Alcademics.com

Italian beer in the SF Chronicle

Here's a story on Italian microbrews in the SF Chronicle.

After all the cocktails of last week, a nice calm beer sounds like a good idea.

Labels: beer

The Tales end

I'm home from Tales of the Cocktail, the annual cocktail convention in New Orleans. This year was fast and confusing and pretty great, and I think it will take me a few days to process it all. I don't really go for the partying that happens at night, as I can do that every day in San Francisco, but for the lectures during the day. Some of the talk highlights for me were:

• The Sagatiba cachaca tasting room session by Jared Brown and Anistasia Miller, in which they talked about several of their new incredibly exciting (you know, to drink nerds) findings on cachaca history and how it predates rum. I think the information in their new Sagatiba-sponsored book will fuel many cachaca stories for the next year.
• Martin Cate's talk on Cocktail Garnish, which was so much fun and had great visuals in the presentation.
• St John Frizell's talk on Charles H. Baker, Jr. Not only was it fascinating to learn more about Baker- a well-read drink writer but largely unknown person- St. John's lecture was hilarious. Did you know he made the first literary reference to the word "Ho"?

For those who attended- what were your favorite talks?

Labels: books, cachaca, garnish, tales_of_the_cocktail

Heaven what?

How to make an unhappy sponsor:

Behind the scenes at Tales of the Cocktail

Another history lesson

It's been a long time since we had a new episode of Drunk History, but it was so, SO worth the wait. [via LiquorSnob]

Labels: funny, video

Glossy Booze- Mid July Edition

- Paul Clarke's article on quinquinas- quinine-based drinks created to prevent malaria- is up on Imbibe Magazine's website. Also in the issue is a guide to the world's teas (online here), a story on liqueurs, a guide to drinking (mostly genever) in Amsterdam, an interview with a rum maker in whisky country, a tour of American beer styles, and a recipe for homemade Orgeat.

- 944 Magazine, San Francisco edition has one story on Clock Bar that ruffled some feathers, and a story by H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixir on creating the Harvey Milk Punch on the menu at Level III.

- Jordan Mackay in 7x7 magazine writes this month about Kutch Wines and the million-dollar makeover at the Tonga Room.

-Details (August) has recipes for the Presbyterian, Death in the Afternoon, Bicyclette, Ti Punch, and Moscow Mule, along with props to Kegworks' spoon straws. (Also note: no ugly mint pictures this month.)

- Esquire's David Wondrich writes about absinthe this August. He also has a taste test and declares Marylin Manson' Mansinthe good and Vieux Pontarlier the best.

- Malt Advocate (third quarter 2008) has stories on whiskies with no age statements, whisky medals, whisky on the island of St. Angus, a history of Tullamore Dew, changes at Whyte & Mackay, more boom vs. bust news, whisky liqueurs, and the new whisky labeling.

- Sunset Magazine has a small mention of LA's Tiki Ti, and a long story about Colorado's wine country.

Labels: magazines

Where gadget nerds and drink nerds meet

CocktailDB, the most accurate and nerdly online drink database, has launched an iPhone application called simply "Cocktails" with 1600 cocktail recipes.

The cocktails are searchable, favorite-able, and include bibliographic information on what book they came from in what year. You can also forward a recipe to a friend or Twitter what you're currently drinking.

The only thing it doesn't have is the ability to add new ones to your personal database. Cocktail 2.0?

I finally upgraded my old iPhone to have the App Store, so this was my first purchase. The best part about it is that it only costs ten bucks.

Labels: products, recipes, technology

Right on time

Last night was the pre-opening event for Clock Bar in San Francisco's Union Square. As if to prove they can do the impossible on opening night, they served all 32 drinks from the menu to anyone who asked. So that statement about them not being ready for a month- consider it rescinded.

In other exciting news, the bar opens at 4PM according to the website, so you can skip out of work early and beat the happy hour crowds.

Labels: bars, SanFrancisco