Pumpkin Beer Fizz Cocktails

Have you ever tried a flip? Nowadays, a flip generally refers to a cocktail shaken with a whole egg, instead of just the whites, for a richer flavor and texture. As soon as the holidays roll around, I'm likely to order any flip I see on a menu, and a classic sherry flip with topped with freshly grated nutmeg is one of my ultimate favorite cold weather drinks. But when I'm craving that rich flip flavor without so much heft -- a lighter, more drinkable profile -- I turn to a golden fizz, instead.

A golden fizz is just like a traditional fizz (a shaken egg white cocktail topped with seltzer), but uses just the egg yolk instead of the whites. Whenever baking spices enter the equation -- like allspice, clove, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg -- I'm likely to turn to the yolk instead of the white for additional backbone.

This Golden Pumpkin Fizz is somewhere between a flip and a golden fizz, because we're using pumpkin beer instead of seltzer. Believe it or not, the original flips enjoyed by sailors in England as early as the 1600s counted beer among their ingredients and were served piping hot. While this fizz is most definitely better cold, the fact that it features an ale so prominently is an intentional throwback to the OG.

Now, which pumpkin beer to use? Even if you stick with local craft breweries, you're likely to have more than a few options. Whatever you like to drink on its own will likely taste best to you in this cocktail, but I prefer lighter pumpkin ales to heavy, boozy imperial brews -- try to stay under 8% ABV. And don't limit yourself to pumpkin beers if you see another lightly spiced fall variety you want to try out -- I've tried a lot of sweet potato beers this year that would fit the bill nicely.

Garnish this with an apple fan as a callout to Applejack, the spirit base in this cocktail, and/or with a hit of freshly grated nutmeg to mimic a traditional flip. Just don't go overboard -- a little fresh nutmeg goes a long way, and you don't want to lose the more subtle spice of your pumpkin ale.