Ferris Wheel

I’m toasting Peter Wilthshire’s fine “Ferris” box with another tribute to the fantastical flight of fancy which first debuted at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (“World’s Columbian Exposition”).  The 264 foot high structure of spokes invented by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. resembled a giant bicycle wheel and represented a technological marvel of the time which had fair goers dizzy with excitement. The Ferris Wheel cocktail from San Francisco mixologist Summer-Jane Bell might also make your head spin.  Featuring sweet pear liqueur and the French aperitif Suze, it is finished off with a wheat style beer.  I swapped the wheat beer for a grapefruit style radler from Texas’s Shiner brewery, which did not disappoint. This spin on a beer cocktail goes perfectly with the Ferris Box and is an equally giddy experience.

Ferris Wheel by Summer-Jane Bell

Ferris Wheel by Summer-Jane Bell

1 ½ oz William’s Pear Liqueur

½ oz Suze or similar gentian aperitif

½ oz lemon juice

1 ½ oz soda water

1 ½ oz German Weisse style beer (I used Shiner’s Ruby Redbird)

Shake all but the beer together with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Top with the beer and set the wheels in motion.

This pair will make your head spin