Liquor Snob

Liquor Snob Holiday Gift Guide 2009

2009-11-20T18:25:00Z

It's time once again, ladies and gentlemen, for the holiday tradition that is the Liquor Snob Holiday Gift guide. If you're wondering what to buy for the boozer, sot, or lush of your life, fret no more, because we're gonna hook you up.

This year we're changing the format a bit to include some hot deals and gift guides we've noticed (which will be updated as we find more) and the Top 11 items people have bought through us at Amazon in the last year (which pretty much translates to "things we want for Christmas"). To top it all off, we've also rounded up a bunch of other cool stuff we covered this year too.

Holiday Deals and Gift Guides
We plan to update these deals and guides as the holiday season moves forward, but these are the things that have hit our inbox so far. If you hear about any great deals or stumble across a cool booze-related holiday item, just let us know and we'll add it to the list.

The Jim Beam Holiday Gift Guide - we thought this was worth a read, with its plethora of tips for how to save money, gift ideas to avoid, and some hot-off-the-presses cocktail recipe ideas for when you need them...and you will.
Cocktail Vibe Black Friday Sale - get 45% off everything on the Cocktail Vibe site during their Black Friday sale, and they've got some really nice stuff...we love ours. Just use the code CVBLACKFRIDAY at checkout.
Internet Wines & Spirits has a nice selection of unique bottles that are pretty danged gift-worthy...we know we were pumped when our bottle of Crystal Head vodka showed up from there.
Also, this isn't necessarily liquor-related, but if you're not following BFAds.net for Black Friday discounts and deals, do yourself a favor and sign up.

Top 11 Booze Gifts of 2008/2009
We don't make a secret of the fact we have an affiliate partnership with Amazon - in fact, generous folks like you shopping there through our site help keep this website afloat. So, we took a look at all the items that were bought over the last year, from November 1 2008 through today, to show you what the ~~booze hounds~~ gentle readers of our site saw fit to buy. Who knows? Maybe it'll get your creative juices flowing, but if you don't like them don't blame us. There's no accounting for taste.

Various Breathalyzers; specifically models by Breathkey, Alcohawk, and Alcomate
Liquor Decanters - specifically this set.
Vinturi Wine Aerators - we'd been curious and we finally got to review this recently. The verdict? We're planning to give the Set of 2 to some of our wine-snobbier friends.
Reef Dram Sandals - we should also mention Reef's Fanning bottle opener sandals were a big hit (and cheaper)
Travel Bars round out the Top 5, with people wanting to be able to drink in style outside the house, even if they're not spending at the bar.
Little Snowie Shaved Ice Machine - we really have no explanation for this one, but we bet you could make a mean margarita snowcone.
Nambé Twist 10-Inch Cocktail Shaker - sure it's a bit spendy, but hey...it looks like you could kill a Klingon with it.
XL Wine Glass - a glass you can fit a whole bottle of wine in for like 10 bucks? Priceless.
Lush Life Party Ice Luge - no explanation required.
Global Decor 170 Rotating 4 Bottle 1-1/2-Ounce Drink Dispenser - because pouring drinks is so 2008.
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs - this and What to Drink with What You Eat are tied as our favorite cocktail creation/cookbooks of 2009. Highly recommended.

If you're still bankrupt for ideas, we've included a whole mess of products we've covered in the past year for your perusing pleasure, and you can also check out our gift guides from previous years (2006, 2007, 2008) for more ideas.

Bar Accessories

Beer

Booze Books

Drinking Gear

Hangovers

Pretoxx Pre-Hangover Supplement

Lush Lifestyle

Booze Cruise Watch

Liquor

Wine

The Search for God and Guinness

2009-11-16T18:02:19Z

We've spent significantly more time searching for one than the other, but this book is right up your alley if you're interested in either, or just a fascinating history. Don't be afraid to take this bad boy to your local and pull up a stool...you may end up discussing the book with your fellow patrons more than reading it, but hey...that's what going to a bar is for.

The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World at Amazon

What Do You Think About Organic Vodka

2009-11-12T18:10:00Z

Some one sent us this video thinking we might be interested in it, probably because the question "What do you think about organic vodka?" is asked during the proceedings. We can't, however, figure out what it has to do with organic vodka. We can't figure out what it has to do with being entertaining, for that matter.

Maybe you, our brilliant readers, can tell us what the hell is going on in this video and why we should care?

Hilarious pansyyyyyyyyyy - Watch more Funny Videos

Akvinta Vodka Review

2009-11-12T12:02:52Z

Akvinta Vodka
Triple-distilled organic super-premium vodka
80 Proof (40% ABV)
Review Sample Supplied By: Avkinta Vodka
Typical Price: About $40
Available in: New York, New Jersey, California

The Look: The Akvinta bottle is pretty striking, shot through with crimson and gold on the label and a cool little bronze button on the side. In the glass, Akvinta looks like, well, vodka.

The Nose: Lemon and other citrus peels.

The Taste: Citrusy with some pepper and an herbal bite. Very dry mouth feel, almost astringent, which we liked. Once we chilled it some of the sharper edges went away, and we were left with a very smooth, drinkable vodka.

The Verdict: We thought this was a tasty vodka - hell, maybe they're onto something with their crazy "Quintuple Filtration" idea. They run this stuff through birch charcoal, marble, silver, gold, and platinum, which may sound like overkill but it seems to work. We liked it chilled and on the rocks with a twist of lemon, and it would be a darned good fit for any citrusy cocktail if you ask us, as long as you can foot the super-premium price tag.

They include some pretty fancy Akvinta cocktail recipes on their site, and we're dying to try the Croatian Breakfast, so it looks like we're going to have to round up some orange marmalade and egg whites.

Absinthe, Coffee, and Spice: Let's Get Nice

2009-11-09T20:23:25Z

It's fall, and apparently that means we've more reviews to do. While we're (finally) digging through our backlog of tastings and reviews to write up, the FedEx men have been busy the last few days bringing us all sorts of goodies. Below is what we've gotten lately, most of which we've already tasted and ramping up to write the reviews:

Pernod Absinthe Superior
It's been a while since Pernod has included the word "absinthe" on its label instead of the more innocuous "liqueur," and we're looking forward to trying it out. We'll taste it as an absinthe, and in comparison to some of the Pernod liqueur we bought before the absinthe ban was lifted. Looking forward to checking it out; if you're unfamiliar with it we couldn't find a permanent product page for it, but check out last year's press release about it.

Kahlua Coffee Cream
"I like my coffee like I like my women - creamy, sugary, and tasting a little bit like coffee." That's a quote from a friend of ours from years ago, and it came to mind when the Kahlua Coffee Cream arrived. We've been feeling very non-dude lately, and we think making some Kahlua Cream Caucasians is just what we need to get right. Wake up and smell the coffee (cream) at Kahlua.com.

Hiram Walker Spiced Liqueurs
We're ready to get seasonal with two liqueurs from Hiram Walker - Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice. We're thinking these two could add a nice seasonal flair to our cocktails, and we're looking forward to experimenting. We've been thinking about creating some signature drinks for Thanksgiving, and since no one makes a turkey liqueur yet, these will do nicely. Check out the Hiram Walker Seasonals page for more details.

Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum Review

2009-11-09T13:26:05Z

Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum
Dark St. Croix Rum
80 Proof (40% ABV)
Website: CruzanRum.com
Typical Price: Around $30
Available online at Internet Wines & Spirits

The Look: The bottle is tall and slender with black and gold labeling, getting away from an island party vibe to something a little more classic. In the glass, the rum is a smooth brown color reminiscent of whiskey...not too dark, not too light.

The Nose: The nose was full of caramel and brown sugar and molasses, and there was a hint of nuttiness there too. No huge alcohol burn, but not too sweet either.

The Taste: This rum is on the dryer side, not too sweet, with nice sweet flavors in the mix that don't overpower. There was maple and spice, nutmeg and vanilla, and the faintest hint of dried fruits on the back end. Very nice at bottle strength, but we liked it even more once we added a splash of water.

The Verdict: This is a good rum, period. It's not too spendy at around thirty bucks, and we were really impressed with the effects of blending various rums of various ages into a single cask and aging them another year. Don't step on this one with cola - this one's a sipper for after meals, and would make some excellent cocktails as well.

Many thanks to the Cruzan Rum folks for sending us our review bottle.

Canadian Club Classic 12 Whisky Review

2009-11-07T19:53:54Z

Brand/Name: Canadian Club Classic 12 Blended Whisky
80 Proof (40% ABV)
Review Bottle Source: Supplied by Canadian Club
Typical Price: Around $25
Available online at Internet Wines & Spirits

The Look: A squat and flat-shouldered bottle; the black and white accents on the label give it a classic look.

The Nose: Whiffs of caramel, honey, brown sugar - very reminiscent of a well-aged rum at first whiff. Doesn't jump out of the glass and bite you on the nose - has the reserved quality we associate with aging. There's fruit in there too, adding an interesting sour tang on the back end, but it doesn't overpower the sweet.

The Taste: Starts off sweet, with a burn like raw ginger. Gets a bit more bitter toward the finish, but not in a bad way...like the bitterness of the charred oak it was aged in. Some fruit to go along with the nose, finishes quickly, leaving a vanilla taste in the mouth.

The Verdict: We liked the Classic 12 just fine on the rocks, and a little water went a long way to smooth whatever edges were left on it. We were impressed with it in cocktails we usually make with bourbon as well...right on down to our standby drinks, the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan, where we thought it added a nice je ne sais quois. A must-try for folks who like the regular Canadian Club expression, and bourbon lovers who're looking to broaden their horizons without straying too far from what they like.

iShot Machine Goes iPhone App

2009-11-04T22:06:16Z

We have a little game we play with a certain set of long distance friends called Dial-A-Shot. Everyone is at a bar, though in separate cities. A phone call is made, and synchronized drink shooting is performed. Usually it's straight booze, but sometimes we like to mix it up. That's where the iShot Machine iPhone app looks like it'll come in handy.

Randomness plus drunkenness? It's like your cocktail recipe book humped a slot machine, and this is the baby they made. Also, if your bartender doesn't know how to make the drink that comes up, the recipe's right there, plain and simple. There are over 3000 shots on this bad boy, and you can download it for free. So what're you waiting for? Oh, some more features? Here you go:

FEATURES

Shake your iPhone for a random shot!

Add shot recipes to your favorites

Rate shot recipes you like or dislike

Use search to easily find a recipe

Search for shots by ingredients

Email shots to your friends

iShot Machine App at the Apple Store; more info at the iShot Machine Website.

Liquor Snob Monthly Roundup: October 2009

2009-11-03T01:46:46Z

Those of you who read the website with any regularity probably noticed that Liquor Snob refrained from any kind of Halloween shenanigans this year. We should probably come clean - we hate Halloween. Not covering it probably cost us some traffic, in terms of things like halloween cocktail searchers and whatnot, but guess what? We don't care.

As much as we like the integration of "slutty" into pretty much every costume, we don't want anything to do with a holiday that expects us to put on a costume that could interfere with our drinking or make us look like the guy pictured above (via Monster Land). So there.

That said, welcome to November, the home of Wild Turkey Day! Check out what we did end up writing about after the jump.

Bar Accessories

Beer

Booze Books

Book: Making Wild Wines and Meads

Cocktail Recipes

Gin

Beefeater 24 Gin Arrives for Review

Liquor

Mixers

Thatcher's Organic Elderflower Liqueur

Monthly Roundup

Liquor Snob Monthly Roundup: September 2009

Physical Challenges

Physical Challenge: Beer Run

Reviews

Vinturi White Wine Aerator Review

Vodka

Wine

Cocktail Recipe: Shanghai's Last Gentleman

2009-10-29T12:30:00Z

Our man DKF has been in his secret lab again, flogging the cocktails, and he's come up with one that really caught our attention. We love both Buffalo Trace bourbon and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur - they're fucking delicious. Check out what happens when you mix them up in one glass and add some cocktail-y stuff to the mix. We even think his name for it - Shanghai's Last Gentleman - is the bee's knees...at least he didn't call it Shanghai Surprise. Keep 'em coming, DKF.

Shanghai's Last Gentleman

This sultry bourbon-laced cocktail is a true 'East Meets West' concoction, mingling slow Southern hospitality with classic Asian flavors. Muddled oranges - the "Chinese Apple" - orange blossom honey, and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur meddle with Buffalo Trace Kentucky bourbon for a charmingly exotic cocktail.

2 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 1/4 oz. Domaine de Canton ginger cognac
1 tbsp. orange flower honey
3 drops, Fee's Old Fashioned Bitters
3 drops, Regan's Orange Bitters
1 slice of orange

1) Muddle orange, honey, and both bitters in a cocktail shaker.
2) Add bourbon, ginger liquer, and ice cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously.
3) Pour into an old fashioned glass. Enjoy the simple bliss of life that is a well-made cocktail.

Sorry for the lack of pictures due to a fritzy camera, but we decided to use a picture of fireworks. Because where were fireworks invented class? That's right...China.

Beefeater 24 Gin Arrives for Review

2009-10-29T02:50:00Z

Today was a good day at the Liquor Snob offices, as shown by the fact the FedEx guy showed up with a bottle of Beefeater 24 gin. We've heard many a good thing about this spirit, with its 24 hour marriage of gin and various exotic teas. It also boasts multiple citruses, licorice, and your standard juniper, but we're focused on the tea, something we've never had before. Seems to work well, at least according to these reviews we found. We'll add our tasting notes to the mix as soon as we can.

Akvinta Mediterranean Vodka Arrives for Review

2009-10-29T00:38:13Z

We got a pleasant surprise in the mail yesterday, in the form of a bottle of Akvinta Vodka, a brand we hadn't heard of before, but bills itself as the world's "first luxury Mediterranean vodka." The stuff is made of Italian wheat and Dalmatian water, and is triple-distilled and filtered through birch, marble, silver, gold, and platinum. According to the Akvinta website:

Akvinta has a light lemon citrus nose with a touch of sweetness, a light peppery mouth feel, and very smooth finish with no burn. It is luxurious and well- balanced when drunk on its own, in mixed drinks or simply served over ice; and it works wonderfully in all cocktails especially those with citrus and fruit ingredients.

Sounds good to us, and we'll get that review posted ASAP.

Vinturi White Wine Aerator Review

2009-10-27T00:41:04Z

We've been excited to try out the Vinturi Aerator, especially considering the fact we'd never given much thought to decanting white wine, or even letting it "breathe" as we might a red. Vinturi was kind enough to send us a model to review, and when we opened the box we were impressed with the heft of the vaguely cylindrical gizmo that greeted us, and pleasantly surprised to find a no-drip stand and cloth storage bag as well.

We peeked through the Aerator, unsure how much effect it would really have on our wine, but decided to take it at face value. We poured two glasses from the same unchilled bottle of the best Chardonnay we could get at the supermarket for $3.49, one directly from the bottle and the other through the Aerator.

It sloshed through the gadget with a satisfying glugging sound, and we were fascinated by the bubbles we saw in the chamber, and if nothing else we felt like we got our money's worth for the show alone. But would it fulfill its promises of a tastier glass of wine?

We took the two aforementioned glasses of wine, and we put them in front of our Senior Wine Intern, asking for a blind taste test of the contents of the glasses, to identify which had been aerated. After going through the tasting rigamarole, our intern correctly identified the aerated wine, saying the flavor and bouquet were subtly, but noticeably improved. Further tasting with other interns confirmed the positive review - this thing really works, especially on wine that starts out not-so-hot. The price tag may seem high, especially for those who don't drink much wine, but it strikes us as a great gift and an exciting addition to the gadget-hound's wine rack.

Vinturi White Wine Aerator; more info at the Vinturi website.

How To Make a McNuggetini

2009-10-23T15:35:00Z

A while back, we introduced you to the McNuggetini, an assplodingly horrible idea for a cocktail. "But wait," you're probably saying to yourself. "I remember this McNuggetini story, but I ignored it since it was not in video form!"

Fret not, dear readers, for we offer you the McNuggetini in full, Technicolor, motion picture glory! You'll thrill at the barbecue sauce-rimmed cocktail glass! You'll swoon as vanilla vodka and chocolate shakes are combined in a cocktail shaker! You'll gag as you watch the look on their faces as the ladies take that first nauseating sip! All we can say is they'd better deliver that ham daiquiri they promise at the end of the video...

via BuzzFeed

Wusthof 7 Piece Garnishing Kit

2009-10-21T12:04:31Z

Our enrollment in the Bar Smarts Wired course has gotten us thinking a lot more about the parts of a drink that we usually didn't pay much attention to. An example? The garnish. We historically thought of garnish as something to toss on the cocktail napkin so it doesn't get in the way of your drinking. But we're starting to see that the garnish can be the unsung hero of a drink, adding flavors and excitement to a cocktail, or at least a little zazz.

Our Bar Smarts kit came with a good channel knife, but of course, being the Snobs we are, we want more. We gravitated toward Wusthof, a brand we trust and have had good experiences with, which includes a channel knife, zester, double-edge peeler, butter curler, melon baller, and corer. We know it's pretty expensive, but hey, it comes in a sweet carrying case so you can feel like a real chef when you whip it out.

Wüsthof 7-Piece Garnishing Tool Kit

Thatcher's Organic Elderflower Liqueur

2009-10-20T17:45:03Z

It might surprise people to hear the Liquor Snobs have been a bit late to the elderflower liqueur party. St. Germain has been the belle of the ball for quite a while now, but we never got into it too much due to a sweetness that we found borderline overbearing. Yeah, we know it's meant to be used in small amounts, but hey - taste is taste.

That's why we're psyched our man on the street DKF has gotten a chance to sample Thatcher's Elderflower, an organic liqueur he says knocks the stuffing out of St. Germain. In fact, he says St. G is the tawdry, syrupy older sister of Thatcher's, and at half the price. We have to agree - our last bottle of St. Germain was almost $40, and BevMo has Thatcher's Elderflower for under $20, along with two more of their eight total flavors.

More info on availability and flavors at Thatcher's Organic.

Ho White Gets in Trouble

2009-10-19T23:01:42Z

It appears Jamieson brewery's clever ad campaign about dwarves is going to climb up and bite them on their collective Aussie asses, which we think is a shame. The image (above) is a pretty damned funny twist on the Snow White story, especially when paired with the "Anything but sweet" tagline, in reference to a raspberry beer. It's too bad Disney has decided they own the rights to a folk tale, which is friggin' retarded. Our fearless Editor in Chief's last name is Jamieson, but you don't see him suing over the brewery using his name, now do you? Of course, we've got fewer high-powered lawyers trying to justify their retainers too...

Daily Telegraph [via Kegworks blog]

Physical Challenge: Beer Run

2009-10-16T17:08:13Z

This dude gave himself the ultimate physical challenge by getting flailing-ass drunk and attempting to buy beer. Our favorite part was when he fell over the first time and couldn't get up, but refused to remove his hand from the 12 pack to extricate himself. Favorite moment too is when he juuuuust misses the handle on the exit door and hilarity ensues.

One of our interns claims the guy must have something else going on because no one can get that drunk. That intern obviously hasn't been working here long enough. (Thanks, Crotchbat)

Worst Shopping Run Ever - Watch more Funny Videos

Urban Moonshine Organic Bitters

2009-10-14T12:25:00Z

Our friends down at our favorite local bar, the Three Penny Taproom, have shown us they're about more than just great beer - they know their spirits too. That's why we were excited when they showed us a new line of bitters they'd found out about - Urban Moonshine. Located just north of us in Burlington, VT, Urban Moonshine is all about making organic bitters and tonics for digestive health and other benefits. We were especially into this one line from their website (bolding ours):

Now, whether you enjoy them as an apertif, digestif, or as a remedy to settle an upset stomach, calm a hangover or gently cleanse the liver, bitters are back!

That's right they're back - and these particular ones come in original, citrus, and maple. Check out Treehugger for a nice little write-up and a cocktail recipe to get you started.

We only have to drive a half hour to get them. You, however, can use the majesty of the Interwebs and buy them at the Urban Moonshine website.

Mini Angled Measuring Cups: Jigger What? Jigger Who?

2009-10-13T13:10:55Z

You'd be surprised how useful these little angled measuring cups are when you're making cocktails - your liquids are easier to see, for one thing. It's also nice to have a few lying around, which is why we got the three pack of plastic ones. These bad boys hold up to a quarter cup and are marked at 1/4, 1/2, 1, 1 1/2, and 2 ounces. They also come in Stainless Steel if you're going for the durability and jigger feel, but we like the visibility we get from the plastic. Just be sure to wash them quickly and thoroughly so they don't pick up any flavors, though we haven't had any problems with that.

Oxo Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup 3-Pack

(Image via Design with Intent)

How to Tap a Keg and Pour a Perfect Beer

2009-10-13T11:45:00Z

For some of us, tapping a keg is second nature thanks to more keg purchases than we'd like to count. Not everyone has been practicing for so long, however, and there are certain situations where you can save the day by being the one who knows how to tap a keg without out overpumping it and causing it to puke beer foam for the next hour. This video will teach you how to tap the major keg types (American and European sankeys), and even give a little 101 on how to pour that perfect pint you've been searching for.

Beer Consumption By Country Bar Graph

2009-10-12T13:58:15Z

We're pretty impressed with this graph of beer consumption by country - especially the format of partially-filled pilsener glasses. The country list is by no means complete - a commenter points out there are some hard-drinking European countries absent from the list - but it does our hearts good to know that based solely on the beer bottles littering the area around the computer, we're well ahead of the US curve.

Check out the graph (in a format large enough to actually read) at Snippets.com.

(Thanks for the tip, Jerrry)

Vinturi White Wine Aerator

2009-10-12T01:52:13Z

We've been on a wine kick lately, and we recently got an email about a product that intrigues us quite a bit. A while back, we wrote about the Vinturi Wine Aerator for red wine, which we called "scuba gear for your wine." Little did we know you can also get an aerator for white wine - we're winos without being wine snobs, and we'd never really heard about people aerating whites. Anyone had luck with something like this?

Specially designed for white wine, the Vinturi Essential White Wine Aerator delivers a better bouquet, enhanced flavors and smoother finish to your favorite Chardonnay, Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc. When wine is poured in the Vinturi, its design creates an increase in the wine's velocity and a decrease in its pressure. This pressure difference draws in air, which is mixed with wine for perfect aeration.

The claim is the better aeration leads to better aroma, flavor, and even mouth feel. Who knew?

Vinturi White Wine Aerator; more info at the Vinturi website.

Mar-GO-Ritas: For the Drunk on the Move

2009-10-09T23:55:03Z

We've just caught wind of a new Margarita-aping juicebox that has an interesting twist. Instead of distilled spirits filling the booze portion of the proceedings, they're slightly lower-test so they can be served by restaurants without spirits licenses. In the words of the company:

The mar-GO-rita is made from a fermented version of the blue agave plant that classifies our product as wine instead of distilled spirits. The wine classification allows beer and wine retailers the opportunity to sell premium margaritas under their beer and wine license.

The pouch allows the consumer to place the product into a freezer and enjoy a frozen margarita without the hassles of mixing or blending. We use a screw top and provide the straws for a true "On-the-Go Experience". Simply freeze, squeeze and enjoy!

Mar-GO-ritas are available in California, South Florida, Louisiana, Virignia and Texas, and they've got some new flavors on the horizon as well (Pina-Go-lada and the Daiq-GO-ri. We're not kidding). An interesting concept and we like the idea of having a freezer full of boozed-up slushies, so we'll see where this goes...and how they taste. More info - and a store locator - at Big Easy Blends.

Book: Making Wild Wines and Meads

2009-10-06T03:03:08Z

For some reason, the staff here at Liquor Snob have had a wild hair this autumn to try our hands at making our own wine. We've done some brewing in the past (we're no Brew Dudes, but we can hold our own), but winemaking has always seemed daunting. There's the longer maturation period, for one thing, and while we'd guzzle pretty much anything beer-shaped, we've been worried that our natural laxity about things like "cleanliness" and "reading directions" would leave us holding whole mess of vinegar.

Nevertheless, we decided to start out with some country wine, made with fruit we've picked ourselves, and we've got the Fruit Wine Making Kit to prove it. Our only problem? A complete and total lack of knowhow about how to get started or even what to make. Which is where Making Wild Wines & Meads: 125 Unusual Recipes Using Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & More (Amazon) comes in. With more than 100 recipes, including mead for when we're feeling a bit renaissance faire, we're sure there's a wine in there we'll be able to make without embarrassing ourselves. Here's hoping, anyway.

Making Wild Wines and Meads

Liquor Snob Monthly Roundup: September 2009

2009-10-01T12:39:51Z

Ah, September, the month of Labor Day and the summer's death rattle. September started off rocky, but only got better, as we started our BarSmarts Wired course, tasted a whole mess of whisky with Johnnie Walker, and unleashed our rocket launchers on comic-themed cocktails.

The more we keep drinking, the more things are looking up!

(Image via pbaglino)

Beer

Happy Arthur's Day

Booze Books

The Flavor Bible

Cocktail Recipes

Calling All Geeks for Comic Book Cocktails

Drink Wear

WoW Brewfest T-Shirt

Drinking Advice

Johnnie Walker Art of Blending Webcast

Liquor

Liquor Snob, Back in Action

Liquor News

BarSmarts Wired: Professional Bartender Training Online

Lush Lifestyle

Monthly Roundup

Monthly Roundup: July & August 2009

Scotch

Calling All Geeks for Comic Book Cocktails

2009-10-01T01:59:35Z

So you know that urban legend about comic book geeks? The one that says they live in their parents' basements, and don't know how to interact with the really real world? As comics collectors ourselves, we've fought long and hard against that stereotype, but alas, we're afraid our brethren have shown their true colors.

After all, what else could possibly explain the comic book- and superhero-themed cocktails the fine folks from Comic Book Alliance dredged up from across the Web? These cocktails are hyper-stylized, more reliant on bright colors than real substance, and are more focused on a bad-ass punch than any kind of artistry. Either it's a subtle meta-commentary on the state of sequential entertainment, or these folks are really limited in what their parents have in their liquor cabinets.

Most of these recipes sort of made us throw up in our mouths a bit, then scratch our heads. Why does The Hulk's drink feature a spoonful of sugar ON TOP OF the unlimited Mountain Dew? Why are there pop rocks in the Spider-Man? Why would Superman want peach schnapps AND coconut rum? We're hoping these were created by people who never picked up a back issue, but if we were cynical, we'd say this is a misguided attempt to get chicks to like comics (Isn't Wonder Woman awesome? Have another one, then we'll go back to my place and dust my Sandman trades!).

Out of solidarity, however, we are including the recipe for the Iron Man Cocktail, because he's one bad ass drunk.

Iron Man Cocktail
• 3 oz. Vodka
• 7 oz. Whiskey
• 5 ice cubes
• Soda Water

Mix vodka and whiskey in an old-fashioned glass. Stir. Add a few ice cubes, fill with soda water and stir gently.

Oh, and try not to rust your power armor when you cry yourself to sleep. Check out the full list of Comic Cocktails at Comics Alliance.

(Thanks for the tip, Church)

Liveblog: Johnnie Walker Art of Blending Webinar

2009-09-29T19:05:29Z

We forced one of our interns to live blog the Johnnie Walker Webinar while we're tasting. We know he doesn't know a thing about Scotch, but...don't miss anything Vito. And now, we give our full attention to Andrew Ford, master distiller for Johnnie Walker.

3:06 - Finally get online - with sound no thanks to our stupid speakers. Come in late for Johnnie Walker's history.
3:07 - We've been good. When will this nice Scottish gentleman let us start drinking whisky?
3:09 - Alexander Walker invents the square bottle. Other stuff.
3:16 - Someone asks a question about the legality of blending in Scotland back in the day. Let's get to tasting.
3:17 - Lowland whisky, lighter. Smokey whiskies out in the north coast...e.g. Islay. Speyside is full of distilleries...which is where the first distillery the Walkers bought was. We check out the flavor map...very science-y.
3:18 - Did he say time to taste?
3:21 - Forgot to follow directions -- running into kitchen for water
3:22 - "The right way to drink whisky -- Any way you like it." We love this guy. But if you're tasting go half strength (1/2 water, 1/2 scotch)
3:23 - Yum. Grain whisky. Feeling like a mad scientist using a graduated cylinder to measure out booze. "Grain whisky is the unsung whisky of Johnnie Walker"
3:27 - More science.
3:29 - Lowland malt is still a light whisky, but far "scotchier" than the grain. Someone tries to guess which malt we're sipping...and nails it. Turns out this little bottle has 12 year old whisky or more.
3:32 - On to Speyside malt. Still light and fruity compared to the smokier guys higher up the scale. So basically a breakfast scotch.
3:34 - Cardhu Speyside representing in Johnnie Walker but not the biggest factor.
3:36 - Scottish guy talks about how he went into a cold Scottish moor to get sherry cask malt delivered to us in time for this presentation.
3:38 - Sherry cask malt is f'ing delicious.
3:40 - The size of the cask affects the taste of the liquor. Or in other words, it's the size of the wood AND what you do with it. Also, things tend to happen slower with Sherry than with Bourbon, which we knew.
3:42 - Nosing...do you keep your mouth open or closed? The answer - figure out what works best for you to really hit that scent button and figure them out.
3:43 - Highland Malt from the West coast. Tend to be a bit more robust than lowland/Speyside. Definitely getting peatier, with some sea tastes. w00t!
3:45 - Admits he has no idea how flavors of the sea get into it. We're guessing magic.
3:47 - You'll be happy to know that peat is not going to run out anytime soon.
3:48 - Welcome to Smoke Town, population Island Malt
3:49 - Pouring all the malts we're supposed to dumping out into a pint glass science experiment
3:51 - Islay malt. Holy smokes. Tastes like your pants smell after a campfire.
3:52 - Starting to get buzzed.
3:54 - Color of scotch has more to do with the cask it was aged in than anything else. Who knew?
3:58 - It's interesting to try Black Label after tasting all those whiskies. We've always gone for big, smokey whisky, but this has opened up a lot of doors for us.
3:59 - Time to make our own blends. Argument has begun among the interns whether we're going to use the beaker/mad scientist route, or just make "mouth mixes" directly from the bottle. We'll probably land somewhere in between.
4:01 - Question about Andrew's favorites for singles - Talisker is at the top. Hmm...he seems to like Diageo brands...good thing he works for them.
4:05 - Black label is a blend of ~40 whiskies (malts and grains).
4:06 - Off to blend. Thanks Andrew!

BarSmarts Wired: Professional Bartender Training Online

2009-09-25T15:43:22Z

We got an invite a while back to take a class called BarSmarts Wired, the online version of the BarSmarts Advanced seminars for professional bartenders. We've heard good things about the program, but after the summer we had, it had slipped our minds. It took a well-written (and positive) review from Colleen at About.com to jog our memories, and sign up for the online course.

Besides the knowledge, skills and theory that you get from BarSmarts Wired, you receive with your tuition a bag filled with professional bar tools. This bar set is a pretty nice one, not some cheap freebie, and includes a Boston shaker, jiggers, a bar spoon, strainers and a very nice zester. The set alone exceeds what you would pay $42 for and since that is the price of the course.
This is one of the few online bartender programs that is worth the time and effort. You will learn a lot and be able to bring that to your bar to improve customer service.

You've still got a few days to sign up at the BarSmarts Website, and don't forget to read Colleen's review to get some tips if you're planning to do it. And if you need some more convincing, check out Pernod Ricard's video demo about the program - just remember you have to sign up before the end of September if you're going to do it.

(Big ups to Colleen Graham and Samantha Harrigan for giving us info about the program)

Happy Arthur's Day

2009-09-24T20:05:19Z

You Guinness fans know what we're talking about. Hoist one for strength to celebrate the 250th birthday, friends. We know we will.