Cocktail

This variation on the Champagne cocktail skips the standard Angostura bitters in favor of herbal, honeyed Benedictine liqueur and fragrant crème de cacao.

When we first tasted this drink, it was made with Rolling Rock, a mass-market golden lager, and Tropicana-brand orange juice. A more highfalutin' version would be a combination of fresh-squeezed orange juice and a wheat beer, such as Celis White.

Prairie Hen, Prairie Oyster I, Prairie Oyster II, Prairie Oyster III

This is a refreshing drink for the cocktail hour. Use any kind of black tea you like; fruit-flavored ones are particularly nice.