Introducing Tasting Table Drinks Editor Jim Meehan Of PDT In NYC

Jim Meehan is mixing Byrrh with beer.

Byrrh, for the uninitiated, is an old-school French apéritif that's got a bunch of mystery herbs and quinine, as well as a storied past.

The beer...well you know what beer is. 

If you like to drink delicious things, there's a good chance you know who Jim Meehan is, too.

A James Beard Award-winning mixologist, Meehan runs the celebrated New York bar PDT, unquestionably the world's best speakeasy inside a hot dog joint accessed through a telephone booth. He has written extensively for Food & Wine and GQ, among others, and is the author of the excellent The PDT Cocktail Book ($14).

We're pleased to announce that Meehan has now joined Tasting Table as our very first Drinks Editor. You'll be hearing a lot from him in the near future as he shares his tips, recipes and thoughts on everything related to cocktail culture and the well-curated drinking life.

To toast his new role here, we asked Meehan to mix up a big batch of something fun, refreshing and seasonal.

Behold the Beer Cassis, a.k.a. the Official TT Drink of Summer (see the recipe).

"This drink epitomizes my style," Meehan says of the fizzy, sunset-colored dream.

"It's easy to make. It's got a sense of history as it's loosely based on an old drink called the Byrrh Cassis–but with a playful twist as we're introducing summery wheat beer into the mix. I love making drinks with beer, wine, tea and coffee. Just like chefs talk about a 'nose-to-tail' approach, I've got an all-inclusive beverage philosophy."

That's a philosophy we can get behind and look forward to seeing more of around here.

"There are so many great drinks and stories to share," Meehan says, refreshing our quickly drained glasses.

Cheers to that. Welcome, Jim! And pass the pitcher.