Review: Pinot Noirs of Laetitia, 2013 Releases

Laetitia is a producer of a wide variety of wines in the Arroyo Grande Valley in California’s Arroyo Grande Valley, near San Luis Obispo. We tasted through three of the winery’s newly released Pinots, its flagship bottlings. Thoughts follow. 2010 Laetitia Pinot Noir Arroyo Grande Valley La Colline – Heavily cherry-infused, feathered with fresh tea…

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Review: Perrier Flavored Sparkling Waters

DID YOU KNOW: Even Perrier has jumped into the flavored waters business? In addition to the classic, heavily mineral-infused sparkling water, you can also sip on three fruit-flavored versions. Give them a try in lieu of club soda or tonic water in your favorite cocktail to see how things change. Thoughts follow. Perrier Lemon –…

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Review: Magic Hat Blind Faith, HiCu, Elder Betty

Magic Hat never met an ingredient it couldn’t turn into a beer, and this week we look at three new brews from the company — one a relatively straightforward IPA and two unique concoctions that you’ll no doubt find intriguing, at least to read about. Magic Hat Blind Faith – This IPA is described as…

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Review: Sia Scotch Whisky

It had to happen eventually: Here’s a review of the first Kickstarter-funded booze I’ve received to date. (Yes, I’ve seen and invested in other Kickstarter spirits projects — and we’ve covered some of them — before, but this one is actually fully funded and has something that you can taste.) Sia Scotch Whisky is a…

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Recipes: Bastille Day Cocktails, 2013

Bastille Day is coming up this Sunday. For those unfamiliar with the French holiday, one could liken it to our July 4th Independence Day celebrations here in the states (but with a different historical context). To celebrate the occasion, Lillet brand ambassador Amanda Boccato passed these tasty au Francais recipes on to us to share. Buvons!…

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Review: Samuel Adams Summer Ale (2013)

And now for some Sam Adams you can actually buy. This seasonal release Summer Ale is a wheat beer brewed with lemon peel and grains of paradise. It’s a combo that works. You can really taste the grains of paradise! (Ha!) But seriously, the addition of lemon helps to balance out a bready body, lending…

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Review: Samuel Adams Collaboration Beers, “Brewing the American Dream”

How do you get your tiny brewery noticed? Try partnering with the big guys. That’s what Sam Adams is doing with a new program called Brewing the American Dream, which invites small brewers to Boston to collaborate on something entirely new. These beers are sold in limited release in California and New York, and at…

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Review: Deep Eddy Vodka and Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka

We previously raved about Texas-based Deep Eddy’s Sweet Tea Vodka, and now we’re taking a step back, looking at its original, unflavored vodka, as well facing the future, with a look at a new flavor that’s based on Texas-favorite Ruby Red grapefruit. Thoughts on these two vodkas follow. Deep Eddy Vodka – Stylistically modern. A…

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