Review: Kona Brewing Co. Gold Cliff IPA
Hawaii’s Kona Brewing Co. has launched a new beer — an IPA, of course — with a distinctly Hawaiian twist. The catch? In addition to Mosaic, Chinook, Topaz, and Citra hops, pineapple is added to the mix. Pineapple is of course a natural companion to IPA, and the burst of sweet fruit is instantaneous on the…
Review: Crown Royal Noble Collection Blenders’ Mash 13 Years Old
You’ll have to pay close attention if you’re interested in the latest offering from Crown Royal. While the distillery’s Blenders’ Mash release arrived only a couple of months ago, there’s already another, with a nearly identical name — though this one is part (part 3, specifically) of Crown’s upscale Noble Collection. The catch, this one has…
Review: 2016 Mark Ryan Winery The Dissident and 2017 Viognier
Walla Walla, Washington is home to Mark Ryan Winery, which makes some of this region’s most engaging wines. Let’s taste two new offerings from its recently released bottlings. 2016 Mark Ryan Winery The Dissident Red Wine Columbia Valley – A blend of 56% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 17% cabernet franc, and 3% petit verdot. Ready…
Review: Booker’s Bourbon “Backyard BBQ” 2018-02
Spoiler alert: This is the most unusual — and likely polarizing — batch release of Booker’s Bourbon to date. First, the fine print: Booker’s “Backyard BBQ” is named in tribute to Booker Noe and his love for hosting good, old-fashioned cookouts for friends, family, neighbors and distillery employees in his own backyard in Bardstown, KY. Booker always made sure…
Review: Cutwater Spirits Whiskey Highball and Whiskey Lemon Tea
San Diego Cutwater Spirits, the growing spinoff of Ballast Point Brewing, has taken a cue from its originator by using its own hooch to make a pair of ready-to-drink whiskey cocktails. Both of these canned cocktails are made with Cutwater’s own Black Skimmer bourbon. We tried them both. Thoughts follow. Cutwater Spirits Whiskey Highball – A…
Recipes for National Tequila Day 2018
July 24th is National Tequila Day, so we’ve got things ready to get you through all the tequilabration. Sure you can mix up a margarita today, or take a spin with one of the more unique cocktails we’ve got for you today. Others are more intriguing riffs on traditional cocktails. In other words, a little…
Review: Qii Tea Mixers
Tea, coffee, and plenty of other drinks are rotten for your teeth, so Ted Jin, a former Pepsi executive, has come to the rescue. His solution: Qii, a beverage designed to improve oral health by replacing sugar with a xylitol-based sweetener called XyVita. “Unlike sugars, xylitol doesn’t feed these bacteria and reduces disease-causing plaque in…
Review: Deep Eddy Orange Vodka and Peach Vodka
We’ve reviewed nearly all of the Austin-based Deep Eddy vodka line, except for this duo of flavors — orange and peach. As with all Deep Eddy vodkas, these are bottled with a significant amount of natural color and even sediment, driven by the flavoring element inside. Both are 70 proof. Deep Eddy Orange Vodka –…
