Mike's Mix: Ancho Sour Micro Cocktail

Every Friday, Mike Augustyniak picks up a new cocktail recipe from a local mixologist. This week, he headed over to The Lowry Hill Dunn Brothers to check out another one of their "micro" cocktails -- smaller drinks that can be enjoyed alone, in a flight or (as their menu suggests) with craft beers.

Ancho Sour
Pair with Indeed Daytripper

● 1 oz. spiced El Jimador tequila syrup *
● 1/3 oz. Thatcher's Organic Elderflower liqueur
● 1/4 oz. Thatcher's Organic Chipotle liqueur
● 1/2 tsp. lime juice
● 1/2 dropper Bittercube Jamaican #2 bitters

Method: Add tequila syrup, liqueurs and lime juice to an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake till chilled and strain into a 2 1/4 oz. shot glass. Top with bitters.

* To make tequila syrup: Combine 500 ml tequila, and 1 tbsp agave syrup. Bring to a boil to combine. Remove from heat, add 450 ml water and 1 tbsp Ancho chili flake, bottle and shake to combine.
Let stand about 1 hour; strain, and refrigerate to store.

Taste Test
I don't love hoppy beers. Pale ales are less hoppy than IPAs, but still. I was amazed (no, not too strong of a word) at how the micro cocktail elevated the flavor of the beer, turning it into a flavor I thoroughly enjoyed. There are citrus notes in the beer already, and the tequila sour really brought those out.

Dunn Brothers Lowry Hill
Located at 2528 Hennepin Avenue, this is more than just a traditional American coffee shop. Following a model that is more the rule than the exception in Europe, this shop also has wine and beer on tap, along with miniature cocktails designed to pair with certain beers. Happy hour is daily from 2-7pm.