“We have so much to say, and we shall never say it.” 
― Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet On The Western Front: The Sidewalker Cocktail

Week three of the fall Bon Appeteach “Book Club”, brings us to the 1920’s. There were many great books to choose from during this decade of the roaring 20’s but, I felt particularly inspired this week to choose All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (I already honored The Great Gatsby this summer so check out another great 1920’s inspired book as well). This novel was published in 1929, in a post World War I era. The story is about a young German soldier who goes to fight on the French front during the war and dives into the bitter ugliness that many soldiers faced (and still face) from these experiences. It’s a moving novel and it is raw. There is no happy ending here, but a story I am sure many who have fought in battle relate too. That leads us to this week’s drink, a German beer inspired cocktail called, The Sidewalker. With beer as a base for this drink, you will also find hints of apple, lemon, and maple, making it ideal for fall and any Oktoberfest celebrations you may have. Find the full recipe below.

The Sidewalker Cocktail:

• 1 1/4  cup Applejack
• 1 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/2  cup Maple Syrup (use a good quality syrup)
• 1/4 cup  Apple Cider Vinegar
• 4 cups Hefeweizen beer
• Lemon Wedges to garnish

Shaken & Stirred:

To make this cocktail you want to shake some of the contents then stir in the beer. In order to chill and dissolve the maple syrup, I like to combine the applejack, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until the mixture is blended, chilled, and slightly diluted. Pour into a pitcher and set it aside. Next, add in the four cups of beer and give it a gentle stir (not to create too much foam). I prefer serving in pint glass and toss in a lemon wedge.

Looking for a lower carb variation? This may still not quite be THAT low carb but substitute the maple syrup for a keto simple syrup with maple extract and use your favorite low carb beer in place of the hefeweizen to enjoy the same great flavors of this beer cocktail.

Food Pairing:

This week’s food pairing is also German themed. I made these delicious Grilled Spiralized Brats with Sauerkraut to go with this tasty beer cocktail. There is just something so delicious about meat on stick my friends, you won’t want to pass it up! If you’re looking for some other tasting sausage appetizers, I also love these popular Keto Sausage Bites! They’re fairly easy to make, kid friendly, and a great game time appetizer or fall party snack.

So with that my dear friends, all that’s left to say is… Prost! Don’t forget to see how I made this cocktail (and all my other Bon Appeteach “Book Club” drinks on my Instagram stories every Friday at 5pm central!

Bon Appeteach,

-L