Review: Modmix Organic Cocktail Mixers, Complete Lineup
Yes, even I am sometimes too lazy to juice a lime… and sometimes pineapple juice and fresh mint is not in the house. While the idea of prepackaged mixers is a little off-putting to most mixologists, the notion of organic ones has a certain appeal. When am I going to get organic pineapple juice or…
Review: Tito’s Handmade Vodka (2007)
If you read the Wall Street Journal, you’ve seen the ads for Tito’s Handmade Vodka. With a kind of scrappy, homemade look and feel (to both the ads and the bottle itself), Tito’s doesn’t look like much… but as with a book, don’t judge this liquor by its cover. I taste a lot of vodka…
Review: Old Whiskey River Bourbon 6 Years Old
Looking for a bourbon you can knock back — the better part of bottle, really — and never notice you were drinking it? Meet your match. Old Whiskey River is perhaps the smoothest whiskey I’ve ever had. I was shocked to see it was 86 proof. It could have been iced tea for all I…
Review: Saint Arnold Christmas Ale
Merry Christmas, fellow drinkhackers. In the spirit — nay, the flavor — of the season here’s a short beer review. Saint Arnold heralds itself as Texas’ oldest craft brewery, and they put out about a dozen types of beer. Their Christmas Ale has been in production since 1995, and it’s apparently quite popular at holiday…
Review: Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon (2007)
You’ll know it by the little horse and rider on the stopper and the grenade-shaped bottle. At $45 a bottle, you’ll often find this in the lockup at your local liquor store. As bourbons go, it’s unique: All bottles are single-barrel bottlings, which means that a glass will vary from state to state and store…
Review: Distillerie Vinet-Ege Le Tourment Vert Absinthe
From French brandy distillery Vinet-Ege comes a new entry into the “with wormwood/thujone” absinthe market, Le Tourment Vert. “The Torment,” when it arrives on our shores (any day now) will be the fourth such absinthe to hit the market here. It joins Lucid, Kubler, and St. George, all of which are slowly, tentatively finding their…
Review: 2007 Henry Fessy Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau
I should have written this up a month ago, when the 2007 Beaujolais Nouveaus first hit the market, but time got away from me… plus, there are still plenty of Beaujolais Nouveau wines available, including this one from Henry Fessy. For those not familiar with Beaujolais Nouveau, this is a young wine from the Burgundy…
Recipe: The Joost Sparkler
Here’s the official cocktail for my 2007 holiday party, inspired by the La Real at Solstice in San Francisco. The Joost Sparkler 1 oz. silver tequila 3/4 oz. pomegranate liqueur 3/4 oz. lychee liqueur 1/2 oz. triple sec Shake in a cocktail shaker with ice, strain into a champagne flute. Fill remainder with Champagne. I’m…
