I was interviewed for a story in the San Jose Mercury News about the Bloody Mary that just came out. It's paywalled but they often syndicate their stories so I'll share another link later if possible. I expressed an opinion on a few things, such as how infusing the vodka... Read more →
I contributed the recipe for the Gin & Tonic in Jim Meehan's new book The Bartender's Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar. I did so at his request, given my history writing about the cocktail. In the process of researching the recipe, I considered four gins, three tonics,... Read more →
This review that I wrote first appeared on AlcoholProfessor.com. Boozy Book Review: Malört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit by Josh Noel Jeppson's Malört is a famously disgusting liqueur from Chicago. It’s the drink that your party friends force you to try when you visit them, or sometimes... Read more →
This review first appeared on AlcoholProfessor.com. Boozy Book Review: The Absinthe Forger by Evan Rail The history of absinthe is filled with drama. The spirit was created as a medicine but was adopted recreationally, particularly in France in the late 1800s. It became more popular than it might have been... Read more →
I taught 50 students how to cut ice diamonds over three different one-hour sessions this year at Portland Cocktail Week! Campari Academy generously sponsored the classes and provided all students with a copy of The Ice Book at the end. Here are just a few pictures. Read more →
This story that I wrote first appeared on AlcoholProfessor.com. A New Era for San Francisco’s Iconic Starlite In early 2024, Starlite, the top-floor lounge in the Beacon Grand Hotel in San Francisco’s Union Square, reopened after a renovation. In its heyday, the venue was the hottest club in town, but... Read more →
I wrote my take on this subject for The AlcoholProfessor, where the story first appeared. Why is Distilled Alcohol Called Spirits? The word “spirit” has many definitions but most center around either the idea of the conscious self as opposed to the physical body; or an attitude, as in “the... Read more →
This story was originally published on AlcoholProfessor.com. From Salad in a Glass to Centrifuge: A Cocktail Evolution Recently I was thinking about the early years of the craft cocktail renaissance, and how many of the drinks were quite… chunky. And I realized that we can track a lot of the... Read more →