Recipes for National Cocktail Day 2017
Today (March 24) isn’t just one of the first days of spring, it’s National Cocktail Day! As the weather warms up, try one of these recipe variations. And remember, it’s a national holiday. Red Moon over Manhattan 2 oz. red wine 1/2 oz. bourbon 1/2 oz. simple syrup 1 large round ice sphere 3 gourmet…
Review: Bear Republic Hop Shovel and Cafe Racer 15 (2017)
California’s Bear Republic has moved Hop Shovel into the year-round lineup, and is now releasing Cafe Racer 15, formerly only available in 22 oz. bottles, in regular six-packs. Nothing much has really changed with these brews (though this is our first real review of Hop Shovel), but let’s give them fresh looks nonetheless. Bear Republic…
Review: Siembra Valles Ancestral Tequila Blanco
Artisan tequila gets a leg up from Siembra Spirits, which takes a painstakingly traditional approach, blending tequila and mezcal production processes, to the creation of this new 100% blue agave tequila. Reportedly bringing together mezcaleros and tequileros for the first time in a century, creator David Suro hopes he is on to something new. Mind you, this…
Review: 2013 XYZin Zinfandel Reserve Dry Creek Valley
This is a simple yet sultry zinfandel from California’s Dry Creek Valley, a slightly brambly expression of blueberry and blackberry notes, with a cassis finish. Some subtle notes of tea leaf and cola add to the charm of this otherwise food-friendly and wildly drinkable wine — perhaps even more so because it has just a…
A Field Guide to the Agave Used For Mezcal
Mezcal is the precursor spirit to modern day tequila; it has been produced since the mid 16th century, and many distillers still use ancient techniques for much of it’s production. Unlike tequila, which can only be made from the Weber blue species of agave, mezcal is produced with multiple species that are either cultivated or…
Review: Samuel Adams Rebel IPA (2017), Rebel Juiced IPA, Fresh As Helles, and Hopscape
It’s time for a quartet of brews from our friends in Boston, including two new releases (Fresh As Helles and Hopscape), plus a fully reformulated and rebranded Rebel IPA, along with a new spinoff of that line. According to Sam Adams, the new Rebel IPA marks the first time that the brewery has “completely reformulated…
Review: Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Triple Grain American Oak 10 Years Old
Johnnie Walker is the latest distillery to get into the experimental whisky game, with master blender Jim Beveridge launching a new series called Blenders’ Batch. Said to number in the hundreds, these experiments have long been “a crucial part of their work, focusing on developing and understanding a vast variety of unconventional flavors that can…
Review: 2015 Cosentino Cigar Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi
Cosentino’s Cigar bottling (not new, but recently given an updated label) is a mighty soft zin, pretty with lots of fresh blueberry and baking spices, but also heavy with floral notes, particularly violets. It’s a nice start, and it’s an easy drinker on these early days of spring, but the body is muddied by overly…
