Ask the MB

December 4, 2007

Q: I am getting to the age (35) where I am feeling like I am tweener. Not quite old enough to pull off sophisticated but not young enough to pull of Superbad. So here is my question, while out on the town I would like to know what kind of drink the MB orders. Beer seems so "run to the bathroom every 5 minutes" and anything with fruit seems way too girlish. What is the quintessential MB drink for the evening?
—PJ

A: Beer is never really a horrible choice, but is a little college-boy, like you should have your baseball cap on backwards and wearing a Dave Matthews Band concert tee. For God's sake man, no.

Excellent instincts on the fruit. Definitely for the girls, though acceptable for an MB in an ironic gesture, like in a Brandy Old Fashioned.

Now that we're knee-deep into brown liquor season, we're heavily consuming Rob Roys. Not the traditional version with the sweet vermouth and cherry (remember the fruit rule), but the dry version served on rocks and garnished with a few sour cocktail onions. If the barkeep knows how to make one, try on a couple of these and even if you may not actually be fully MB, you will certainly look, and most importantly feel like one.

(Much more complete drink coverage coming soon.)