Head to Head with 4 Bloody Mary Mixes: Scales, Tabanero, Bloody Good, and Bloody Amazing
Summer is hear, and that means brunch with bloodies is upon us. Sure, it’d be great if you could always crush your own tomatoes and grate your own fresh horseradish, but really, who’s got the time. Recently we’ve been inundated with bottled bloody mary mixers, which we put head to head to head to head.…
Review: Beers of Mavericks (Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.)
Mavericks is a famous surf spot off the coast of Half Moon Bay, California, where these three beers — available exclusively in cans — are made. We tried them all. Thoughts follow. Mavericks Rye Pale Ale – Mavericks sent two cans of this beer, an American pale ale with west coast hops plus rye malt,…
Review: Alessio Vermouth di Torino Rosso and Vermouth Chinato
Tempus Fugit Spirits has turned to vermouth for its latest products, importing from Italy a pair of fortified, aromatic wines: Alessio Vermouth di Torino Rosso and Alessio Vermouth Chinato, both “inspired by a true ‘Renaissance man,’ Alessio Piemontese.” These vermouths are both produced in a considerably more bitter style than the typical Italian or sweet vermouth…
Review: Old Monk Very Old Vatted XXX Rum 7 Years Old
Old Monk, a rum that’s made in Uttar Pradesh, India, is a major international seller which has a bit of a cult following on our shores. That’s probably owing more to the low price point, unique decanter, and novelty design than anything else. But let’s see how it tastes. This expression (there are a handful…
Review: Jim Beam Black XA Extra Aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2015)
While I wasn’t paying attention, Jim Beam quietly updated its venerable Black Label bottling. What was once bottled with an 8 Year Old (“Double Aged”) age statement now carries none. Beam assures me the product in the new bottle is the same as the old Jim Beam Black Label even if the exterior isn’t quite the…
Review: Afrohead Original Rum
You wouldn’t put out a rum called Afrohead and not put a line art drawing of a woman with a huge, stylized afro on the bottle, would you? Of course not. After years of hand bottling rum in an unnamed bottle featuring only the Afrohead logo, Joe Farrell and Toby Tyler are bringing this Bahamanian rum to…
Review: Jim Beam Signature Craft Harvest Bourbon Collection – Brown Rice
Four our fourth review in Jim Beam’s 6-whiskey Signature Craft Harvest Bourbon Collection we’re finally checking out the Brown Rice release. This was actually released last year, so we’re late to the game, but our completionist streak compels a review regardless. As a reminder, these are all bourbons, each made with one unusual grain in the mashbill. As with…
Review: Craft Distillers Mezcalero Release #11 Bramaderos (Miahuatlan)
Craft Distillers’ Mezcalero is a series of one-time batches of mezcal, similar to the ArteNOM tequila releases. Once they’re all sold, they’re gone for good. But don’t worry — in both cases, they always make more. We first encountered Mezcalero in its second batch, and while I felt that release was a touch lackluster, it…
