You’ve heard the phrase, “It’s 5 O’Clock somewhere”, but as we as anglers know, it’s always 5 O’clock on the water. Whether you’re celebrating the catch of a lifetime or drowning your sorrows about losing one, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as kicking your feet up and enjoying a refreshing cocktail after a long day on the water.

cold brew pour

For this series, we’ve teamed up with YETI to sit down with some of our mutual fishing friends and get the lowdown on their go-to celebratory beverage. In this installment, we met up with legendary Colorado guide, fly-tyer, and author: Landon Mayer to see how he makes his signature, “Coldbrew cocktail”.

lanon mayer and his fish

Who is Landon Mayer?

Landon Mayer is a name that almost all Colorado, and Western anglers are at least familiar with. Having been a guide for over 21 years, Landon has built quite a reputation for himself as one of the more skilled freshwater anglers of our generation. On top of his guiding prowess, Landon has also published an assortment of fly-fishing literature and is the brains behind some of the most recognized signature freshwater, and specifically, Stillwater, fly patterns in the game.

landon mayer

Landon, an Umpqua Pro tyer, is the mind behind one of the most notable flies in the game: The “Mayers Mini Leech”, as well as many others such as the “Mayer’s Mysis”, the “Mayers Tube Midge Tungsten”, and the “Mayer’s Titan Tube Midge”. If the name still doesn’t ring a bell, you can reference the author section of the stack of books that may be occupying real estate on your coffee table. When we say Landon wrote the book on Stillwater fly-fishing, we mean it. literally.

flys in a fly box
A look inside one of Mayer’s fly boxes.

There are many published titles that Mayer has been responsible for over the years, but you may notice his most notable, such as; “Guide Flies: Easy-to-Tie Patterns for Tough Trout“, “101 Trout Tips: A Guide’s Secrets, Tactics, and Techniques“, and “The Hunt for Giant Trout: 25 Best Places in the United States to Catch a Trophy”.

While, based on his achievements alone, many could consider Landon a fly-fishing “celebrity”, something most people most likely don’t know about him is that he can whip up a mean cocktail. A few months ago, our team had the privilege of spending a day with Landon, roping in the beautiful, hard-fighting fish pictured in this very piece. As most guides know, day after day doing just that can often leave you exhausted long after the client has left their tip and headed home. This is why Landon prefers a splash of energy in his post-fishing “pick me up” beverage. With this in mind, the Cold Brew Cocktail was born.

landon mayer on a fish

How to Make “Mayer’s Cold Brew Cocktail”:

Ingredients: 

  • Ice

  • Whiskey of your choice

  • Cold Brew Coffee (Made yourself or from the can)

  • Maple Syrup

  • Brown Sugar

  • Baileys Irish Cream

cocktail ingredients

Step 1: Start With Some Ice

Fill your mug/cup about halfway with ice. This is an excellent cocktail to enjoy during the warmer summer months, and as any cold-brew enthusiast can tell you, half the enjoyment comes from your ice – so be generous.

a scoop of ice

Step 2: Pour in Some Irish Whiskey

Add in a touch of whiskey (around a shot). In this recipe, we used Jameson, as Jameson notably mixes best to make “Irish coffee” drinks, which was an inspiration for this drink. However, feel free to make it your own, with any blend of Irish whiskey, or even rye whiskey or bourbon.

pouring a shot of whiskey

Step 3: Add Brown Sugar

Add one or two scoops of brown sugar. This adds not only some sweetness but some fun texture as it will crystalize with the next ingredient once mixed together.

brown sugar in a cup

Step 4: Pour in some Maple Syrup 

Now, pour a touch of Maple syrup into the mix. Depending on your bottle, and your capacity for sugar, a one-second pour is usually best for this, but it’s really all personal preference.

pouring syrup in a cup
For the coldest Cold Brew Cocktail, check out the YETI Lowball, HERE.

Step 5: Add Some Cold Brew

Pour in some cold brew until your cup is almost full. This is the key ingredient! So, don’t skimp it. Canned cold brew is great for this, or you can make it at home pretty easily. Hint: To keep your brew as cold as can be, transport it in a YETI water bottle or Jug.

Pouring coldbrew cocktail

Step 6: Add in Some Creamer

To complete the cold brew cocktail, pour in a dash of Bailey’s Irish cream. We recommend around two tables spoons of it, but we all know you’re going to just pour as much as you want and watch it dance around in the coffee. That’s okay – we don’t blame you.

pouring in irish cream

Step 7: Shake and Enjoy. 

We here at Flylords prefer our cocktails shaken… not stirred. Go ahead and give your cup a shake to mix all the ingredients together. Make sure, if you’ve got one, to close the lid on your rambler/cup when shaking. If you don’t have a lid, and even if you do, try to keep your thumb over the mouth hole to avoid spillage.

Once you’ve given your concoction a shake, pop the lid and enjoy! As always, remember to drink responsibly.

shaking a cocktail

‘Thank you to Landon for sharing his afternoon with us and showing us a few new tricks on the water. You can find him on Instagram HERE, Or you can check out his website, HERE. Also, thank you to YETI for keeping our cups full and our cocktails cold. If you enjoyed this piece, be on the lookout for more just like it down the line. Cheers!

ingredients

5 O’Clock on the Water: Making a Dark and Stormy with Brandon Cyr

Landon Mayer’s 5 Winter Trout Fishing Secrets

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