Get to Know: Cucumber Tom & Tonic

Alesong is influenced by the broad range of brewing techniques discovered over millennia: from using wild yeasts like the earliest brewers in Belgium were fermenting with — to modern brewing practices that help us fine tune each of our ales with the rigor of 21st century technology. Our choices for flavor and ingredient sourcing in this summer’s release of the Cucumber Tom & Tonic were made by collapsing about a century-long space in U.S. drinking history.

We aged the Cucumber Tom & Tonic in Old Tom Gin barrels, again sourced from our friends at Ransom Spirits in Portland. Old Tom Gin is a pre-prohibition spirit that, although was broadly defined in its character, was often lighter on the palate and sweeter — almost a whisky augmented by classic gin botanicals. Ransom spirits endeavored to recreate this historic spirit, and then aged it in a barrel, as would have been done in the mid-1800s. Because of their decision to barrel age, we’re given the opportunity to take their recently emptied barrels and fill them with our golden sour base beer to infuse botanical notes of juniper, orange and pepper alongside the French Oak we've grown to love.

We then chose to add fresh Oregon-grown cucumbers from Sward Family Farms and Organic Redneck Farms, for that cucumber kiss. As a bartender go-to on this side of the 21st century, cucumber in a gin and tonic adds a subtle, refreshing character to the classic cocktail, which complements the sweetness of Old Tom gin and our crisp and dry sour base.

Cucumber Tom & Tonic pours a clean golden blonde, with an aroma that evokes a cooling cucumber splash. The spritz of gin botanicals sits delicately next to the tart, sour and refreshing notes of the base beer, and will undoubtedly be your go to for these last few weeks of summer heat. Hope you enjoy!

Cheers!