it isn’t too sweet, I’d say it’s the kind of summer ale that you’d bring along to a barbecue or sporting event and enjoy a couple throughout the afternoon.

With Cinco De Mayo this week, I decided to use this beer to make a cocktail with a little kick; complimenting the tart fruit ale with a bite of fresh grapefruit and a punch of good tequila. You could also use grapefruit juice, about 1/4 cup, and then omit the sugar if you choose.

Ingredients:

1 oz tequila (good quality!)

1 tsp white sugar

Juice of 1 grapefruit

1 341ml bottle Granville Lions Summer Ale

Pineapple and lime wedge to garnish

Process:

1)In a small glass, stir the sugar into the tequila until dissolved.

2) Juice the grapefruit and, holding the pulp back with a spoon, pour over the tequila. If you have a martini shaker, you could chill the juice with some ice first.

3) Add beer and give a quick stir, taste for tartness as you may need to add a bit more sugar if the grapefruit is too bitter.

4) Garnish with lime wedge and pineapple and enjoy on a patio!