Spirits

• 
  The Joy of Drinking

• White Wine vs Your Teeth

  21 Oct 2009 | 10:36 am

  Apparently, even with brushing, white wine wins. Stick with reds, or better yet, gin. White Wine Bad for Teeth

• Don't Be Bitter

  20 Oct 2009 | 8:52 pm

  I'm rather envious, one may even say bitter, over of Kyle's trip to participate in the annual Mai Tai competition on Maui. Part of the "Don't be bitter" giveaway

• Something short on orange wines

  11 Oct 2009 | 10:12 pm

  Cross post from Holy Kaw on orange wines!Just trying to keep things fresh, yo.

• Bubbles aren't just for cheap thrills

  28 Sep 2009 | 3:35 pm

  Apparently, the bubbles in champagne and sparkling wine do more than throw a party in your mouth (to which everyone is invited). Quoth the BBC: "Research shows there are up to 30 times more flavour-enhancing chemicals in the bubbles than in the rest of the drink." So next time someone offers you champagne in a solo cup at New Years, you can throw it in their face, citing this article. Don't expect an invite for next year, but hey, who wants to go to that kind of party anyway? Champagne bubbles' flavour fizz

• Most Successful Experiment To Date

  16 Sep 2009 | 1:32 am

  Usually recipes of my own creation come out horrendous at first, but this one blew my mind. I give all credit to Noelle for helping me with the proportions: 1.5 oz Rye.5 oz blackberry cordial.25 oz simple syrup .25 oz Amaro7 drops peychauds3 drops Fee's Whiskey Barrel Aged bittersLime peel garnish, squeeze oils liberally over drinkLast night I made this drink stirred, but I found that as it warmed, the blackberry cordial began to separate a bit. Tonight I shall try shaking. I'm thinking a swizzle stick would work nicely. This drink as a BEAUTIFUL color, and as soon as I get the picture…

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  Liquor Snob

• Liquor Snob Monthly Roundup: October 2009

  Liquor Snob

  2 Nov 2009 | 5:46 pm

  Those of you who read the website with any regularity probably noticed that Liquor Snob refrained from any kind of Halloween shenanigans this year. We should probably come clean - we hate Halloween. Not covering it probably cost us some traffic, in terms of things like halloween cocktail searchers and whatnot, but guess what? We don't care. As much as we like the integration of "slutty" into pretty much every costume, we don't want anything to do with a holiday that expects us to put on a costume that could interfere with our drinking or make us look like the guy pictured above (via Monster…

• Cocktail Recipe: Shanghai's Last Gentleman

  Liquor Snob

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:30 am

  Our man DKF has been in his secret lab again, flogging the cocktails, and he's come up with one that really caught our attention. We love both Buffalo Trace bourbon and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur - they're fucking delicious. Check out what happens when you mix them up in one glass and add some cocktail-y stuff to the mix. We even think his name for it - Shanghai's Last Gentleman - is the bee's knees...at least he didn't call it Shanghai Surprise. Keep 'em coming, DKF. Shanghai's Last Gentleman This sultry bourbon-laced cocktail is a true 'East Meets West' concoction, mingling slow…

• Beefeater 24 Gin Arrives for Review

  Liquor Snob

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:50 pm

  Today was a good day at the Liquor Snob offices, as shown by the fact the FedEx guy showed up with a bottle of Beefeater 24 gin. We've heard many a good thing about this spirit, with its 24 hour marriage of gin and various exotic teas. It also boasts multiple citruses, licorice, and your standard juniper, but we're focused on the tea, something we've never had before. Seems to work well, at least according to these reviews we found. We'll add our tasting notes to the mix as soon as we can. Oh Gosh! A Dash of Bitters Spirits Review Drink Hacker About Cocktails

• Akvinta Mediterranean Vodka Arrives for Review

  Liquor Snob

  28 Oct 2009 | 5:38 pm

  We got a pleasant surprise in the mail yesterday, in the form of a bottle of Akvinta Vodka, a brand we hadn't heard of before, but bills itself as the world's "first luxury Mediterranean vodka." The stuff is made of Italian wheat and Dalmatian water, and is triple-distilled and filtered through birch, marble, silver, gold, and platinum. According to the Akvinta website: Akvinta has a light lemon citrus nose with a touch of sweetness, a light peppery mouth feel, and very smooth finish with no burn. It is luxurious and well- balanced when drunk on its own, in mixed drinks or simply served over…

• Vinturi White Wine Aerator Review

  Liquor Snob

  26 Oct 2009 | 5:41 pm

  We've been excited to try out the Vinturi Aerator, especially considering the fact we'd never given much thought to decanting white wine, or even letting it "breathe" as we might a red. Vinturi was kind enough to send us a model to review, and when we opened the box we were impressed with the heft of the vaguely cylindrical gizmo that greeted us, and pleasantly surprised to find a no-drip stand and cloth storage bag as well. We peeked through the Aerator, unsure how much effect it would really have on our wine, but decided to take it at face value. We poured two glasses from the same…

• 
  Drinks After Dark

• Taste the Globe

  Colleen

  22 Oct 2009 | 12:25 am

  Entirely, in your glass. Next Wednesday, at the illustrious Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, Globe in your Glass,where attendees get to rub elbows with the winemakers, as they taste selections from the following wineries from around the world: From Canada: Inniskillin Wines, Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate, Nk’Mip Cellars, Osoyoos Larose, See Ya Later Ranch and Sumac Ridge Estate Winery From Australia: Banrock Station, Barossa Valley Estate and Hardys Wines From New Zealand: Kim Crawford Wines and Monkey Bay From The United States: Clos du Bois, Hogue Cellars, Ravenswood, Robert Mondavi…

• Summer = drinks!

  Colleen

  25 Jul 2009 | 7:03 pm

  Oh my. I know it’s usually considered bad form to post the “I’m so sorry I haven’t been here in ages!” post, but here it is! I feel dreadful that I dropped a bomb of an announcement about the Drinks after Dark Tastemakers event and then simply disappeared off the face of the earth for a while. You see, summer time for me is more about being outside in the sunshine, basking on beaches, camping, going to the Calgary Stampede with one of my hands down favourite women ever, drinks on patios and wine tours than it is trying to write everything down and document it…

• Announcing Drinks after Dark Tastemakers

  Colleen

  9 Jun 2009 | 12:06 pm

  I’ve been taking about doing this for a while now, but it’s finally all coming together! I am pleased to be able to tell you that the launch of the Drinks After Dark Tastemaker Event Series will take place at Sanafir Restaurant on Wednesday, June 24th. I’m just waiting on confirmation from the spirit company to confirm their participation, and then I’ll be able to announce all of the details, but for now, here’s the format for the evening and all the info you’ll need to participate: arrival mingle & sip learn a bit about the spirit - the history,…

• Bourbon Touring with Maker’s Mark

  Colleen

  1 Jun 2009 | 3:51 pm

  Much like fine wine, there’s a lot that goes into good bourbon, and it’s a pretty precise science. Back in November of 2008 the fine folk at Maker’s Mark flew me to Louisville (Lou-a-vull if you want to pronounce it like the locals) and let me spend about 4 hours with Kevin Smith, the Master Distiller for Maker’s. The Master Maker if you will. Maker’s Mark has a long and varied history starting shortly after prohibition in 1933.  One thing lead to another, and the Samuels family - the very same that owns Maker’s now - bought the brand in 1943. In 1954,…

• Welcome Back

  Colleen

  1 Jun 2009 | 9:17 am

  Drinks after Dark is officially back! I’ve managed to get my creative drive and brain back, have things well in hand at the new job, and took some time off writing to get the next steps for Drinks after Dark planned and organized. I’m pretty stoked about all of the new things I’ve got planned - some of which include events, interviews, more drink recipes and even more than that. Stay tuned, let me know what you think of the new stuff, and if there’s anything else you’re interested in seeing here!

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  Girly Drinks

• Halloween Cocktails: The Jack-O-Lantern

  Rachel

  30 Oct 2009 | 11:20 am

  Halloween Cocktails: The Jack-O-Lantern is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. Halloween Cocktails: The Jack-O-Lantern is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. Happy Halloween! We’re busy compiling a roundup of 31 Halloween Cocktails from around the web to go out with our newsletter - our you signed up to receive it yet? In the meantime, here’s a quick and fun [...]

• Weekly Cocktail Roundup: October 23, 2009

  Rachel

  25 Oct 2009 | 7:48 pm

  Weekly Cocktail Roundup: October 23, 2009 is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. Weekly Cocktail Roundup: October 23, 2009 is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. Cocktail Blog Roundup: Cocktail Recipes From Everday Drinkers: The French Kiss (with X-Rated Fusion!) and the Pink Kitty From The Hostess Blog: Halloween Cocktails, including the Black Widow Martini and Screwed Up Shooters The “Liquor Fairy” brings Doug [...]

• The Melting Pot: Chocolate Fontini Recipe

  Rachel

  25 Oct 2009 | 7:25 pm

  The Melting Pot: Chocolate Fontini Recipe is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. The Melting Pot: Chocolate Fontini Recipe is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. While having dinner at The Melting Pot a few weeks ago, I imbibed in one of their signature cocktails, the Chocolate Fontini. Made from a combination of Godiva chocolate liquer, Kahlua, Baileys, and the actual [...]

• Happy National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day! Pumpkin Martini Recipe

  Rachel

  21 Oct 2009 | 11:16 am

  Happy National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day! Pumpkin Martini Recipe is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. Happy National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day! Pumpkin Martini Recipe is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. According to The Cheesecake Factory, today is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day (October 21st, 2009).  I don’t have a current Pumpkin Cheesecake Martini recipe, so the next best thing is this Pumpkin Martini recipe [...]

• Weekly Cocktail Roundup: October 16, 2009

  Rachel

  17 Oct 2009 | 9:19 pm

  Weekly Cocktail Roundup: October 16, 2009 is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. Weekly Cocktail Roundup: October 16, 2009 is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes. I received an email from a reader this week that requested I bring back my “Girly Drinks Link Love” posts, a weekly post of cocktail recipes and going-ons from around the web. I haven’t done [...]

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  SpiritsAndCocktails.com

• Art of the Cocktail

  Jamie Boudreau

  31 Oct 2009 | 3:17 pm

  Art of the Cocktail is rapidly approaching. Don’t know what it is? Click here and/or read below: A two day festival celebrating the art, craft, and tradition of the cocktail. November 7 & 8, Victoria Arts Connection – 2750 Quadra Street The Art of the Cocktail opens the door to a world of elegant spirits: great classics, the [...]

• Cherry Old-Fashioned

  Jamie Boudreau

  30 Sep 2009 | 10:05 am

  Once again, I wrote the following for a great Slovak bar magazine, entitled appropriately enough, Bar Magazine. Occasionally Stanislav will contact me and ask me to create a recipe for him in the “molecular mixology style” that will fit in with the magazine’s theme of the month. (Note: Unfortunately Stan has now moved on to [...]

• Portland Watering Holes etc

  Jamie Boudreau

  28 Sep 2009 | 12:08 pm

  Portland is a mere two and a half hour drive from Seattle, and on occasion I’m able to escape to Washington’s Mexico. While there I stop at the bars listed below, and can occasionally set up a tasting or tour at one of the distilleries mentioned below. Oh, and I like  to harass the editors [...]

• Historic New Orleans Watering Holes

  Jamie Boudreau

  28 Sep 2009 | 12:04 am

  I’ve had the great fortune to go to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans the past three odd years and in that time have had a chance to explore some of the great old bars that NOLA has to offer. I’ve even seen some great bars that aren’t that old. You can check them [...]

• San Francisco Watering Holes

  Jamie Boudreau

  27 Sep 2009 | 11:36 pm

  Living in Seattle means that I’m less than 2 hours away from beautiful San Francisco, and I try to make it there twice a year. For those of you who are making the trip for the first time, I’ve decided to offer up a map of some of my favorite watering holes. Feel free to move [...]

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  The Cocktail Chronicles

• Don’t Be Bitter

  Paul

  31 Oct 2009 | 8:05 pm

  Sure — I’ll play along with Dietsch’s “Don’t Be Bitter” contest. After all, the gentlemen from The Bitter Truth have supplied some of the best bitters in my liquor cabinet, and the opportunity to win a bottle of their Beefeater 24 Bitters — which apparently aren’t for sale — is too good to pass up. According [...]

• MxMo Vermouth: The flower with the power

  Paul

  26 Oct 2009 | 11:48 pm

  I’ve been a bad blogger recently, what with the infrequent updates and all (though I’m still writing regularly over at Serious Eats), but even after spending a busy day writing about booze and a busy evening judging a cocktail contest for Domain de Canton (congratulations, Jay!), I’ve still got to log in to WordPress for [...]

• MxMo XLIII: Vermouth

  Paul

  22 Oct 2009 | 4:46 pm

  I’m running late in getting this announcement up, but considering the theme for October’s Mixology Monday (which takes place Monday, October 26), I’m guessing most regular (and new) participants already have the stuff on hand. The details: This month’s MxMo is hosted by Vidiot at Cocktailians, and for the theme Vidiot has chosen a subtance that’s [...]

• MxMo XLII: Dizzy Dairy

  Paul

  28 Sep 2009 | 11:12 pm

  It’s still Monday here on the West Coast, which means I’m still on time for this month’s Mixology Monday. Hosted by Chris Amirault and the gang over at eGullet, the theme for this month is “Dizzy Dairy”, which means whatever else you do to your drink, you’d better mix something in it that originated in [...]

• Cuisinternship entries

  Paul

  21 Sep 2009 | 11:28 pm

  As I mentioned last month, the good folks at Oregon Bounty organized a creatively titled Cuisinternship Contest that would pair selected winners (who entered by submitting a short video and even shorter Twitter-length essay) with some of the state’s culinary luminaries for a one-week, all-expenses-paid internship. The deadline has now passed — too bad, procrastinators [...]

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  Cocktails News

• A collection of captivating Kahlua cocktails

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:33 am

  I recently shared a recipe for making homemade Kahlua . This sweet coffee laced liqueur is the basis of many delicious cocktails, some of which are shared below.

• Beverage Trends: Spicy Cocktails Heat Up Bar Menus

  2 Nov 2009 | 10:40 pm

  Chiles, ginger and other piquant ingredients heat up cocktail programs. Kate Leahy -- Restaurants and Institutions, 11/1/2009 A Bloody Mary is distinctive for its peppery zing, but it's not the only beverage capable of doling out heat.

• Ferocious fall cocktails

  2 Nov 2009 | 12:08 pm

  Published Nov. 2, 2009 at 1:03 p.m. Tags: fall cocktails , autumn , cranberry , cinnamon , cloves , pumpkin , fall drinks We've entered November and soon the crisp autumn days of fall will turn bitterly cold and frozen with snow.

• 'Gin'-ger basiltini from the Girl & the Fig

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:04 am

  Dear SOS: I had the most refreshing cocktail at the Girl & the Fig in Sonoma called a "Gin"-ger basiltini.

• Readers' favorite fall cocktails

  1 Nov 2009 | 11:20 am

  Finding myself with a 4 p.m. craving for Applejack brandy yesterday , I decided to ask Top Shelf readers on Twitter what their favorite fall cocktail is right now.

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  About.com Cocktails

• Timeless Tipple of the Week: French 75

  3 Nov 2009 | 3:43 am

  The cocktail of the week is notoriously a hard hitter despite its elegant look and that is why the French 75 is named after a piece of World War I artillery. In fact, in The Savoy Cocktail Book Harry Craddock says that it, "Hits with remarkable precision." Like many of the cocktails of its day, the French 75 has some controversy. It is still debated if the original cocktail Harry MacElhone concocted was made with brandy or gin. Then there's the adaptation to a French 76, which brings vodka in as the base and with that one most agree. For me the French 75 is excellent with either of the two…

• Speed Pouring: Cap Friendly Style

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:19 am

  Speed pourers are a one of the essential tools of the bar and while the standard design is perfect for busy bars there are a few drawbacks for the home bartender and those with a "mobile bar." The biggest of those disadvantages is the fact that every night, after you have entertained a dozen or so guests (or even poured yourself a favorite nightcap) you need to remove all of the pourers, wash them and wait for all the crevices to dry before putting them back in their proper storage place. And, when we are talking about that personal drink after a hard day's work, a pourer of any kind is not…

• Saturday Sipping: Domaine de Canton and the Spirited Punch

  31 Oct 2009 | 4:30 am

  If you are one of the millions hosting a party tonight I have another tasty punch option for you to check out. This week's feature sipper is one that you can sip all night with all of your Halloween party guests and has a very fitting name: simply Spirited Punch. Spirited PunchPhoto © Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur The punch is an interesting mix of Rittenhouse rye whiskey, Canton ginger liqueur and 42 Below Manuka Honey vodka, which are all brought together by the main ingredient, an orange oolong tea. Served chilled with some fruit juices and a touch of sugar, it is an autumn punch…

• New Cocktail Videos Out There

  30 Oct 2009 | 9:34 am

  There are some new and interesting cocktail videos available online that I have recently learned about and wanted to pass along. Also, in the very near future, About.com has a new Hot Toddy video coming out just in time for "toddy season" (for now you can read recipes here). 12 Second Cocktails - There are just a handful of cocktails so far, but if you want to watch a quick video - just 12 seconds - on how to mix a cocktail it's a good place to land. The other 15 seconds or so are a few commercials and the NYC bartenders' passing on a little history about the drinks. Mixmaster Mixology…

• Square One Botanical

  28 Oct 2009 | 2:39 am

  Infused spirits are getting more and more interesting and the example of the day is one of the shining lights. The "spirit" can be found under the label Square One Organic Botanical Spirit and it is brought to us by the same geniuses (namely Alison Evanow whose blog you can read here) who brought us one of the best organic vodkas to date. Square One BotanicalPhoto © Square One Botanical Spirits What Square One has done to their organic vodka and cucumber vodka they have done with this newest spirit, which is not branded a vodka but a spirit. For this one think of the complexity of a gin,…

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  Liqurious

• #3588 - If you're a fan of cocktails, as well as a fan...

  Mr. Mook

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:23 am

  If you're a fan of cocktails, as well as a fan of the Final Fantasy series, this might be of interest to you. Several delicious mixers following the RPG theme. (Still thirsty? See Liqurious)

• #3587 - A review of Ron Diplomatico Blanco leads to the...

  rumdood

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:13 am

  A review of Ron Diplomatico Blanco leads to the Lilly Blossom cocktail, with white rum, lillet, mint, lime, and honey syrup. (Still thirsty? See Liqurious)

• #3586 - The name might be a turnoff, but the artwork on...

  reverendgreen

  3 Nov 2009 | 3:36 am

  The name might be a turnoff, but the artwork on Mother's Milk Shiraz stands out in a sea of bland wine labels. (Still thirsty? See Liqurious)

• #3585 - Monsoon East's Nightshade, a beautiful drink...

  wasabiprime

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:26 am

  Monsoon East's Nightshade, a beautiful drink with parfait amour and basil seeds dancing in the fizz. Beautiful drink! (Still thirsty? See Liqurious)

• #3584 - CocktailVirgin delves into the world of ice...

  cocktailvirgin

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:06 pm

  CocktailVirgin delves into the world of ice geeking and discusses ways to crush, chip, and shape ice through Lewis bags, ice tappers, and the like. Lovers of juleps and tiki drinks, take note! (Still thirsty? See Liqurious)

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  Drink of the Week

• Halloween Potpourri - Happy Halloween

  the Barkeep

  31 Oct 2009 | 1:29 pm

  Along with 101 Halloween Cocktails and Punches we’ve assembled some handy links for your ghoulish enjoyment. - From Serious Eats a Halloween recipe collection of Ghostly Goodies and Devilish Dinners. - 10 Horror Films You Can Watch For Free Online This Halloween - Mashable.com - Halloween Costumes 2009: 15 Funny Ideas - For the coolest in pumpkin designs - ExtremePumpkins.com - Our guide to Pumpkin Liqueurs - Quick last minute costume ideas from Halloween.com - A killer Halloween drinking game Be safe, respect others, have fun! Happy Halloween

• Halloween party food recipes

  marcia

  30 Oct 2009 | 7:32 pm

  If on Halloween you and your guests want to ingest more than candy and cocktails, here are some tasty Halloween recipes. Dessert Halloween Cake Balls Brain Cupcakes Caramel Apples Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Light appetizers Screaming Hot Peanuts Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Chipotle Deviled Eggs Eyeball Caprese  Savory Pumpkin Puffs Heavy Appetizers/Main Course Pumpkin Stuffed with Bread and Cheese Pumpkin Gratin Pumpkin Curry Halloween cocktail and punch recipes Related articles Oh Nom Nom Nom: Cupcakes for Zombies (geeksaresexy.net) Halloween Costumes 2009: 15 Funny Ideas!

• Apple Bob

  the Barkeep

  30 Oct 2009 | 2:00 am

  The Domaine de Canton Apple Bob is a spicy play on the traditional Halloween game. Green apple puree gets a kick with Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, tequila and Cointreau. The cocktail is perfect for the chilly nights surrounding Halloween and will make you happy you grew up past sticking in your head in a bucket of water in order to get an apple treat. Domaine de Canton Apple Bob 1 oz. Domaine de Canton 1 oz. Reposado Tequila 1 oz. green apple puree 1/4 oz. Cointreau 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice Rim a cocktail glass with cinnamon sugar. Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into the…

• Candy Corn

  the Barkeep

  30 Oct 2009 | 12:10 am

  Halloween means one thing, OK, maybe more that one thing, but one is certainly - Candy! And what is the most popular? Candy Corn. Invented in the 1880s at the Wunderle Candy Company, candy corn os meant to mimic a whole kernel of corn. Today candy companies produce nearly 35 million pounds of the corn candy each year. How big is candy corn? So big it needs it’s own day, so as not compete with Halloween. So Candy Corn Day is October 30! So spot on, one sip of this cocktail might make you forget you aren’t actually eating candy corn… Candy Corn 1 1/2 oz. Kettle Corn-infused Bombay…

• 42Zombie

  the Barkeep

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:15 pm

  The 42Zombie 1 tsp brown sugar 1 part lemon juice 1 part Bacardi Oro 1 part Bacardi 151 1 part 42BELOW Passionfruit 1 part unsweetened pineapple juice 1 part fresh lime juice 1 part Passionfruit syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters Dissolve sugar and lemon juice, then add all other ingredients and shake well with crushed ice. Pour entire contents into a Collins glass and garnish with lime wedge. more Halloween Cocktails and Punches Recipe & photo courtesy 42 Below Vodka Related articles by Zemanta Halloween Cocktails from Skyy Infusions (drinkoftheweek.com) Sour Witch (drinkoftheweek.com)…

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  Dr.Whisky

• Malt Mission 2009 #369

  21 Oct 2009 | 3:06 am

  Michter's 10yo, GH-1Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey47.2% abv$75 (USD)"Michter's: the Whiskey that warmed the Revolution."In 1753, Swiss Menonite farmer John Shenk joined the American tradition of whiskey making and built a farm distillery in Schaefferstown, PA for "local use". Within four generations the family distillery became a commercial venture (apparently on the back of supplying Washington's troops with liquid courage) and was sold.After prohibition closed the distillery, a confusing web of tales seems to exist that this author tries to untangle, but the story seems to end the same:…

• Malt Mission 2009 #368

  19 Oct 2009 | 3:04 am

  Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey TN 85-4L 50% abv$40 (USD)Although Wikipedia tells us that Four Roses was possibly named after original founder Rufus Mathewson Rose, his brother and two sons, Four Roses' website tells the story of Paul Jones, Jr., founder of Four Roses, whose love interest accepted his invitation to a grand ball and showed up wearing, as promised, a corsage of 4 red roses. I guess if we whisk(e)y nerds weren't spending all our online time surfing porn and writing vitriolic comments on whisky websites and fora we could remedy the spread of…

• Malt Mission 2009 #367

  13 Oct 2009 | 2:12 am

  Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey 45% abv£50$45(USD)Keeping the American theme going with a few more drops from whiskEy country up my labcoat sleeve. Sorry if it takes me weeks to pull 'em out.Typical of American whiskey, the Bernheim story is shrouded in mystery, some confusion, and even a little intentional deceit. The Bernheim website reads, "Brothers Isaac Wolfe and Bernard Bernheim, pioneering German immigrants with little money and big dreams, established a distillery in Louisville, Kentucky in the 19th century. Since that time, the Bernheim distillery has consistently…

• The Man Who Walked Around the World

  26 Sep 2009 | 5:20 am

  Just before setting off to Scotland, friend and colleague Andrew Weir sent me a link to the new Johnnie Walker short film/ad "The Man Who Walked Around the World."When I first viewed it, there had been 3000 views. There have now been 130,000, I believe the viral will continue to spread, and I feel no shame in sharing the contagion. Oh wait a sec, this one has subtitles. Ha. The one Andy sent me did not. Anyways... Will use this one for those of you who don't speak English, or those who do but cannae speak Scottish. The video came up over conversation in the Highlander Inn, with a group of…

• On Scottish Soil

  20 Sep 2009 | 3:19 pm

  In Scotland again and it feels great. Landed to beautiful weather, good friends, and a killer curry at Kebab Mahal Walked into an OddBins and a Tesco to take note of the increases of whisky prices across the board since leaving the UK a year and a half ago. Everything is about six pounds more than when I was last living here. The pubs are still where I left them. Tomorrow I hope to pop in on the lads at Royal Mile Whiskies in the AM before heading up to Dufftown to spend some quality time at Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries and hopefully include a visit with the good folks at Duncan…

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  Scotch Chix

• Life can Change in a Split Second

  14 Oct 2009 | 8:02 pm

  Hey Loyal Scotch Chix Fans! Sorry that it has been awhile since there has been a post. Life recently changed pretty dramatically for the CA Scotch Couple. On Labor Day Weekend, the CA Scotch Couple was car-jacked in a parking lot in Northern California.CA Scotch Gent was violently assaulted and suffered from broken wrists, head wounds, and multiple lacerations. CA Scotch Chick was more than a bit too slow on her feet, and ended up being run over by the car. She spent the next 8 days in the ICU and 10 days in the hospital trying to get her lungs to work again, nursing a split open left foot,…

• Single Malt and Scotch Whisky Extravaganza

  12 Sep 2009 | 9:53 am

  The Fall Schedule of the Single Malt and Scotch Whisky Extravaganza has just been released! It's the perfect opportunity for both novice and experienced scotch drinkers to sample a wide range of premium single malts. The event focuses exclusively on single malt and Scotch whiskies. There will be 85 whiskies available for sampling. Included in the price of admission is a gourmet dinner buffet, premium imported cigars, a Robb Report magazine, a souvenir tasting glass, raffle prizes, and of course, the whiskies. Tickets are $115 for Society members and $130 for non-members. The Fall Schedule is…

• Park Kitchen

  21 Aug 2009 | 9:07 am

  422 NW 8thPortland Oregon 97209503 223-7275http://www.parkkitchen.com/The Chef and the Saint chose Park Kitchen, a cutting edge restaurant focusing on local seasonal cuisine, for their night on the town with the CA Scotch Couple. And, as the two couples strolled through the the North Park blocks, a hip and happenin' arts area in the Pearl District, they noticed that the temperature had dropped and the breeze had picked up. It was almost cool, certainly cool enough to sit outside — a very pleasant surprise.The second pleasant surprise came when the very friendly and highly efficient waiter…

• 4 Roses Small Batch

  21 Aug 2009 | 5:48 am

  This Four Roses Small Batch was a bit disappointing. Although the caramel and citrus palate was pleasing, the long bitter finish was a bit harsh. Single Malt Whisky: Four Roses Small BatchRegion: Lawrenceburg, KYColorLight YellowNoseButtery sweetBodyMediumPalateLemon/Citrus, Carmel, Hint of ButterFinishLong and bitterCommentHad me until the finish

• pappy van winkle 20

  21 Aug 2009 | 5:40 am

  This elderly bourbon may be difficult to track down, but it is well worth the effort. The body is remarkable in its round lush richness. Single Malt Whisky: Pappy Van Winkle 20 YearRegion: KentuckyColorYellowNoseVanilla, FruitBodySmooth, Round, Rich, LushPalateSweet, Butter, Maple, HoneyFinishHigh and Complex, Some FizzCommentLoved the Body

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  WhiskyCast

• WhiskyCast Episode 224: October 31, 2009

  Mark Gillespie

  30 Oct 2009 | 3:28 pm

  Whisky is a treat for many of us, but the trick is finding the right one (obligatory Halloween reference). Keith Law is one of the master blenders for Diageo, and suggests that a blended Scotch may be the way to go for some people. In the news, English Whisky is just a few weeks away, the Knob Creek drought of 2009 is over, The Balvenie's coppersmith celebrates his 50th anniversary, and tasting notes for several rare Islays and the 2000 Vintage Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon.

• WhiskyCast Episode 223: October 25, 2009

  Mark Gillespie

  25 Oct 2009 | 9:25 am

  This week, I'm on the road at Proof on Main in Louisville! Heaven Hill is celebrating Parker Beam's 50th anniversary as a distiller this weekend, and you'll share in the fun as we hear from Parker and some of his many friends and colleagues. In the news, David Stewart scales back his duties at William Grant & Sons, new travel retail releases, and tasting notes for the Gold Bowmore! We'll also hear from noted chef Charlie Palmer and more about one of Louisville's best bourbon bars.

• WhiskyCast Episode 222: October 17, 2009

  Mark Gillespie

  17 Oct 2009 | 6:08 pm

  Time for the annual question and answer episode, as experts answer your questions about whisky. This year's panel includes Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie, Chris Morris of Woodford Reserve, and Diageo master blender Keith Law. In the news, Wild Turkey unveils a new bourbon, Mark Andrews of Castle Brands discusses growing bourbon and Irish whiskey sales, and thieves steal a rare collection of Springbank whiskies!

• WhiskyCast Episode 221: October 10, 2009

  Mark Gillespie

  9 Oct 2009 | 9:01 pm

  Jim Murray's 2010 Whisky Bible is out, and let the second-guessing begin. Jim's annual guide to the world's whiskies generates controversy every year, and he'll answer his critics and discuss his choices for the year's best new whiskies in this episode. In the news, new releases from The Dalmore, Glengoyne and The Glenrothes...Buffalo Trace releases more experimental bourbons, results of the International Wine & Spirits Competitions whisky awards, and Charles Maclean becomes a Master of the Quaich.

• WhiskyCast Episode 220: October 3, 2009

  Mark Gillespie

  3 Oct 2009 | 6:40 pm

  Johnnie Walker sells more Scotch whisky than anyone in the world, and Diageo is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Johnnie Walker Black Label in 2009. Andrew Ford is a member of the team of master blenders that watches over the Johnnie Walker blends, and he'll tell us about the art of blending in this episode. He'll also answer questions submitted by listeners like you through Facebook and Twitter! In the news, Glengoyne adds a new expression, and we'll hear from Michael Urquhart of Gordon & MacPhail, John Glaser of Compass Box, and Ethan Kelley of the Brandy Library.

• 
  Nonjatta

• Indy Karuizawa bottling

  30 Oct 2009 | 9:32 pm

  Japanese whisky fans Tapani Kuusela and Johan Hofvander have bottled their own Karuizawa 14-year-old single cask whisky (cask 5024) and expect the bottles to arrive in Sweden shortly. It was distilled back in 1995 and matured and aged in a wine cask. There are 114 bottles, each packing quite a punch at 66 per cent alcohol. I can't wait for the tasting notes, which Tapani has promised to send in. So jealous!

• Double whammy for Japanese boozehounds!

  20 Oct 2009 | 6:47 pm

  Japanese whisky is world class but, of course, it is only one part of Japan's extraordinary alcohol culture. I have just realised that, because of a very fortuitous accident of timing, visitors to Japan for the Whisky Magazine Live! festival next year will have a great opportunity to explore a little bit further into some of the other attractions Japanese booze has to offer.A bit of background: a genuinely exciting effort to kick-start sake tourism in Japan, called Sake Brewery Tours, has just started to organise five day tours of some of the country's most celebrated sake districts, offering…

• Nikka triumphs at International Spirits Challenge

  8 Oct 2009 | 8:29 pm

  Nikka whisky's Taketsuru 21 year old pure malt whisky won the overall trophy for the whisky category at the 2009 International Spirits Challenge in London on Wednesday. The Taketsuru 21 adds the honour to the "World's Best Blended Malt" prize it won at the 2009 World Whisky Awards in April.The five gold medals earned by Japanese whiskies at the Challenge went to Hibiki 17 year old (blended whisky), Taketsuru 21 year old (pure malt whisky), Yoichi 15 year old (single malt) and Hakushu 18 year old (single malt), and, my current favourite, the Yamazaki 1984 single malt.

• New Malt Whisky Yearbook

  6 Oct 2009 | 11:26 pm

  My copy of the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2010 arrived yesterday. The section on Japanese whiskies has been revised slightly but is on pretty much the same basic template as last year's section, which still makes it perhaps the most reliable, succinct source of information about the subject in print.If you own the 2009 version and are thinking about purchasing purely because of an interest in Japanese whisky, you may find yourself retreading some familiar material, but other sections of the yearbook have been completely rewritten and anybody with a broader interest in whisky will not regret the…

• Takeshi Mogi goes offline

  13 Sep 2009 | 6:08 am

  The person who has taught me most about Japanese whisky is Takeshi Mogi. His was the original website on the subject and I have had the pleasure of meeting him in person on several occasions. I have always gone away feeling enriched by the experience.He is a real gentleman and has been unfailingly helpful in steering my blundering attempts to understand a complex topic. I know that many other people have been similarly helped by Mogi-san (not all of whom have been sufficiently generous in acknowledging their reliance on him).Sadly, he has decided not to continue with his excellent…

• 
  caskstrength.net - whisky blog

• Whiskers Galore!

  1 Nov 2009 | 4:28 am

  Gentleman....the wait is over. Today is the first of November and your shavers should be well and truly packed away - well at least for your top lips. Ever fancied growing a moustache, but needed a reason to run it past the wife/girlfirend/boss?.... we'll here's a great one. And there's even some whisky involved!!!Movember is a global charity raising awareness and funds for men’s health issues whilst having a spot of fun along the way. Every November, chaps around the world show their support by growing Marvelous Moustaches and putting on events to raise funds.Whisky 4 Movember is a…

• Competition Time!!!

  25 Oct 2009 | 4:01 pm

  Folks - we've got a fantastic competition opportunity for you- Win a pair of tickets worth £200 to The Whisky Show on Friday 6th November 2009.As many of you will already know, The Whisky Show is the UK's premium whisky tasting event, presenting many aged and exclusive whiskies plus a fine two course whisky infused meal. For full details of the show to take place in London's Guildhall, please visit www.thewhiskyshow.comIf this all sounds tantalising, all you have to do is answer the following question.....Which two whisky brands will be included in the Masterclass tastings on Friday 6th…

• For Those Of You About To Peat... We Salute You.

  20 Oct 2009 | 1:55 pm

  Peat. What a simply marvelous creation. For centuries, it has been the bedrock of country life, fueling fires from Padstow to Portnahaven and keeping the cold out of our wearily wintered bones.I vaguely remember my father and I travelling to Broughton Astley Garden Centre (way back when I lived in a tiny rural village in the Midlands) and being transfixed by the piles of the stuff, stacked high in rectangular, white plastic sacks. We had no central heating in our ramshackle, rambling homestead, so we used a ton of the stuff to fuel our open fires.I used to delight in waiting until the coast…

• Birthday bliss

  17 Oct 2009 | 1:42 pm

  Today is NOT my birthday. Nor is tomorrow. Actually it's nearly another year away and I shall be 35. Hmmm. Quick mirror check. A particularly hairy face stares back. A few grey folicles are appearing in my beard- not many, but just the right number to make themselves known and give you that feeling that the advancement of time and motion are definitely in full flight.Don't get me wrong. I think I have finally grown into my own face and 'look', whereas in the past I tried in vein to sport some frankly appalling haircuts & fashions. I have pictures to back this up. What i'm trying to say is…

• the final fling...

  15 Oct 2009 | 4:40 pm

  Well folks, here we have it. The last post in our series of 'Special' releases from Diageo.Perhaps it's too early to reflect on a year gone by, but our hearts and minds are probably drawn back to Islay and the wonderful 10 days in May we spent on this glorious island, sun shining, wanting to be no where else than here, with a great whisky in hand. (Feis Ile, we thank you)Islay has that unique thing- it can beguile and amaze you in the time it takes to uncork a bottle of scotch. Grown men and women in safe, happy and stable lifestyles have suddenly thought differently about their future when…

• 
  The Chuck Cowdery Blog

• Jimmy Russell, Rock Star.

  30 Oct 2009 | 1:02 pm

  Bruce Schreiner does a good job covering the American whiskey business for AP. His article today describes how the master distillers of American whiskey have become like rock stars on the international circuit of whiskey festivals and other events. As usual with an AP story, you can find it on the web in about 5,000 places, but one of them is here.

• Where Are The Enthusiast Bourbons From Beam Global?

  29 Oct 2009 | 1:18 pm

  Red Stag by Jim Beam is bourbon whiskey infused with a cherry juice concentrate and other natural flavors. I first wrote about it way back in February.This post isn't about Red Stag. Let's just say that a lot of whiskey enthusiasts are viscerally offended by the very existence of Red Stag. Others are primarily offended by the advertising slogan, "A New Breed of Bourbon," arguing that Beam Global should be prohibited from calling it bourbon without a modifier like "flavored."I'm not as hostile to Red Stag as some people are, but as I've said from the beginning, it's not for us. Red Stag is…

• Woodford Seasoned Oak Finish Out November 1.

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:45 am

  Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Seasoned Oak Finish will be released on November 1. I told you about this limited edition bottling here, but with the official launch comes a press release. Here are some excerpts:It is the fourth in the series of limited edition bottlings and continues Woodford Reserve’s tradition of crafting rare whiskeys that extend the category in bold new directions.Seasoned Oak Finish features bourbon finish-aged in unique barrels crafted with wood that has been seasoned longer than any previously used in the industry."Of all the distillers in our industry, we…

• How Much for Stitzel-Weller Whiskey? How about $350?

  26 Oct 2009 | 9:35 am

  If you are looking to spend about $350 on a special gift for a bourbon enthusiast, here’s a suggestion: a very limited Old Rip Van Winkle Family Selection 23 year-old bourbon in an engraved and numbered decanter from Glencairn Crystal of ScotlandAlthough the press release doesn’t say so, the whiskey was distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery. It aged there initially, then was transferred to Buffalo Trace to finish aging there. It is wheated bourbon, of course.Julian and Preston Van Winkle personally selected the barrels to be dumped for this bottling. The bourbon is not…

• The House That Old Crow Built.

  23 Oct 2009 | 3:31 pm

  This is Berry Hill Mansion, in Frankfort, Kentucky. It was built by George Berry, who made his fortune as vice president of W. A. Gaines & Co., makers of Old Crow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Old Crow Bourbon was first made by Dr. James C. Crow when he was master distiller at what is now Woodford Reserve. His whiskey was so famous that when he died suddenly in 1856, it seemed like a good idea to keep selling it anyway. A company was formed for that purpose, which after a couple of iterations became known as W. A. Gaines & Co. Hiram Berry, George's father, was one of the original…

• 
  Irish Whiskey Notes

• Grand Crew Irish Whiskey

  David

  11 Oct 2009 | 1:43 pm

  This is probably the Irish whiskey story of 2009, at least as far as I'm concerned. The tale goes back to 1959, when the Grand Canal that crosses this country was closed to commercial traffic. That broke a longstanding link between the canal and various distilleries that received water-borne raw materials and fuel, and sent out whiskey by the same route. One such distillery was Locke's in

• Knappogue Castle miniatures

  David

  9 Oct 2009 | 2:49 pm

  Here's a nice gift for whiskey lovers - a pack of Knappogue Castle miniatures. There are three bottles in the pack, one of each of the last three vintages released, ie 1993, 1994 and 1995. Knappogue Castle is a single malt, distilled at Bushmills (prior to the 1993 release it came from Cooley). It's entirely bourbon cask-aged and is not coloured. The "vintage" for Knappogue is the year of

• Whiskey Bars: O'Lochlainn's, Ballyvaughan

  David

  28 Sep 2009 | 5:01 am

  I was at a wedding in County Clare over the weekend and managed to slip away for a couple of hours to check out O'Lochlainn's Whiskey Bar in Ballyvaughan. It's a beautiful, genuine, little pub with a friendly atmosphere. It's fitted out like a 1930s grocers, which is exactly what it was. The shelves are filled these days with a remarkable collection of rare Irish whiskeys, a collection begun by

• SeptemberFest

  David

  3 Sep 2009 | 3:26 pm

  SeptemberFest comes back to Farmleigh for the second year running on September 12th and 13th. This is a showcase of independent drinks producers from the island of Ireland, with food and music to jolly it all along. Cooley will be there pouring the whiskeys but there will be grain spirits in other guises too: Bunratty Poteen and Coole Swan, for example. There will also be talks and

• Tullamore Dew 10yo Single Malt

  David

  19 Aug 2009 | 6:05 pm

  Here's a new whiskey to get excited about: Tullamore Dew 10yo single malt. I haven't sampled it yet (it should be out before the end of the year) but I have high expectations. That's because I am already familiar with the various component whiskeys that will go into this and they are some of my favourites. A couple of years ago, C&C, brand owners of Tullamore Dew, approached Cooley Distillery

• 
  American Hooch

• Jim Beam Distillers Series

  Nathan

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:14 pm

  It looks like I’m about a year late on this one particular bottle.  Announced and released around this time last year, Jim Beam’s Distillers Series was supposedly available only through January 2009, but I managed to pick up a bottle at Astor place just last week.  I was intrigued by the friendly price point right around $20 and since I’ve enjoyed most other Beam releases I’ve tried – Jim Beam Black being one of the better bangs for your buck.  Then again, maybe there’s a reason this “limited” release is still on shelves a year after it hit…

• High West Whiskey – Rendezvous

  Nathan

  14 Oct 2009 | 7:25 pm

  Well this is a new one for me.  High West Distillery is a relatively new outfit from Utah – and is the first legal distillery to open in that state.  It seems that while they’ve started distilling their own product, none of it has aged enough for their standards, so Rendezvous was created from two whiskeys distilled in Kentucky: a 6-year old rye and a 16-year old rye.  This seems like a decent way to solve the problem of having to wait for the barrels to do their work before having anything to sell – this way High West has product on the shelves, paving the way for their…

• Elmer T. Lee

  Nathan

  2 Sep 2009 | 7:20 pm

  I bought this bottle in the same trip as last week’s Wathen’s and I can’t say it wasn’t because they use the same bottle.  Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel is named for the Master Distiller Emeritus of the Buffalo Trace distillery – supposedly having selected the barrels for this bottling himself.  This alone sets the expectations pretty high (especially considering the price), let’s see if it lives up. Stats: -$25ish - Made by Buffalo Trace - 90 proof Presentation: As previously noted, the bottle is the same fat-upright rectangle of the Wathen’s bottle…

• Wathen’s Single Barrel

  Nathan

  25 Aug 2009 | 8:47 pm

  Wathen’s was a new one for me when I saw it on the shelf a few weeks ago.  I’d never even heard of this brand which claims to be the product of “whiskey’s royal family”.  A little digging on Google reveals a ten-year old string of postings on Straight Bourbon in which Chuck Cowdery and some others discuss the arrival of this new bourbon – so apparently I’m a bit late to the game. Wathen’s seems to have an interesting and typically complicated (for bourbon) history as a brand, having been the result of distilleries being bought, sold, closed,…

• Harvest Spirits’ Pear Brandy

  Nathan

  5 Aug 2009 | 6:40 pm

  Back on the brandy train I guess.  This time, however, will be the first non-apple brandy I’ll have written about.  This time, I gone with pears.  Pears don’t have quite the same aura of Americana that apples do – no Johnny Pearseed, for instance.  In fact, according to this map of the pear harvest from Wikipedia, the only place where pears are grown in the US is the Northeast.  Fortunately – that is where both I and Harvest Spirits are based. Harvest Spirits also seems like and interesting operation.  First of all, if their distiller’s notes are at all…

• 
  Dowd on Drinks

• Hudson kitchen tour goes behind the scenes

  William Dowd

  3 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  For anyone who has ever wanted to go beyond the scenes of a professional restaurant kitchen, Columbia County Bounty has the perfect food-and-beverage event. The organization that promotes local food and drink will host its 3rd annual Chef’s Kitchen Tour of a trio of Hudson kitchens on Wednesday, November 11. The tour will begin with an [...]

• Free NY wine tasting to aid Special Olympics

  William Dowd

  1 Nov 2009 | 3:26 pm

  Getting “the word” out about New York State wines only works when sellers join winemakers and wine-centric organziations to call attention to vintages that sometimes go virtually unnoticed in their own regions. Thus, the 3rd annual NYS Wine Tasting at the Exit 9 Wine & Liquor Warehouse in Clifton Park, Saratoga County. “Why travel the world to [...]

• Dr. Frank nominated for top U.S. honor

  William Dowd

  31 Oct 2009 | 2:38 pm

  Wine Enthusiast magazine has selected Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars and Chateau Frank as the only Eastern nominee for “American Winery of the Year” honors in its 10th anunal Wine Star Awards. The full list of nominees is in the magazine’s November issue, with category winners revealed in the December issue. Dr. Frank’s is located just north [...]

• Under the influence of T.G.I. Friday’s

  William Dowd

  30 Oct 2009 | 7:15 am

  Police in Sheboygan, WI, may want to call this one to the attention of the TV reality show “Cops.” A man sentenced to a court-ordered intervention program because of several driving-under-the-influence convictions showed up for his regular check-in and blew an .07 on the Breathalyzer, yet denied he had been drinking. His excuse: He had eaten a [...]

• Knob Creek flowing again

  William Dowd

  30 Oct 2009 | 6:03 am

  Knob Creek Bourbon is about to resume flowing to liquor sales points after a controversial production stoppage this summer. Bill Newlands, president of Beam Global Spirits & Wine U.S., and Fred Noe, the seventh-generation Beam family distiller, officially restarted production at the distillery in Clermont, KY, yesterday, presiding over the opening of the first mature, four-char [...]

• 
  Olly Wehring's beverage industry blog - from just-drinks.com

• Monster mission fails for Red Bull?

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:45 am

  It seems Red Bull has had its feathers ruffled after the company's loss of a contract by supply pub chain JD Wetherspoon in the UK. So much so that the energy drink maker has embarked on a 'secret mission' aimed at undermining rival energy drink Monster. According to Marketing magazine, Red Bull planned to visit JDW sites stocking Monster and "smuggle" some cans of Red Bull into the venue to consume on site. Repeated calls by just-drinks to Red Bull's UK office have gone unanswered. Perhaps the team is busy out and about...

• IndSpirit - Day Two

  31 Oct 2009 | 1:08 am

  We're back with you, here in Mumbai, for the second and final day of this year's IndSpirit alcobev conference and exhibition. Yesterday evening afforded us the opportunity to make the most of the networking dinner laid on at the hotel, overlooking the Powai lake. Following Thursday's severe case of jetlag, a good night's sleep last night was pretty much guaranteed, aided by beers, whiskies and rums - all, as ever, in strict moderation. Today, the emphasis is on the technical side of the industry. Already, we've had a presentation on energy saving options available for brewers and…

• IndSpirit 2009 - Day One

  30 Oct 2009 | 3:59 am

  We're approaching the business end of day one of IndSpirit here in Mumbai. The morning session was taken up with an opening speech from the head of Radico Khaitan, Dr Lalit Khaitan, and an overview of the Asia Pacific spirits market from Euromonitor. We've also taken a closer look at the alcobev retail scene in India - a country where, of around 4,000 supermarkets, less than 50 offer alcohol for sale. Why? Here's why. The first afternoon session saw two state excise commissioners, one from Goa, the other from Bihar, face the country's drinks industry to consider the state of India's wildly…

• IndSpirit 2009 - we are go

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:30 pm

  We're back in India. just-drinks is coming to you live from 2009's IndSpirit alcobev conference in Mumbai. This year's two-day exhibition and conference is about to kick off here at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Centre in Mumbai. This being India, the weather is excellent (36 degrees and rising), the organisation is... exhausting to observe and, after last year's terrorist attacks in the city, security is tight. Like 12 months ago, we also have the All-India Bartending Competition running alongside the exhibition. If last year is anything to go by, then, we can look forward to another…

• Windmills and vodka

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:44 am

  Diageo and The Nolet family certainly appear to have gelled well together in the first year of their joint venture. At the company's headquarters in Schiedman, Holland, a number of journalists were invited to listen to marketing heads talk about the success of the Smirnoff, Ketel One and Ciroc vodka brands. Philip Gladman, Smirnoff's global brand director was present, as was Peter Fairbrother, Ketel One's global brand director and Marc Strachan, director of brand marketing for Ciroc, amongst many others. Strachan talked about plans to launch two new flavours to the Ciroc brand - Coconut and…

• 
  Bevlog

• Kiwi Wine

  admin

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:55 am

  So far, I see 78 references to wine here, but only three references to fruit wine. So today, I endeavor to correct that imbalance. The imbalance is not due to any shortage of wines made from other than grapes. There are plenty. Today I will show a couple of wines made from the kiwi fruit. Above is King Kiwi, Kiwi Wine, made in Florida. A second producer of kiwi wines is Shalom Orchard, in Franklin, Maine. Wiki explains that kiwi has also been know as chinese gooseberry, macaque peach, macaque pear, kiwifruit and melonette over the past century. In the 1950s, big growers pushed the name toward…

• Milk from Dragons, Grapes and Devils

  admin

  30 Oct 2009 | 5:55 am

  In many areas, TTB is fairly literal-minded. For example, if you are bound and determined to mention energy on your label, you are unlikely to get very far, without much regard to context, as in this example. Likewise, good luck if you want to use the term “organic” on anything not in line with the organic rules. In other areas, though, TTB will view a term much less literally. Mother’s Milk Shiraz is one such example. As best I can tell, it contains no milk. There is a recognition that the term is not to be taken seriously, even though it is quite possible to make a wide…

• Rejection: Refreshing

  admin

  28 Oct 2009 | 5:55 am

  Quite a few readers have said, “yeah, unusual approvals are great, but what about rejections?” Here we have the first post of many, from time to time, showing common or revealing label rejections. First, some ground rules. We will not show the brand or company at issue. TTB tends to treat label rejections as confidential and approvals as public, and we’ll mirror this sensible policy. To this end, we may blur out some identifying information where necessary, such as above. In rare cases, we’ll change a little bit of text (in the example above we changed about three…

• 97 Ounces of … Obscenity(?)

  admin

  26 Oct 2009 | 5:55 am

  It’s been a long time since any single wine label got as much press as the one above. We don’t want to rehash the Cycles Gladiator story yet one more time; it is well told here for example. Instead, we are curious about the lines dividing art, free speech and obscenity. TTB is regularly called upon to judge these matters. Today, it’s your turn to judge. Please take a peek (if you dare) and report your opinion in the poll below. A quick view of all four labels is here (this is the fastest and easiest view, for the poll). View Poll Another view, showing the full label approval…

• Answer Honestly: Would You Prefer Funny Molson Labels?

  admin

  23 Oct 2009 | 5:55 am

  Molson must be pretty darned excited about the prospects for the above marketing campaign. They seem to have hundreds of label approvals for variations on this theme. A lot of the “Answer Honestly” labels are quite amusing. Molson has a long way to go before passing Twisted Tea in the shocking hugeness of the number of labels submitted and approved. This massive exercise tends to beg the question, why don’t they just submit a few labels, with a long list of approved permutations alongside. Perhaps TTB wants every one submitted separately but it’s still not clear why…

• 
  DrinkBoy: Adventures in Cocktails

• Website: Uber Bar Tools / ProDesign

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:54 am

  Michael Silvers created ProDesign, an integrated design, manufacturing, and fulfillment company which produces unique and elegant barware. UberBarTools is the result of this project and can be relied on as a source of innovative and exciting tools for any bar, home or professional.

• Website: Miss Charming

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:42 am

  Cheryl Charming has turned her love of bartending and instictive creativity into an ever broadening set of opportunities and resources. On her site you will find facinating information for consumers, bartenders, and bar owners.

• Website: Cocktail Kingdom

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:24 am

  Greg Boehm, owner of Mud Puddle Books, has turned his facination for classic cocktails into a thriving business. Starting out by simply providing accurately reproduced reprints of some of the most acclaimed cocktail books from the past, he has expanded the offerings available on his site to also include a variety of imported barware that is difficult, if not impossible, to find in the US. He also provides a great selection of bitters which are so crucial to a craft cocktail.

• Website: Summit Sips

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:55 am

  Summit Sips is an ongoing collection of musings about recipes, techniques, tools and other cocktail-related topics. Subjects include classic and contemporary cocktails, homemade ingredients, bars, restaurants and other social aspects of life in and around St. Paul.

• Website: Cocktail Enthusiast

  27 Oct 2009 | 10:46 am

  Cocktail Enthusiast is a blog operated by Kevin Gray, a Dallas-based cocktail enthusiast (hence the name) which provides a personal exploration of cocktails and spirits, mixology and drinking culture. It has emphasis on both classic cocktails and modern innovations. It will often list cocktail recipes, liquor reviews, along with the occasional bar review and news piece.

• 
  Beachbum Berry

• COCKTAIL COMBAT, HAWAIIAN-STYLE

  Beachbum Berry

  10 Oct 2009 | 6:02 pm

  Recently the Beachbum was invited to co-judge the first annual “Battle For The World’s Best Mai Tai,” held at the Royal Kona Resort on Hawaii’s big island.  As a rule, the Bum is not into competition.  That’s for Type A personalities, and we are Type Zzzz.  Nevertheless, we deliberated for a whole tenth of a [...]

• RUMAKI REDUX

  Beachbum Berry

  7 Oct 2009 | 3:20 pm

  The Beachbum always orders Rumaki at Polynesian restaurants, because no matter how many guests at his table, he invariably gets the dish to himself.  People with high cholesterol, vegetarians, and calorie-counters all recoil like vampires exposed to sunlight when they discover that Rumaki consists of water chestnut and chicken liver wrapped in bacon, skewered and [...]

• DRINKSVILLE

  Beachbum Berry

  6 Oct 2009 | 3:47 pm

  Last week the Beachbum found himself in Nashville, where he also found himself a couple of drinking buddies to mooch off of.  Brad Harrell and Kevin Church, both execs at the venerable Horizon Wine & Spirits, suggested starting things off at Patterson House.  No Music City honky tonk, this:  Nashville’s first craft cocktail bar is [...]

• JONESING FOR TIKI

  Beachbum Berry

  22 Sep 2009 | 3:25 pm

  One of the best bar guides we raided for Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log was a phone book-sized tome published in 1977.  Jones’ Complete Bar Guide featured a whopping 4,000 recipes, but even more impressive were the photos on the back cover.  These featured author Stan Jones (above) posed with various liquor industry reps, whose Montgomery [...]

• GIN GENIES

  Beachbum Berry

  2 Sep 2009 | 5:07 pm

  If it weren’t for Prohibition, Tikiphiles might all be drinking gin-based concoctions. Don The Beachcomber, who in 1934 single-handedly invented both the Tiki drink and the Tiki bar at his eponymous Hollywood watering hole, found his initial creative inspiration in a gin drink: the storied Singapore Sling. He gravitated toward rum [...]

• 
  Oh Gosh!

• Required Reading

  Jay

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:29 pm

  The cocktail world is in better shape today than it has been in decades, and the local book shop certainly reflects this with a rash of new releases this year to satiate the demand for mixological information. Here is a roundup of some of my favourites from the year so far.Continue reading “Required Reading”...

• Stagger Lee – Part I

  Jay

  29 Oct 2009 | 6:26 am

  Join Jakob Etzold at Stagger Lee, Berlin's newest bar themed after a 19th century American saloon bar, and enjoy a Stagger Lee Julep, the bar's signature drink. Served in a beautiful cheater tin with a traditional julep strainer, the Stagger Lee Julep is a twist on the Mint Julep with the delicious addition of cherry jam and cherry liqueur.Click here to watch “Stagger Lee – Part I”...

• MxMO – Vermouth

  Jay

  26 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm

  It's been a little while since I last managed to take part in a Mixology Monday, so I've celebrated this months MxMO on vermouth by talking mainly about rum. However the cocktail contains vermouth, and more than makes up for it.Continue reading “MxMO – Vermouth”...

• Bar Convent Berlin 2009

  Jay

  20 Oct 2009 | 4:53 am

  Join Oh Gosh! TV in Berlin, Germany for Bar Convent Berlin, a two day show bringing together the finest in German and international bartending. Learn about France's golden age of cocktails, watch Ueno-san carve ice balls and diamonds, and hear bartending legends discuss what they feel it takes to be a good host.Click here to watch “Bar Convent Berlin 2009”...

• Autumn update

  Jay

  10 Oct 2009 | 9:33 am

  You'll have to excuse the lack of posting around here lately - for various reasons the past few months have been some of the busiest I've ever experienced so sometimes Oh Gosh! has had to be pushed to the back burner. Read on to learn what's coming soon, and about the award Oh Gosh! has been nominated for.Continue reading “Autumn update”...

• 
  drinkboston.com

• Fernet at the Franklin 11/5

  ljclark

  26 Oct 2009 | 9:51 pm

  The eagle has landed. Boston imbibers, you’re invited to a joint drinkboston - Franklin Southie production: Fernet Branca Industry Night. What: A festive gathering for industry and non-industry folk alike who are curious or passionate about the pungent, dark and mysterious digestif Fernet Branca. A special drink menu will feature Fernet cocktails by bartenders around Boston. When: Thursday, November 5, 8:00 p.m. - last call. Where: The Franklin Southie, 152 Dorchester Ave., South Boston. Who: On the stick — Joy Richard, bar manager and head mixologist for the Franklin Southie and the…

• Rhum Cocktail Marilene

  ljclark

  21 Oct 2009 | 8:46 pm

  Scott Holliday (invented at Chez Henri) 2 oz Barbancourt 8-year 5-Star Reserve Rhum 1/2 lime cut into 4 pieces 1 1/2 tsp sugar (preferably turbinado) 3 strong dashes Angostura bitters Muddle lime and sugar in a double old-fashioned glass. Fill with ice and add rhum. Shake hard to blend ingredients. Add bitters and stir before serving. The cocktail is Holliday’s “homage to a Haitian painter and poet who introduced me to Rhum Barbancourt back in the day when it had to be hand carried back from Haiti. She made a very traditional daiquiri-like drink that just blew me away in its…

• Boston bartender bonanza?

  ljclark

  21 Oct 2009 | 8:36 pm

  Shoot, y’all. Some mighty fancy folk are making their way to ol’ Beantown to open up swanky bars in a pair of purty new hotels. First, the W Boston in the theater district. Come October 29, its “decadent indulgences await your exploration, immersion, savoring, lingering, mingling, socializing, canoodling and celebrating.” Lingering? Mingling? OK. But canoodling? We don’t do that in Boston! Irregardless, Sasha Petraske, well known in cocktaildom for opening Milk & Honey (the bar that launched 1,000 speakeasies), Little Branch and Dutch Kills in New York and…

• Does this mean we’re legit?

  ljclark

  16 Oct 2009 | 3:25 pm

  Bloggers have arrived. It’s true, because the Federal Trade Commission recently decided to impose rules on us. All together now: Wooo … hey, wait a minute! Starting December 1, bloggers, and even users of Twitter and Facebook, “who review products must disclose any connection with advertisers, including, in most cases, the receipt of free products and whether or not they were paid in any way by advertisers, as occurs frequently,” reported the New York Times. “For bloggers who review products, this means that the days of an unimpeded flow of giveaways may be over.

• Baker, The Joy of Cooking and other fave cocktail books

  ljclark

  9 Oct 2009 | 2:14 pm

  Earlier this year, Nightclub & Bar magazine published an article I wrote on the resurgence of vintage cocktail books and the bartenders who love them called Tools of the Trade: Jiggers, Shakers and Out-of-Print Books. This was just after Mud Puddle books, the EUVS (Exposition Universelle des Vins et Spiriteux) and others became known for reissuing these obscure, old volumes, whose original editions had been selling for crazy money online. We have crossed over to a new world now — a world in which David Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks and Harry Johnson’s…

• 
  The Cocktail Chronicles

• Don’t Be Bitter

  Paul

  31 Oct 2009 | 8:05 pm

  Sure — I’ll play along with Dietsch’s “Don’t Be Bitter” contest. After all, the gentlemen from The Bitter Truth have supplied some of the best bitters in my liquor cabinet, and the opportunity to win a bottle of their Beefeater 24 Bitters — which apparently aren’t for sale — is too good to pass up. According [...]

• MxMo Vermouth: The flower with the power

  Paul

  26 Oct 2009 | 11:48 pm

  I’ve been a bad blogger recently, what with the infrequent updates and all (though I’m still writing regularly over at Serious Eats), but even after spending a busy day writing about booze and a busy evening judging a cocktail contest for Domain de Canton (congratulations, Jay!), I’ve still got to log in to WordPress for [...]

• MxMo XLIII: Vermouth

  Paul

  22 Oct 2009 | 4:46 pm

  I’m running late in getting this announcement up, but considering the theme for October’s Mixology Monday (which takes place Monday, October 26), I’m guessing most regular (and new) participants already have the stuff on hand. The details: This month’s MxMo is hosted by Vidiot at Cocktailians, and for the theme Vidiot has chosen a subtance that’s [...]

• MxMo XLII: Dizzy Dairy

  Paul

  28 Sep 2009 | 11:12 pm

  It’s still Monday here on the West Coast, which means I’m still on time for this month’s Mixology Monday. Hosted by Chris Amirault and the gang over at eGullet, the theme for this month is “Dizzy Dairy”, which means whatever else you do to your drink, you’d better mix something in it that originated in [...]

• Cuisinternship entries

  Paul

  21 Sep 2009 | 11:28 pm

  As I mentioned last month, the good folks at Oregon Bounty organized a creatively titled Cuisinternship Contest that would pair selected winners (who entered by submitting a short video and even shorter Twitter-length essay) with some of the state’s culinary luminaries for a one-week, all-expenses-paid internship. The deadline has now passed — too bad, procrastinators [...]

• 
  Jeffrey Morgenthaler

• Art of the Cocktail

  Jeffrey Morgenthaler

  2 Nov 2009 | 11:34 am

  I’m back from Europe and getting ready for Art of the Cocktail next weekend. No, I’m not talking about the book by Philip Collins. Nor am I talking about this blog by Darcy O’Neil. I’m also not referring to Anthony Caporale’s long-running video series. No, this Art of the Cocktail is a new cocktail-centric event in Victoria, British Columbia. Distillery ambassadors, representatives and lounges will be offering tastes of their products or creating sophisticated cocktails for sampling. Wander around the Tasting Room sampling the cocktails that appeal to you while…

• Follow Along with My European Misadventures

  Jeffrey Morgenthaler

  21 Oct 2009 | 10:09 am

  I’m leaving in about an hour to head to the airport and ship off to Europe, so if you have any interest in learning more about what a small-town bartender does from hour to hour as he stumbles across a continent in search of the perfect cocktail, then please by all means follow along with my Twitter feed. I’ll be trying to make it to London in time to meet up with legendary bloggers Chuck Taggart of The Gumbo Pages and Jay Hepburn of Oh Gosh! for cocktails, and then mixing up tasty drinks with Boca Loca cachaça at RumFest UK all weekend. From there I’ll head to Finland to…

• The Solera Club

  Jeffrey Morgenthaler

  18 Sep 2009 | 12:29 pm

  You may or may not have known this, but I like making cocktails out of wine. Or things that were once wine. Or things that were made from wine. However you want to say it, I like making cocktails out of wine. So when I saw that there was a cocktail competition coming up that called for the use of sherry (a type of wine made from white grapes grown around the town of Jerez, Spain and fortified with brandy), I was like, “I’m all over this.” So I reached for the Morgenthaler Standby Formula book and grabbed this old chestnut. First, I bolstered the sherry with something bitter,…

• Ask Your Bartender: Running a Tab

  Jeffrey Morgenthaler

  4 Sep 2009 | 4:10 pm

  (I couldn’t find an appropriate photo, and I wanted to get this out there before I head to work tonight. Sorry - JM) Hey Bartender I went to the bar last night with a coworker, whom I was treating to drinks on my tab. When we got the bill, it was very high, so we asked to have an itemized list of the drinks we were charged for. That’s when another bartender told us that some girl had been charging Jack and Cokes on my tab, without my knowledge. Well, long story short, our bartender, a young girl, came right back WITHOUT an itemized list, but with a smaller bill, excluding the…

• The On-The-Fly Competition

  Jeffrey Morgenthaler

  5 Aug 2009 | 8:30 am

  It’s six o’clock at night in New Orleans and I’m sweating, hard. Not because of the heat outside, but because I’m inside, on a stage with a microphone in my hand. Eight of the best bartenders in the country are lined up behind me, hundreds of people are seated in front of me, and everyone in the room is staring at me. And at this moment all I can think about is my near-debilitating case of stagefright and how much I hate speaking in public. So I pause for a second and think to myself: How in the hell did I end up here? To answer that, we have to go back a year, to the…

• 
  Alcademics.com

• Bonus Boothby

  Camper English

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

  The good folks at Anchor Distilling have reprinted Cocktail Boothby's American Bartender. About a year or so they put out an edition of the book, but this summer they added more to it. In addition to Boothby's text, there is an introduction about drinking in San Francisco around the turn of the century, a biography of Boothby, pictures of venues where Boothby worked in San Francisco and beyond, and other historical documents such as letters of recommendation from Boothby's previous employers. In the back of the book is a handwritten copy of an addenda, probably for a later revision, with…

• Mr. Boston Holiday Cocktails Book Review

  Camper English

  3 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  This spin-off of the famous Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide shows just how far from the standard format the series has come. The Mr. Boston Holiday Cocktails book is edited by wine/spirits writer Anthony Giglio and Jim Meehan of New York's awesome bar PDT, and contains recipes from the who's who of cocktails today: Eric Alperin, Jeff Berry, Jacques Bezuidenhout, and Jamie Boudreau are just the first four mixologists listed alphabetically out of 46 contributors. Unfortunately their individual recipes are not credited in the book but that's about my only complaint. The drinks are divided…

• Spice & Ice by Kara Newman Book Review

  Camper English

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Out now from Chronicle Books is Spice & Ice by Kara Newman. Newman is a columnist for Chili Pepper magazine, and as that and the title would indicate, the book is full of recipes for cocktails with various hot spices. The book's first section holds a lot of information on spices generally, using spices in cocktails, and many tips and techniques for getting spicy flavors into infusions, bitters, garnishes, and liqueurs. For a book of its (small) size this is a pretty large section, making it one that could be quite useful to people who want to experiment with creating their own drinks in…

• Book Week on Alcademics

  Camper English

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  All this week I'll be posting book reviews here on Alcademics, and at the end of the week I'll do a giveaway on the Alcademics A-Plus email list for one of five copies of either Kara Newman's Spice & Ice, Mr. Boston's Holiday Cocktails, or Whiskey and Philosophy. I pretty much read every cocktail, spirit, and drink book I can get my hands on.  My just-drinks bookshelf is long overfull and I find myself trying to cram more stuff onto it all the time. I've now taken to decorating with cocktail books, putting them beneath plant pots, stacking them under furniture, and lining the corners of…

• SF Cocktail Geography

  Camper English

  30 Oct 2009 | 5:38 pm

  Jay Barmann from SFist.com attended my talk at SF Chefs.Food.Wine and kept the handout. Today he's posted my categorization of nearly every type of cocktail program in the city, which is good, because formatting html is a pain. The categories I made up so don't get too hung up on them- it's just how I see them. Read it here. I've been thinking of giving that talk again, because PowerPoint is forever. Let me know if you're into it and maybe I can put something together.

• 
  Chowhound's Latest » Spirits

• Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka

  3 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pm

  I've actually started to notice Jeremiah Weed more and more in New York City. The store i always go to in Chelsea carries the entire line. They have the bourbon liqueur, Sweet Tea, Peach Sweet Tea and the Ready to Serve Sweet Tea and Lemonade. Since the weather is turning, we love having the bourbon in a hot toddy and the vodka is really good in a hard cider. I plan on making both of them for Thanksgiving :) Im trying to find any bars in nyc that carry it, does anyone know any good places?

• Good Inexpensive Silver Tequila

  3 Nov 2009 | 3:12 pm

  I'm with you there: I vastly prefer the reposados. Like them better than the anejos, actually. But that being said, I should've metnioned above: for margaritas for a crowd--that is, if you're going to dump the tequila with Mr Ts syrup mix and toss it in a blender--just buy the biggest plastic bottle you can find off the lowest shelf in the grocery store. I'm the snootiest guy I know when it comes to liquor. But even I don't bother to spend much money for blended, crowd drinks. So I'm with you on the Lunazul. In fact, that might be too much money in my opinion. But if you're going to mix up…

• Distilleries in Wisconsin doing interesting things...

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:47 pm

  I've actually met the guy who started Great Lakes Distillery (Guy Rehorst). He has a very nice, modern style gin. But even more exciting, he's kicking out some absinthes that he's really proud of. The one I really like, though, is their infused Honey & Citrus vodka. They use locally produced honey from some outfit called Wisconsin Natural Acres (didn't know WI made honey) for their vodka. But the thing I like about it is that it's not sweet at all. The infusion is more in the aroma than in the flavor. It's a brilliant little addition to a classic vodka martini or a cosmo. Even better, they…

• Infused Bourbon

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:57 pm

  I've done fresh peaches in Bourbon before and the results were really good. I used a fine mesh sieve, and coffee filters to strain. Using it, I've made a pretty damn good bourbon old-fashioned, with vanilla brown sugar and Angostura bitters. Peach-Infused Bourbon makes an excellent Manhattan, too. 1 3/4 oz peach-infused bourbon 3/4 oz sweet vermouth (I use Vya) 2 dashes Fee's Brothers Peach Bitters

• Can't touch this cocktail

  1 Nov 2009 | 3:28 pm

  No, but now I will - thanks!

• 
  Bottoms Up

• Holiday gift ideas for wine lovers

  Jessica Yadegaran

  3 Nov 2009 | 4:21 pm

  Times are tough. Presents are expensive. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that the gift-giving holidays are next month, and we gotta pony up for our loved ones. With that, here’s the first annual Corkheads Holiday Wish List. Cast your vote for the best wine gift, or better yet, post your own ideas. Whoever has the most creative idea wins a bottle of wintery petit sirah. 1. A copy of Robert Parker Jr’s new book, “Parker’s Wine Bargains: The World’s Best Wine Values under $25.” At $17.99, the book fits the bill. 2. A bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from…

• Rossi-Wallace Pinot Noir is wild, bright

  Jessica Yadegaran

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:55 pm

  We did dinner at Pizza Antica last night, where thin, Naples style pizzas are decorated with light fare, such as arugula, goat cheese and olive oil drizzles. With this kind of pie, as opposed to the deep dish stuff at Zachary’s, I really like drinking pinot noir, like this  Rossi-Wallace from the Antinori Vineyard in Napa Valley. The wine ($35) is just pretty. It sparkles like a jewel and because it is aged in spicy Burgundian oak (only 30 percent of the oak is new), the fruit - wild and full of cherries - dances on top of the wood. It’s integrated, but subtle enough as to not…

• Weekend Update 10.30

  Jay R. Brooks

  30 Oct 2009 | 8:24 pm

  Halloween weekend is now the biggest keg sales time of the entire year, so most people will having their own beer events this weekend. THIS WEEKEND Saturday, October 31-Sunday, November 1 Rubicon, in Sacramento, will hold their 4th annual Hoptoberfest. Rubicon has been collecting their favorite hoppy IPAs and Double IPAs. At the fest they’ll be pouring 21 IPAs on tap. IN THE COMING WEEKS Saturday, November 14 The Bistro in Hayward will be hosting their annual Barrel Aged Festival, which will feature beers aged in various types of barrels, whether new or having previously held wine or…

• Monterey Great Wine Escape Nov. 13-15

  Jessica Yadegaran

  30 Oct 2009 | 5:11 pm

  Can’t believe it’s already been a year since this wine tasting event in Monterey. While there are an infinite number of worthy wine events from Monterey to Mendocino, I like this one because it features 35 wineries - the sweet spot to not getting overwhelmed. Also, what I like about this event is that there’s truly something for everyone. If you have the dough, you can spend $1,265 on the getaway of your dreams, or $95 on a winemaker’s dinner. For my money, I recommend the $25 Saturday self-guided wine tour, which gives you tasting admission to 11 Carmel wineries,…

• Best deals at the BevMo 5 cent sale

  Jessica Yadegaran

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:05 pm

  My co-worker wants to know what the best deal in the $10-$15 range is at the BevMo 5 cent sale. Well, here you go, Ari: I poked my head in there yesterday, but the BevMo web site is a much easier way to navigate the sale. There, you’ll see 253 wines. I can’t be sure if they’re available at all stores, or if certain locations have different wines (I bet they do), but for my money, here are three must-purchases: - if you like grenache and syrah, I’d splurge three more dollars and get the 2007 Auguste Bessac Cotes du Rhone for $17.99. It’s meaty, perfect for the…

• 
  The Pour

• Gemischter Satz

  By Eric Asimov

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:53 am

  In my column in Wednesday's newspaper, I've written about some gorgeous Austrian wines that are newly available in the United States. What makes these wines so unusual? They come from vineyards within the city limits of Vienna.

• The Mystery of Marketing

  By Eric Asimov

  30 Oct 2009 | 6:47 am

  Diageo's Wily Jack makes a mystery out of wine marketing.

• A Plea for Peaceful Coexistence

  By Eric Asimov

  27 Oct 2009 | 10:01 am

  Beer lovers, wine lovers, can't we all just get along?

• Ripeness Isn't All

  By Eric Asimov

  20 Oct 2009 | 10:58 am

  More American winemakers are creating less full-bodied flavors.

• Favorite Wine Lists in the San Francisco Bay Area

  By Eric Asimov

  19 Oct 2009 | 12:58 pm

  The region is awash in great lists, which are very different from complete lists, or trophy lists, or other sorts that demand accumulation rather than creativity.

• 
  InTheLandOfCocktails

• Sweet Adelaide, genesis of a classic

  Lu Brow

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:13 pm

  I wanted to create a cocktail for the Sweet gals to celebrate their first departure from NOLA.  I thought of the women that would be taking this cruise so I did something that would fit in as light and  refreshing to pair with all of the spicy and rich food that we serve in the city.  It has a hint of citrus in the cocktail so it is tasty to consume at any time during the day or evening.  I’ll be behind the bar at the Swizzle Stick at Loew’s Hotel in the CBD (Central Business District) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and would love to meet you!  Stop by and say hello.  Welcome to…

• Sweet Adelaide

  Cocktail Chicks

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:12 pm

  Sweet Adelaide (From Lu Brow) 1 ounce Smirnoff Vodka (red) 1/2 ounce Lillet Blanc 1/2 ounce Cointreau 1/2 ounce fresh orange juice 1/2 ounce cranberry juice Mix all ingredients into a shaker with ice and pour into a rocks glass.  Add additional ice if necessary.  Orange slice for garnish.

• Home Bar Essentials, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

  Cocktail Chicks

  1 Nov 2009 | 10:26 pm

  For any and all of these products visit our STORE and… Kegworks.com.

• Sweet Times in New Orleans

  Cocktail Chicks

  30 Oct 2009 | 3:51 pm

  Cocktail Party and Meet and Greet Saturday, Nov. 7th 5–7 PM LOA bar in the International House Hotel 221 Camp Street New Orleans, LA  70130 Calling all fans of “We Have to Stop Now,” “The Sweet Adventures of Nat & Meg,” “CherryBomb,” “Shewired.com” and “In The Land Of Cocktails.”  Cast members and all your favorite behind the scenes girls will be in fabulous New Orleans where they will set sail on the inaugural voyage to the Caribbean on a Sweet Cruise vacation So to send them off in style, the Cocktail Chicks gang are hosting a Bon Voyage party — an intimate…

• Widow’s Kiss

  admin

  26 Oct 2009 | 1:50 pm

  1 1/2 ozs Calvados 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse 3/4 oz Benedictine 2 dashes Angostura bitters Fill a cocktail (martini) glass with ice to chill.  Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously.  Discard the ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Serve immediately.

• 
  The Intoxicologist Is In

• Cocktails, Martinis & Drink Recipes Guide

  intoxicologist

  3 Nov 2009 | 3:29 am

  Quick and easy recipes at our fingertips are what we all want when we are in a hurry.  The following drink recipe links present cocktails in a variety of presentation styles.  Most of the recipes include photo representations of the cocktail recipes.  Find the recipe you are searching for by base spirit, seasonal theme, celebration style or theme.  This drink recipe listing is updated as frequently as possible – usually weekly.  If there is something special you are searching for please feel free to use the comment form so the type of cocktails you want can be provided.  Thank you for…

• Halloween Drink Recipes, Football Drinks & Shots & 30 Days of Pink Cocktails

  intoxicologist

  30 Oct 2009 | 1:43 pm

  Tonight kicks off Halloween festivities as soon as the last work day clock ticks and cocktail glasses click to toast ghosts, ghouls, phantoms, vampires and all things that go bump in the night.  The Intoxicologist has dug deep into the crypt to find as many Halloween drink recipes as mortally possible to keep you chilled to the bone and morbidly satisfied.  Many thanks to all who dug up their best kept recipes from the tomb and placed them into my grateful hands so you and your guests could scare up a few eerie cocktails for a devilish good time.  Have a safe and supernatural Halloween…

• Halloween Drink Recipes, Classic Cocktails, Pink Drinks & Touring Buffalo Trace Distillery

  intoxicologist

  23 Oct 2009 | 10:45 am

  Halloween parties are kicking into high gear and the search for the most spirited cocktail recipes has begun with vigor.  At last check the Halloween Drink Recipe & Party Idea Guide combined with Photo Drink Recipe Slide Shows listed a total of 82 Halloween drink recipes with more on the way.  The Halloween recipe guide is updated frequently, so do bookmark pages with complete Halloween recipe listings to catch updates that are made every couple of days.  More classic cocktails and pink drinks have been added to the mix with a couple of reviews and recent trip to Buffalo Trace…

• For the Love of Cocktails: Fall to Halloween Drinks, Football Weekend Recipes, NUVO Liqueur & other Pink Drinks

  intoxicologist

  7 Oct 2009 | 3:17 pm

  Do You Know What Day It Is? There are holidays and celebrations that go on every day of the week.  There are also special nights we get together with friends for Girl’s Night Out, hanging with the guys or football weekend.  No matter the reason, themed cocktail posts like the ones below come in handy for party planning purposes or just plain fun.  Cocktail Recipes Enter The Twilight Zone – Reader choice episodes paired with drink recipes Top 10 Twilight Zone drink recipe pairings – Top 10 episodes as chosen by tv.com paired with drink recipes Bacardi Rum is Your Football Game Day…

• What’s Hot in the Top 10 of Spirited Drink Recipes & Reviews

  intoxicologist

  25 Sep 2009 | 6:40 pm

  Topping the list this week are a few fun posts put together from reader interaction, question and answer feedback from Facebook & Twitter users and quite a bit of research.  Top 10 Popular Shot Recipes – Did your favorite shot make the Top 10 list? If not give me a shout out and let me know your faves.  There is always room for more! National Comic Book Day: Drink Recipes Fit for a Super Hero – It’s a shame there was not room for more super hero cocktails within this listing.  So many to mention…so little time.  Thank goodness ‘National’ days for this and that crop up all…

• 
  Slate Magazine - Drink

• What Jonathan Nossiter's Liquid Memory gets wrong about wine.

  30 Oct 2009 | 7:34 am

  Who said there is no disputing taste? For many oenophiles, half the pleasure of wine is arguing about it. In recent years, the vinosphere has seen a contentious debate over what can be called, for lack of a less ponderous phrase, First Principles. What defines quality in a wine? How about authenticity? Is it ultimately more important for a wine to taste good or to taste true to its origins—to exhibit goût de terroir, as the French say? And if the end result is agreeable, does it matter how a wine was made? With much of the wine industry fixated on branding and marketing, and technology…

• Get ready for the rebirth of cider in America.

  30 Sep 2009 | 9:52 am

  During the 1840 presidential election, opponents of William Henry Harrison portrayed him as a hard-drinking bumpkin. In a savvy act of political jujitsu, Harrison embraced the charge, branding his campaign paraphernalia with a portrait of pure Americana: a log cabin and a barrel of cider. Harrison rode the image to a 234-60 Electoral College victory over incumbent Martin Van Buren.[more ...]

• How the Internet has democratized drinking.

  25 Sep 2009 | 2:33 pm

  Unless you spend a lot of time in wine chat rooms, you may have missed the recent controversies involving critic Robert Parker. The short version: Parker's publication, the Wine Advocate, was found to be violating its own strictures against freebies and fraternizing with wine importers, and a contributor he hired gave a high rating to a wine based on a sample that seemed to bear little resemblance to what was available on retail shelves. The back-to-back scandals, which have damaged Parker's reputation for probity (one of his biggest selling points as a critic), came to light via several wine…

• The planned bridge that could ruin Germany's cherished Mosel wine region.

  10 Sep 2009 | 9:53 am

  Tomorrow afternoon, protesters will gather on a vertiginous German hillside in an effort to prevent what would be one of the worst acts of desecration that the wine world has ever seen. Led by famed British wine writer Hugh Johnson, the group will be demonstrating against plans to build a four-lane, mile-long highway bridge across the Mosel river, a project that threatens a handful of Germany's most celebrated vineyards. The Mosel is Riesling country, and the endangered vineyards yield some of the most delicate, distinctive, and enthralling wines around. The possibility that these charmed…

• Slate's Twitter wine tasting: your favorites, plus a special offer.

  28 Aug 2009 | 1:54 pm

  Thanks to everyone who came out to the Slate Twitter wine tasting with Aulden Cellars at Sotheby's this week, and to those who tweeted their tasting notes from home. The tasting inspired many colorful opinions (you can still check them out on Twitter by searching #SlateWine), but the Hermanos Peciña Rioja Crianza 2003 came out ahead as the crowd-pleaser.[more ...]

• 
  Spirited Cocktails

• The Pumpkin Pie

  Josh

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:43 pm

  This evening, my friend Laren (@sweetblogomine) and I joined Jonathan Pogash for his Cocktail Lab class at the Astor Center Lounge. I’ve mentioned Jonathan here before (he was the source for our post on the Maple Plum Sparkler), but to refresh your memory, Jonathan is a cocktail development consultant, and the beverage director for Hospitality Holdings (which manages a number of major bars here in New York, including the Campbell Apartment and Bookmarks Lounge). I’ve taken a number of classes at Astor Center in the past, and they’ve all offered an opportunity to learn a…

• Download Happy Houred for the iPhone

  Josh

  27 Oct 2009 | 9:19 am

  I don’t know how I ever survived without my iPhone. It helps me manage my e-mail, contacts and calendar. But also gives me directions, plays my music (and my NPR podcasts), and keeps me entertained on the subway. It is my one essential piece of technology. Today my favorite piece of technology is now married to my favorite activity (drinking, naturally), with the release of Happy Houred (available from iTunes or http://happyhoured.com). Happy Houred lets you choose your location, the type of bar you’re looking for, etc. and it returns a list of the best deals in your area. Say…

• Maple Plum Sparkler

  Josh

  12 Oct 2009 | 7:26 pm

  I’m long overdue for new cocktail posts; fortunately a friend has provided inspiration. The other day I sent an e-mail to our friend Jonathan Pogash, renowned bartender, beverage director for Hospitality Holdings (World Bar, Campbell Apartment, et al), and head of the USBG chapter here in New York City. I was writing just to ask Jonathan a quick question, and as it turns out, he’s out of town this week. But Jonathan – never one to let a customer go thirsty – left cocktail recipes in his out of office message! Needless to say, this was one of the best out of office…

• Sincere Apologies

  Josh

  20 Sep 2009 | 6:11 pm

  As you may have noticed, my posts over the last two months have decreased slightly in frequency. That is to say, I haven’t posted anything at all for about five weeks now. That’s kind of a long time, right? Yeah, I thought so, too. So I do have some lame excuses, mostly to do with my changing jobs recently. I’m starting a new company, which I’ll tell you about more when it’s really up and running. But the fact that it’s taking up every minute of my day and night is no excuse for my not getting ridiculously drunk and telling you good people how I did it.

• The Sazerac

  Josh

  19 Aug 2009 | 3:40 pm

  The Sazerac is one of the oldest cocktails on record – and supposedly the first cocktail invented in America. It came into being in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1830’s, and was originally made with cognac and Peychaud bitters (created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud). The Peychaud bitters are still a key ingredient, but the most common preparation of the cocktail is now with rye rather than cognac (even though our friend @halw likes to mess with bartenders by ordering it with cognac anyway.) I came late to the Sazerac, but was introduced to it by another friend, @livethelushlife, who counts…

• 
  Paradiseontherocks

• Satan’s Whiskers

  paradiseontherocks

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:58 pm

  Been busy. Really busy…and lazy. I’m going to get back to this whole blog thing now. Okay? Halloween is right around the corner and it cant pass without a proper blog post. Possibly the greatest drink name I have ever come across is the Satan’s Whiskers cocktail. Holy awesome name, Batman. Aside from being an amazing moniker, this drink has depth and will kick you in the ass. The Satan’s Whiskers originally appeared in The Savoy Cocktail Book (duh) in 1930. It has two versions: curled & straight. The only difference is the use of orange curacao or Grand Marnier,…

• Tom & John’s contribution

  paradiseontherocks

  21 Jul 2009 | 5:12 pm

  Well, maybe Tom & John didn’t do anything but donate their names to versions of the Collins. This class of drink (base spirit and sour mix topped with soda) is so popular it has a glass named after it. Go grab that tall glass behind your bar..no, not the pint…yep. Now let’s use it for a classic cocktail. Grab your favorite base spirit. Rum? Put it back. Vodka? If you insist. Gin or whiskey will lend a better base with their complexity. I’m going to use Bombay Sapphire because they gave me a bottle (fair?). Snag a couple lemons and the simple syrup you cooked up on…

• The Cherub’s Sin

  paradiseontherocks

  2 Jul 2009 | 3:28 pm

  The story goes something like this… There was an omnipotent being who had some cronies. The cronies were, and maybe still are, Cherubim. One day a cherub decides he’s tired of playing crony and he wants to be all-knowing and all-powerful just like his boss, a fella by the name of God. When God finds out about this prideful cherub’s deceit, he banishes him from heaven. Now, stuck on Earth forever, that cherub spends his days messing with us. Awesome. This drink is made in remembrance of that sinful angel and his fall from grace. The life of most angels must be sweet, but…

• A few things I’ve learned

  paradiseontherocks

  1 Jul 2009 | 1:38 pm

  Everyone thinks the word mixologist is filled with pretense…it is. Coaching your bartender through a simple drink is a slap in the face. I know what a Madras is even if joe bartender down the road doesn’t. Serving people can be more rewarding than any other job I can think of. No matter where you are, you always represent yourself and your employer; don’t act a fool (often). Other bartenders are great sources of inspiration and, often, friendships. Imbibe and Sante are great reads for barmen; The Economist is better. It is only a little about the drink and a lot about you.

• “I hate gin”

  paradiseontherocks

  22 Jun 2009 | 3:35 pm

  “I hate gin.” My response to this is usually to nod and stop listening because whatever comes out of the person’s mouth next, be it the wonders of Grey Goose or old No. 7 is probably going to be trite and usually…bullshit. Recently however, instead of tuning out, I’ve tried to combat this thought by enlightening folks about the subtleties of this glorious clear spirit. The key is to bring them into the gin world gently and for this I have a go-to gateway drink…the Corpse Reviver #2.  Lets talk history first. This classic drink was first published in the…

• 
  Captain McBoozy's

• Strega Liqueur: The Brooklyn Variation

  CaptainMcBoozy

  15 Oct 2009 | 4:56 am

  Okay, this is a weird one.  I’m stocking up on the sauce earlier;  grabbed on some gin, a nice peaty scotch, maybe a bottle of tawny port, throw in some rye for Gary and the boys, a classic recipe french vermouth for good measure, and I was hoping to find a nice Amaro.  Maybe an Averna or even an Amaro Nonino… I dunno – the day was young and I was drunk with anticipation – and the seven beers I had at lunch – but, the important thing here is that when I told the woman behind the counter I was looking for an Amaro, and she replied with a confused and somewhat…

• The Dark ‘n Stormy

  CaptainMcBoozy

  26 Sep 2009 | 4:13 pm

  So, it’s fair to say that I have been smashing on what most would consider a pretty boss amount of rum – as is common for me in the summertime.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to score any high quality Bermudan (Bermudian?, Bermudish?) rum.  And then, there I was, exhausted from multiple unsuccessful attempts at hovercrafting (hovercraftering?, hovercraftinating?) - which, it turns out is actually a thing – thinking to myself, summer may be nearly over, but I still need to get drunk immediately.  And then I happened to buy a bottle of Gosling’s Black…

• What’s the Como?

  CaptainMcBoozy

  4 Sep 2009 | 5:02 pm

  Great question.  Very great question.  The Como is a mojito-ish cocktail I came up with just a few minutes ago.  Because let’s face it, when you live in Capital Park, you’re gonna have to deal with some weird shit.  Sometimes, upon stumbling home from the bar, you may find a stray dog and take it home, as I did last night.  Other times, you might get drunk and give half your jalapeno, ham and pineapple pizza to a homeless dude that smells like popcorn and shoes, as I did two nights ago.  The point is, as difficult as it can be sometimes, it’s important to be…

• Urban Pioneering

  CaptainMcBoozy

  21 Aug 2009 | 4:43 pm

  So I’ve been drinking quite a bit of Bulleit Bourbon of late, for several reasons. The first being it’s nearly impossible to find a bottle of Rye in the City of Detroit. The second reason is because Bulleit calls itself “Pioneer Bourbon,” and living in Detroit makes me feel like a pioneer of sorts. And thirdly, it turns out I really, really, really like getting drunk. Who knew? So, using my inadequately stocked make-shift hotel bar, I’ve developed this cocktail that’s relatively easy to make and extremely easy to drink. The Urban Pioneer 3 oz. Bulleit…

• Famous New Orleans Drinks (and how to mix ‘em)

  CaptainMcBoozy

  9 Aug 2009 | 8:24 pm

  So, I stopped by John King Books this afternoon, and was pleased so score a copy of Famous New Orleans Drinks (and how to mix ‘em), by Stanley Clisby Arthur. The book I picked up was a 10th edition, published in 1952, but the original version was published in 1937. It’s got plenty of great recipes, including the Vieux Carre and the Cocktail A La Louisianne. So, I’ve created a tag for the book, and from time to time I’ll be working up some of these recipes and blogging them. Stay tuned. Note, I lifted this image, as I am “in between” cameras at the moment.

• 
  Wild Scotsman Whisky

• Wild Scotsman on Twitter for 2009-11-02

  The Wild Scotsman

  2 Nov 2009 | 5:21 pm

  Nose is a bit runny today. Looks like nosing samples of Scotch whisky is not in the cards or anything for that matter! # Many thanks to #drcrafey for the bone cracking! #chiro #

• Wild Scotsman on Twitter for 2009-11-01

  The Wild Scotsman

  1 Nov 2009 | 5:21 pm

  having the after Halloween candy crash blues! I bet there is a rock-a-billy song in that statement somwhere. Now back to Dinansour Train! #

• Wild Scotsman on Twitter for 2009-10-31

  The Wild Scotsman

  31 Oct 2009 | 7:21 pm

  Let's gets moving Hot Spurs we need to get movings! #spurs # Arsenal 2 and Tott'ham 0. Not a good morning #spurs # At my wifes @zaharastanglewb video shoot in the Studio. Three cameras rolling #zahara # Round two of video shoot after review and camera changes #zahara # Zombie scotsman is out to consume Scotch whisky and a wee bit of flesh! # Zombie Scotsman given a cuban cigar by a fan. Mini bottle of 15yr given to all who find me #scotch # Big Scotsman Zombie thanks to PF Changs Rookwood for taking care of my dinner #

• Wild Scotsman on Twitter for 2009-10-30

  The Wild Scotsman

  30 Oct 2009 | 7:21 pm

  Wild Scotsman Black Label bottle shot from photo shoot. #scotch http://flic.kr/p/7bubND # Camacho Titan Cigar and a cup of coffee. Let's get to work. #cigar # RT @scotchhunter: iPhone App submitted to apple! Great Job guys. http://ow.ly/xHBB #scotch #iphone # Filling out new customs documents for importation! Could the government managae to add another layer of red tape! #

• Wild Scotsman on Twitter for 2009-10-29

  The Wild Scotsman

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:21 pm

  Too many emails in my inbox today and not enough time. Looks like I am going to be up longer than expected tonight. # I am officially the proud owner of a Glen Moray 19yr aged in an ex-bourbon cask! #scotch #glenmoray #

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  Thursday Happy Hour

• Beer Bread

  Erin Malone

  30 Oct 2009 | 11:25 am

  Give me a crusty, yeasty, warm, fresh slice of homemade bread with a slab of butter on the side, and I’ve just about died and gone to heaven. Make it easy-to-make beer bread, and my two loves are married in under an hour ...

• Corpse Reviver #2

  Shelly Bowen

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:17 am

  Remember The Suicide: the beverage we made as kids at 7-Eleven when we first could mix our own sodas? That's what I thought of when Phil suggested a Corpse Reviver #2 cocktail for a Halloween happy hour drink.

• Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne

  Diane Timba

  28 Oct 2009 | 10:04 am

  Last Thursday seemed like any other day in the Timba household. But it also happened to be our 15th wedding anniversary. How could I turn this ordinary day into something extraordinary? A bottle of Champagne would have to do the trick.

• Wychwood Hobgoblin

  Erin Malone

  23 Oct 2009 | 11:03 am

  Fortunately, I had some Hobgoblin beer in the fridge that would match my dark-and-stormy mood. This copper-red beer has a fabulous goblin on the front of the bottle, plus a nice roasted malt flavor inside, with just enough hoppy bitterness and chocolatey-fruity sweetness to cancel out my craving for Halloween candy. Plus,

• Moscow Mule

  Shelly Bowen

  22 Oct 2009 | 11:11 am

  Starlite offers up inspiration by the glass. They make their own bitters (we must try that), and brandied cherries, and often mix their vodkas with things like cucumber and black pepper syrup. One of my favorites is their take on the Moscow Mule, called a Starlite Mule, served in a chilly copper cup.