Carolyn Sackariason/The Aspen Times
Bourbon is my go-to drink in just about every circumstance but it gets pretty boring consuming it over ice, or trying to suck down another Manhattan or old fashioned.
Plus, those aren’t really summer drinks the way you think of in the traditional sense.
But thanks to the imagination of Michael Slimmer, general manager of Mr. Grey (formerly Grey Lady), he recently changed the restaurant’s drink menu with two new takes on bourbon that transition us from summer to fall.
The favorite of the two, the Dirty Doctor, is just the prescription any bored bourbon drinker needs.
Ready for it? It’s frozen Bulleit bourbon mixed with Dr. Pepper. It comes in slushy form, churning right next to the Frose machine behind the bar.
Add in some lemon juice, pomegranate, fresh blueberries and macerated cherries, and the doctor is in.
“It’s 24 flavors in one,” Slimmer laughed. “It’s an adult-childhood joy.”
The Dirty Doctor plays off of all the flavors in Dr. Pepper, of which there are 23 — cola, cherry, licorice, amaretto almond, vanilla, blackberry, apricot, blackberry, caramel, pepper, anise, sarsaparilla, ginger, molasses, lemon, plum, orange, nutmeg, cardamon, allspice, coriander juniper, birch and prickly ash.
Legend has it that a pharmacy owner liked the way his pharmacy smelled so much that he recreated it, and Dr. Pepper was born.
After imbibing on a Dirty Doctor one would think Dr. Pepper was made just for the slushy bourbon cocktail.
It’s like chocolate meets peanut butter. Who would have ever thought?
Another bourbon creation to sip on at Mr. Grey’s outdoor bar on a nice Indian summer day is the Slim’s Pickins’, which pays homage to Slimmer’s name and his favorite TV actor when he was a kid.
It’s a nice refreshing combination of Bulleit bourbon, blackberries, blueberries, lemon, honey and fresh mint.
“It’s super summery and you get that bourbon sweetness on the back end,” Slimmer said.
Slimmer is currently working on the winter drink menu, always keeping in mind how the drinks will pair with a mostly seafood menu.
“You build on the classics and go have fun,” he said. “It ain’t rocket science, it’s just booze.”