I had drinks the other week with Robin Coupar, the US brand manager for The Glenrothes. I've sampled The Glenrothes at various whisky events in the past and noticed that they vintage date their expressions, but hadn't thought much about what that means. It means a few things. What follows... Read more →
Since I was getting many press releases for New Year's Events, I started putting them together on one page- it's over on the right under "Hot Links," or you can just click here. I'm not trying to cover everything, but taking the lazy approach and putting up the listings for... Read more →
Conventional cocktail book indexes are poor substitutions for databases, because in very of few of them can you look up a drink by ingredient. And when you can, it's only by base ingredient- gin, vodka, etc., instead of the mixer or modifier. I often want to look up drinks with... Read more →
I recently spoke with Erik Adkins (Slanted Door, Flora) who is the bar manager of the soon-to-open Charles Phan (Slanted Door's chef/owner) restaurant next to the Soma Grand building on Mission Street. After much wavering on the name (the code name was "Phantom" at one point, get it), they seem... Read more →
Congratulations to San Francisco's Neyah White, who took home the top prize at the 2008 Vinos de Jerez Cocktail Competition with his Sherry Shrub. As we know, a shrub usually equals vinegar plus a fruit of some sort. I don't know what the other ingredients were in the drink but... Read more →
Moet & Chandon has a new service where you can bedazzle your bottle with Swarovski crystals for gifting or keeping. You can choose from a 750ml or 1.75 liter bottle and a couple of types of champagne, and pick one or (on the 1.75) two lines of text up to... Read more →
Gift Week on Alcademics continues with Frivolous Friday- the day for expensive and awesome stuff! Eventually you fill all of your kitchen cabinets and need to start storing bottles in the living room, which is where this Modine Bar from Pottery Barn comes in. It has hidden wheels, a built-in... Read more →
We interrupt Gift Week on Alcademics for a very special announcement. The second installment of the Fifth Floor's "Three on Five" pairing battle will take place next week! For a chance to win TWO tickets to this event, see below. On Wednesday, December 17th at 7:30PM, a new pairing challenge... Read more →