As we prepare to raise a glass of our favorite beverage at midnight on New Year’s Eve, we’re also thinking about the best things we drank this year. And, as luck would have it, the two writers on our food desk have very different tastes in beverages, so this is a wide-ranging list. Nataly loves coffee; Brian prefers beer. The result is that our favorite drinks of the year span a full day’s imbibing, from morning to night. Cheers!
Mister Pop from Cultivar Coffee
During our sweltering summer, I made an extra effort to seek out iced caffeinated drinks. Mister Pop from Cultivar Coffee (inside Goodfriend Package in East Dallas) was an unexpected treat. The drink, which was a summer special, was made with a spice-infused (nutmeg, cacao nibs, and cinnamon) coffee syrup and then diluted with sparkling water and Amarena Toschi black candied cherries. I took one sip and was surprised that it tasted like Dr Pepper (or maybe Cheerwine, if you’re from the Carolinas). – Nataly Keomoungkhoun
Jackleg, a Red Ale from Outfit Brewing
Red ales are still a somewhat underrated beer style locally. They’re easy to drink and perfect in spring and fall weather, with their fuller body and a light toffee taste that isn’t too sweet. Plus, they allow the drinker to pretend to be Irish. (This is actually a myth, according to beer expert Randy Mosher’s textbook Tasting Beer: “It’s probably a more important style in the United States than it is in Ireland….While the term is ancient, there is no connection between modern Irish reds and medieval ones. The style was first heavily promoted by Coors.”)
Dallas has had a few decent reds over the years, but not many. The most famous is boozy, hairy-chested imperial red Velvet Hammer, from Peticolas. But if you wanted a less alcoholic, more traditional red, the best I’ve found locally is at Outfit, where Jackleg is beautifully balanced. It’s drinkable but not sweet, and it’s light enough to drink on a hot day but dark enough to drink in chilly weather. It’s not tap right now, but I hope this peer pressure inspires Outfit to bring it back for St. Patrick’s Day. — Brian Reinhart
Moody Bleu Martini from Tina’s Continental
Tina’s Continental has a lot of great martinis. There’s just one I really love. The Moody Bleu is essentially a dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed martinis. The vodka’s washed with blue cheese, and it makes the whole drink ten times better. – N.K.
The Best Hard Cider in Dallas, from Pegasus City Brewery
This was a tough year for Pegasus City, which downsized its operations—including the closure of its original production brewery in the Design District—after co-owner Adrian Cotten was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and advised by doctors to reduce sources of stress in her life. We can’t help rooting for them to succeed at their remaining taproom, the downtown showpiece that used to be a glamorous art deco department store.
This year, Adrian’s husband and business partner, Will Cotten, got into brewing cider. It’s cloudy, unpasteurized, Champagne-like in its dryness, and instantly the best cider in Dallas. — B.R.
Mango Mother from Parterre
I fell in love with coffee and fruit drinks this summer. The Mango Mother—another seasonal drink—was made with mango purée, Kyoto cold brew, and lavender syrup. Unlike a grapefruit and espresso pairing, which leans into the bitterness of coffee, the mango and lavender of the Mango Mother smoothed it out. – N.K.
The Cocktails at Brass Ram
Every new restaurant tries to have a signature cocktail. They don’t need to. They could do like Brass Ram does: take the classics—a martini, a negroni, a highball—and do them perfectly. The Gibson here is a thing of perfection. (The default gin is Tanqueray, but you can choose your own if desired.) The highball is fizzy and flawless. The food here is very good too, and the wine list has nice things, but I’m most looking forward to going back so I can lean back in a booth and sip on a drink. — B.R.
Kiestwood Iced Coffee from Peaberry Coffee
Am I kind of lame for just having tasted Kiestwood Iced Coffee for the first time this year? Probably. But what’s not lame is this canned coffee, which is from local coffee shop Peaberry Coffee, is so good. The cans are huge, so there’s enough coffee to last you through a walk with the dog plus your morning commute, and there are five flavors to choose from. My favorite is the iced coffee with oat milk and vanilla. – N.K.
A Tie Between a Bunch of Vector’s Beers
I’ve started keeping track year-round of food and drink for these year-end lists of our favorites. Early in the year, the first thing I wrote down for our drinks list was a Vector pilsner called Bo. (As in Bohemia. Or Natty Boh.) Then they went through a bigtime saison phase, including at least one, Saison de Vil (dressed in a 101 Dalmatians-themed label), that could be mistaken for a Jester King classic. Then, in springtime, they collaborated with Kuumba Smith of Smittox Brewing on a prickly pear and ginger brew. High summer brought a perfect German light beer for hot day hydration. This fall, we got beer mustaches from the Czech-style dark lager. Which is best? Jeez, guys. I dunno. All of them? — B.R.
Authors
Nataly Keomoungkhoun
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