Review: Samuel Adams Winter 2017 Releases
Just because it’s the new year doesn’t mean winter is over. In fact, it only technically started a little over a week ago. As such, Sam Adams’ winter beers have arrived in full force. Today we take a dive through a sextet of them, all designed for sipping on your one horse open sleigh. Samuel…
Review: Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition Irish Whiskey
It seems like just yesterday that Jameson’s first Caskmates release — an Irish whiskey finished in stout barrels — hit our desk. Now the second of the Caskmates line has arrived: Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition. Before you get too carried away, know that IPA stands for Irish Pale Ale, though to be honest there doesn’t…
Recipe: Ritten Word
I recently encountered a cocktail called Ritten Word (you’ll get the name in a minute) at Zero Zero in San Francisco. It was an outstanding drink, with a recipe listed merely as follows (in all lowercase): rittenhouse, canton, cynar. Interesting combo. Doesn’t immediately sound like it would work. But I ordered one and was blown…
Review: Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish Irish Whiskey
Here’s an interesting variant from Tullamore D.E.W.: Cider Cask Finish, now available in the U.S. on a seasonal basis (in and around the fall — sorry, we’re a bit late with the writeup). Previously available in Ireland and Travel Retail, the D.E.W. folks say this is “the first whiskey to be finished in hard apple…
Review: 2014 Herzog Variations Four Cabernet Sauvignon California
The “variations” in this California cab are regional: The wine is sourced from Paso Robles, Napa Valley, Alexander Valley and Santa Ynez. The wine itself isn’t entirely remarkable, a rather closed-off tannin bomb with dusty notes of earth and mushroom, its plump currants really just an afterthought amidst the intensity of wet slate and lingering green vegetation.…
Review: Bedtime Bourbon 8 Years Old
What if I told you a company was making an eight year old Bourbon that was sourced from Tennessee, and that it was on sale exclusively in Kentucky? I’m not crazy, I’m just sampling Bedtime Bourbon, which is being produced by the Louisville Bourbon Transit Company, a tiny outlet that recently opened up shop here. Here’s…
Cocktail Recipes for New Year’s Eve 2017
Whether you’re celebrating that 2017 is finally over or just looking forward to a brighter 2018 (or both), it’s tradition to celebrate with booze. We want to share a few cocktail recipes with you; some are perfect for a quiet evening with your significant other, some are built as party punches. A few are simple;…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon and Copper & Kings Collabor&tion Rare Release Bourbons
I like to think I have an open mind when it comes to the booze world, and in general I love the idea (and execution) of bourbon that is finished in other types of casks. So then, what’s not to like about this oddball collaboration between the Bardstown Bourbon Company and the brandy-makers at Copper &…
