Nothing screams “summertime” quite like an ice-cold beer. And whether you’re prone to consume said hoppy beverage poolside, on the patio, or at the bar top, there are plenty of local varieties to go around — especially at the Plaza District’s Oak & Ore, where 36 beer taps line the entirety of the white subway tiled west wall.
I asked my bartender Keely for a refreshing recommendation fit for the sweltering heat, and she hooked me up with a glass of Prairie Standard straight from Tap No. 13. Brewed in Tulsa, Prairie Standard is known as the brand’s everyday beverage and is described as a “hoppy farmhouse ale.” Light and crisp, the beer’s citrusy sourness is at least partially attributable to the process of spontaneous fermentation; rather than using cultivated yeast, spontaneous fermentation happens when ales are fermented with wild yeasts, like from an open window or from what’s already in a barrel.
Keely instructed me to take a sip from the tulip glass before the head had disappeared, and I did as I was told. Belgian farmhouse ales like this are supposed to go well with all types of foods since they lift heavy flavors and mirror spices — try it with Oak & Ore’s artisanal cheese plate or the cubano sandwich.
Tangy with notes of lime and spice, Prairie Standard is definitely a not-so-basic beer that I can get behind. I asked Keely if she was Oak & Ore’s resident beer connoisseur, and she retorted with, “I know enough to be dangerous.” Touché.
Next up was something with a bit more of a kick, yet still capable of wetting your whistle in the summer. The A.D., named after owner Micah Andrews’ wife, Amber Dawn, is made with Broker’s Gin and grapefruit juice, then topped with champagne and a lemon peel garnish. It may have started as Amber Dawn’s favorite drink, but it’s come to be quite popular with the patrons. Fairly sour with notes of sweetness from the champagne, this one will make you pucker up but leave you thirsty for more.
While I wasn’t made privy to the A.D.’s exact recipe, I feel like it would go something like this:
The A.D. (recipe not exact)
1 ½ oz. Broker’s Gin
1 ½ oz. grapefruit juice
2 oz. champagne
Shake/Strain/Champagne flute
Rim w/ a lemon peel and add to drink
