When we hear “cocktail,” most people think liquor and some type of mixer, and sadly, no one ever thinks of beer as a first ingredient in a phenomenal cocktail. However, that’s the furthest thing from the truth.

With the growing popularity of craft beer, creatively mixing beer cocktails is becoming more and more mainstream, and beer cocktails have become more elaborate and complex than ever.

For this craft beer cocktail, I’m also introducing a relatively simple idea for infusing flavor into beer.  In craft beer bars/breweries, the concept of “randalling” is nothing new. Beer passes through a double-chamber filter that is filled with any combination of ingredients.  The beer comes out the other side infused/flavored by those new ingredients.  Over the years, I’ve seen randalls filled with everything from spicy peppers and fruit to kids’ cereal and candy.  However, having your own randall at home is impractical.  Most of us don’t have a keg system for beer, so there is really no way to randall a beer…or so we thought.

Ingredients
2-12oz stouts (I used a stout with a hint of chocolate & coffee flavor)
1 milk chocolate candy bar-chopped into small pieces
1/2  lb. strawberries-cleaned, hulled, and quartered
1 oz. brandy or cognac
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
2 oz. heavy cream

Directions
Place quartered strawberries and chopped chocolate bar into a standard French Press. Pour both stouts and brandy over the strawberries and chocolate.  Seal the French press with the plunger in the up position.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.  The longer it sits, the more flavor infuses.

Just before serving, heat white chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds.  Stir to melt chips.  Allow white chocolate ganache to cool slightly.  Dip rim of each glass in chocolate and allow it to run down the inside (and possibly outside) of glass.

To serve, push the French press plunger down to meet and lightly press the ingredients. Pour beer into glasses while pushing the French press plunger down.  The more the plunger is pushed, the more flavor is forced into the beer.

Serves 2-3 depending on the size of glass.