Happy Halloween everyone! While 2020 has been nothing short of horrifying, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t raise a glass. Last year we celebrated with both Slimer and Dracula, and this year pays homage to another classic, Frankenstein. Frankenstein the Movie (1931) Before we get into the drink itself, I think it’s worth taking a minute […]
There are few cocktails older than the Old Fashioned. In some senses, the Old Fashioned is really more of a formula than an exact drink. Similar to Grog, the Old Fashioned is part strong, part sweet, part water, and part (not quite) sour. The similarities make it easy to make, quick to serve, easy […]
Happy Sober October everyone, hopefully it’s going well for everyone participating. Alcohol is a unique substance that has shaped and driven the creation of entire civilizations. It has a ritualistic place in many aspects of society ranging from toasting to transubstantiation. Yet, there is no denying that alcohol is at best slightly beneficial in moderation […]
Thanks to it’s age, the Manhattan is an endlessly riffed upon drink. Variations range from simply changing ratios to completely swapping bases. Supposedly named after Robert Burns (the poet of Scotland), the Bobby Burns includes Scotch in place of Bourbon or Rye, Sweet Vermouth, and Benedictine in place of bitters. Bobby Burns The Bobby […]
What ever possessed me to purchase a bottle of Malibu Coconut Rum is beyond me. Nowhere in the pantheon of prohibition or modern drinks is a sweet, coconut flavored liqueur mentioned as a key ingredient to, well, anything. Yet, somehow, it found it’s way into my home, and ultimately into some of the first cocktails […]
The Sidecar appears to have been created at the Ritz Hotel in Paris in the 192os. As with all origin stories of classic cocktails, appears is probably as closer as we’re going to get. What we do know is that it was almost certainly named after the motorcycle passenger car that was popular in the […]
Brandy at times conjures up images of St. Bernard’s running through the woods with a barrel around it’s neck. Christian Brothers Brandy VS is priced in a way that you could let a dog run up a mountain with it and not worry about spilling it. But will the receiver enjoy it once the dog […]
In the past decade, whiskey drinkers have witnessed an unprecedented expansion in both selection and unavailability. Driven by a complex mix of forces, bottles that were once available and common have become sought after collectibles that fly off shelves. Manufacturers, state liquor control boards, and retailers have all taken various steps to react to the […]
Lustau Red Vermouth isn’t quite the normal sweet vermouth you might be expected. Made in Spain, it starts with grapes that would be more at home with sherry. The result is a nutty, sweet vermouth that has a ton of personality, but doesn’t quite function exactly as you’d expect. In fact, the story of how […]
Sometimes you can pinpoint the genesis of an idea. For us, it was a few summers back in warmth of August’s heat that Ann Marie wanted something other than wine. At the time, I was still writing First Pour Wine on a regular basis, and while there were some bottles around the house for making […]
Every year my family plays white elephant. You may also know this game as Yankee Swap, or in my family, Grab Bag. As we’ve gotten older – it’s become increasingly alcoholic, and has resulted in many bottles I would never have willingly purchased. One year I received a bottle of Cabin Fever Maple Whiskey, one […]
For some liqueurs one is spoilt for choice. Look no further than the plethora of orange liqueurs in the market, and you’ll see a near saturation of similar products. Yet, for some liqueurs, there are relative few ways to go. Among them are most stone fruit liqueurs, like peach. Fortunately, Giffard is once again helping […]