Review: Breckenridge Bitters
Most hear “bitters” and assume Angostura — something that’s used sparingly, by the drop or dash, to give a little something extra to a cocktail. Breckenridge Bitters — produced by one of our favorite vodka makers — isn’t the same stuff. More in line with Italian amari, this is a bittersweet liqueur designed for sipping…
Review: Wines for Dummies
Surely you’ve known there was Wine for Dummies. Now there are Wines for Dummies. Actual wines, made for dummies to drink. Don’t act so shocked. You knew this was coming. In fact it’s a pretty good idea: Package up cheap wine in a familiar package so utter novices can get their feet wet with the…
Review: Wines of Donelan, 2011 Vintage
We’ve covered Sonoma-based Donelan before, and today we turn to the winery’s 2011 vintage releases, all three of which have just been released. Thoughts follow. 2011 Donelan Pinot Noir Two Brothers North Coast – A dead solid Pinot from (all over) Northern California. Black cherry and rhubarb notes give way to spicy black pepper and…
Review: 1ONE Vodka
It’s not every day we get a vodka that comes in a single malt-style canister. OK, it’s never when that happens. But let it be known that 1ONE (also known just as ONE) is aiming for luxury (on a budget), mmmkay? Born in Moldova, 1ONE is 5x distilled from winter wheat and made, per the…
Review: Brooklyn Brewery’s Silver Anniversary Lager & Summer Ale
This year, Brooklyn Brewery is celebrating its 25th Anniversary and to commemorate the event, it is brewing up a special treat. Silver Anniversary Lager is a twist on its normal Brooklyn Lager where the brewery instead seeks to create a doppelbock-strength version of the beer, which, when combined with the added yeast for bottle-conditioning, creates…
Blind Review: SkinnyGirl Margarita vs. SmarteRita
If you’re unfamiliar with the SkinnyGirl phenomenon, either you don’t go down the booze aisle at your grocery store or you’re a dude. SkinnyGirl is one of the fastest-growing brands in the spirits (and wine) world, and its vast array of “low-cal” alcoholic beverages have ladies’ night positively abuzz. It was only a matter of…
Recipes: Memorial Day 2013 Cocktails
For many folks, the arrival of Memorial Day signals the start of summer (for others it’s the premiere of the new season of Arrested Development on Netflix). In honor of both, we’ve pulled together some new recipes for your consideration/experimentation during the upcoming holiday weekend. Herradura Kiwi Cooler 2 oz. Herradura Silver Tequila ½ oz.…
Review: Widow Jane Rye Whiskey
I raved about Widow Jane’s Bourbon late last year. Now I’m taking on a new product: A 2 year old Rye made in Kentucky and finished, like its Bourbon, in Rosendale, NY using local mineral water from the Widow Jane Mine. Bottled unfiltered, you’ll notice a distinctly visible haze in this brilliant amber Rye —…
