Alcademics.com

The History of the Ice Trade

2009-01-05T08:00:00-08:00

I recently finished reading The Frozen Water Trade: A True Story by Gavin Weightman. The book is the story of Frederic Tudor, whose wacky idea of cutting ice in winter from ponds in Massachusetts and selling it to people in warmer climates in the summer turned into a 100 year industry until refrigerated ice became readily available. Tudor's ice was shipped as far as Martinique, India, San Francisco (around the tip of South America where there was plenty of ice already), New Orleans, and throughout the American South.

Of course, my interest in the book was purely cocktail-related. The sale of ice was directly responsible for the creation of drink categories including juleps, cobblers, and smashes, and created the need for cocktail shakers as well as straws. Iced drinks became popular with Englishmen in India, but didn't catch on in England (not for lack of trying to sell it there). American cocktails stood out from English and other ones in their need for ice (as evidenced by books like Recipes of American and Other Iced Drinks), and grew in format and in number because of this ingredient.

As we know the cocktail was an American invention and probably its first native cuisine, we can probably chalk up a lot of the credit for America's famous drinks and bartenders (pre-Prohibition) to this one guy who created a world-wide industry out of nothing but freebies- frozen lakes, sawdust to keep it cold through the summer, and room in ships' holds as ballast on trading routes.

The book itself isn't the "page-turner" as described on the cover, nor does it delve too deeply into the discussion of the impact on cocktails, but with an understanding of what came later in American cocktail history, it's fascinating for its implications.

Monday in San Francisco, With Fabulous Prizes

2009-01-03T09:30:00-08:00

The short version is: A rocking party on Jan 5th at Enrico's in SF with all your favorite bartenders on their nights off, with pretty great raffle prizes you're likely to win, and even better silent auction items.

The slightly longer version is: Tony Devencenzi scored a rare bartending job that came with health insurance. Unfortunately, he managed to get himself hit by a car before the insurance kicked in. OOPS! So in an effort to mock him for being so clumsy help him out, other bartenders in town are throwing a big fat party.

Full details are below, or search Facebook for "Celebration for Tony Devencenzi"

San Francisco Bartenders Unite to Help Tony Devencenzi

Fundraiser at Enrico's on January 5^th

San Francisco, CA--December 29, 2008—The United States Bartenders Guild, San Francisco Chapter (USBG-SF) and friends and family of Tony Devencenzi have united to put together a benefit to raise funds to defray Tony's rising medical costs. An affable barman at The Clock Bar, Tony was struck by a car on Sunday December 14, 2008. He is in stable condition and is expected to recover entirely over time; however, his lack of health insurance and loss of work time only equates to escalating bills.

The USBG-SF established a Bartender Relief Fund earlier this year to help uninsured bartenders in times of need.

"In the past couple of years we have seen a few of our colleagues suffer traumatic situations with no insurance and loss of work," stated USBG Vice President H. Joseph Ehrmann. "Sadly, we did not expect to use the funds we have raised so soon after establishing the fund. The need for affordable health insurance is once again brought to light amongst career bartenders."

The benefit is on Monday, January 5, 2009 at Enrico's Sidewalk Café from 6:30-11:30 p.m. Enrico's has generously donated the space and food for the event. Donations are welcome at the door, $10 raffle tickets will be sold onsite and a silent auction will begin at 6:30 and end at 10:30 p.m. Key raffle and auction items include a signed Sammy Hagar Guitar, limited edition signed first run tequilas, tequila from Tommy's personal collection, magnums of wine, top notch spirits, cocktail books, restaurant gift certificates, ski lift tickets and a night of Chef Joey Altman cooking at one's home.

Live Music by The Backstreet Burner Blues band with headliner Joey Altman from 8:30-10:00 p.m.

Texas Hold 'Em Clinics by 21 Fun from 8:00 pm-11:00 pm.

The bars will be staffed by some of the best in the Bay—donating 100% of all tips and proceeds to the fund. Additionally, bars across the city have set up Tips for Tony jars including Levende Lounge and Clock Bar.

All donations can be made out to USBG and mailed to the USBG at 95 Fairmont Dr., Daly City, Ca 94015 or email the USBG at NorCalUSBG@gmail.com with the amount you would like to donate via credit card.

Note: you can also donate by PayPal on the Facebook site.

Count the Rings

2009-01-02T08:00:00-08:00

I recently read A Ramble Round the Globe Revisited , thinking I was buying the original A Ramble Round The Globe from 1894 by Tommy Dewar of Dewar's Whisky. This version, by Malcolm Greenwood, didn't add any value to the original journal that was mixed in with his commentary on how things had changed since then.

But it had one ridiculous- and naively offensive- quote from the original journal by Tommy Dewar that is too funny not to share. This was Dewar's observation in Shanghai.

By the way, a wholesale wine merchant in the English settlement told me that a Chinaman made the best of all warehousemen in a wine merchant's establishment, not only because they did not drink very much, but that if they did, anyone could always tell, for half a glass of wine, or anything intoxicating, caused a large red ring to appear round his eyes, and by looking at him and counting the rings, it was possible to find out just exactly how much he had imbibed. Very ingenious this! I had never heard of it before; but I suppose it's true. I know that the age of a tree or a cow can be told by looking at the rings of the trunk or the horn, but this way of telling how much a man has had to drink was quite new to me. It would be a good thing sometimes if this were the case with Englishmen, and would assist most materially in 'drunk and disorderly' cases. Imagine a man denying before a magistrate at Bow Street that he had been drunk; how easy it would be for His Worship to say, 'Constable, did you examine his eyes?' 'Yes, your wusship; but the rings all round each eye were so mixed up over 'is nose, and went right under the 'air of 'is 'ead, we couldn't count how many there really was!' 'Ten shillings or seven days!' Why the whole thing would be as easy as ABC.

Good Booze, Bad Booze: Marination Jubilation

2008-12-31T10:00:00-08:00

One day science says drinking will make you live forever. The next day science says it will kill you tomorrow. Good Booze, Bad Booze is an Alcademics category where I put all these stories together.

12/31/08: Marinating steak in beer or wine 'reduces cancer chemicals' [link]

From the Telegraph.com: "Marinating steak in beer or wine before cooking it dramatically reduces levels of chemicals that can cause cancer, according to scientists. "

Previous Good Booze, Bad Booze

12/28/08: Too much beer, wine linked to cancer [link]

11/25/08: Four beers a day 'could make you go blind' [link]

11/24/08: Red, red wine: How it fights Alzheimer's [link]

11/01/08: Pregnant women 'can drink a small glass of wine a week' [link]

10/21/08: Alcohol doesn't worsen chronic lung conditions [link]

10/20/08: Women unaware of wine breast cancer risk [link]

10/14/08: Drinking Alcohol Associated with Smaller Brain Volume [link]

10/13/08: White wine may also be good for you. [link]

10/8/08: Red wine slashes lung cancer risk in smokers [link]

7/7/08: Fountain of Youth? Red wine gives up secrets [link]

7/7/08: Red wine 'won't extend your lifespan' [link]

5/27/08: Light Alcohol Consumption May Help Bones [link]

5/22/08: Beer Drinking May Speed Pancreatic Cancer Onset [link]

Props to You Too

2008-12-31T08:00:00-08:00

Alcademics gets a shout-out on the SF Weekly's food blog, SFoodie. Read it here.

Party Tips from Esquire

2008-12-30T14:03:58-08:00

I think it's a little odd to put your New Year's party tips in the January issue of a magazine instead of December, then to give away all the content online before it's even January, but that's why I'm not a rich and famous magazine editor.

Nor am I a David Wondrich, who wrote all the booze stories for the issue. They include:

Esquire's Guide to Hosting

A complaint about oversized Martini glasses

And batch-sized recipes for party drinks: the Gin Daisy, Manhattan, and an original drink called the Saint Valentine (umm, wrong month again?) that includes rum, port, Grand Marnier, and lime juice.

San Francisco: Vodka-Free City

2008-12-29T12:57:55-08:00

Once upon a time, more specifically around the turn of the millennium, several bars would brag about their extensive vodka selections. It was the age of the Cosmopolitan and the Vodka Martini, you'll remember. I believe Club Mighty had a separate vodka bar, and I seem to remember a smaller bar like Hush Hush promoting its large variety of the clear spirit.

Eater SF reports that the one remaining bar completely dedicated to the stuff, Voda Vodka Lounge on Belden Lane, is closing. I'm sad to see it go. Not just because I think vodka (which outsells all other spirits in the US by a huge margin) deserves at least one bar dedicated to it, but because I just included the bar in a hotel guide and was planning to review it in round-up story I'm writing this week. Stop the presses!

Does anyone know where else in San Francisco has a large vodka selection? I now need a last-minute replacement for my story. It seems like there must be a hotel bar or Russian restaurant somewhere that has at least 20 bottles on the shelves. Little help?

Gin and Tonic: Now Gin-Free!

2008-12-29T08:00:00-08:00

Imbibe Magazine's blog points to a new flavor of soda: Dry Soda Company's Juniper Berry soda. The editors tell us it tastes like a non-alcoholic Gin and Tonic.

But the problem with non-alcoholic drinks is their complete lack of alcohol. To me, this product sounds like it will pair magnificently with leftover vodka to make a gin-free G&T.

In San Francisco, You May Want to Try the Drinks

2008-12-27T10:35:26-08:00

Newsflash! Drinks are good in San Francisco! It's true now, because I read it in the New York Times!

Alcademics A-Plus: Now Easier to Sign-Up

2008-12-26T08:00:00-08:00

For anyone who was hesitating on signing up for the Alcademics A-Plus email list, which serves the purpose of giving out free stuff, you should know that the process is slightly easier.

Some people said they didn't want to share their annual income. I've now made that field optional. (I've never looked at anyone's individual data beyond birth date, for the record.)

In January we'll have several giveaways, including:
- Copies of Cocktail Books
- More tickets to the Fifth Floor's "Three on Five" pairing competitions
- Vermouth!

So if you haven't done so already, kindly take a moment to go sign up.

Cover Girl

2008-12-24T13:59:01-08:00

Did you get your copy of Imbibe Magazine in the mail today? I did. Oh neat, look at that 12-page cover story on scotch whisky. I wonder who wrote it...

Wait a minute, I did! That's my story. Hooray!

Gift Bagged

2008-12-24T08:00:00-08:00

A liquor store in New York was fined $10,000 for selling wine gift bags. Apparently, you can't do that in the same place you sell wine. You may sell glasses and corkscrews or give away gift bags for free, but selling them is illegal. WTF?

The New Noilly

2008-12-23T08:00:00-08:00

Cocktail nerds are abuzz these days with the news that the recipe for Noilly Prat vermouth has changed, as has the bottle. Word is that the American version, which was designed to be mixed into cocktails, will now be replaced with the European, which is more often sipped on its own and not mixed. It is said to be more intense and woody than the previous version.

Spirit Me Away compares the old and new formulas.

Major Map of Micro-Distillers

2008-12-22T08:00:00-08:00

The American Distilling Institute put together this great map of craft distillers in America. I'm not sure if it's limited to members or what the criteria is to be included, but regardless this is a very cool (and for me, very useful) way to find small distillers in different locations. On the website, clicking on the map will take you to a PDF file that links to each of the distilleries numbered.

Out of the Bathtub and Into the Kitchen

2008-12-21T12:46:37-08:00

Gourmet.com has a recipe for making gin out of vodka by infusing it with herbs and berries. I can't wait to try it.

I also think this would make an excellent gift for the gin lover in your life: Hand him or her a bottle of vodka to make them squirm, then in the card that comes with it have all the herbs and the recipe in the envelope. Tee hee!

Pisco Punch, By the Bowl

2008-12-21T12:12:24-08:00

Check out this recipe for a relatively easy (no gum Arabic required!) bowl of Pisco Punch by the Pegu Club's Audrey Saunders. The recipe if for a bowl of punch but with the way it's put together you could make individual portions. It''s part of a series of holiday punches from New York Magazine.

Mmm, Holiday pisco.

Manhattan to Martinez to Martini

2008-12-19T16:25:53-08:00

If you haven't already, check out Eric Felten's story tracing of the evolution of the drink from the Manhattan to the Martinez (the focus of the story, called the "missing link") to the Martini.

Great stuff as always from Felten.

Recommended Bottles in the SFBG

2008-12-19T11:00:00-08:00

In the San Francisco Bay Guardian this week I have a story on some recommended bottles to pick up this winter season. Here's the picture.

Glossy Booze: Mid-December Edition

2008-12-19T08:00:00-08:00

Glossy Booze is a round-up of alcohol stories in glossy magazines.

-Playboy (December) has a story on recommended bottles of scotch, divided into Speyside, island malt, Highlands, and blended whisky categories. There are recipes for the Roby Roy, Aberdeen Angus (scotch, honey, lime, Drambuie), and Black Jesus Shooters (one part Jagermeister to two parts scotch). Also in this issue, best winter brews.

-Best Life (December/January) has a story by Sang Yoon (owner of Father's Office restaurants) on recommended champagnes.

-Sunset (November, which just showed up to my house in December) has 10 wine-based mini-esapes. In the December issue, there are three mocktails from Lucy Brennan of Mint and 820.

-Bon Appetit (January) lists the recipe for the Isle of Pines cocktail (pomegranate juice, rum, grapefruit juice), a list of essential bottles for the home bar, and a blurb on Mud Puddle Books' reprints.

- In 7x7 Magazine, Jordan Mackay has a story on half-bottles of wine, and another on hot drinks like the Spanish Coffee. The story and recipe are online. Also on the 7x7 website is a commercial eggnog taste test.

New Bars and Old New Bars

2008-12-18T12:11:38-08:00

San Franciscans should immediately leave work and run screaming to their local newsbox to pick up this week's San Francisco Bay Guardian. Why? Because you'll find me waiting for you inside. In the Scene insert I have two stories. One of them is on some new recommended bottles of booze. The other is on new watering holes that have opened in the city this year.

I realized that I've written the New Bars story for the past three years. Maybe it will be fun to compare my brilliant observations over the years. Let's find out:

New Bars Story 2006

"At least 15 bar-bars, five wine bars, and five clubs opened in the city, as did a bunch of restaurants that serve great drinks. It takes a strong liver to keep current, further blurring the line between journalism and alcoholism."
"Several bars went from upscale to downscale this year, proving that not every lounge needs to be ultra."
"Three more art bars opened in 2006, following the success of all the other art bars in town."
"American whiskey bars are big, big, big this year, and now there are three new venues in which you can order a sazerac cocktail or a rye Manhattan."
"A large number of new restaurants have such great cocktail programs they cause certain writers to spend inordinate amounts of time and money in them without ever trying the food."
"Now that every neighborhood in San Francisco has a wine bar or three, the new venues are starting to specialize."

New Bars Story 2007

"Whereas in previous years the lines between bars and art galleries got blurry, this year it’s hard to categorize venues as bars or restaurants or wine bars or cocktail lounges or nightclubs."
"Most of the new wine bars are not really bars at all, though- they’re either wine retail outlets with tasting bars inside, or they’re small plates restaurants by another name."
"Some of the best drinking is to be had in eateries with all those fresh fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients in the kitchen just begging to be muddled into cocktails where they belong."
"The line between bar and club blurs ever more when there is DJ and bottle service and they serve light appetizers and are open at 5PM. Clubs are opening earlier for increased happy hour drink sales and are demoting space for the dancefloor; in effect becoming cocktail bars with a club crowd."
"For a while, all the beer and wine-only bars were selling soju and sake cocktails in an attempt to stay trendy. This is still true at restaurants without full liquor licenses, but now we’re seeing more beer-focused venues that build the concept around the brew, not the food."
"It seems the least popular type of drinking establishment to open this year is the thing we used to know as a bar, where they don’t serve food (or the food only serves to keep you drinking, like the popcorn machine in Tenderloin bars) and there isn’t a dancefloor or cocktail waitresses or bottle service and there still exists a magic time called happy hour."

New Bars Story 2008

"Not too long ago I’d come home from a night of barhopping with ringing ears and smelling of cigarettes. Now half the time I get home reeking of braised calamari and elderflower with an earful of soft jazz. Most of the new watering holes to open this year were restaurants and hotel lobbies with extravagant bar programs and cocktail lists."
"Now that good drinks are in demand at every new restaurant, bartenders are barhopping from venue to venue."
"Though hotel lobby bars have traditionally been places to find traditional drinks, now many of them are promoting innovation and eco-cocktails."
"A different grape spirit, pisco, a brandy from Peru or Chile, is showing up on the menu at dozens of the best bars in the city."
"Since sitting quietly and sipping is the new raving until dawn, there isn’t too much point in building new warehouse nightclubs. Instead, a few older spots were freshened up and sometimes renamed."

Hopefully the full story will go online soon for the not-in-SF readers. In the meantime, check out CitySearch's Top 10 New Bars of 2008- which includes a few of them I missed.