I helped judge the San Francisco semi-finals of the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience this week. The competition took place at Tradition in the Tenderloin, and my co-judges were Dave Smith, distiller at St. George Spirits, and Mollie Casey. Director of Spirit and Fortified Wine Sales for The Henry Wine Group.... Read more →
Toronto Cocktail Week runs October 1-7, 2013. I'll be there for part of that week and giving three talks at the Drake Hotel, and they're all *free* so come on up! TCW ICE ICE BABY SEMINAR A look at the ice obsession Ice is an element in nearly every cocktail... Read more →
Today's post is written by Lou Bustamante. Lou is a contributor to publications including the SF Chronicle, SF Weekly and Wine & Spirits. Taking over a funky neighborhood spot known for its kitschy décor, drag shows, and cheap drinks to turn it into sleek bar led by well-known bartenders requires... Read more →
In my latest post for Details.com I wrote about how we went from 0 to 8 maple-flavored whiskies in no time flat. The piece also looks at the flavored whiskey trend in general that really kicked off with Red Stag then went through cinnamon and honey flavor phases. This fall... Read more →
In the industry publication FSR Magazine (as in Full Service Restaurant) I have a story about after-dinner drinks. Finessing the Grand Finale SPIRITS // CAMPER ENGLISH After-dinner drinks explore new directions On many restaurant menus, after-dinner drinks are also an after-thought. But as the cocktail renaissance continues, bartenders are rethinking... Read more →
The cocktail bar Bergerac will open this Saturday, but I had a small preview of some of the drinks on the menu courtesy of Russell Davis who is the mixology consultant on the project. Davis worked at Rio Grande, created the program at Ice Cream Bar, and is a guest... Read more →
I'm researching tonic water for a story so I purchased the book Quinine: Malaria and the Quest for a Cure that Changed the World by Fiammetta Rocco. The book was previously published with the title The Miraculous Fever Tree, so don't be a dummy like me and order both. The... Read more →
This post was sponsored by PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur but written by me. I was thinking about the definition of a cocktail modifier recently and it inspired further thought: a modifier is defined by its use rather than what is in it. Last year I tried to come up with a... Read more →