Review: New Riff Backsetter Bourbon and Backsetter Rye
Kentucky’s New Riff prides itself on putting a “new riff” on tried-and-true American whiskey traditions. As more and more craft distilleries push the creative limit to stand out on the shelves, these “riffs,” like their use of malted rye, have started to seem a little less innovative. Still, New Riff has kept a few unique…
Review: Ninkasi Peach Maiden the Shade Summer IPA
This is a spin on Ninkasi’s prior summer seasonal, Maiden the Shade, and as the name implies, it’s an IPA — with Alpha CO2 Extract, Centennial, Crystal, Palisade, Amarillo, Simcoe, Columbus, and Chinook hops — that has peach puree and flavoring added. Ninkasi isn’t messing around with the peaches here. They’re sweet and juicy and…
Review: Tom’s Town Double Oaked Bourbon and Pendergast’s Royal Gold Bourbon
Tom’s Town Distilling is named after Tom Pendergast, “the country’s most corrupt political boss,” who plied his trade during Prohibition in Kansas City. Now the KC-based operation pays homage to the corrupt man with a line of spirits, including gin, vodka, and these two bourbon whiskeys. Both are sourced, presumably from MGP since the fine…
Review: Wines of Garofoli, 2020 Releases
Garofoli‘s 2020 releases, largely built for warm-weather drinking, have arrived. Not familiar with the Italian operation? Some notes from the brand follow. As the oldest family-owned winery in the Marche region of Italy, Garofoli dates back to 1871 when Antonio Garofoli began producing wine in his hometown of Loreto for the steady stream of pilgrims…
Review: The Clover Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey 10 Years Old
The famed golfer Bobby Jones won all of his big tournaments during Prohibition, including the only Grand Slam title anyone has ever won, so it’s safe to assume he had an illegal, celebratory tipple or two off of the course (and maybe on it, too). He may have had to be discreet back then, but…
Review: Spirit Works Bourbon
Sebastapol, California-based Spirit Works is well-known around here for its gin and vodka products. Recently it got into the world of whiskey, releasing its first ever bourbon. This is an unusual four-grain whiskey, featuring a mash of 60% corn, the rest a mix of wheat, rye, and barley. All grains are organic and the corn…
Review: Bulleit Bourbon Blenders’ Select No. 001
This new special edition bourbon from Bulleit is named Blenders’ Select (surely mislabeled as Blender’s Select in more than one location), as it was personally crafted by Eboni Major, the brand’s blender. Wait, doesn’t Major blend all the whiskeys there? Yes, but this takes the juice in a different direction, using just three of the…
Review: Schlafly Summer Lager and Topical Saison
Two summertime releases from St. Louis’s Schlafly. Let’s go! Schlafly Summer Lager – A Helles-style lager from Schlafly, brewed with German Mittelfrüh hops. Malty and bready, it has that unmistakably German kick — slightly vegetal, slightly woody — and a finish that calls out for a pretzel with mustard. A bit light on its feel…
