Commoner bartender, Cinderlands collaborate on a mai tai beer
A brewery and a bartender have collaborated on a beer that tastes like a mai tai cocktail.
Head brewer Paul Schneider of Cinderlands Warehouse in the Strip District and lead bartender Alex Dando of The Commoner Downtown are fans of each other and each other’s venues. Mr. Schneider especially enjoys a drink in The Commoner’s rooftop Biergarten.
Together, they created a beer that is creatively out there. Mr. Schneider originated with a style he originated, the tartshake IPA, a slightly sour spin on the sweet- with- lactose- and- vanilla milkshake IPA.
The flavor inspiration was Mr. Dando’s Mai Taiger Woods is Back, a clarified version of the classic Mai Tai cocktail. So the ingredients include lime, pineapple and tangerine puree; toasted coconut; almond milk; blackstrap molasses; Madagascar vanilla bean, with milk sugar ( lactose) and Sabro and Motueka hops.
“All together,” says Mr. Schneider, “it’s tropical, sweet, slightly tart and a whole lot of fun.”
Cinderlands Warehouse will release Tiki Trooper on draft and in 16- ounce cans Thursday from 4 to 7 p. m. It also will be releasing two other brews, including another tartshake IPA collaboration — with St. Louis’ 4 Hands Brewing Co. — based on its cocktail, The Last Word. A commemorative tiki glass will be available for purchase.
After 7 p. m., both tartshakes will be celebrated at The Commoner, which also will be offering slushee and cocktail versions.
Mr. Dando says that even though The Commoner is known for its cocktails, “beer has always been my first love. So, it was an exciting opportunity to combine the two.”