Cider is a broad category. By definition, sour cider is “cider fermented with non-traditional yeast and bacteria, typically lactic and acetic acid, and wild-fermented,” Peter Clausen, production manager of 101 Cider House in Los Angeles, says. Clausen quite literally defined the category, assisting the United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM) in creating the definition […]
When it comes to whiskey, the first place that comes to mind is Kentucky. The Bluegrass State has been producing some of the tastiest whiskeys for centuries — in addition to other American whiskey powerhouses like Tennessee, and even Virginia. Now there’s a new breed of distillers emerging in an unexpected place. Garrison Brothers. Whitmeyer’s. […]
Irish whiskey has been on a tear over the past few years, with sales value increasing by 22 percent in the U.S. and 18.5 percent in all markets over the first half of 2017. But gin is the fastest-growing spirits category in Ireland. There are now 30 Irish brands available, and global exports tripled in […]
Steven Grasse has mastered the art of navigating the boundaries of the booze world. The FDA’s list of acceptable additives “tells you every single ingredient you’re allowed to use in a spirit,” Grasse says. “If it’s not on the list, you can’t use it. Unless… you can make a historical precedent for why you need […]
Dave Kyrejko loves beer. He also loves whiskey and science. And that’s where the monster comes in. “Yep, it’s the two-headed monster,” Kyrejko tells me. “That’s the official name.” We’re standing inside Interboro Spirits and Ales, an airy warehouse-turned-craft-brewery in an industrial stretch of East Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Many have tried to distill Portland’s essence, but few, other than perhaps Gus Van Sant, have done it well. Distillery Row, a collection of tasting rooms in the southeast area of the city, is another happy exception. After the early 2000s boomlet in craft distilling nationwide, Portland producers banded together in 2010 to create a […]
I was about five minutes into my tour of Casa Real, a family-owned distillery in Bolivia’s Tarija Valley, when I casually observed that its signature spirit, singani, sounded a lot like pisco. Both are made by distilling white wine, and both result in an alcohol suitable for sipping or mixing.
An iconic Scotch whisky, Lagavulin is synonymous with Islay’s signature peat. Its range spans golden pours aged in new American oak, amber single malts ideal for those presently or aspirationally wearing Shetland sweaters, and a rich, russet, sherry-aged distiller’s edition. Its celebrity fan base and pop cultural allure abet more than 200 years of history […]
Gin is an old spirit — “medicinal” juniper hooch dates back to the 13th century — but it’s an evolving category. Pleasantly flavorful botanical gins are now on the market, capturing the creativity of bartenders who consider them more versatile than the juniper-heavy dry gins that pretty much ruled the roost until the early aughts.
