Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Why doesn't Yelp have a "drink specials during the day" search function?

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Oscar Night Cocktails

Roll out the red carpet for these taste-winning spirited drinks.

from The Spirit


The Black Swan 
Fittingly, we're turning to the classics to toast this classical ballet thriller. The White Russian is the perfect match: light battling dark with grace. Fully embrace your dark side by using a black vodka, such as Blavod. And if you'd like to break out the bubbly for this one, make sure to pour in some Guinness first to make a Black Velvet.




The Fighter
Yes, the obvious choice here is a punch. Better yet, make it a Bloody Rum Punch. Or you might want to put some weight behind it and throw down an Alambama Slammer. One-two, three or four, these are knockout drinks. Or if you're not one for fussing, just make it your best Irish.

Inception
What else has the mind-altering power to bend reality and invade your dreams? How about the infamous spirit absinthe? Don't let that "green fairy" fool you -- this is around 70 per cent proof and while it has been legal in the U.S. for the past few years, take this slow and go with the traditional sugar and cold-water drip. If you can't get hold of absinthe, try for Pernod and man up for a Big Barnacle Bill. 





Toy Story 3
This may be a G-rated movie, but there are some very adult themes covered in this animated masterpiece! But if you need to keep your drinks as soft as the toys, mix up a mocktail. That's right, no alcohol, and a fruit-juice base. You could also try for healthier alternative, such as a coconut water cocktail. Oh alright, if you need a little something to get you through all those speeches, go for a Legal Shirley Temple

True Grit
OK, this one's too easy. Wild Turkey actually created a drink in honor of True Grit and Jeff Bridges' character, so why not take up the suggestion and rustle up The Rooster? The bourbon-based drink literally has that gritty edge: the glass is rimmed with salt. Or, if you want to spice things up, brace yourself for the Red Rooster Sour, which includes spicy mango chutney, chili salt and red pepper skin-soaked bitters. 


Winter's Bone 
We know you'll thank us for throwing you a bone and letting you know what this quiet achiever's about: a girl hunting down her drug-dealing dad through the Ozark Mountains to protect her family and save their home. Yes, this bleak tale might make you turn to drink. Set the scene with some Ragged Mountain Rum and then channel your own old man with some "old man classics" such as a Rusty Nail, Salty Dog or Boilermaker.  

The Kids Are All Right
So this is a movie about artificial insemination, and what happens afterward. Can you blame us if the first cocktail-related thing that comes to mind is egg white? Yes, we're going there. It may be a controversial topic in some circles, as the movie's themes may also be, but there's no denying egg white in cocktails adds something special, a unique feel-good frothiness. And perhaps many moms might like to take the edge off while playing innocent, with a cocktail disguised as coffee or a milkshake. 

The King's Speech
No-one knows the pressure of making a great speech more than Oscar winners and this movie's subject. To show your support, you could follow the king's lead and opt for a restorative shot of whiskey (and a Hot Toddy can help to soothe sore throats and nerves). Or perhaps you'd like to plump for Pimm's, a quintessentially English drink, or take time for a civilized tea-based cocktail

127 Hours
You might be wise to watch this with a bit of liquid courage in you. We'd like to raise a toast to the crazy-heroic mountain climber Aron Ralston. Lots of anything on the rocks makes for a suitable stiff drink.

The Social Network
Social networks are all about sharing (and oversharing), and what is easier to share than a pitcher drink or a bowl of punch? Also, like at school parties, spike the punch with enough booze and you may well end up off your face and on Facebook.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

World's Oldest Beer Will Soon Be Replicated

London, Feb 9 (ANI): Samples of the world’s oldest beer-found in 2010-have been taken for a scientific study to be conducted to determine its recipe – and brew it again.

In July last year, a Baltic Sea shipwreck-dated between 1800 to 1830-yielded many bottles of what is thought to be the world’s oldest champagne. Five of the bottles later proved to be the oldest drinkable beer yet found.

The local government of the Aland island chain where the wreck was found has now commissioned a scientific study to unpick the beer’s original recipe, reports the BBC.

Divers found the two-mast ship at a depth of about 50 metres in the Aland archipelago, which stretches between the coasts of Sweden and Finland in the Baltic Sea. The ship was believed to be making a journey between Copenhagen in Denmark and St Petersburg, then the capital of Russia.

“They said that it did taste very old, which is no surprise, with some burnt notes. But it was quite acidic – which could mean there’s been some fermenting going on in the bottle and with time it’s become acid,” said Annika Wilhelmson of the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT).

“We’re going to try to see if we can find any living yeast or other microbial cells, because that would be very interesting with respect to reproducing the beer.

“If we can’t find living microbes, we will look at the DNA and try to compare it to brewing yeasts that we know today, to see how similar or different the yeasts are,” said Wilhelmson. (ANI)

From Truth Dive

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Get a Sponsor for Your Next Party

You don't have to throw a Star Jones wedding or rock star it up in Vegas to get a sponsor for your next party. House Party brings a collection of brands who want you to try them and share them with your friends. Just sign up and they'll pair you with a product. The over 21 version includes brands like Tapena Wine, Jack Daniel's and Sauza Tequila.

Paparazzi not included.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

New York's First All-Keg Wine


Reposted from Tasting Table



 






Gotham Project Wines





 
Thanks to Gotham Project--a new collaboration between winemaker Charles Bieler (of Three Thieves fame) and Bruce Schneider of Long Island's Schneider Vineyards--our ideas about the keg are about to change.

The team recently formed New York's first all-keg wine company, transplanting the frat-house drinking device to some of the city's top bars and restaurants.

Its original release--a Riesling from the Finger Lakes--is a vibrant, juicy white already on tap at spots like the John Dory Oyster Bar, Red Rooster, Terroir Tribeca and Blue Ribbon Brooklyn. Low in alcohol and utterly fresh, it's the perfect beverage for this format: In other words, it goes down with such ease that you'll probably want more than a glass (or two).

Gotham Project's devotion to the keg represents more than just novelty: The 20-liter containers cause a lower environmental impact and prevent oxidation, keeping the juice fresh for months. Better yet, the reduced price of packaging and shipping trickles down to equal savings for the drinker.

Within the next few months, the team plans to release The Fork, a Merlot-based blend from Long Island's North Fork, as well as a 2010 Sauvignon Blanc from Chile.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Finishing School for Drinkers

It's the kind of school that would make Emily Post proud. There's a new Facebook app that offers bartenders of all levels a guide to making a better cocktail. Instead of balancing books on your head, Finlandia Vodka's Finnishing School (get it? Two "n's". Ha.) offers shakers tips and trips to balance the perfect drink. The instructors are no slouches either. Tony Abou-Ganim and Dale DeGroff support the instruction, so you know you're learning from the best.

This app is one of the more robust Facebook attempts I've seen. It allows users an engaging experience without jumping all over the place. The video lessons look as though they have a time stamp, so watch the videos while you can.

Cheers!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Virtual Tasting

Avoid the cold and taste from the comfort of your computer (and in your underwear if that's your thing). Zonin Winery, thanks to the modern age, is hosting a virtual tasting via Snooth on February 2nd.

Buy your bottles of Zonin Prosecco, Ca'Bolani Pinot Grigio, Castello d'Albola Chianti Classico and
Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti DOC and tune in for tasting led by Francesco Zonin (of Italy's Zonin Winery) and Snooth's Editor-in-Chief Gregory Dal Piaz.

Cheers (virtually)!