Do you ever find yourself getting bored with your go-to booze? When you’ve grown tired of that mundane drink order, we’ll be here to walk you through what’s new and noteworthy this week:
Absolut Oak: Who needs bourbon when you can drink bourbon-flavored vodka? For all of you too timid to brave the fiery burn that comes with drinking whiskey, scotch, or bourbon you should try Absolut’s newest vodka flavor: Absolut Oak. Like bourbon, this vodka is aged in oak barrels but just for about 6 months, while bourbons are aged for longer periods (around 2 years or more). It is crafted to imitate a bourbon, but it is much smoother, lighter, and easier to drink. Absolut Oak is very tasty on the rocks, but it is also perfect for cocktails. Whip up an Oak ‘n’ Coke or a Moscow Mule. It gives drinks that smoky, fiery bourbon-feeling but it’s not as intense as the real thing.
Chilgrove Vodka: This October, Chilgrove Spirits is launching their new edition of vodka. This bottle is very unique. Unlike most vodka that is from potatoes, this is distilled from grapes. This is the first ever UK vodka to be distilled from grapes. However, it has no actual grape flavor. It is a neutral vodka with a very clean and crisp flavor. The grape alcohol base gives the vodka a smoother taste and a hint of fruit when you smell it. Make sure to buy your bottle fast because there are only 3,500 that have been produced!
Welcome to Scoville Jalapeño IPA: If you drink Jalapeño Margaritas, this is another spicy invention you need to try: Jalapeño IPA. Brewed by Jailbreak Brewing Company, this artisanal style IPA combines mildly bitter hops, fresh jalapeño peppers, and cilantro. When you first open your can, you can definitely smell the jalapeños. However, once you sip it, there is no burn or bitterness as the smell would lead you to believe. This brew is light-bodied and very refreshing. If you don’t like spicy foods, don’t worry, this beer won’t burn your mouth or make you pair you beer with a glass of water. Instead, you taste a moderate hop bitterness with grain and caramel flavors with hints of pepper in the aftertaste.
Guinness Nitro IPA: The brewers at Guinness are finally drinking something other than Guinness Extra Stout. As of this month, Guinness has another creamy beer for everyone to try, but guess what, it’s an IPA. These brilliant brewers have concocted something quite amazing. Instead of infusing the beer with carbon dioxide like most IPAs, Guinness is sticking with their signature nitrogen infusion, resulting in a new and exciting formula that all IPA lovers must try. Brewed in Dublin, it has 5 varieties of hops from Europe and America and the very same yeast that is at the heart of the taste of Guinness. The result is a velvety, smooth feeling in your mouth and a dense and creamy head of foam to top it off. Guinness Nitro IPA is available on tap at select bars across the country as well as in cans of six packs. Don’t be scared if you find something in the bottom of your can! Guinness adds a widget (looks just like a Ping-Pong ball) to balance the mixture of gas and liquid inside the can. That’s what makes that beautiful pop sound when you open your can of beer. To enhance the flavors and the aromas from nitrogenation, pour your beer into a famous Guinness Gravity glass
Big A Double IPA: Last year, Smuttynose Brewing Company’s Big A Double IPA sadly took a year-long hiatus from production. But now, it’s back, and all year round! This brew has been rated one of the best tasting IPAs in the country, so it should be available at all times. Smuttynose will start selling Big A on October 1. It smells citrusy and fruity, and the taste is sweet with a strong piney finish. It’s big bodied but not as heavy as other IPAs.