Review: Rain Flavored Vodkas, Complete Lineup
The folks at Rain — which makes vodka from organic white corn and distills it seven times — have recently expanded their lineup to four uniquely flavored vodkas. We got our hands on the complete lineup. All are 70 proof and flavored naturally. Rain Lavender Lemonade Vodka is a comparably mild concoction, but quite sweet…
Tasting Report: VinItaly San Francisco, October 2009
Wandering around the crowded, poorly-organized, no-signs-anywhere VinItaly tasting of a rather random collections of Italian wines, a fellow attendee asked how I was liking the show. I remarked on the above and added that the program was of absolutely no help in any of this and the man smiled back, shrugged, and noted, “That’s the…
Review: Kahlua Coffee Cream Liqueur
Kahlua keeps expanding its product lineup, and the latest member of the Kahlua family is this limited edition bottling: Kahlua Coffee Cream 100% Arabica. The recipe is pretty simple: Kahlua liqueur mixed with real cream and bottled for your convenience. It’s slightly lower in proof than standard Kahlua — 34 proof vs. 40 proof —…
Review: Weihenstephaner 2009 Festbier
Weihenstephan claims to be the world’s oldest brewery. This is the company’s newest beer, a 2009 “Festbier” for this year’s holiday season. Festbier is a relatively light, golden brew, but one that’s full of flavor. There’s rich maltiness on the initial attack, then lots of grain character and some robust spice on the palate that’s…
Review: Mini Chill and iChill “Relaxation Shots”
Energy is for sissies. The future is all about the chillax. Little two-ounce plastic shots filled with caffeine, taurine, and other ‘ines are all the rage, but the newer phenomenon is shots designed not to pump you up but to cool you down. Two boxes of these things arrived on virtually the same day, both…
Review: Beers of Samuel Adams, 2009 Releases
Judging by that chill in the air, fall is definitely here, and that means a new batch of brews from Samuel Adams (and some old ones, too). Here’s how they stack up. Samuel Adams Boston Lager – The original, and more bitter than you’d think considering how commonly available this has become. Light body, with…
Review: “Art in the Age” Root Liqueur
It takes balls to launch a new herbal liqueur these days. Bittersweet amaro-type liqueurs are not exactly part of a category which has bartenders and consumers jumping up and down, clamoring for more. But Art in the Age did it anyway, adding to their mixing bowls 13 herbs, spices, roots, and other ingredients — and…
Tasting Report: WhiskyFest San Francisco 2009
Big thanks to all who organized and publicized WhiskyFest San Francisco. Had a wonderful time and was dazzled by dozens of whiskeys… and I hope to try them all in greater depth in the coming months (some of the spirits sampled at the show weren’t even “finished” with their aging and bottling). Bummed by the…
