Review: Ocean Vodka (2008)
Hawaiian vodka? Sure, why not? While you may be expecting a pineapple- or coconut-flavored spirit in Ocean, bottled on Maui (the first vodka ever bottled there), it’s actually a surprisingly supple, unflavored vodka, lightly sweet and incredibly smooth. In fact, it’s one of the smoothest vodkas I’ve sampled in recent memory, fine straight or as…
Review: 42 Below Vodka
What, is it sweet vodka week at Drinkhacker.com? 42 Below is New Zealand’s entry into the vodka world (the name refers to the latitude of the distillery), a sweetish spirit thrice distilled from “GE Free” wheat and “washed in spring water” until it hits 84 proof, then distilled once more. The result is a more…
Review: Ecstasy Liqueur
The red bottle and fancy writing make Ecstasy instantly appealing… but what is this “liqueur” that’s bottled at a whopping 70 proof and includes caffeine? Clearly marketed at the Red Bull & Vodka crowd, Ecstasy is a spirit (basically diluted grain alcohol) for the LiLo/Paris/Britney crowd, spiked with caffeine, ginseng, taurine, and other stimulants designed…
Review: Level Vodka
People who say there’s no difference among vodka brands should be directed posthaste to Level. It’s a gut-punching vodka, in a way you might not expect. Level (a product of the Absolut folks in Sweden, distilled from grain at 80 proof), is immediately pungent upon opening the bottle, strong and thick when served from the…
Review: Chopin Vodka
You’re a famous 19th century composer. What are the odds that someone is going to take your good name and turn it into a vodka 150 years later? Well, someone did: Polmos Siedlce and Millennium Import, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The connection is Poland, where Chopin lived and vodka was (allegedly) born. Chopin is a traditional…
Tasting Report: Rhone Rangers 2008
One of the most exhausting and exhaustive wine events around, San Francisco’s “Rhone Rangers” celebration of Rhone-style wines (and only Rhone-style wines) was a huge hit last weekend. The only problem: With about 100 wineries in attendance, many pouring 6 or 8 wines at their tables, sampling even one wine from each winery is pretty…
Review: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale 25th Expedition
One doesn’t hear the term “barleywine” much outside of Tolkein novels, but Sierra Nevada is bringing us one here in 2008. Looks like a review is in order of this Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale, 25th Expedition. To clarify, barleywine is a styleof very strong ale noted for its high alcohol content (hence the “wine” moniker).…
Cool Tool: Bass Black & Tan Brolly
The good folks at Bass have designed one of the neatest pieces of barware I’ve seen since the muddler became a hit: Called the brolly (British slang for an umbrella), it’s a little gizmo designed specifically for making Black & Tans. (Black & Tan is pint glass half full of pale ale (typically Bass), with…
