Review: Dixie Vodka, Complete Lineup (2019)
We last encountered Dixie Vodka in 2014, when it was known as General Beauregard Dixie Southern Vodka. Since then, the Charleston, S.C.-based distillery has updated (and simplified) its branding, while rolling out additional flavored expressions. Everything’s still made from a mash of GMO-free corn. It’s unclear if the distillery still uses the TerrePURE system to…
Review: Troegs Boysenberry Tart Ale
Troegs Independent Brewing, founded in 1997 by Chris and John Trogner in Pennsylvania, has created something special with this new sour ale. As a sour brewed with lactobacillus, coriander, and sea salt, Boysenberry Tart Ale is made decidedly in the Gose style. Gose originated in the Middle Ages in the town of Goslar on the…
Review: Republic Restoratives Civic Vodka and Borough Bourbon
Washington, DC-based Republic Restoratives is a women- and LGBT-owned distillery with giving back firmly in mind. The company donates a portion of proceeds to GIFFORDS, an anti-gun violence nonprofit that’s near to founder Pia Carusone, namely because she was formerly Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ chief of staff. Now Carusone is making booze, with four different products…
Review: Sol Chelada
Sol Chelada has been on sale in Mexico since 2011, but it’s only in 2019 that a version tweaked for U.S. palates has gone on sale in the country in chunky 24 oz cans. Strictly speaking this should be called Sol Michelada, as it has tomato and spices mixed in, which is what turns a…
Review: Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon
Four Roses pumps out special edition bourbons on a regular clip, but it surprisingly only has three bottlings in its permanent collection: Single Barrel, Small Batch, and Yellow Label. Today a fourth bourbon joins that group: Small Batch Select, a name which will undoubtedly only exacerbate the confusion over the brand’s releases (particularly since it…
Review: Samuel Adams New England Pale Ale
Wait, didn’t Sam Adams just launch a New England Pale Ale a few months ago? You can be forgiven any confusion: That 2018 launch was a New England IPA, and this is a New England Pale Ale. Both are juicy/hazy brews, but they’re surprisingly different in construction. Says the brewery: “New England Pale Ale was…
Review: St. George Dry Rye Gin
Rye is far from being a common base for gin, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. Rye was used in early recipes for the drink that became genever, and much Polish vodka has traditionally been made from rye. As gin is made from a neutral spirit, i.e. vodka, rye is a perfectly legitimate…
Review: 2014 Massolino Barolo Serralunga d’Alba DOCG
There’s lots of balsamic on this somewhat atypical expression of Barolo, which showcases notes of sour cherry, dried raspberry, and some orange peel — very fruity for a normally austere wine. Florals build from there, with notes of violets and rose petals, and a touch of sandalwood on the finish. Some spice notes peek through…
