The Grilled Pineapple Sour is a showstopper batch — caramelized pineapple juice deepens the tropical sweetness, Top Hat Lemonade Concentrate delivers the sour backbone, and bourbon ties it together with warmth and oak. Finished with a dash of Angostura for complexity.
Grilling the pineapple first is the move that makes this batch — caramelization adds depth you can't get from raw juice. The extra 20 minutes of prep pays off in every single pour.
Batch Method
- Grill and juice pineapple (see below). Strain and chill to 36–38°F before batching.
- Add 5 liters Bourbon to a clean 5-gallon Cornelius keg.
- Add 96 oz grilled pineapple juice.
- Add 4 qts Top Hat Lemonade Concentrate.
- Add 7 qts cold filtered water.
- Add 2–3 dashes Angostura Bitters.
- Seal the keg and shake vigorously side to side for 2 full minutes.
- Pressurize with N₂. See instructions below.
- Refrigerate minimum 12 hours before first service.
- Serve ~6 oz over ice. Garnish with grilled pineapple and fresh mint or rosemary.
- Reshake twice daily to re-integrate ingredients.
Pro move: Grill pineapple rings over high heat until you get real char marks — 3–4 minutes per side. The caramelization is where the flavor lives. Juice while still warm, strain through fine mesh, then chill completely before adding to the keg.
- Seal the keg and shake vigorously side to side for 2 full minutes.
- Connect gray/silver Cornelius "gas in" connector to GAS IN plug on keg lid.
- Set N₂ regulator to 12–15 psi.
- Pull up pressure release ring 3 times quickly to cycle gas through keg.
- Test flow. Reduce to 10–12 psi if pouring too fast.
- Reshake twice daily before service to re-integrate all ingredients.
*Grilled Pineapple Juice
Slice a whole pineapple into ¾-inch rings. Grill over high heat 3–4 minutes per side until caramelized with char marks. While warm, press through a juice extractor or blend and strain through fine mesh or cheesecloth. Chill completely before adding to the keg. Yield: ~96 oz from 2–3 large pineapples.