Alcademics.com

Moonshine By the Bay

Bay Area home distillers make modern-day moonshine Camper English, Special to The Chronicle Friday, August 24, 2007

Moonshiners live among us. By day they appear to be respectable members of society, perhaps writing software to make your Internet experience run smoothly. But at night and on weekends, after a visit to the farmers' market or a nice brunch, they work in secret, sterilizing equipment, taking specific gravity and temperature measurements, and waiting impatiently as their illegal hooch drip, drip, drips out of tiny stills.

" 'Illegal' is such a judgmental word," jokes Doug (not his real name), who makes moonshine along with his friend Ron (also not his real name) at Ron's house in the Upper Haight.

The two have been distilling for less than a year. "We started home brewing, then we got into 'advanced brewing,' as we like to say to the neighbors," Ron says.

read the story here.

The book I refer to in the story is this one- Moonshine! by Matthew Rowley. It combines moonshine lore and history with tons of practical advice for building your own still and making your own booze.

Labels: books, camper_clips, homemade

Speakeasy's hootenanny

By me, in today's SF Chronicle:

Help celebrate Speakeasy Ales and Lagers' 10-year anniversary Saturday with a "rousing, riveting, and spine-tingling blowout hullabaloo" party at the Bayview brewery. The free admission event features live music by Brittany Shane, Crosstops and other bands, a barbecue, and of course, beer. They'll be debuting White Lightning Wheat Beer on tap, made with wheat, oats, orange peel and spices, that you can try in the 10-year commemorative tasting glass. The family-friendly (but 21 to drink) event runs from 2 to 7 p.m. at 1195 Evans Ave. (at Keith), San Francisco; (415) 642-3371.

Labels: beer, events, SanFrancisco

Hey, My Bartender's On TV!

By me, in today's SF Chronicle:

"Great Cocktails," a new show on the Fine Living Network, features some great bartenders we think you'll recognize: Jeff Hollinger of Absinthe, Duggan McDonnell of Cantina, Matt Kahn of Cigar Bar and Grill, Zachary Morlock of Frisson (now at Bacar and Ambassador), and even Chronicle cocktail columnist Gary Regan make appearances. So do other mixologists from around the country, popping up in short segments on simple topics like giving a toast and throwing a theme party. Most of the local bars on the show don't have televisions so you'll have to watch them from home, pretending the drinks you're having there are as good as what the pros mix. See fineliving.com for showtimes

Labels: camper_clips, SanFrancisco, television

Does this sex toy go with red or white?

Decanter.com reports on wine and sex toy parties thrown by sex toy shop Babeland.

This is such a good idea I'm a bit disappointed it didn't originate in San Francisco. We have at least two wine bars in every neighborhood (even the ghettos), unionized strippers, and shame-free sex toy stores in boutique shopping districts. Kudos to Babeland for smart thinking.

Here's an idea: Someone should open a sex toy shop/wine tasting bar in the wine country. That way all those bachelorette wine tasting limo tours could kill two birds with one stone.

I have a million of these great ideas a day. I'd be dangerous if I had ambition...

Labels: funny, wine

Beer. In. Spaaaaace!

At Kelly’s Brew Pub in Albuquerque, you can buy beer made with yeast that has flown in space. I just thought you should know.

Labels: beer

Single-Malt Gasoline

A while ago I mentioned how in Germany and in Mexico they're forgoing crops of beer barley and tequila agave (respectively) to grow biofuel-friendly corn for the supposed new market for the product.

Well, finally someone put on their thinking cap and decided to attempt to make biofuel that doesn't require the inhuman sacrifice of our favorite adult beverages.

At Abertay University in Scotland, a researcher was given a year grant to find ways to turn residue from beer and whisky (known in the industry, I believe, as distillers dry grain or DDG) into biofuel. Currently it's recycled into animal feed, but it may soon feed your imaginary biofuel car instead.

Labels: news

Alcademics: IN

Thanks to the SF Bay Guardian's Marke B. for a mention in the fall club preview (it's on the second page should you care to click.)

Labels: press

Mark your calendars

According to the signature on Ann Rogers' email, Tales of the Cocktail 2008 will take place July 16-20. So write it down on your vacation schedule next year, and see you then.

Labels: events, tales_of_the_cocktail