Sips: Beast & Bottle’s Lily, Rosemary and St. George of Hearts

In Denver, there’s no shortage of spots to nab a fancy cocktail. But at Beast & Bottle, top-notch drinks (and bites) are delivered in an unpretentious atmosphere. The first sign the crew doesn’t take itself too seriously: Each drink is creatively named after a song (Rum Like Hell, Sweet Adeline, and so on). When a new bar menu launches, you can bet the staff has spent as much time coming up with clever names as they have the recipes. The spring menu, which will be served until June, includes the Lily, Rosemary and St. George of Hearts. The drink (named after Bob Dylan’s “Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts”) was created by bar manager Jon Feuersanger, and consists of gin, Bonal Gentiane Quina (a French aperitif), El Maestro Sierra Oloroso (a sherry), Oleo Saccharum (a citrus oil syrup), rosemary syrup, and fresh lemon. The earthy, piney notes of the rosemary, Bonal, and gin marry the fresh, summer-y qualities of citrus to create a delightful little drink to smoothly transition us into summer.

(Read our 2014 list of Denver’s best restaurants)

To make the drink at home, you’ll need:

¾ ounce St. George Terroir gin

1 ounce Bonal Gentiane Quina

¼ ounce El Maestro Oloroso sherry

½ ounce Oleo Saccharum

½ ounce rosemary syrup

¾ ounce fresh lemon

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice, and shake until desired chill and dilution are reached. Double strain with a Hawthorne and tea strainer into a Nick & Nora glass. The cocktail is served up and garnished with a sprig of Rosemary.