Imbibe Unfiltered

Quick Sips: Tasty Bits from Around the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 17:42:00 +0000

Another microbrewery sells to the big boys. kuow.org

One Napa Valley vintner finds himself facing felony charges. New York Times

Reactions only a bartender would recognize. Buzz Feed

Brewing coffee at zero gravity? Get ready for disaster to strike. Slate

Bone broth … in cocktails? Eater

An Ode to Skymall

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 21:13:00 +0000

Today, the news broke that Skymall, everyone’s favorite in-flight distraction, has filed for bankruptcy. Although it’s still unclear when airlines will stop carrying the catalogue, we’d like to take this opportunity to revisit a few of our Skymall-kitsch favorites—drinks-related, of course—while there’s still time to order them.

Set of GOP and FDR Bottle Openers, $14.95
From Skymall: “The collectible GOP Republican elephant is an antique replica that opens bottles with vintage political panache!” Because everyone knows that nothing goes better with drinking than politically-fueled conversations.

The King's Royal Chalice Embossed Brass Goblet, $30-$125
From Skymall: “Only Medieval knights of the realm were once allowed such finery, you and your guests may now raise an 8-oz. glass to cheer a marriage, a birth or any festive occasion worthy of a royal celebration.” Think about it. That Game of Thrones viewing party would be So. Much. Better.

Mischevous Moose, $32.99
From Skymall: “Display your wine with a touch of humor.” Like so many other Skymall products, why not? Also available in “Curious Cub” (a wine-loving polar bear cup) and “Klutzy Kitty” (a trouble-making cat).

Sippy Wine Glass, $19.95
From Skymall: “When standing and noshing, juggling a glass of wine can be challenging. Enter this acrylic wine glass with a no-spill sippy lid. Ingenious!” In all seriousness, we want one of these. Camping, lake-floating, poolside sipping—the opportunities are endless.

Drink of the Week: Square One Bergamot Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:01:00 +0000

In this year's Imbibe 75 Issue we named bergamot—the fragrant citrus best known for lending Earl Grey tea its trademark scent—as a flavor to try in 2015. That's because bergamot is beginning to move beyond the tea world and into the cocktail glass, in part thanks to today’s Drink of the Week, Square One’s Bergamot Vodka. This vodka exudes a purity that many flavored vodkas lack. Fresh and unfiltered, bergamot mingles with notes of tangerines and botanicals like coriander, juniper and ginger. Mix it with Meyer lemon juice and seltzer for a citrus-forward spritzer, or simply drink on its own over ice. $30, thewinecountry.com

Quick Sips: Tasty Bits from Around the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 17:47:00 +0000

For one big time brewer, there’s big bucks in beer. Bloomberg

For a cool $3,300 this refrigerator will make your morning coffee for you. USA Today

Tast-testing through the biases of wine. The Atlantic

Are these the country’s top beer spots? CN Traveler

One SF coffee bar finds itself in hot water for destroying a beloved mural. Sprudge

Drink of the Week: Suzor Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 19:53:00 +0000

With Imbibe HQ a mere hour’s drive from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, we're surrounded by an embarrassment of wine riches, including today's Drink of the Week. We featured Suzor Pinot Noir as one of the flavors to try in this year’s Imbibe 75 issue, and winemaker Greg McClellan's inaugural vintage of Suzor Pinot Noir is not to be missed. Crafted from fruit grown in his family’s vineyard, this wine is delicate but assured, offering a mix of red fruit flavors mixed with a bouquet of fresh herbs. It's a lovely any-night sipper, and definitely one of the region’s best we’ve tasted for the price. $35, astorwines.com

For more on this year's Imbibe 75, check out our January/February issue.

Quick Sips: Tasty Bits from Around the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 18:03:00 +0000

Are these the worst cocktails of all time? Paste Magazine

One baseball stadium plans a semi-permanent beer pop-up. SF Gate

Did one congressman’s bartender plan to poison him? CNN

Why one brewery has conservationists in an uproar. USA Today

Is the 50 Shades of Grey wine as painful as one might think? Vanity Fair

Drink of the week: Buck Hunter cocktail

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 18:42:00 +0000

Photo by Scott Suchman

Today’s Drink of the Week comes from our Imbibe 75 Bartender of the Year, Derek Brown. Washington, D.C.-based Brown runs some of the city’s top spots for drinks, and his Buck Hunter cocktail is a perfect example of how a seemingly simple mix of ingredients can quickly combine into a delicious punch big enough for a group. And for more on Brown, and the rest of this year’s Imbibe 75, check out our January/February issue.

Buck Hunter

6 oz. bourbon

2 1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

2 1/4 oz. ginger syrup

1 1/2 oz. water

4 oz. sparkling water

3 Dashes Angostura bitters

Tools: pitcher, large spoon

Glass: rocks

Garnish: lemon wheel

Add all ingredients to a large pitcher. Add ice and give a few stirs to chill. Pour into glasses and garnish.

Derek Brown, Eat the Rich, Washington, DC

San Antonio Cocktail Conference Seminars to Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 21:50:00 +0000

Get ready, Texas, because San Antonio Cocktail Conference is next week! One of our favorite cocktail festivals of the year, SACC always promises a balanced serving of lively events, competitions and educational seminars that will up your cocktail game.

Here are three seminars that have caught our eye:

For the thoughtful tasters…

TERROIR AND SUSTAINABILITY: A CONVERSATION

Event Time: 11:00 AM on Jan 16, 2015

Price: $35.00

While the tasting of a spirit allows us to explore its profile, taste, and aroma, few things speak louder about a spirit's DNA than its terroir. Come and hear from two premium brands at SACC, including the Peruvian Pisco Portón, discussing the importance of enforcing an artisanal and sustainable approach in the making of their spirit. Join in the discussion and learn about the important steps taken to shape the future of the industry. Tasting is required.

For the budding bartender…

MIXOLOGY 101: BUILD YOUR OWN SIGNATURE COCKTAL

Event Time: 11:30 AM on Jan 17, 2015

Price: $50.00

Ever wanted to mix and create a signature cocktail of your very own? Now's your chance! Join Jonathan Pogash, "The Cocktail Guru", for a hands-on, fun and informative session on how to choose flavor ingredients and create balanced drinks. We will delve into a bit of cocktail history, learn about bar tools and proper techniques, and ultimately let loose and experiment with some of the best seasonal mixers and quality spirits on the market. It's all about creativity and fun!

For the bubbly drinkers….

SHAKING IT UP WITH CHAMPAGNE!

Event Time: 01:00 PM on Jan 17, 2015

Price: $45.00

Join LUPEC NYC ladies, Meaghan Dorman (Raines Lawroom, Dear Irving), and Lynette Marrero (Speed Rack, DrinksAt6) for an effervescent discussion on mixing booze and bubbles. Explore Nicolas Feuillate champagne craft cocktails while learning how to elevate the cocktail experience with different expressions of this quality ingredient. Participants will come away with a higher appreciation of the value to quality ratio that champagne can bring to beverages.

Quick Sips: Tasty Bits from Around the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 18:06:00 +0000

How one spirits brand captured the hipster market. Fast Company

The Japanese whisky community looses a pioneer. The Spirits Business

Craft beer and trademarks—it’s not all fun and games. NPR

Craft beer turns its back on one of its supposed founders. Boston Magazine

Get a taste of some of NYC’s best home brews. Brown Paper Tickets

Drink of the Week: Ceremony Coffee Ethiopia Sabasa

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 18:41:00 +0000

Our New Year is off to a caffeinated start, thanks to today's Drink of the Week—coffee from Ethiopia's small Sabasa washing station, roasted by Annapolis, Maryland-based Ceremony Coffee. Combining coffee from farmers that in some cases own less than 20 trees, the fruit dried on raised beds for two weeks before being processed and packaged for shipping. Once in the cup, the coffee makes for a pleasant rise-and-shine mug, with floral aromatics followed by juicy flavors of blueberries and mango—just the cup to welcome a new year. $14.50, ceremonycoffee.com

Quick Sips: Tasty Bits from Around the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 18:14:00 +0000

Will a drunk songbird slur its tune? Washington Post

Potent caffeine powder raises safety concerns. NPR

A social network for winos? Business Insider

A Christmas Day robbery leaves one Napa restaurant short on wine. SFist

Head into the New Year hangover-free. The Atlantic

Drink of the Week: Evolution Sparkling

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 26 Dec 2014 17:13:00 +0000

Looking for a fun bubbly to open on New Year's Eve? Try Today's Drink of the Week—the Evolution Sparkling Wine. This inaugural sparkler from the Willamette Valley's Sokol Blosser winery is an assemblage of Oregon-grown white wine grapes—it's bright and fruit-forward with notes of peaches, apples and pears. Made in the methode Champenoise, the bubbles are persistent and creamy, carrying all the way to a lightly honeyed finish. Pick up several bottles to stock your New Year's fridge—the celebration is about to begin! $22, evolutionwine.com

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 25: Tequila-Sherry Egg Nog

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 15:30:00 +0000

Photo: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Sharing this recipe on Christmas day has become something of a tradition around here. We love the boldness of the nutmeg—use freshly grated if you can—against the creaminess of the milk-egg-heavy cream base. Añejo tequila and plenty of amontillado sherry give it a seriously delicious, boozy backbone.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler's Egg Nog
12 large eggs
18 oz. granulated sugar
12 oz. añejo tequila
15 oz. amontillado sherry
36 oz. whole milk
24 oz. heavy cream
3 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Tools: blender or stand mixer
Glass: punch
Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg

In a blender or stand mixer on low speed, beat eggs until smooth. Slowly add nutmeg, and sugar until incorporated and dissolved. Slowly add sherry, tequila, milk and cream. Refrigerate overnight and serve in small chilled cups. Dust with fresh nutmeg before serving.

Makes 1 gallon.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Clyde Common, Portland, OR

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 24: You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:00:00 +0000

Photo: Stuart Mullenberg

Santa might not be bringing you an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle for Christmas tomorrow—after all, you'll shoot your eye out—but at least you can indulge in this spicy and warming cocktail sans any risk of injury at all.

You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out
2 oz. aged rum
1/2 oz. Becherovka
1/2 oz. Bénédictine
1/4 oz. cinnamon syrup (recipe here, or use a bottled version, like B.G. Reynolds’)
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Tools: mixing glass, barspoon, strainer
Glass: rocks or cocktail
Garnish: orange twist

Combine all ingredients with ice and stir. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish.

Mathias Simonis for Distil in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

25 Days of Holiday Cocktails, Day 23: And To All A Good Night

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 17:30:00 +0000

Photo: Stuart Mullenberg

Tuck yourself in with this warming digestif, and have a good night indeed.

And to All a Good Night
1 1/2 oz. bourbon
3/4 oz. reposado tequila
3/4 oz. Cherry Heering
2 dashes Regans' orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Tools: mixing glass, barspoon, strainer
Glass: cordial
Garnish: orange twist (optional)

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a glass and garnish.

Makes 2 servings.

Tim Stookey, San Francisco

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 22: Sparkling Pomegranate Punch

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Photo: Kimberly Hasselbrink

Cheery, wintry citrus is perfect in this fizzy punch, not only for its color but also for the tangy brightness it brings to the recipe. It’s wise (and easy) to double the recipe if you’re expecting a large crowd.

Sparkling Pomegranate Punch
1 (750 ml.) bottle dry, chilled sparkling wine
½ navel orange, juiced
½ lemon, juiced
½ clementine or tangerine, juiced
4 oz. gin, chilled
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1 batch ginger syrup
Tools: punch bowl, ladle
Glass: punch
Garnish: Citrus slices such as navel oranges, tangerines, lemons, or limes

Carefully add a block of ice to a punch bowl. Add all ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine.

Serves 4.

Ginger Syrup
½ cup fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
½ cup cane sugar
½ cup water

Combine the ginger, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Strain out the ginger and discard. Store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Reprinted with permission from Vibrant Food written and photographed by Kimberley Hasselbrink (Ten Speed Press, © 2014).

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 21: The Christmas Punk

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 17:30:00 +0000

Photo: Stuart Mullenberg

“My friends gave this one its name because they thought the garnish looked like a Mohawk,” says Kimberly Patton-Bragg, who was inspired to create this cocktail by her childhood memories of her mother simmering orange peels and cloves on the stove during the holidays. She calls this cocktail “Christmas in a glass—when Santa brought me my first Clash album.”

2 oz. Laird’s bonded applejack
1 oz. ginger liqueur
¾ oz. ruby port
3 dashes Fee Bros. whiskey barrel bitters
Tools: barspoon, mixing glass, strainer
Glass: cocktail
Garnish: orange peel and cloves

Stir all ingredients and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express the orange peel’s oils into the drink, stud it with cloves and add it to the glass as a garnish.

Kimberly Patton-Bragg, New Orleans

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 20: Santa's Little Helper

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 17:30:00 +0000

Photo: courtesy of Fireside Lounge

Sometimes even Santa needs a little help, and this rum-spiked cocktail is sure to do the trick.

Santa’s Little Helper
3 oz. cold milk
½ oz. aged rum (Roach uses Flor de Cana 4 year)
½ oz. rich demerara syrup (2:1)
1/8 oz. allspice dram

Combine ingredients in a cordial glass, stir and top with fresh grated nutmeg.

Sue Erickson, Fireside Lounge, Portland, OR

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 19: Fairytale of New York

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 17:30:00 +0000

Photo: Lara Ferroni

One of the many festive recipe featured in Imbibe's Cocktails for the Holidays, this drink had our attention right away, with a name that calls to mind one of the sweetest Christmas songs we know. Oh, and the drink is pretty darn delicious, too. “The notes of spice, vanilla, and toffee from the whisky go nicely with the hint of orange, which pairs perfectly with the slight sweetness of the apple and pear syrup" says bartender Dave Mitton. “And that touch of cinnamon and walnut from the bitters brings it all together and makes a damn good Canadian version of an Old Fashioned.”

Fairytale of New York
1 piece of orange peel (about 1 by 2 inches)
3/4 oz. Winter Warmth Syrup (recipe follows)
2 dashes of Fee Brothers black walnut bitters
2 oz. Canadian whisky
Tools: mixing glass, muddler, barspoon, strainer
Glass: Old Fashioned

Place the orange peel in a mixing glass, pour in the syrup and bitters, and muddle. Pour in the whisky, add ice, and stir until to chill. Strain over 1 large ice cube in an Old Fashioned glass.

Winter Warmth Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup Demerara sugar
1/2 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 pear, peeled, cored, and diced
12 walnut halves
3 cinnamon sticks, broken up
6 whole cloves
1 whole nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Strain into a clean glass bottle, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 2 cups.

Dave Mitton, The Harbord Room, Toronto, Canada

Drink of the Week: White Light White Heat tea from the T Project

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 17:14:00 +0000

With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we often forget to take time to relax, which is why we’re sipping on today’s Drink of the Week. As comforting a wintry tea as they come, the White Light White Heat from T Project fuses delicate white peony and maofeng tea with warming cinnamon bark, tangy dried cranberries and bright orange zest. Think of this as a welcome reminder to treat yourself to a little down time this holiday season. $24, 2.5 oz., tprojectshop.com

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 18: Miel Picante Punch

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Photo: Stuart Mullenberg

This warm party punch packs some added heat with a spicy jalapeño and rum honey. But chile-phobes shouldn’t fear: the heat of the spiced honey is not at all overwhelming.

Miel Picante Punch
 6 oz. aged rum  
12 oz. apple cider
 2 oz. fresh lemon juice
 3 oz. jalapeño-rum honey 
Tools: barspoon, punch bowl
 Glass: mug 
Garnish: freshly grated cinnamon and a lemon wedge

  On a stovetop, heat all ingredients together until steaming. Ladle into mugs and garnish.   

To make the jalapeño-rum honey: Combine 1 1/2 cups of honey with one sliced and smashed jalapeño (seeds intact) and two ounces of aged rum. Stir and let sit overnight at room temperature. Remove the jalapeño chunks before using. Store in a dark, cool place for up to one month.  

Makes approximately 6 servings.  

Jane Danger, New York City

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 17: Good Noggin'

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 16:30:00 +0000

Photo: Anthony Mair

This sophisticated take on egg nog gets a kick from a bit of smoky chipotle syrup as well as a good pour of créme de cacao.

Good Noggin’
1 ½ oz. dark rum
½ oz. créme de cacao
¾ oz. chipotle syrup
½ oz. heavy cream
1 fresh whole egg (pasteurized if you like)
Tools: shaker, strainer, fine strainer
Glass: sour or coupe
Garnish: chili powder

Combine all these ingredients in a shaker and dry shake (no ice). Add ice, shake again and strain into a glass. Garnish.

Chipotle Syrup
4 dried chipotle peppers
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Combine the water and the peppers in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain out the peppers. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Store in the fridge until use, up to 2 weeks.

Juyoung Kang, Las Vegas, NV

Allegro Coffee Holiday Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 21:38:00 +0000

Time for a caffeine-fueled holiday giveaway from Allegro Coffee Company. This Gesha gift set includes a 12-ounce bag (whole bean) of Allegro's limited-edition Panamá Esmeralda 1500 Gesha coffee—featured in our November/December issue—along with a glass coffee cup packaged in a wooden keepsake box.

Enter to win by emailing us at giveaway@imbibemagazine.com by Friday, December 19, at 5 PM PST.

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 16: Chapman Cobbler

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 16:30:00 +0000

Photo: Allison Webber Photography

As far as we're concerned, winter may as well be known as applejack season, because there's nothing we crave more in the colder months than a cocktail like this sherry, orgeat and créme de noyaux-tinged beauty from Trick Dog bartender Caitlin Laman.

Chapman Cobbler
1 oz. applejack
1 oz. amontillado
¾ oz. orgeat
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 barspoon crème de noyaux (Laman uses Tempus Fugit)
Tools: shaker
Glass: double Old Fashioned
Garnish: lemon wheel

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin filled with crushed ice. Flash-shake and dump into a double Old Fashioned glass. Garnish.

Caitlin Laman, Trick Dog, San Francisco

25 Days of Holiday Drinks, Day 15: The Rusty Rudolph

noreply@blogger.com (Imbibe Magazine) — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:30:00 +0000

Photo: Chris Spear

The classic Rusty Nail gets a fizzy, beer-spiked makeover in this seasonal adaptation—red nose not included.

The Rusty Rudolph

 1 oz. Scotch

1 oz. Drambuie

2 dashes orange bitters  

6 oz. favorite holiday beer

Tools: barspoon

Glass: rocks

Pour the Scotch, Drambuie and bitters into a chilled rocks glass. Top with the ale and gently stir to combine.

Chris Spear, Perfect Little Bites