Bitters pack a delicious punch. Which are the best?
If you happen to have visited a cocktail bar recently, you might have noticed that the forest of spirits has been augmented by a sapling colony of much smaller bottles, often decorated with ornate, old-fashioned labels. These are cocktail bitters, customarily added in minute quantities – usually a drop or two – but making a disproportionate contribution in terms of flavour and aftertaste. In the ...
Drinking diet mixers with alcohol could make you drunker
Diet drinks have soared in popularity. But a new study suggests drinking them as mixers could get you drunker and affect breath tests. Drinking alcohol with diet soft drinks could make you drunk quicker, a new study suggests. With more and more of the weight-conscious turning to low calorie foods and liquids, diet drinks have soared in popularity. But consuming the sugar free beverages as an alcoholic mixer ...
What Different Wine Colors Mean
What Different Wine Colors Mean Ever wonder if a Chardonnay you’re about to buy is going to be rich or lean? Believe it or not, the answer is right in front of your eyes. The clues lie in a wine’s color. Many “buttery” Chardonnays are more extracted, which means they’re usually a rich gold color. A wine’s color can also help you if you’re interested in collecting ...
Get Out Your Euros. French Government To Auction Cellar
The French government is to auction off part of its cellar as the state seeks to raise funds to battle the national debt. Over 1,000 bottles will be auctioned by Drouot in Paris on the 30 and 31 May, with Bordeaux and Burgundy being the main attraction. The sale is expected to realise €250,000. A spokesman for Drouot told Reuters: “These are wines that have figured at ...
Did you know distilled booze is 'Gluten Free'? Cheers!
This week, 21st Century Distillery announced that its flagship Blue Ice Potato Vodka had become the first distilled spirit to be certified as "gluten-free" by the federal government. Specifically, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau -- "TTB" for short -- approved a request by 21st Century Distillery to change the label of the vodka to include a red sticker that says "gluten free." Thomas ...Booze News
Drinking diet mixers with alcohol could make you drunker
Diet drinks have soared in popularity. But a new study suggests drinking them as mixers could get you drunker and affect breath tests. Drinking alcohol with diet soft drinks could make you drunk quicker, a new study suggests. With more and more of the weight-conscious turning to low calorie foods and liquids, diet drinks have [...]
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Beer News
Finally, Drones That Deliver Beer!
We’ve seen tacocopters and burrito bombers, and though those will probably be real someday, neither is going to be really delivering anything any time soon. These beer drones, on the other hand, might actually be delivering real beer to real people. In South Africa. Maybe. Part of the OppiKoppi music festival, these beer drones are [...]
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Wine News
Malbec-specific glass by Riedel proves big hit
The Malbec-specific glass developed by Riedel and Graffigna proved a big hit when it was unveiled at a Malbec tasting in New York. Riedel has created a number of glasses that have been designed to bring out the best of particular grape varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The glassmaker partnered with [...]
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Spirits News
Infused Booze Front and Centre
Infused liquors are becoming more popular every year. Most restaurants have the standard Smirnoff Vanilla, Absolut Peppar, and Captain Morgan on the rail. In addition to these, many independent establishments offer specialty infusions. Bartenders and mixologists use their knowledge to create unique flavour combinations to tantalise our taste buds. Recently I spoke with Justin Cardwell, [...]
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Industry News
British winemakers credit climate change for boom in bubbly sales
Blessed with soil similar to France’s Champagne region, vineyards in England nevertheless produced decades of low-grade goop that caused nary a Frenchman to tremble. But a Great British fizz boom is underway, with winemakers crediting climate change for the warmer weather that has seemed to improve their bubbly. Increasingly hospitable temperatures have helped transplanted champagne [...]
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Shop
Cool book ‘The Drunken Botanist’ Takes A Garden Tour Of The Liquor Cabinet
An incredible diversity of grains, herbs and fruits goes into the world’s alcoholic drinks, as writer Amy Stewart explains. Her new book describes the plants behind cocktails and other boozy beverages and features drink recipes and growing instructions. The next time you’re sipping on a glass of something boozy, consider the plants behind your beverage. [...]
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- ‘The Audacity of Hops’: The Craft Beer Revolution One Sip At A Time
- Cool book ‘The Drunken Botanist’ Takes A Garden Tour Of The Liquor Cabinet
- The Ultimate Companion to the Wines & Wineries of the United States
- ‘Destination Cocktails’: Global Guidebook To Fab Cocktails
- How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto by Eric Asimov
Events
Vino California! Celebrating Italian Wine On The West Coast
The week-long wine and food extravaganza is widely recognized as the largest native Italian wine celebration across the West Coast and has become an iconic fixture in the national wine landscape. VINO CALIFORNIA brings together a cadre of A-list Italian winemakers, master sommeliers and top local culinary personalities delivering a series of epicurean experiences that [...]
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