Drinks Wire

Prosecco For The New Year

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The New Year is upon us!  It’s time to celebrate.  But, if you are like us, you need to celebrate without breaking the budget!  We have solved this problem by spending most New Year’s Eves with our friends and sticking with affordable booze and food that we potluck.  We end up with everything we love for the New Year – good friends, good food and good booze.  For me, an essential component of the evening … Read more

5 Drinking Tends That Can Die in 2013

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Trends come and go. Here’s a few I like to see go.

Too much Amaro
Ok we get it. Amaro can add some great flavor and balance to your drink. Ever since the “discovery” of pre-prohibition cocktails, Amaros have been the cat’s meow with bartenders. Stop it. Having Amaro in every drink on your menu does not make a “craft cocktail” bar. Let’s do what the Italians do and sip Amaro after a big meal.  … Read more

Dr. Cocktail – Literary Monday

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This has to be one of the most interesting cocktail books that I have seen in awhile.  A man that the New York Times has dubbed the “Sorcerer of Shaken and Stirred”, Alex Ott brings us the ying and yang of cocktails.  To balance the affect of alcohol, Mr. Ott has paired with it with a variety of tinctures, juices and spices.  I guess this isn’t surprising given Mr. Ott’s background as a chemist, alchemist, … Read more

Seven Booze Trends for 2013

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2013 is almost upon us!  Seriously, what happened to 2012.  It seems like it was here and gone in a blink of an eye.  As the new year approaches, I get out my crystal ball and peer into 2013 to see what the top trends in drink will be in 2013.  Here are my predictions.  And, if I am wrong, I blame it on my crystal ball.

Top Booze Trends for 2013

    Cider – the

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Riunite Lambrusco – Wine Wednesday

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For this week’s Wine Wednesday, we are heading back to the 1970’s and imbibing in it’s most popular wine – Riunite Lambrusco.  As many of you may know, I love, love, love Lambrusco.  It is fizzy and fruity and pairs really well with food.  But, I had never had the wine that beget the craze in the United States – Riunite.  As an aside, Riunite was one of the only Lambruscos available in the United … Read more

The New Old Bar – Literary Monday

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We can hardly believe that New Year’s Eve is around the corner!  If you are looking for great cocktail recipes and finger food, then this is the book for you.  The New Old Bar is the latest book from Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith of the Hearty Boys (winners of the first Next Food Network Star) out of one of my favorite cities – Chicago!  And, the recipes have Chicago written all over them.  How … Read more

Bar10der – Ten Bartending Tools In One

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Don’t want to haul your whole cocktail kit to your friend’s party, but want to be ready if duty calls? Then Bar10der is for you.  If MacGyver was a bartender, this would be his bar tool.  Bar10der packs 10 bartending tools into one tool that folds down to about 8 inches and weighs a little less than a pound. 

What’s included?

    Muddler
    Reamer
    Channel Knife
    Jigger
    Zester
    Knife
    Stirrer
    Strainer
    Corkscrew
    Bottle Opener

The bartender … Read more

Maker’s Mark in Photos – The Ambassador of Bourbon

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Attention Maker’s Mark and bourbon fans!  Acclaim Press has recently released The Ambassador of Bourbon – a photographic journey that chronicles the magic occurring in Loretto Kentucky.  The lush photos examine the distillery during the day and night, in summer and winter.  The journey begins with the grain (corn, wheat and rye and with a heavier use of wheat than most bourbons, which provides the soft tones that Maker’s exhibits) as it ferments, forms the … Read more

Sipping Stones

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How to chill a fine Scotch without succumbing to tons of dilution?  A question as old as the Whisky itself.  

Sipping Stones, made of 100% soap stone, solves the problem by not being ice.  That’s right, these rocks are rocks. Simply store these dice sized cubes in the freezer and they are ready to chill when you are.  Which for me is always.

So how did they do chilling my Scotch (or beverage of your … Read more

Apple-cider Stuffing with Burbon-cider Dressing

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Bourbon cider glaze

    2 cups apple cider
    1/2 cup maple syrup
    1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    2 tablespoons molasses (optional)
    1/3 cup+ 3 tablespoons good quality Kentucky Bourbon

Combine apple cider, maple syrup, molasses and apple cider vinegar in a nonreactive sauce pot. Heat and gently reduce to 2/3rd of a cup.

Gently warm 1/3rd cup of bourbon in a saucepan to eliminate the alcohol. Add this to the reduced cider liquid. Reduce this mixture … Read more