Thinking of hop water as an offshoot of beer, it’s an obvious candidate for traditional beer-based cocktails. Poi Dog Chili Peppah Water, made by Philadelphia-based, Hawai‘i-raised chef Kiki Aranita, is a vinegary blend of chile peppers and ginger often used as a condiment in Hawai‘i cuisine. In this nonalcoholic cocktail, it provides a complex hit of gentle spice, thanks to the ginger and vinegar. The lime wedge garnish serves more than just a visual function, too, as drinkers are encouraged to squeeze it over the drink, adding an additional hit of acidity and citrus aromatics.
Hop Watah Michelada
John deBary | New York City
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 12 ounces chilled hop water
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- 1/2 ounce Poi Dog Chili Peppah Water (or equal parts mild hot sauce and rice wine vinegar)
Garnish: lime wedge
Directions
- Pour the hop water into a chilled tall glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the pineapple juice and Chili Peppah Water and dry-shake for 3 to 5 seconds to combine.
- Pour over the hop water and garnish with the lime wedge.