Drinks

New Beer: Firestone Walker Pivo Hoppy Pils

2013-05-25T18:00:00Z

[Photo: Firestone Walker]

The most-buzzed-about releases from breweries are so often the big guns: Imperial Smoked Barrel-Aged Porters, Extreme-Wild-Sour-Belgians, big bottles that you'll need to share with a friend. But more often, what I want to drink doesn't come in a bomber bottle. Like the sixpacks from Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, California. I love the resiny Firestone Pale 31 and their grainy, rich English-style Double Barrel Ale: these aren't beers meant to knock your palate off, they're beers meant for drinking, not just tasting.

Add a new one to the list: FW's recently released Pivo Hoppy Pils, which Brewmaster Matt Brynildson says was influenced by Czech and German pilsners, but was actually inspired by a dry-hopped pils from Birrifico Italiano in Northern Italy. The new Firestone Walker beer is dry hopped with German Saphir hops, which add a floral and citrusy side (Brynildson says they add 'a touch of bergamot zest and lemongrass.")

If you're expecting a chuggable bottle, though, you might be surprised: this is weighty stuff, quite rich and creamy, and it's an excellent match for food. (We enjoyed it with a buttery cow's milk cheese from Jasper Hill in Vermont, but it would also be just the thing with bratwurst served with mashed potatoes or spaetzle.) The beer's body helps it stand up to richer dishes. It says 'hoppy pils' on the label, but the hops are aromatic, floral and zesty, not aggressively bitter. They cleanse the palate, but don't knock it out. Which is good, because you've got five bottles left to drink and a long day ahead of you.

About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. She lives in San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.

Sample provided for review consideration.

Hangover Helper: Oxtail Gravy and Biscuits at Beuchert's Saloon in Washington, DC

2013-05-25T15:00:00Z

[Photograph: Brian Oh]

The boys behind the newly opened Prohibition-era inspired diner Beuchert's Saloon know a thing or two about hangovers. Partners August Paro, Brendan McMahon, and Nathan Berger painstakingly restored the historic building just steps from Eastern Market themselves, down to the wallpaper and light fixtures. After long nights working with their hands, then facing the first weeks after opening, followed by hours of drinking, it quickly became clear that there would need to be sufficient hangover alleviation available on their brunch menu.

Chef Andrew Markert (formerly of PS7) has a particular affinity for oxtail. The Oxtail Gravy and Biscuits ($16) is a dish that's emblematic of Markert's penchant for turning familiar foods on their head. In this highbrow take on biscuits and gravy, the gravy is thick, fatty, and full of shredded oxtail, which is densely flavorful and lush with an earthy undertone. The biscuits provide a lighter contrast, and a touch of lemon zest in the batter adds a hint of citrus. The dish is topped with a pair of poached eggs and microgreens. Pop the yolks and it all combines into a rich alcohol sponge.

Beuchert's is a long narrow space full of exposed brick and leather trim. It also has the added benefit of being adjacent to a high wall, so almost none of the sunlight through its windows is direct—ideal for those finding the morning to be uncharacteristically and inexplicably bright.

Beuchert's Saloon

623 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003 (map)
202-733-1384; beuchertssaloon.com
Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Let's Get Drunk Watching: Arrested Development

2013-05-24T20:00:00Z

[Illustration: Robyn Lee]

I know this isn't an advice column, but allow me to start off with two pieces of what I consider to be sound advice. First, if you are tasked with writing jokes for a tongue-in-cheek drinking column about a television comedy, you probably shouldn't spend your time immediately before writing that watching a movie about cancer alone in a dark hotel room. Second, if you're not familiar with Arrested Development, then you should definitely strap on some Daisy Dukes and get familiar.

The Necessary Details

Arrested Development first aired back in 2003 and was cancelled in 2006, and everyone's still angry about that. But Netflix will be releasing 15 brand spankin' new episodes all at once for streaming this weekend—you didn't have any plans for Sunday and Monday, did you?

Arrested follows the Bluth family, focusing on Michael Bluth (played by Jason Bateman), the straight man and moral compass who does his best to keep the dysfunctional Bluth bunch together. Michael is forced to take over the Bluth Company after his father, George Bluth Sr (Jeffrey Tambor), is arrested for defrauding investors. Michael's alcoholic mother Lucille (Jessica Walter) becomes CEO upon George's incarceration and attempts to install Michael's youngest brother, the dim-witted and timid Buster (Tony Hale), as company president with disastrous results.

Rounding out the cast a bit, we've got:
G.O.B.: (pronounced like the Biblical "Job," and played brilliantly by Will Arnett) an unskilled magician and Michael's older brother.
Lindsay: (Portia de Rossi of Ally McBeal and married-to-Ellen fame) Michael's vainglorious and vapid twin sister.
Tobias: (David Cross) Lindsay's husband, who can never feel comfortable in the nude.
George Michael: (Michael Cera. You know, that kid you don't think is cute anymore) Michael's son and budding frozen banana mogul.
Maeby: (Alia Shawkat) Tobias and Lindsay's daughter, and George Michael's cousin/love interest.

Supplies You'll Need

Since there's always money in the banana stand, I recommend a Frozen Monkey, with a little booze added. (Vodka's fine, bourbon's tastier.) Option two is for British eyes only. Just remember Lucille's advice on booze: once you open a bottle of vodka, you have to finish it or it'll go bad.

For food, you can opt for some hot ham water, colloquially known as ham soup, or if you have some leftover ribs, you toss those bones in a pot, add some broth, and baby, you got a stew goin'.

Just stay away from chicken.

The Arrested Development Drinking Game

As always, this game is presented for entertainment purposes only. So no drinking and driving your stair car, okay?

Take a Sip

1 Sip: This one is simple: if Lucille drinks, you drink.
2 Sips: For Steve Holt!
2 Sips: For every time G.O.B. attempts an ~~magic trick~~ illusion.
2 Sips: For each time Tobias has a new look. 3 sips if it's something that says, "Dad likes leather."
3 Sips: For every appearance of the Bluth Family Banana Stand.
4 Sips: For any instance of embellishment, extortion, fraud, perjury or insider trading perpetrated by a Bluth.

Take a Swig

1 Swig:: For every appearance of a seal.
2 Swigs: For "No touching!" No touching? NO TOUCHING!"
3 Swigs: For every there's an appearance of any attorney you wouldn't trust to chase an ambulance.
3 Swigs: For any time Lucille asks for help zipping up her dress.
3 Swigs: for any time a Bluth does something dishonest that isn't covered by rule #6 (thought you were getting off easy? Don't test me!)

Slam It

Slam Your Drink: If G.O.B. successfully executes a magic trick.
Slam Your Drink: If narrator Ron Howard breaks the fourth wall.

Drink for the Duration of:

Any "chicken dance" scene.

Stop Drinking If:

You start feeling that being a Bluth doesn't seem so bad...

Got more rules for our Arrested Development drinking game? Lay 'em on me in the comments section below.

About the Author: Vinny Mannering is a red-bearded raconteur with a penchant for sarcasm, ice hockey, and good beer. You can listen to him praise beer and loathe society on Twitter.

First Look: Black Whiskey, Washington DC

2013-05-24T18:00:00Z

Black Whiskey currently has 60-70 whiskies [Photographs: Brian Oh]

One of the latest additions to the booming 14th St. corridor in Washington, DC is the newly opened Black Whiskey, from the team behind Kushi Izakaya. It pulls double duty as a mixed-use event and live music space on the first floor and a small craft whiskey bar on the second, the latter of which is run by bar manager Jack Caminos (formerly of Black Jack and The Brixton). With 60 to 70 whiskies behind the bar, Caminos wants people to explore the complex array of flavors that whiskey can offer.

A crash course in a few of Camino's notable bottles at Black Whiskey

Caminos freely admits that he hates cocktail menus. "I think the cocktail menu has destroyed drinking in America," he says, expressing his exasperation for "this constant need to create and reinvent." Instead, Caminos wants people to "appreciate the core ingredients" that people have put so much time and effort into creating and curating. "You don't want to cover it up with too many other flavors." In that vein, Caminos can easily prescribe a particular whiskey (or whisky) for your tastes on a given day.

From the affordable end of the spectrum, the $7/glass Lexington Bourbon, Caminos says, is "just a well-made Kentucky Bourbon," great for people trying to get familiar with whiskey without breaking the bank. On the more expensive side is a whisky that Caminos describes as "just magical." Blackadder Raw Cask whisky is bottled straight out of the cask. This non-chill filtered whiskey contains particulate matter from its casks that Caminos says allows the "flavor to evolve while in the bottle. It's the same difference," says Caminos of the comparative depth of flavor, "as a salami versus a hot dog."

Other notable bottles that Caminos pulls from the shelves include Breaking and Entering Bourbon from St. George Spirits. "It's a whiskey for people that call themselves whiskey aficionados; it's got smoke, but it's not too challenging." He even has a handful of corn whiskies, including a bottle of Hirsch Kentucky Corn Whiskey that's made of a 100% corn mash bill. "It has the sweetness of a corn liquor," says Caminos, "but with the distillate harshness."

Caminos does draw up a small cocktail menu that changes every day, and is considering establishing a seasonal menu of around five cocktails. He would still, though, much rather prepare a drink for you based on your conversation with him. "If people come in and know what they want, that's great; if they don't know what they want, that's great too," Caminos remarked, but laments the kind of drinker that has a pre-established agenda, such as drinking all whiskey neat indiscriminately, even if it calls for a splash of water.

The Bitter Death.

When I asked for something bitter and citrusy, Caminos poured a concoction called "Bitter Death," a rye cocktail with Cynar, lime juice, and Maraschino liqueur. The drink was herbaceous and bitter, but with an acidic undertone from the lime. When my drinking companion expressed an affinity for Moscow Mules, Caminos whipped up his version of a Negroni Sbagliato, which he dubbed a "ballsy Negroni." Proving that there are at least a few non-whiskey bottles in the building, it contained barrel aged Old Tom gin, Campari, Dolin sweet vermouth, and topped off with tonic.

The Ballsy Negroni.

Caminos believes that the lack of an established cocktail menu isn't a deterrent even for the uninitiated. He hopes the interaction required will help guests discover the wonders of whiskey: "If you serve something to people in a knowing way, they'll appreciate it."

Hang out at Black Whiskey and you're likely going to need something to soak up all of that whiskey, so it's also worth noting that Black Whiskey is also a "carvery pub." Kushi owner and chef Darren Norris have installed a carving station at one end of the bar to serve $18 carving plates featuring items like bacon wrapped pork loin. And if your stomach needs a break altogether, there's a pool table in the back and live music on select nights downstairs.

Black Whiskey

1410 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 (map)
202-682-3123; facebook.com/pages/Black-Whiskey

New From Lillet: Reserve Jean de Lillet 2009

2013-05-24T14:45:00Z

Wine is shaped by the weather, and every year is different. But aperitifs, vermouths, and other wine-based products rarely tell you which vintage you're getting on the bottle—you expect consistency when you buy Dubonnet or Carpano Antica from year to year. But Lillet has released a few vintage bottlings in especially good years for white Bordeaux wines, and one of those, 2009, has just reached the market.

The Reserve Jean de Lillet 2009 is made from single-vintage Sauternes (a blend of 80% Semillon, 15% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Muscadelle), mixed with orange liqueur flavored with Spanish sweet orange peels and bitter oranges from Haiti, plus 'a secret blend of fruit liqueurs produced in Lillet's distillery' and quinine. The blend is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels that are 225 liters. (Regular Lillet is aged in large oak vats ranging from 8,000 liters to 20,000 liters.) The suggested retail price for this bottling is $39.99.

The 2009 Reserve Jean de Lillet pours an orangey gold, and the flavor is markedly rich, toasty and honeyed. The acidity is enough to pucker your mouth a little and balance the heft of the stuff, but it's hard to pick out other individual flavors. Everything is mellowed and slid between the grains of the oak (and a touch of oxidation): orange peels, yes, and quinine to dry out the finish, but you could be lulled into thinking you're just drinking wine (at a potent 17% ABV). An ice cube opens up the flavors a bit, bringing out the orangey side nicely.

You can certainly drink it unadorned, but this stuff is good in a cocktail. Our favorite so far is totally easy: fill a glass with ice, add a hearty squeeze of lemon, and 2 parts Reserve Jean de Lillet to 1 part gin or bourbon. (We liked the slightly malty St. George's Dry Rye Gin as a partner for the special Lillet, and became pretty obsessed with a version of this drink made with Burnside Bourbon from Portland's Eastside Distilling.) The richness of the aged Lillet latches in to a richer spirit; you probably wouldn't go wrong with rum, either.

Have you tried this reserve bottling or previous years' editions? What did you think?

About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. She lives in San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.

The Hugo Cocktail from 'The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen'

2013-05-24T12:30:00Z

[Photograph: Squire Fox]

Inspired by and named for the infamous hurricane that wrecked the Carolina coast in 1989, Matt and Ted Lee's Hugo cocktail is just as fierce as its namesake. At its core, the beverage is a riff on a Dark and Stormy, but it uses a serious dose of fresh ginger juice instead of the soda. The juice (plus the rum, of course) is strong enough to distract the drinker from any storm heading inland.

Why I picked this recipe: I love fresh ginger even more than I love Dark and Stormys.

What worked: The potent ginger juice is an excellent partner for sweet rum, and the two are well-balanced with lime, sugar, and bitters.

What didn't: No problems at all.

Suggested tweaks: You could play around with the base spirit if you're feeling creative. Aged tequila would also be nice here.

As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen to give away this week.

About the author: Kate Williams is a freelance writer and personal chef living in Berkeley, CA. She is a contributor to The Oxford American, Berkeleyside NOSH, and blogs at cookingwolves.wordpress.com.

Tipsy Palmer: The Ultimate Summer Cocktail

2013-05-24T11:45:00Z

Also pairs well with Mason jars [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

My first job in high school was working the counter at a slice joint in the suburbs of Chicago. I made minimum wage, but much to my adolescent delight, part of my daily allowance included two free pieces of pizza and a soda. I've never been much of a soda fan, so I instead I guzzled canned Arnold Palmers—a 50/50 mix of iced tea and lemonade, named for the legendary golf master.

As I got older, my palate matured (slightly), and I started drinking bourbon. On the rocks is my go-to in colder months, but during summer barbecue season, when everyone else is nursing an icy beer (which, like soda, I rarely drink), I feel out of place with a glass of straight hard spirit. I wanted something light and refreshing to use as a mixer, with a little sweetness to match the easy summer vibes. The answer was simple: an Arnold Palmer.

Spiked with bourbon, the Arnold Palmer becomes a Tipsy Palmer, my favorite summer cocktail. It works just as well for one as it does for a crowd, functioning as a sort of low-labor punch alternative. The sweet, citrusy tea-lemonade combo mellows the alcoholic flavor in bourbon, making a smooth-drinking cocktail that'll convert even those who claim not to like the brown stuff.

If I'm entertaining, I'll make a big batch with fresh-squeezed lemonade and bracing black tea, but I've also picked up many a bottle of pre-made lemonade and iced tea (usually black, sometimes black and green) on my way to other parties. Garnished with a fresh lemon wedge and served in a Collins glass on ice, the Tipsy Palmer tastes to me like endless summer.

About the author: Jamie Feldmar is the managing editor of Serious Eats. You can follow her on Twitter at @jfeldmar.

Trends We Noticed at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic 2013

2013-05-23T20:30:00Z

[Photograph: Michael Dietsch]

My, that was a long weekend.

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic was held this weekend in New York. The five-day conference kicked off with the Gala on Friday evening. From there, it branched off into two days of public events, held at restaurants and bars around the city on Saturday and Sunday, and three days of the Industry Invitational, a group of seminars and tasting sessions held for members of the trade and the press, Saturday through Monday.

Surrounding the Classic were various ancillary events, not officially part of the Classic. Most notable were the Speed Rack finals, Thursday night, which I attended. I then bookended the weekend with the Independent Spirits Expo, Tuesday afternoon.

Now that it's over, I wanted to step back and observe a bit, tallying up the trends and themes I noticed throughout the festival.

Punches

You could hardly turn around at the Classic without finding punches—bourbon punches, gin punches, rum punches, mezcal punches, and even vodka punches. It's not hard to understand why. They're easy to make for a crowd and even easier to serve when you have a couple dozen people crowding your table, waiting for a drink.

Some of them were great; others, not so much. The great ones were balanced between the base spirit, citrus, and sweetening agents. The not-so-great were too sweet or too tart from citrus. I had a few that were probably delicious at the beginning but were just out too long. The ice had melted, and the punch was insipid. The best punch I tasted was the mezcal punch at the Del Maguey table at Speed Rack. Smoky, tart, and complex, it tasted as good at the end of the glass as with the first sip.

Low-Alcohol Boozing

As I get older, I find that I'm starting to appreciate less-boozy drinks all the more. One highlight of the weekend was tasting through the Haus Alpenz portfolio of vermouths and aromatized wines. Alpenz imports Dolin's vermouths and Cocchi's aromatized wines. Keep an eye out, though, for Cappelletti Americano Rosso, a product new to the U.S. market that should hit shelves by the end of summer. (Americano, in this context, has nothing to do with the continents or the nation. It's derived from amer, or bitter, the same root that brings us amaro/amari.)

The Americano Rosso is a treat for restaurants who have beer and wine licenses and can't make cocktails with hard booze. It's bitter enough to stand in for Campari and other bitter liqueurs, so it should provide a little extra flexibility for low-alcohol mixed drinks.

Another highlight was the vermouth seminar offered by Atsby, a brand of vermouths from New York. There, we sampled two cocktails featuring Atsby along with straight pours of the vermouths, and it was all paired with treats from NYC's Murray's Cheese. Each cocktail or pour was matched with a cheese from the board. We all know that wine and cheese are perfect cocktail-party pairings. Next time, why not stir up some vermouth cocktails to supplement your wines?

Bottled (and Canned) Cocktails

[Photo: Jessica Leibowitz]

One trend I was surprised not to see more of was the individually sized bottled cocktail. The idea behind these drinks is simple. You batch up a cocktail, pour it into single-serving bottles, and cap it off. You can carbonate them, but you don't have to. I found only two (although had I gone to a class at Pouring Ribbons, I'd have enjoyed others). Xanté pear-brandy liqueur offered a tasty bottled cocktail of mezcal, Xanté, and citrus at Speed Rack, and most notably, Campari offered a really fun idea at the Gala: a Negroni in a can.

A Gin-Soaked Party

A table of vintage gins and other spirits, courtesy Old Spirits Company. [Photograph: Michael Dietsch]

One of the highlights of the Industry Invitational, held Saturday through Monday at the Andaz Fifth Avenue, were the tasting rooms in various locations throughout the hotel. I was happy to find a number of new gins to sample, including bottlings from the Chase Distillery, Victoria Spirits, Brooklyn Gin, Berkshire Mountain Distilleries, and Right Gin. And, if I may say, I'm happy to see that most of them have walked away from the idea that juniper is scary. You are gin! Be gin! I'm tired of gins in which the juniper is fourth behind lavender and cubeb and bergamot. Be gin, dammit. Embrace the juniper.

Mezcaleros

Fidencio's Arik Torren leads a tasting. [Photograph: Michael Dietsch]

I was initially disappointed not to see more mezcal around the festival. I had a mezcal punch and straight shots of Del Maguey while at Speed Rack, but I didn't see much of it at the Gala or Invitational. The Indie Spirits Expo, however, more than made up for it. Among the brands represented were Wahaka, Fidencio, and El Buho. At another booth, Mezcal from Oaxaca represented an affiliation of 12 independent mezcal brands.

The diversity of mezcal is immediately obvious when you're tasting so many at one time. Mezcal uses 100% agave, of course, but from there, the families who make mezcal have freedom. Most mezcal is made from espadin agave, which is commonly cultivated in Oaxaca, but some producers use wild or semi-wild agaves, each of which provides a different character to the product.

I tasted whiskeys with rice, millet, and quinoa used in the mash bill. The subtle differences in those whiskeys reminded me of the distinctions I tasted between mezcal made of various agaves.

Some mexcals were smokier than others (one, from Fidencio, isn't smoked at all); some more herbal; some bone-dry, and others creamy in texture.

Did you attend the Classic this week? What trends did you notice?

About the author: Michael Dietsch approaches life with a hefty dash of bitters. He lives with wife, son, and cats in Brooklyn. You can reach him on twitter at @dietsch.

Gadgets: Microplane 3-in-1 Citrus Bar Tool

2013-05-23T18:15:00Z

[Photograph: Microplane]

Do you make a lot of fancy drinks with fresh citrus? Do you have a bar that's more than just a shelf in your kitchen? Do you like gadgets that preform multiple functions? Are you short on storage space?

Then maybe the Microplane 3-in-1 Bar Zester Citrus Bar Tool ($19.95) is for you. It's got a grating surface for zesting citrus, a cutting blade for making citrus curls, and a bottle opener, all in one compact tool.

Like every other Microplane zester I've used, it does a great job grating citrus zest. It's not as efficient as a larger zester if you need to zest dozens of lemons, but it's fine for the little bit of zest you might need for a drink at a time. The citrus curler makes nice curls from the peel. That's not something I need often enough to warrant a separate tool, but as an add-on to the zester, it makes sense. And the bottle opener is, well, a bottle opener.

If you already have a zester and you don't have a separate bar area, you probably don't need a tool like this. But if you've got a bar and you want to outfit it with the tools you need rather than moving things back and forth from the kitchen, this would be handy. Or, if you've got a small kitchen and not much storage space, this won't take up as much room as a full-size zester.

About the author: Resident yeast whisperer and bread baking columnist Donna Currie also has a serious gadget habit. When her father-in-law heard about this column, he upgraded the nickname for her kitchen from "gadget world" to "gadget heaven." You can find her on her blog, Cookistry or follow her on Twitter at @dbcurrie.

Disclaimer: Testing samples were provided to Serious Eats.

What to Drink Over Memorial Day Weekend

2013-05-23T16:15:00Z

VIEW SLIDESHOW: What to Drink Over Memorial Day Weekend

Blueberry lime rickey [Photo: Autumn Giles]

What are you up to this weekend? A picnic, a party? Some grilling? Us, too...and we're really excited. We've been running around grabbing ingredients for an epic barbecue, but we wanted to make sure you were covered on the drinks side, too. From punch and sangria to beer and wine, here are a few of our recommendations to get you inspired for the long weekend. (Don't forget to drink water, while you're at it.)

Alcohol-Free

[Photo: Dave Katz]

It's important that every party offer some alcohol-free options. Though you could cop out and serve store-bought lemonade, your guests will be much more impressed if you make your own. Or offer a lemonade bar with a few options, like Kenji's Raspberry Limeade, Cucumber-Basil Lemonade, and Spicy Strawberry Jalapeño Lemonade. If you're lucky enough to live somewhere where peaches are already in season, celebrate your good fortune with a pitcher of Peach and Thyme Lemonade.

You're not limited to lemonade, though. How about some creamy homemade toasted coconut horchata or a tart blueberry-lime rickey? Or make a rhubarb shrub (it's easy, we promise!) and serve booze-free rhubarb lime gimlets. Or go old school and make soda-fountain style chocolate phosphates.

In case your guests need a little caffeination, make a batch of cold-brewed tea in the fridge. That's right: sun tea is actually better without the sun.

Sangria

[Photo: Kelly Carámbula]

Since strawberries are starting to appear at our local greenmarket, we're pretty excited to whip up a batch of strawberry sangria. Our recipe is made with sparkling wine for an extra bit of fun.

Watermelon with a squeeze of lime makes a delicious and unusual watermelon sangria with the addition of a little rum. A minty garnish will add a lovely aroma to this juicy drink.

If the weather ends up being warm, we'll reach for crisp, tart white sangria. This Sauvignon Blanc-based version is unusually delicious with the addition of a little herbal gin and orange bitters. Starfruit make for a festive garnish.

Kelly Carámbula's spring rosé sangria calls for fresh and spicy ginger syrup. Frozen grapes keep things chilled and a variety of citrus adds a little interest.

We also love this fruity apple sangria based on a recipe from Diana Barrios Treviño. The secret ingredient is half a cup of applesauce added to a mixture of fresh orange and lime juice and a few cups of decent red wine.

Pitcher Cocktails

[Photo: Heather Meldrom]

If you're starting early, this brunch-friendly variation on the Salty Dog which calls for freshly squeezed grapefruit, tonic water, and tequila or mezcal is a nice way to launch the party.

This Negroni-inspired punch is refreshingly bittersweet. It's made with Aperol, gin, and loads of citrus juice, and lightened with a bottle of sparkling wine.

If you like it bitter, try this pretty pink blend of Campari, tequila, and tangerine. It's easy to mix for a crowd and not too boozy, thanks to the addition of seltzer water.

Hibiscus tea gives this rum cooler a bright, tart flavor, with the help of lots of fresh lemon juice. It's light in alcohol and plenty thirst-quenching.

The Perfect Pimm's Cup is easy to make by the pitcherful, and fun to deck out with loads of cucumbers, apple, lemon, orange, and strawberries. We like it diluted with Sprite or 7-Up, though you can also use ginger ale.

Ripe cantaloupe makes a deliciously fruity but not-too-sweet melon margarita, cut with plenty of fresh lime juice. You can blend these up a few hours in advance, but don't be surprised if you find yourself stealing sips of the chilled mixture out of the fridge.

Beer

Looking for tips on what to serve with a Memorial Day grillfest? We recently asked a group of beer experts for their favorite pairings and their favorite brews for a long day of drinking.

Want to get more specific tips? Start with your menu items here:

Or, if you're choosing the beer first, here are some customized food suggestions.

What to Eat with Wheat Beer

Wine

[Photo: Rebeccah Marsters]

When there's a group involved, we're happy to be stocked up with our favorite affordable wines. (Call us cheap, but it doesn't seem like the right time to pop open pricey bottles we've been saving.) Here are some recommendations for the best white wines under $15, and here are our top picks in budget reds. Drinking pink? Here are some affordable and delicious French and Italian options, a few top bottles from California, and some cheap choices from the shelves of Trader Joe's.

Already decided what food you're serving? Here are a few tips for choosing wine to go with it:

What will you be drinking this weekend?

Let's be friends! Join us on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook. Keep in the loop with our weekly newsletter.

First Look: Eben Freeman's Cocktails at Costata, NYC

2013-05-23T13:45:00Z

VIEW SLIDESHOW: First Look: Eben Freeman's Cocktails at Costata, NYC

[Photos: Eunice Choi]

Michael White is slated to open The Butterfly later this summer, a cocktail-centric bar and restaurant with Eben Freeman running the show. Freeman gained acclaim as a cocktail man at wd-50 and later at Tailor, his work regarded as innovative and boundary-pushing. He's now the director of bar operations for White's restaurant empire, the Altamarea group. And in that role, he's the man behind the cocktail menu at Costata, which opened last week.

White's fifth New York restaurant, spread over three stories in Soho, is one part Italian, one part steakhouse, pasta and crudo alongside steaks and chops. As befits a steakhouse, the cocktail menu is whiskey-heavy, with bourbon-, rye-, and Scotch-based drinks, as well as a martini list four deep. So far, Freeman is pleased with the success of those martinis; "They've have been selling well, better than I would've thought, considering they're all gin-based—not the vodka so many people are used to."

The Heirloom Snapper, with a golden tomato purée base; that's Maggi dropped on top.

While for the most part, the cocktails are variants on classics, unusual touches appear throughout: Maggi seasoning on a Red Snapper (gin Bloody Mary), Marsala stirred into a Scotch drink, a Mai Tai with Italian liqueurs swapped in for orgeat and curaçao.

Take a look at Costata's cocktail menu in the slideshow above »

Costata

206 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012 (map)
212-334-3320; costatanyc.com

About the author: Carey Jones is the former Senior Managing Editor of Serious Eats. Follow her on Twitter (@careyjones).

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We Try the New McCafé Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie from McDonald's

2013-05-23T11:45:00Z

[Photograph: Craig Cavallo]

The hardest part about leaving Serious Eat Head Quarters en route for the nearby Bowery McDonald's is passing Great NY Noodletown, where roast baby pig is nigh impossible to pass up. But Great NY Noodletown hasn't launched a new blueberry pomegranate smoothie ($2.29, small, 220 calories) like McDonald's has.

The new drink is a refreshing, icy blend of blueberries and raspberries, if a bit thick and weighty should you get the optional dose of yogurt (we did). The berry flavor is sweet and surprisingly passable, balanced by a splash of tart pomegranate juice. And true to fast food fashion, it all whirs together inside a giant blender at the touch of a button and is ready in seconds. Not sure it would pair well with chicken nuggets or burgers, but there are worse things to drink on a summer's day.

Have you tried the New McCafé Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie? What did you think?

9 More Great Sips from the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

2013-05-22T19:00:00Z

VIEW SLIDESHOW: 9 More Great Sips from the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

While the Gala is the centerpiece of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, the five-day conference is filled with events, tastings, seminars, and party after party.

It's hard to pick just a few highlights from a weekend that included a burlesque brunch, a Tiki tour of the outer boroughs, and a drunk brunch at PDT. But here are more of my favorite sips from the weekend—from oat whiskey to almond milk cocktails to my new favorite Bloody Mary.

About the author: Carey Jones is the former Senior Managing Editor of Serious Eats. Follow her on Twitter (@careyjones).

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A Look at the Beer Cocktails at Brew Exchange in Austin, TX

2013-05-22T17:00:00Z

VIEW SLIDESHOW: A Look at the Beer Cocktails at Brew Exchange in Austin, TX

[Photographs: Melody Fury]

One year old Brew Exchange's concept is simple: each beer's price fluctuates depending on the time of the day and its popularity. During "market crash", the prices for all 100+ beers drop to rock bottom.

A few weeks ago, head bartender Phil Vuong and his team launched a brand new beer cocktail menu. Shandies may dot beer menus around Austin, but this is the first complete beer cocktail menu that I've found in the city.

"We're proud of our beer selection but want to let people know that we're always experimenting," explained Vuong. His challenge was to showcase the beers without letting other ingredients overpower them. "Flavors in liquors are more concentrated than flavors in beers" he explained, "we don't want to mask either flavor, and our aim was to make them complementary."

The drinks range from rich and nutty to fruity and refreshing. They are still experimenting to expand the cocktail menu to include more seasonal beers in the near future. Check out the slideshow to get a look at Brew Exchange's 5 most popular beer-and-booze concoctions »

Brew Exchange

706 W 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701
(map) 512-366-5727
brewexchangeaustin.com

About the author: Melody Fury is a cocktail and restaurant writer, and photographer that lives in East Austin. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

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Ask a Bartender: What's the First Bar You Ever Loved?

2013-05-22T14:15:00Z

VIEW SLIDESHOW: Ask a Bartender: What's the First Bar You Ever Loved?

We've all got memories of a favorite bar from long ago. Maybe there was a legendary karaoke night, or a great burger to soak up the $2 drafts, or quirky regulars. We asked 26 bartenders about the first bar they ever loved. Here are their answers—from Miami to Missolua, Seattle to South Carolina.

What was the first bar you ever loved?

About the author: Carey Jones is the former Senior Managing Editor of Serious Eats. Follow her on Twitter (@careyjones).

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