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The Pour
How Important Is It for a Red Wine to Be a Dark Color?
Do most people believe that a darker red wine is better than a paler red wine?...
As some of you may have guessed from my column this week in the newspaper, I love Burgundy. I love to drink it, think about it, talk about it and write about it....
A Non-Action Approach to Wine Making
A profile on Paul Draper, the chief executive and winemaker at Ridge Vineyards, and his approach to wine making....
Chilean Wine Industry Damaged by Quake
Many facilities in the Chilean wine industry were damaged by the earthquake, though specifics were hard to come by as wineries were still assessing the aftermath....
The perception that boxed wine is poor quality might be changing....
A panel tastes a buffet of Belgian-style golden ales....
Standards & Pours
USBG Cocktail World Cup with 42 Below
March 71000 bartenders nation-wide competed in regional competitions. From those competitions, two bartenders were picked to represent each of the cities, and on Sunday night 26 bartenders competed in the Liberty Hall at ACE Hotel to determine the final three bartenders who would go on to represent Team USA at...
Alex Day's last shift at Death and Co.
It was last call at Death and Co. on a Thursday night/Friday morning. I'd come in and stayed all throughout the evening because I was trying to get my fill of drinks made by Alex Day before he left for the West Coast (after a slight detour in Asia). Earlier...
Stopping by for a dram or two at Dram in Brooklyn
I stopped by Dram on Sunday night. It wasn't open yet, but the birthday of Thomas Chadwick's wife brought about a reason to have a friends and family gather in the space.With the an opening date somewhere soonish on the horizon, I could help but ask Thomas about what Dram...
NYC Cocktail All-Stars: A Night for Old-Timers at PDT
So it snowed on Wednesday. A lot. That wasn't going to keep me from going to the third and last Cocktail All-Stars event. If I could make it into the office, I sure as hell could make it to a PDT."You came just in time to miss my turn," John...
'Old Shanghai on the Bowery' at Madam Geneva and talking ice with Mr. Ueno
Round 2! Tuesday night was "Old Shanghai on the Bowery" at Madam Geneva, the second event in the three-day line up for the New York City Cocktail All-Stars tour.The cool surprise of the evening was Mr. Ueno showing off some of his ice carving. I cornered him after his time...
Eben Freeman brings "Cocktail All-Stars" to New York
or Eben Freeman has a posseFor three nights bartenders from around the world are gathering in New York to show off their stuff.Last night was the first of these events, "Things Eurasian: Ancient Flavors, Modern Science at The Monday Room in NoLita," held at the Monday Room in Public with...
Nonjatta
The sublime Yoichi train mint julep and other manga stories
The latest volume of the popular manga "Bartender" is all about Japanese whisky and Hokkaido. I found it very evocative, having visited many of the spots and met some of the people featured in the stories as part of my research for "Drinking Japan", my book about Japanese alcohol (for...
Another two golds for Suntory and Nikka
Japanese whisky makers scooped two of the top three awards for Scottish-style whisky at the 2010 World Whisky Awards.The award for the World's Best Single Malt Whisky went to the Ardbeg Corryvreckan from Islay, but the two blended whisky awards went East. Suntory's premium Hibiki 21 years old blended whisky...
Whisky Live springs a surprise
Update 22.2.2010: Nicholas Coldicott, writer for the Japan Times and general Japanese drinks supremo, attended the event and was kind enough to share a few of his notes: "The real surprise for a lot of people was the trio of awards for Ichiro's Malt, and for those that tried it,...
A 1950 Suntory OldI have a feeling this post is going to disappoint some people. I get a lot of questions emailed to me and posted as comments here about the age and value of Suntory Old bottles. There are Japanese whiskies with older traditions, but I think the emphasis...
The warehouse at ShinshuKatatomo-san has an elegiac post about the Mars Whisky distillery at Shinshu. He visited in January and found that one of the two pot stills could not be used because the copper had in places got too thin and posed a safety hazard. I am not sure...
Whisky Live Japan is the largest whisky festival in Japan. This year's event, as I have previously posted, will be held on Sunday, February 21 (tickets). Unfortunately, due to work commitments, I will not be able to attend. So, if anyone is willing to send a few lines on their...
Cocktails News
Kiss My Cocktail: Chopin Red Wine at the Raleigh
Before anyone got tipsy, Chopin Vodka shoved a Sharpie into the hands of Oscar winners Sandra Bullock, Kathryn Bigelow and Jeff Bridges, as well as Forest Whitaker, James Cameron, Emily Blunt, Kirk Douglas, Quentin Tarantino, Carey Mulligan, Julianne Moore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Colin Firth, asked them to sign a 200-liter,...
Green tequila cocktails and shots for St. Patrick's Day
Are you looking for an alternative to green beer for your St. Patrick's Day celebraton? Look no further than these cocktails, which are all green to bring you the luck of the Irish....
SXSauced: Crafty Cocktails at East Side Show Room
Crafting a quality cocktail takes "precision, passion and patience," says Adam Bryan, the bar master and "executive drinkist" at the East Side Show Room....
Alternatives to Green Beer: St. Patrick's Day Cocktails + 2 Cocktail Recipes
Drago Centro's Token Irishman cocktail. Many of L.A.'s mixologists seem to have an aversion to St....
Beer cocktails generally appeal to rowdier crowd
As director of Food & Beverage at the Essex Resort & Spa, it is my unfortunate duty to ensure the quality of our beverage program and our food offerings....
Clearing the Palate with Consomme Cocktails
Clearing the Palate with Consomme Cocktails Molecular gastronomy makes a splash at The Rabbit by Jennifer Burns Levin Molecular gastronomy, from inspired to silly, has been the rage in American high-concept restaurants for the past few years....
Art of Drink
And the winner of the Fix the Pumps loot bag give-away is…......
Soda’s Influence on Cocktails of the Big Easy
On April 5th, 2010 I will be flying down to New Orleans to present at the Museum of the American Cocktail. The presentation will be on the influence of soda on cocktails, specifically those of New Orleans fame. Many newspaper articles from the 1800s put New Orleans in second place......
Convincing people to buy a book can be a challenging proposition, so I've decided to sweeten the deal. Anyone who purchases a copy of Fix the Pumps by February 28, 2010 will be entered into a draw for a bag of loot. "What kind of loot?" you say. Well, a......
For Part III of my look into crystal clear ice, I ventured to a company less than an hour from where I live that specializes in making clear ice. It should be no surprise that a company located in Canada is doing amazing things with ice, but the fact that......
Making Clear Ice – Part 2 of 3
The process for making crystal clear ice explained....
Does Caffeine Cause Dehydration? No!
Caffeine in coffee does not increase dehydration during hangovers....
The Intoxicologist Is In
Reviewing the past couple of weeks entails wonderful spirits with infused flavors that have leant themselves to great cocktail creations. Readers chimed in about where they like to go worldwide for cocktails out and what makes their bars of choice so attractive whether it is the atmosphere, cocktail or bartender. ...
National Kahlua Day Cocktail Recipes
Thanks to Cindy Schenk Arras, one of The Intoxicologist Facebook Fan page readers, Kahlua cocktail recipes have been gathered in honor of February 27th – National Kahlua Day! Kahlua contains the well-defined flavor of coffee along with intense sweetness and excellent viscosity. It is wonderful in a classic White or...
National Margarita Day Recipes in Variety Tequilas & Spirits
National Margarita Day has arrived with thunderous quake of the salt mine, squeeze of lime after lime and waft of sweet agave nectar. It takes all kinds of tequila, all shapes of glasses and multitudes of recipes to quench the thirst of margarita lovers everywhere. The Margarita listing below encompasses...
Cocktails of Romance and Whimsy Stirring Passion: Aphrodisiac Inspired Cocktails & Shots – You won’t want to miss the Top 10 Aphrodisiacs and which one I think is most important. There are several cocktail recipes and shots inspired by the flavors of the top aphrodisiacs including the spirits of Michael Collins,...
Fun & Flirty: Cocktails & Shots for Date Night, Girl’s Night Out, Lovers & Beyond
Passion – strong emotion, adoration, love, intensely powerful emotion, craving, amorous affection and desire felt by lovers for each other Kiss – buss, osculation, smack, graze, butterfly, French, to touch or caress with the lips, especially as a sign of ardor or affection Midnight – bewitching hour when all enchantment begins, temptation arises,...
Gin Cocktails, Romancing Valentine’s Day & Liquor News of Note
The world of cocktails reminds us classic remains in style year round and romance is alive and thriving. The number one spirit on the tip of the tongue (literally) where classic cocktails are concerned is gin, gin, gin – this week anyway. Bombay Sapphire and Bulldog Gin have been featured...
Beachbum Berry
January was one long New Year’s hangover. Having to deal with Valentine’s Day shot February all to hell. Now here you are, three months into 2010 with nothing accomplished. You, friend, are one of the Idlers Of March. And you have a lot more time to kill before April, so...
Rum, rum, rum. Aren’t we just a teensy bit tired of reading about its resurgence by now? Well, no. We couldn’t be happier that our favorite dram is finally getting its due. And not just in the press, but in cocktails too. Here are three new rum drinks from three...
The secluded Greek island of Antiparos is known for the golden sands and crystal clear water of its unspoiled beaches. This June and July, it will also be known as the location of “Bum Berry’s And Captain Vadrna’s Faux-tropical Bar School.” Yep, you heard right. The Beachbum finally got himself a...
Odds are that Tiki restaurateur Stephen Crane — professional gambler, serial husband, and owner of The Luau, a raucous midcentury movie-star hangout — didn’t own a library card. But that doesn’t faze Emily Griffin of the Crawfordsville, Indiana, District Public Library. Since September, the reference librarian has been researching Crane’s life...
The Beachbum has been getting some publicity of late. This is not necessarily a good thing. As a lifelong deadbeat, the Bum owes a lot of people money. And if he doesn’t owe them money, he owes them drinks. The higher his profile, the likelier all these people will be...
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, soda fountains were not only as ubiquitous as saloons, they were as dangerous. Soda jerks served sweet treats variously containing cocaine, lithium, morphine, opium, chloroform, and ether; no wonder bars found themselves competing with soda fountains for customers, who became even more powerfully...
caskstrength.net - whisky blog
Continuing our foray into other spirits this month, we fancied a crack at one of London's oldest and most formidable mistresses- Madame Geneva.There are perhaps fewer drinks that can unequivocally sum up two drastically opposing views of our great nation better than gin. Indeed, this clearest of spirits...
So much whisky and so little time… a very interesting statement. With the growing number of new distilleries popping up all over the world, there are lakes of whisky out there, waiting to be bottled. A growing trend to bottle just after the minimum 3 years maturation has seen...
Two little boys had two large drams, Each had a bottle spare. Gaily they played each summer's day drinking lots of course. One little chap then had a mishap and broke his Glencairn glass. Wept for his dram then cried 'Well Damn, We've plenty where that came from!'Thanks to Rolf...
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past month or so, you won’t have failed to notice (ex) England Football captain John Terry getting himself into a wee spot of bother with both his young lady and the England Football manager, Lou Reed Fabio Capello. A fierce disciplinarian...
Well, here's a departure. After over 200 posts on whisky since our inception, we fancied a little foray into something completely different. Today is a special day for one particular spirit. A spirit so controvertial that it has almost become as legendary for its number of critics as for...
Dashing through the rain soaked streets of St James in London and it appears nobody is looking where they're going, or indeed, where they've come from. Shame on them. I have just bought a brand new umbrella and i'm dead excited. Because it is keeping me splendidly dry,...
About.com Cocktails
Sipper of the Week: Irish Tea Party
As many drinks have shown over the years, rinsing your glass with absinthe (think Sazerac and Monkey Gland) can make a world of difference. This week's featured sipper, the Irish Tea Party, is a great example of this and makes a great option for celebrating St. Patrick's Day. The base of...
This Weekend: The Macallan Tasting Note Project
The Macallan has an interesting project starting tonight that is essentially a virtual tasting. It is taking two of the scotch producer's essential expressions, the Sherry Oak 12 Year and Fine Oak 15 Year, and collecting tasting notes from anyone and everyone who want to participate via Twitter. You can...
Skyy Vodka Pulls Out the Big Guns with Ginger
Think what you may of SKYY Vodka, but their most recent infusion is something to take notice of. The flavor is ginger and I have to say that it may be the best flavor the company has produced to date. Sweet HeatPhoto Courtesy: © SKYY Vodka When I first heard that...
Timeless Tipple of the Week: Irish Blond Cocktail
While the Irish Blond is a modern cocktail I have a feeling that it is going to be around for a long time and its classic styling certainly fits into the category of those drinks we already consider "timeless." This is one of those creations of Dale DeGroff and is,...
Hollywood Sips for Oscar Night
Cocktails and Hollywood seem to go hand in hand and if you are hosting an Oscar party tomorrow night there is no shortage of elegant sips that your guests would love. Of course, there are the traditional drinks like the Hollywood, the Hollywood Martini, and a full list of drinks...
Sipper of the Week: The Pickleback
If you haven't tried it yet, you may have seen the strange name "Pickleback" popping up all over the cocktail blogosphere, Twitter, Facebook, and in your local pub. It seems to be the one drink that everyone is talking about right now and with St. Patrick's Day approaching it seems...
Blogging Tales of the Cocktail: 2010
Top Ten Finalists Announced for the Tales of the Cocktail Official Cocktail Competition
Tales of the Cocktail in partnership with Culinary Concierge Magazine, Tasting Panel Magazine, and CocktailTimes.com announces the ten finalists for the Official Cocktail Competition of the 8th Annual Tales of the Cocktail. “Sampling from over 150 of these creative, complex, forward-thinking, often delicious “tikified” Planter’s Punches was pure pleasure, but choosing...
Arnaud’s Restaurant Presents Frappe Fridays
Arnaud’s Restaurant Presents Frappe Fridays There is no Substitute for Herbsaint March 12th and March 19th, 2010 Both Lunches: 11:30am-1:30pm Arnaud’s Restaurant 813 Bienville Street $35 per person, per Friday To RSVP, contact (504) 523-5433 or katy@arnauds.com When Absinthe was banned in the United States in 1912 it left a large hole in the cocktail culture of New...
Ticket Packages for 2010 ON SALE NOW!
Spirits Will Live at Tales of the Cocktail 2010 Spirited ticket packages on sale now! Tales of the Cocktail, the premier global cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans, celebrates their eighth anniversary event, July 21-25, 2010. Beginning March 1, 2010, special ticket...
Spirited ticket packages on sale March 1, 2010
Spirits Will Live at Tales of the Cocktail 2010 Spirited ticket packages on sale March 1, 2010 Tales of the Cocktail, the premier global cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans, celebrates their eighth anniversary event, July 21-25, 2010. Beginning March 1, 2010,...
Deadline approaching for Tiki Punch-Up Competition
Deadline is Feb. 22; You have a little under a week to enter! Tales of the Cocktail in partnership with Culinary Concierge Magazine, Tasting Panel Magazine and CocktailTimes.com invite you to submit a winning recipe for the Official Cocktail Competition of the 8th Annual Tales of the Cocktail. For our eighth anniversary,...
2010 Cocktail Apprentice Program
Details are available now on the main Tales site about this year’s apprentice program, including all the requirements to participate and the procedures for applying. Be sure to check it out....
Slate Magazine
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Ira Berlin's The Making of African America: The Four Great Migrations.
Ira Berlin begins this book by recounting a conversation he had several years ago with a small group of black radio technicians, most of them recent immigrants born in Africa or the Caribbean. He had just been interviewed on a local public radio station on the topic "Who freed the...
Bidenisms: A collection of the vice president's gaffes and head-slappers.
The vice president produced one new Bidenism this week during a state visit to Israel. Please continue to send your nominations (with a link, please) to slatebidenisms@gmail.com. For more, and our stab at a definition, see "The Complete Bidenisms."[more ...] ...
The Republicans' mistreatment of Sen. Robert Byrd in their fight against health care reform.
In the film Annie Hall, Woody Allen finds himself stuck in line next to a man pontificating about the scholar Marshall McLuhan. Unable to stand it, Allen interrupts and tells the man he's wrong. The pedant replies that he's a professor who teaches on the topic. Allen has the perfect...
Rep. Eric Massa tickled his staff. Is that normal?
After more than 200 years, Congress has finally forced America to confront the question: Is it gay for one dude to tickle another dude? Freshman Rep. Eric Massa resigned Monday amid claims that he sexually harassed junior male aides. Appearing on Glenn Beck, Massa admitted that he "groped" a male...
If a NASCAR driver died in a crash, would the racer who caused it be liable?
The car of NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski flipped over and crashed Sunday after another driver, Carl Edwards, bumped him during the Sprint Cup race in Atlanta. (Watch the video here.) Edwards admitted it was retaliation for a similar bump from Keselowski last April. NASCAR has put Edwards on probation for...
Oh Gosh!
In our last visit to 69 Colebrooke Row Tony Conigliaro shakes up a Somerset Sour. An ode to West Country cider, the cocktail uses brandy distilled from cider apples, and a float of traditional English cider. Rounding off the apple theme is a vacuum-cooked apple slice infused with the essence...
The Bitter Truth Creole Bitters
An exclusive first review of The Bitter Truth Creole bitters, a brand new bitters from the German company that attempt to replicate what a creole cuisine influenced bitters from the nineteenth century might have tasted like....
The Brooklyn is one of my favourite cocktails, and there are many great variations on the drink named after Brooklyn neighbourhoods. Vincenzo Errico's Red Hook started the trend, and drinks inspired by the Red Hook like the Greenpoint and Bensonhurst soon followed....
In our second visit to 69 Colebrooke Row Tony Conigliaro makes a very special aged Manhattan. Made by mixing the usual Manhattan ingredients (whiskey, vermouth and bitters) sans-ice then storing them in a bottle for up to five years, the result is a very smooth, integrated, and of course delicious,...
How would you like to be the envy of all your cocktailian friends with your very own ice-ball maker? Oh Gosh!, in association with Drinksology, are giving you the chance to win an ice-ball maker worth £395, plus a The Bitter Truth cocktail bitters travel kit, a bottle of TBT...
Spend any time with a craft bartender or cocktailian and before long the subject of ice will come up. One of the holy grails in ice is the ice-ball, traditionally prepared in Japan by hand. An ice-ball machine is a great alternative for those who value having ten fingers....
The Chuck Cowdery Blog
Writing About Writing, Part One.
Since I graduated from college 37 years ago, I have made my living as a writer, but I haven’t written very much about writing. Why not? Well, I haven’t written very much about anything I wasn’t hired to write about. That has been the nature of my career.But a few...
A New Limited Edition From Four Roses.
There are two kinds of limited edition releases in the American Whiskey business. Some are about the whiskey, some are about the bottle.Four Roses has been one of the leaders in limited editions that are mainly about the whiskey. In recent years, they have rolled out a limited edition version...
How Much Is This Bottle Worth?
It has been about 16 months since I've made a "what's my bottle worth" post. It's a question I get all the time.“How much?” is a tricky subject with old liquor bottles because it is illegal to sell alcohol without a license. There are collectors, they buy and sell, and...
Geek-Out Warning: Green Corn Malt.
This whiskey enthusiasm can get very geeky. How geeky? Keep reading.I've had several conversations with people over the years about malting corn. (I warned you.) Malt is the natural way to make the enzymes that turn starch into sugar. Sugar is what you need to make alcohol.Any grain will malt....
My friend Josh recently found a publication from 1966 that contains a lot of ads aimed at the liquor trade. This one has me scratching my head. Or, perhaps, rubbing my chin quizzically like the guy in the lower right hand corner. (Click on it for a larger version.)...
How To Taste What Rye Does For Bourbon.
The classes I teach for I Wish all involve tasting, so to simplify things we always do the classes in bars, i.e., a licensed premises. It's good for the bars because they get some business on a usually slow night and get some people into the place for the first...
Liqurious
#4048 - Beer doesn't get any more beautiful than this....
Beer doesn't get any more beautiful than this. 10 great designers have created 10 amazing packages for some of the world's most distinguished beers....
#4047 - Enjoying a Derby Cocktail as I work my way...
Enjoying a Derby Cocktail as I work my way through Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails (in no particular order!)...
#4046 - One of the best whisky cocktail - the Bobby...
One of the best whisky cocktail - the Bobby Burns Cocktail at the ScienceOfDrink Blog....
#4045 - Monkey Gland. Funny name, amazing cocktail.
Monkey Gland. Funny name, amazing cocktail....
#4044 - Looking for a way to toast St. Patrick's Day...
Looking for a way to toast St. Patrick's Day without resorting to green beer? The Kitchn has you covered....
#4043 - In Oakley's Secret Lair ~ there is a secret...
In Oakley's Secret Lair ~ there is a secret panel ~ behind which there is a secret door ~ which leads to a.... SECRET BAR! Which is awesomely designed ~ see the details inside!...
The Joy of Drinking
I got hit by a car while biking yesterday. I'm ok, but I figured I deserved a little treat, so I fixed up a cocktail. I lost my jigger, so I had to free pour, which I'm loathe to do. I used roughly 3 parts barrel aged Rum, one part...
Too soon, Gin and Titonic, too soon
It’s been nearly 100 years since the first Titanic disaster, and barely 10 since the second. The only thing tackier than James Cameron’s $200 million blockbuster are these $5 party stoppers. Recreate your favorite maritime tragedy every time you sip on that sweet, sweet oblivion. What self respecting drunk wouldn’t...
How lovely to see the results of Lorraine Thompson's (@writerskitchen) tailgate! Some time back, Josh and I had offered a few suggestions for her son's soccer picnic. It seems she saved the recipes and gave them a shake during a cookout for the Yale-Harvard game.We are completely flattered to see...
The joy of drinking photo essays
No, it's not about imbibing a photo essay. It's a photo essay about imbibing. Check out this rallying photo essay on Slate. There is something so liberating about the good times captured in these pictures. Sure, we should add the grown up, stuffy note about the perils of drunkenness. But,...
Noelle and I visited one of D.C.'s speakeasies, "The Gibson," this evening. The outside is exactly what you'd expect; a blank building face with a single (fluorescent, as opposed to the more classic incandescent) light above a windowless door. The atmosphere inside is really rather nice; it reminded me of...
How can we celebrate this patriotic national holiday when Pabst is being put up for sale? Pabst is nearly cheaper than water, so it's the natural choice for those of us on a tight budget (Yes, that IS a hint to our wealthy readers. Donations are accepted). Noelle and I...
Spirited Cocktails
I’m not a terribly spiritual person, but I try as best I can to believe in the power of positive thought. If nothing else, thinking about good stuff tends to distract you from all the crappy stuff. Well, we’ve had a pretty hefty winter here in New York (February 2010...
Last week I told you about my trip to Rye House to celebrate Mardi Gras, New Orleans-style. I mentioned some of the cocktails we sampled, including the Sazarac and the Vieux Carre. I’d like to share one more staple of the Mardi Gras celebration – or any celebration for that...
Vieux Carre – The Perfect Way to Celebrate Fat Tuesday
Earlier this week, I was fortunate to join many of New York’s cocktail twitterati for a celebration of Mardi Gras at one of my favorite new bars, Rye House. At an event hosted by the Time Out Dining & Libation Society, we were lucky to find proprietor and master mixologist...
Another cocktail courtesy of Rachel Maddow. Isn’t she the best? This excellent holiday punch actually comes by way of Josey Packard of the bar Drink in Boston. You can watch Josey make the punch via this video from Rachel Maddow’s show: Here’s the recipe (you can find the full details on Rachel’s...
There’s only one thing I pay more attention to than spirits and cocktails, and that’s politics. I’m a total politics geek. Election night is my Super Bowl. I know – it’s sad. But it’s who I am. Standing at the intersection of politics and cocktails is one of my favorite people...
This Holiday, Give the Gift of Intoxication
As the holidays hurl towards us at breakneck speed, deciding what to get for that special someone (or your parents, your siblings, your boss, your co-worker, your doorman, your super, your postman, and so on, and so on) becomes a challenge. I’m here to help, though mainly just by way...
drinkboston.com
Little known facts about Prohibition
Anyone out there know if there’s a good college class on Prohibition? I would sign up for it. There is so much interesting stuff about big-P Prohibition (1919-1933) and various small-P prohibitions that just isn’t part of Americans’ knowledge of history (OK, there’s a lot lacking in Americans’ knowledge of...
If you’re insulted by Men’s Health magazine ranking Boston the soberest city in the nation, get yourself over to the Boston Combat Zone: 1969-1978 photo exhibit at the Howard Yezerski Gallery in the South End. It’ll cheer you up with images of hookers, strippers and guys driving around in muscle...
Event: Boston Bartenders on the Rise
Join drinkboston and four of the Boston bar scene’s rising talents at a cocktail party at Green Street on Sunday, March 14. Boston Bartenders on the Rise will showcase some of the men and women around town who are making a name for themselves with a combination of drink-mixing prowess,...
It’s true. I really only took a sip of D.C. compared to other cities of which I’ve drunk deeply, e.g. Portland and Seattle, Miami Beach, San Francisco and L.A. But what a fine sip it was. There was a dual purpose to my short trip to our nation’s capitol: booze and...
Save the date: Boston Bartenders on the Rise
Put March 14 on your calendar, imbibers. Drinkboston and Green Street are teaming up for another event: Boston Bartenders on the Rise. The night will showcase four of the Hub’s emergent talents behind the bar, each of whom will serve a favorite cocktail: Carrie Cole of Craigie on Main Evan Harrison of...
A fellow drinker said recently, “I just discovered you should never input your drinks into a calorie-counter app. No wonder I look like Santa Claus.” Boozing makes you fat, right? Yes. No. Maybe. When it comes to alcohol and body weight, things get weird. That’s according to the scientific and medical...
American Hooch
I’ve lived in Brooklyn for nearly four years now, but I’ve never had the occasion to try Old Williamsburg Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This isn’t much of a surprise since this 80 proof version doesn’t exactly rake in the good reviews. It is, however, quite cheap and that picture of the...
A month since my last post! Sorry about that. I’m back with one of those bourbons I’ve had my eye on for years but haven’t gotten around to trying: Rowan’s Creek. I have tried a few of the other offerings from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers out of Bardstown, though. Their line includes...
I’m a loyal fan to the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon series – every year I look forward to its release and each year it is surprising and interesting in a different way. However, I’ve somehow never managed to try their main release. Old Forester claims to be America’s first bottled...
It’s been too long since my last post, but I’ve got something I’m excited about to kick off the new year: Cornelius Applejack. Anyone who has read a few entries on this blog has no doubt encountered the fact that I am a big fan of American apple brandies and...
Four Roses Small Batch was one of the earliest bourbons I tasted for American Hooch and now I’ve come back to try their entry-level offering here in the US, the so-called ‘Yellow’. The Four Roses series is often described as a less aggressive, rounder bourbon in contrast to the the...
The second of the Van Winkle line I’ve tried for this blog, Old Rip Van Winkle (107 proof variety) is one of the entry-level tiers of the esteemed line of bourbons that includes the famed Pappy Van Winkles. All the Van Winkles are wheated bourbons, so I’m expecting that softer...
Drink of the Week
This St. Patrick’s Day we thought it was time for a green cocktail that’s a little different. The little bit of celery juice and mint add a fresh Spring flavor and scent. Use your best gin in this one, as the flavor really comes through and the other ingredients are a...
St. Patrick’s Day Party Food: Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls
St. Patrick’s Day may be about drinking, but you still have to eat! Here’s a fun way to turn the classic corned beef and cabbage meal into a finger-food appetizer for your Irish festivities this year. Erin go Bragh! Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls (Makes 12) 6 Savoy cabbage leaves 1/2 cup stone-ground mustard 2 slices dark...
March 12 marks the birthday of the woman credited as the inspiration for the World War II icon Rosie the Riveter. A true American icon, whose can-do spirit captured the hearts and minds of Americans for decades, Rose Will Monroe was a Jill-of-all trades out of necessity, and a fun...
When it’s time to break out the bubbly, make sure you open the bottle the right way! This Champagne Key at Gent Supply Co. eliminates foaming and spilling. It also makes opening champagne so simple that you won’t worry for a second that you’ll put someone’s eye out. How to Open...
How to Prepare and Drink Absinthe
On this day, March 5th 2007, absinthe was once again legalized in America after like 100 years. So what is the “Green Fairy” and how can you drink it? It’s absinthe, an anise-flavored spirit. It’s usually light green, but can also be colorless, white, yellow … even red. Because...
The Oscars are upon us once again which means cocktails! What night out with the stars would be complete with out them? This week’s drink was created by Kim Haasarud of Liquid Architecture. The cocktail, Moët’s “Golden Glamour” signature cocktail, will be served on the red carpet and...
Liquor Snob
Pickle Back Rears its Head Again
A little bit ago we told you about the Jameson's Pickle Back, and expressed our nervousness about the shot. We have been overwhelmed by reader response since the story ran, telling us we need to sack up and give it......
Do you want to learn more about whisky? Of course, we all do. That's why Mark Gillespie's WhiskyCast is great. You can listen to it while you do other things - work, brush your teeth, or drink whisky, for example.......
Chilly Twist Reusable Party Cups
Looking for a replacement for the ubiquitous red plastic keg cup at your next party? Or maybe you're sick of pulling warm beer off a keg that's been sitting in the sun for a bit too long? Possibly you're one......
paQui Tequila Arrives for Review
We always love hearing about brands were weren't otherwise familiar with, and we recently got a package on our stoop that gave us just such a surprise. In the box was a bottle of paQui tequila. According to their website,......
When was the last time you thought about taking a drink? If you're thirsty, you reach out and take the glass, and you put it to your lips. But what if drinking didn't come that easily? What if taking a......
Pickle Back Shot: Jameson's and Pickle Juice
There are some moments in your life that you will always remember. Your first kiss? Hopefully. The birth of your first child? Probably. The first time you drink a shot of whiskey with a chaser of pickle juice? Most definitely.......