SHOUT # 20
Apr. 26- May 26

...News & Views...

Sip of the month

The Singapore Sling

Story by Zeke Bergeron

Call it wishful thinking, but warm weather should be changing the tone of the High Country here any day. The sun will be shining, the sky will be blue. You may even find yourself wishing that the Busch Light you’re drinking was something sweet, fruity and served from inside a pineapple.

When the desire for a tropical mishmash of spirits strikes you, don’t forget the gin- and brandy-based concoction, the Singapore Sling. This beverage is the perfect combination of sweet and tart, and is even served with a maraschino cherry and a pineapple wedge to make sure you get your daily vitamins.

Up until very recently, the only experience I had with this pink-hued cocktail was vicariously through Johnny Depp’s character in the beginning of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. After watching that same movie, my friend decided it would be a good idea to try mixing some up on his own.

While I tend to shy away from anything that is alcoholic, pink and served with fruit (the sweetest thing that I regularly drink is whisky and ginger ale), I figured that if it was good enough for old Hunter S it was probably plenty good enough for me, especially when my friend was buying the ingredients. The only catch for me: I had to help him try to mix the damn things.

Mixology has never been my strong point. Like I said, I rarely get more advanced than liquor + something fizzy + glass + ice = refreshing. Sometimes there’s some lime involved. Needless to say, seeing the eight ingredients lined up on the counter top was a bit intimidating. The presence of a real cocktail shaker shook me even more.

After calming my inner doubts and repeating my mantra (“what would Gonzo do?”), the process was under way. A bit of multiplication, some counting, and a brief argument over the way “Cointreau” is pronounced and we had two double servings of the pinkish tropical delight ready to quaff. A brief cheers to the reason we had initiated this endeavor to begin with, and down the hatch they went. And it was good.

Now, I am not giving up my bourbon for something that is served with a paper umbrella. This drink was, however, very refreshing. The dominant flavor was the pineapple juice, and the burn of the liquor was subsided by the bite of all that citrus. I think that using freshly squeezed lemon juice helped to make everything so delicious. If you’re feeling lazy, however, half-squeezed half-bottled should taste fine.

Next time you’re looking for a tropical vacation that’s far cheaper than flying to Hawaii, give this summertime classic a shot. It’s sweet. It’s cold. It’s pink. And all of the ingredients (except for the Angostura Bitters, which we did without) are available at the Boone ABC store, so you can actually try this one.