MEZCAL: Liquid Art

How one man’s beautiful obsession sparked a rebirth of the Americas’ oldest spirit. You find yourself tearing down a seemingly endless dirt road—a rooster tail of dust marking a chaotic path as your body jolts athwart the backseat. The oscillating radio signal renders faint traces of a narco-ballad on the blown out speakers of Ron […]

Is Beer the Next Wine?

If you’ve slowly moved away from drinking beer toward the more interesting and varied world of wine and spirits, it may be time to revisit the beer aisle—but it won’t be for just another six-pack of Bud or Mille Lite. Things have changed in the beer world. Although U.S. wine consumption recently outpaced that of beer for the first time ever, most of that gain came from the mega brands, in terms of lost market share.

Several forces are at work to get you back to the joys of beer drinking. Local brewpubs are nothing new but they have expanded to the suburbs in most cities, bringing fresh, interesting “craft” brews to more people. And the quality seems to consistently improve. Import lines increase every year. From Belgian Ale to Oatmeal Stouts and Smoked Beers, things are getting a lot more exciting. In the case of “Extreme” beers with unheard of alcohol levels, some as high as 20 per cent, things get much more exciting.

A Personal Recollection of the Days of Prohibition – Making Home-Brew, Moonshine and Bathtub Gin

During this period, I had some first-hand experience, having been a high school student during the later years. Wine was quite popular with the Italians, who made their own powerful, so-called “Dago Red.” For just everyday drinking, beer was the most popular. It was easily produced as home-brew which, if carefully made as my father did, resulted in a good brew, as attested to by his co-workers who often assembled at our home for a beer party, much to the chagrin of my mother. My brother and I had the responsibility for bottling the brew when father said it was ready

Maker’s Mark Bourbon and Bill Samuels, Jr.

Bourbon and Whiskey The consumption of fine spirits continues to grow as does the consumption of fine wines.  More and more people who enjoy quality wines and good food, are also learning the pleasures of great spirits.  Whisky refers to liquors distilled from grain, including Scotch, Irish, Bourbon, Tennesse, Rye and Canadian.  While Scotch spells […]