Drinking in America

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We’re not the type of people who need a reason to drink. If we’re breathing that’s reason enough. But for those who need more, here you go:

 

1. Father’s Day: Here’s to all the dads out there. Lay off the lame gifts this year; get him something he really wants.
2. Man of Steel: The Superman reboot hit theaters today. We’ll drink to one of our childhood heroes… as long as the movie doesn’t suck.
3. National Bourbon Day: Need we say more? Pour yourself a glass and enjoy.
   
4. Tebow: We thought his 15 minutes of fame were up but he’s managed to be picked up by the Patriots. Cheers to you for staying in the spotlight, Tim.
5. NHL: The road to the Cup continues Saturday night. No matter what team you’re cheering for, grab a beer and watch the game.

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Bourbon has been around for hundreds of years, but it’s definitely been enjoying a renaissance of sorts. There has been a surge in popularity, with some distilleries even struggling to keep up with the demand. That’s why today, on National Bourbon Day, we’ve got a lot to celebrate.

 

First things first: Let’s clarify the difference between bourbon and whiskey, shall we?

 

Think back to high school geometry class where we learned that all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. Same thing goes for bourbon and whiskey; all bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbon. It probably makes your brain hurt, but it’s not too hard to understand – whiskeys are made from a fermented mash of grain (usually corn, rye, barley or wheat), but bourbon has to be made of at least 51% corn as part of its grain mash.

 

Some other facts include:

• Whiskey can age in re-used barrels. By law, bourbon must use new charred American white oak barrels.
• It can’t say “bourbon” on the label if it’s not distilled in the United States. (Go U.S.A.)
• It has to be distilled at less than 160 proof.
• Must be aged for a minimum of two years.
• Can’t have any additives except water.

 

Keeping all of the rules in mind, if you’re going to celebrate National Bourbon Day properly, you need a solid bottle of bourbon (duh). Some brands to keep an eye out for as you browse the liquor store shelves are:

• Bulleit Bourbon
• Jim Beam
• Old Pogue Bourbon
• Buffalo Trace
• Wild Turkey Bourbon

 

Serious bourbon drinkers may argue that the only way to drink bourbon is straight, but if you’re really more of a cocktail person or want to celebrate with someone who is, try making this light summer bourbon cocktail:

 

• Fill a glass with ice
• Add 3 tablespoons of bourbon and 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice
• Stir in 1/2 cup tonic water
• Garnish with a strip of the orange peel

 

However you choose to celebrate, we hope you have a great National Bourbon Day. (We know we will.)

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Not long ago we broke the news to you that Coors Light was releasing “the world’s most refreshing,” can. If you couldn’t tell we think it’s bullshit. Now we have another brand to mock…

 

This week Bud Light announced they would be testing a new vented can in the Louisville area. We know this isn’t second grade but we can almost hear the people at Coors Light whining, “MOM, he’s copying meeee.”

 

The new Bud cans feature a vent that gets punctured upon opening. (Just like the Coors can, which has two vents.)

 

So who’s vented can will reign supreme? Frankly, we think both will tank.

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How the Italians have kept the Aperol Spritz hidden from us for so long, we don’t know. But with our determination to uncover anything and everything alcoholic (and delicious), we bring to you the MOST refreshing drink for summer.

 

Traditionally, this drink was made with Campari and Olives, but the more modern adaptation includes Aperol and Oranges. For those of you who enjoy light, fruity cocktails, you’ll definitely prefer it this way:

• 3 parts Prosecco
• 2 parts Aperol
• 1 part club soda
• 1 orange slice
• Ice

 

It’s as easy as 3-2-1.

Now that you’re of a certain age, cheap ties and artistic creations aren’t going to cut it on Father’s Day. It was cute when you were younger, but now it’s time to give dad something he really wants: a liquor-themed gift. If you get your dad one of these for Father’s Day, you are guaranteed to move up to number one child status… for this year, anyway.

 

The Chillsner

This is a brand new fancy invention from our friends at Corkcicle. The Chillsner goes freezer for 45 minutes and thenen you just pop it into any normal beer bottle and the thermal coolant and airtight seal kick into gear. It’ll keep dad’s beer ice cold and if he stops drinking for a bit, it won’t go flat. We might get one for ourselves.

 

Italian Replica Globe Bar 

If your dad is a classy kind of guy this globe bar will be perfect for him. He can put it in his home office during the day to make him look like a man of the world, but when it’s time to have a drink or entertain, he can just pop the top off and get into his secret stash. We always knew that alcohol makes the world go-round, but this globe bar provides the proof.

 

Arctic Rocks

For dads that love a good whiskey on the rocks, but hate how diluted it gets when the ice melts, there are arctic whiskey rocks to give him the best of both worlds. These whiskey rocks need to be stored in the freezer for at least 4 hours, but when it’s time to drink, just add them to your drink. These pieces of hand-cut granite will keep the whiskey perfectly chilled without watering it down.

 

DIY Bacon and Habanero Infused Vodka

Just because dad doesn’t want a plaster cast of your handprint anymore doesn’t mean that he doesn’t appreciate a gift with a little effort behind it. We found an awesome recipe for Bacon and Habanero Infused Vodka that is certain to make him feel like the manliest of men. The only catch is that this vodka is supposed to steep for 7 days, and we obviously don’t have that much time left before Father’s Day. Luckily, they say 7 days makes it really spicy and that if you want something a little milder, you can steep for less time. We say make it and see how dad likes it. If he decides he wants to try the super spicy version, you’re all set for next Father’s Day.

 

Earlier this month, we talked about how some whiskey distilleries are having trouble keeping up with demand because of the time it takes to age whiskey properly. This is obviously a pretty big issue for smaller distilleries, but one Cleveland enterprise may have found a solution. It probably seems sacrilegious to some of you whiskey purists, but for the distillers, it could be their ticket to speeding up the process and getting their product on the shelves.

 

Tom Lix of Cleveland Whiskey has created a method of aging whiskey that takes less than six months, instead of the typical 10 years. The magic starts with Lix’s original bourbon recipe. He puts the whiskey into stainless steel tanks with chopped up pieces of the barrels it’s stored in. The pressure in the tanks is increased so the wood chips basically turn into sponges that soak up all the whiskey. Once the wood chips have soaked up as much as possible, they are squeezed out and the process is repeated.

 

The production time from bourbon to bottle is about six months. Cleveland Whiskey started selling its product on March 1, and they’ve already been selling about 1,000 bottles a week. And the flavor isn’t bad either. When tasted against some of its competitors, Lix said 60 to 70 percent of people chose Cleveland Whiskey.

 

Lix is hoping that his innovation in whiskey production will change the industry in America. It will be interesting to see if other distilleries begin using this method.

 

Do you think other distilleries will go down this quick aging whiskey road?

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Whether your feet are ready or not, it’s officially sandal season. That means it’s pedicure time, ladies. We went on the hunt for great salons/spas that don’t just give a mean pedicure, but also serve cocktails. That’s not so much to ask, right? If we’re going to pamper ourselves, we’re going all the way. Here’s what we found.

 

The Spa & Salon at Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs, CO

Garden of the Gods Club is a private ritzy country club, but you don’t need to be a member to visit their day spa. Go for their signature pedicure and you’ll receive a complimentary “cocktail of the month.” Pedicure + a free drink? We’re sold. If you aren’t a fan of whatever the monthly cocktail is, you can also order your favorite drink for a fee. Sit back and sip. This place is amazing.

 

Noir Cocktail Salon in Cheyenne, WY

This salon has the word “cocktail” in it’s name, so you know you’re not going to walk away thirsty. Noir is located right next door to a swanky restaurant so not only can you get a cocktail but also appetizers and entrees. All while getting your nails done. We suggest ordering a  ”Butterfinger” or “Caramel Apple,” to accompany your pedicure. Wednesday is also ladies night, so drop in for their drink specials.

 

The Blue Sapphire Spa in Port Jefferson, NY

Can you say, “Happy Hour Pedicure Collection“? The Blue Sapphire Spa has created a menu of specialty pedicures that are paired with specific cocktails. For example, if you order the “Margarita,” your feet get a citrus lime soak with fresh lime slices, citrus scrub and masque; your mouth will get an icy frozen margarita. There are nine different pedicure/cocktail combinations to choose from including Toasted Almond, Peppermint Twist, Pina Colada, and Appletini.

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We love seeing flavor trends in our craft beer. Anything from bacon to apple we’ll drink it. But lately brewers have become obsessed with one ingredient we never saw coming: cucumbers.

 

We told you about Twisted Pines Cucumber Cream Ale not long ago and now its got two new cucumber-inspired beers to join it.

 

The first comes from Goose Island. Their new Cucumbersome Pilsner is a classic pilsner style beer that’s been dry hopped with the green veggies. The beer is the latest addition to their special Fulton and Wood series. Aka it’s draft only and Chicago only. You’ll have to take a trip to the Windy City for one.

 

Taking a note from Twisted Pines and Goose Island, Angel City Brewery is adding cucumber’s counterpart, the pickle, to their latest release (yup, they went there). Brewer Joe Moakley is obsessed with pickles so he decided to combine his secret pickle recipe and their Berliner Weiss to bring us Pickle Weiss. The L.A. based brewery will have the beer on tap for a limited time this summer.

 

And just when you thought we were done, there’s more. Black Box Brewing Co. is bringing back their famous Cucumber Belgian White Wheat after a three-year hiatus. We know you all missed it.

 

Have you ever tried cucumber beer before? Tell us about it below.

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We like having nutrition labels on foods, but we’ve never really considered the fact that wine, beer and spirit manufacturers aren’t required to put labels on their beverages. That, however, may change soon if the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau gets its way. They proposed a labeling rule back in 2007, but there hasn’t been any kind of action taken until now. Guidelines have been released for how wine, beer and liquor companies can tell consumers about the calories, carbohydrates, proteins and fats inside a bottle. Right now all of this is completely voluntary, but it seems like it could be a first step in creating an actual requirement.

 

On the plus side, people deserve to know what they’re putting in their bodies. Some manufacturers are actually kind of excited about this because they know consumers are progressively seeking more detailed information about nutrition, so this is their chance to grab the health conscious people if their drink has lower calories or carbs. Consumers want to make educated choices, and adding labels to alcohol bottles gives them that option.

 

On the other hand, some people just don’t really care. For many people, knowing the nutrition facts behind their favorite whiskey isn’t really going to make a big difference in their drinking habits. Lots of drinkers have their favorites and the calorie count isn’t going to change that for them. Most people know that alcohol isn’t a health food, so why are they going to care? It’s like when we eat an entire family size bag of chips for dinner – we know it’s not healthy, but we’re not checking the nutrition label to mull over the serving size and contemplate how much sodium we’re ingesting. When it’s time to eat chips, it’s time to eat chips. And when it’s time to drink, it’s time to drink.

 

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the long run. We want to see who voluntarily adds the nutrition labels to their product and how the public responds. Do you want nutrition labels?

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We’ve been down the flavored whisky road before. Honey, cinnamon, botanical, the possibilities are endless (unfortunately). Now our friends from the North are bringing us four more flavors.

 

This past week, Canadian Mist announced the launch of Mist Flavors in the U.S. The new collection includes four whisky flavors: Peach, Cinnamon, Vanilla and Maple, all combos of Canadian Mist whisky and liqueur flavoring.

 

Debuting this summer, Mist Flavors will be available in select states for $9.99 a bottle (cheap whisky, cheap price). Apparently, you can sip them neat or add them to a cocktail. We think they’re just a gross sugary attempt to keep up with the big names like Jack Daniel’s and Crown Royal.

 

We can pretty much guarantee these will be nasty. Can anyone confirm or deny?