It’s five o’clock somewhere in this pandemic. And it’s day two of my exploration of literary-themed cocktails.
I was drawn to Tim Federle’s The Handmaid’s Ale because, like Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale, the When Life Was Still trilogy is also infused with religious fanaticism and the struggles encountered by women living in the historically patriarchal society of America.
These are the ingredients:
- 4 ounces Blue Moon wheat ale—I’m not sure if that’s the same as the amber ale called for in the recipe
- ½ ounce Tito’s vodka—it called for grain alcohol, but I don’t have Everclear on hand (and frankly, I’m concerned if you do have it on hand)
- 2 ounces chamomile tea, cooled
- 1 ounce simple syrup—I am so proud of myself for making my own simple syrup; it’s no simple accomplishment for me to stand at a stove and see something through to completion before it burns because, once I put something on the stove, I usually abandon it to go write a novel
- Pour all of it into a Collins glass with ice
My review of this drink:
Three out of five stars. It’s somewhat palatable, but it still made my face look a little bit like when Nancy Kerrigan got kneecapped by Tonya Harding’s boyfriend and cried, “Why?!” I love the title Handmaid’s Ale, but since I don’t know if the wheat ale in Blue Moon is also amber ale, and since it’s Women’s History Month and my three protagonists are obsessed with wondering when American women will have significant positions of power, my new title for this drink is Once in a Blue Moon.
Cheers!
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