Homemade Ginger Beer Spiked with Guest's Choice of American Craft Spirits

• sparkling water
• 1½ ounces spirit of choice
• ginger syrup (recipe follows)
• lemon wedge

For ginger syrup (makes 3½ cups):

• ½ pound fresh ginger root, cleaned and sliced thin
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 3 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 split vanilla bean
• 1½ cups demerara or turbinado sugar
• ½ cups cane sugar
• 2 cups water

Fill a highball glass with ice. Fill two-thirds full with cold sparkling water. Add 1 ½ ounces spirit of choice. Top with homemade ginger syrup (or purchased). Stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Finish with a natural, biodegradable paper straw (optional).

American craft spirit recommendations:

Boyd & Blair Single Pot Still Potato Vodka, Pennsylvania Northshore Gin, Lake Bluff, Illinois Smooth Ambler Old Scout Bourbon, West Virginia