In the Spotlight

• The Savoy Cocktail Book Review – Literary Monday

  

  The first print of The Savoy Cocktail Book was written during the darkest hours of Prohibition by a barman that sought refuge at the famed American Bar in the Savoy Hotel in London. Like many great American barman, Harry Craddock was forced to flee his native land in order to ply his craft. Luckily for us, he headed off to the American Bar where he was the head barman from 1925 to 1939 and wrote this time honored cocktail book. For those in love with the current craft cocktail movement, this book can be your blueprint. For many years, it was the bartender’s bible and served as an oasis in the American bartending movement, which has only now began to truly recover from Prohibition. …Read More

• Happy Cinco De Mayo! Enjoy with this Twisted Sister Mariachi Mashup

  

  It’s Cinco de Mayo! Starting with Cheap Trick and Surrender, Hornitos is making a annual event of mashing up famous rock groups with a mariachi band. This year, Twisted Sister jumped in. Dee and the Band created this new, one-of-a-kind version of their 1984 hit “We’re Not Gonna Take It”.  … Read more

• When The Rivers Ran Red – Literary Monday

  

  When The Rivers Ran Red examines the impact of Prohibition on California’s wine country, particularly the famed Sonoma County. Vivienne Sosnowski spent many hours researching this little discussed topic, including hours of oral interviews with the few survivors of Prohibition, who were in their 90′s by the time Ms. Sosnowsky interviewed them. I have to admit that this book made me see red when reading it. Living in San Francisco, we are in close proximity to the wine country, and I particularly love Sonoma Valley. I could only imagine the impact that Prohibition had on so many hard working Americans in the wine industry. …Read More

• Sustainable Distilling

  

  This article originally ran in May 2008 on Best of the Green Web.

  The world is going green and the cocktail world is no exception.

  Bartenders the world over are experimenting with locally grown, organic ingredients to showcase their craft. Distilleries are getting into the game as well, with organic … Read more

• Plymouth Gin Review

  

  Plymouth Gin is the gin of the officers of the British Navy. While the enlisted men drank rum, the officers drank Plymouth Gin. Since 1793, Plymouth Gin has been produced in the town of Plymouth, England, a city located on the south-west coast of England. In fact, the pilgrims on the Mayflower took shelter from a storm there as they set sail for the new world. Maybe this is why they named their town Plymouth. Unfortunately form them, the Pilgrims didn’t shelter any Plymouth Gin on their voyage as the famous gin wasn’t distilled there until over 150 years later. …Read More