Pinot Noir is equal parts awe-inspiring and infuriating. In cooler climates, it produces complex, elegant wines. When temperatures are too hot, however, or grapes don’t receive enough attention in the vineyard and winery, things can quickly turn jammy and overly alcoholic. In America, Pinot Noir is the third most planted wine grape. It can be […]
In February 2018, photogenic friends George Clooney and Rande Gerber launched Casamigos Mezcal, a joven iteration of the ancient Mexican agave spirit. It retails for $59.99. Clooney and Gerber are not the only estadosunidenses embracing mezcal. In the last five years, shipments to the U.S. have reportedly quadrupled.
In 2016, Sapporo debuted Sapporo Black, the first dark beer sold by the company in more than 140 years of existence. It was “an astounding success,” a spokesperson told me at the time. It’s true: It’s a good beer. German for “black beer,” schwarzbier is traditionally a light-bodied, low-alcohol, roasty dark lager brewed with Munich […]
There is no bad time to drink whiskey. Statistically, however, we tend to consume cocktails made with brown spirits more as temperatures cool. According to Google Trends, searches for “Old Fashioned cocktail” and “Manhattan cocktail” soar from November to February annually. In advance of this year’s Old Fashioned and Manhattan season, we tasted an array of […]
Sweet, spiced, and umami-rich, Bloody Marys are an important fixture at any brunch. But with a sizable list of ingredients, preparing the perfect mix at home can be a tall order. Thankfully, there’s a broad selection of high-end, pre-made Bloody Mary mixes available to consumers. We gathered a panel of five beverage industry experts and […]
A U.K.-based brewery called Jubel Beer recently released its first brew, a peach-infused lager called Alpine. Jubel’s founders claim Alpine fills a void in the market, saying beer is “too boring” (!) and cider is “too sweet.” Well, we have news for you, Jubel. Peach beer is already popular among seasoned beer drinkers. Belgium’s Lindemans […]
For many of us, autumn means getting equal parts excited and infuriated by pumpkin spice lattes and back-to-school specials. For beer lovers, it means Oktoberfests. Oktoberfestbier, or festbier, is another term for Märzen lager, a German style that was historically brewed in March, to be enjoyed during the fall harvest. The beer style is characteristically […]
With an array of custom mixers available for home and professional bars, even the simplest cocktails entail choices. The Moscow Mule, created by Smirnoff in 1941, has just three ingredients: vodka, ginger beer, and fresh lime juice. Although vodka is generally perceived as tasteless, we discovered months back that different spirits brands absolutely affect the taste […]
Wheat beers get a bad rap. For light lager devotees, wheat ales, witbiers, and “whites” are hazy, fragrant mysteries. For IPA lovers, they’re banished as boring. In reality, the best American wheat ales are as nuanced, tasty, and refreshing.
