Tag Archives: New year

5 Reasons to Drink This Weekend

5 Reasons To Drink This Weekend / December 23, 2016 / No Comments.

1) It’s Christmas! Most of you have a few days off. This means more time to drink. You’re holiday shopping is officially over. This weekend is a perfect time to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. But let’s get real- sometimes family and friends can stress you out. A stiff cocktail will fix that.

2) 2017 is basically here. New year, new you? Honestly, this saying is definitely over used but the meaning behind it still holds true. Try something new this year. And by something new, we mean a new cocktail.

3) Hanukkah begins at sundown on Saturday. Get your menorahs, bake up some latkes and start spinning your dreidels. And don’t forget to grab some Chinese food and head to the movie theaters on Christmas day. Oh and even more important, don’t forget the booze.

4) It’s officially winter. The first day of winter was on Wednesday. There’s no denying it now. Even with the up and down temperatures (especially in New England), we are coming to terms that fall is really gone. We plan on keeping warm until March with lots and lots of booze.

5) It’s the weekend. Do you need any more reason than that?!

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Cocktail Corner: Ginger Cosmopolitan

Cocktail Corner / January 6, 2016 / No Comments.

Everyone always stresses out about deciding on a New Year’s resolution. Whether it’s to exercise more or to stop eating so many sweets, resolutions usually revolve around one’s health. And we get that. We don’t know about all of you, but we definitely spent most of 2015 with a drink in one hand and a snack in the other. So let’s make a toast to 2016 together with a deliciously fresh low-calorie cocktail:

Ginger Cosmopolitan: (1 serving)

1 tbsp. fresh chopped ginger
2 oz. vodka
1 oz. triple sec
1 oz. white cranberry juice
½ oz. fresh lime juice
lime wedge

Muddle the ginger, vodka and triple sec in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add ice, white cranberry juice and lime juice. Shake well then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

Recipe from inspiredtaste.net

Man Cave: The Chambong

Man Cave / December 29, 2015 / No Comments.

Okay, bear with us. Take yourself back in time to your early college days. You rolled up to a house party, squad deep, thinking you’re tough sh**. Within 5 minutes, someone hands you a massive funnel, which you later learn was called a beer bong, and challenged you to drink a whole beer. You accepted. Before you knew it, you had beer dripping from your face and all over your clothes. Way to go slick.

Fast forward to present day. You haven’t fully outgrown your binge-drinking years, but would never be caught dead with a beer bong in hand for fear of some serious judgement. Well, we have just the perfect alternative.

Enter: the champagne bong. Or, more formally, the Chambong.

This incredibly classy, uber dainty invention allows you to toss back some bubbly faster than you can say, “New Years resolution.” You still have time to get your hands on one before the clock strikes 2016, so make sure you do. That way, you’ll almost be as cool as the models in their latest promo video. Goals, right?

This Year In Drinking: A Recap

Our Stories / December 28, 2015 / No Comments.

In 2015, we saw record-breaking feats, groundbreaking spectacles, and back-breaking stunts. We saw donuts get licked, babies get born, balls get deflated, and people run (and stumble) for president. But maybe most importantly, we watched as alcohol continued to fill our lives with joy. 2015 was a badass year for drinking, and it looks like 2016 might be even better. Refresh your memory with our yearly recap, and set your sights on the future with our exciting predictions for next year.

In 2015…

Vodka and Whiskey Ruled the World
Vodka has always sat at the top of the pig pile when it comes to sales, distributing over 72 million cases in 2015. Whiskey was close behind, selling over 51 million cases this year. The top brands are quite predictable, with Absolut, Smirnoff, and Jack Daniels pulling in the big bucks.

Tequila Is on the Rise
Tequila is quickly gaining popularity, selling 15 million cases this year, which is up almost 30% since 2010. This is SUPER exciting, as drinkers (read: millenials) are starting to choose their alcohols based on taste, age, and origin, rather than convenience and/or price.

All Isn’t As It Seems with Gin
Don’t believe what you read when it comes to gin sales. Selling 10 million cases this year doesn’t sound impressive when compared to vodka and whiskey; however, gin is making a comeback ever so slightly. The classic cocktail, a gin&tonic, used to be reserved for grandparents and Europeans, but little by little, millennials are appropriating the drink. We can’t complain.

Beer
The biggest news in the industry happened behind close doors, with the merger of AB InBev and SABMiller. We haven’t really seen effects of this in the liquor store or at the local bar, and we’d like to keep it that way. Meanwhile, craft beer is still growing, with Yuengling and Boston Beer (Sam Adams) as the two largest craft brews.

In 2016…

Drinking Will Get More Colorful
Flavored spirits, most notably vodka, will step out from the shadows and gain some credibility. We’ve seen it begin with Deep Eddy’s, and are excited to see who will follow in their footsteps.

Quality over Quantity
Drinkers will pay more attention to the quality of their drinks. This began with the emergence of craft beer, continued with the whiskey renaissance, and will be perpetuated by who knows what. But in any case, we can’t wait.

Hometown Love
Get local or get out. That’s what we’ll be hearing in many industries this coming year, and the alcohol industry is no exception. While certain drinks come with origins, (Champagne, Tennessee Whiskey, Kentucky Bourbon), we might see this lose its importance as small breweries, wineries, and distilleries pop up anywhere and everywhere.

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5 Reasons To Drink This Weekend

5 Reasons To Drink This Weekend / January 2, 2015 / No Comments.

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. Resolutions: It’s only day 2 of 2015 and we’re willing to bet you’ve given up on that ‘drink less alcohol’ plan. If you’re going to fail, might as well do it with gusto.

2. Salt: The bottom of Morton Salt Factory’s grocery bag broke this week, leaving cars buried underneath wayyy more salt than you need for a tequila shot. It’ll take a long time, but we believe we can drink enough Margaritas to make sure it doesn’t all go to waste.

3. Las Vegas: They got a little bit of snow on New Year’s Eve. Snow. In the desert. We don’t know what the odds were on that, but we’re willing to bet someone made a lot of money.

4. Playoffs: The NFL Playoffs start this weekend. Take it, Jim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3-eavMSBnk

5. You Can Rally: If you did New Years Eve right, you had a nasty hangover yesterday. We were right there with you. But what kind of people would we be if we gave up now – when there’s still 2 perfectly good nights to drink ahead of us?

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HAAPPPPYYYYY NEW YEAR!

Our Stories / January 1, 2015 / No Comments.

FIVE

FOUR

THREE

TWO

ONE

HAAPPPPYYYYY NEW YEAR!

We’re assuming that last night went a little something like that for you. After hours of drinking, reminiscing, laughing, crying, and more drinking, you’re probably not feeling too hot right now. Not to fear, you have all of 2015 to get back into the swing of things.

Here at Drinking In America, we’d would like to thank you for another great year, and can’t wait to talk booze for another 365 glorious days. Meetchya back here soon, but for now, get some sleep.

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2015 Preview

Beer / December 21, 2014 / No Comments.

We’ve told you what we loved about 2014 brands and trends, but aren’t you just dying to know what to expect in the New Year? Here are a few things to look forward to once you get through spending the holidays with your family.

Old Friends:

Expect a return of the Boilermaker to some bars. The classic beer and shot of whiskey combo is an acquired taste, but it gets the job done. Assuming the job is to get sufficiently drunk.

New Friends:

You’ll be making more than one double take as you browse the liquor store aisles. Brands are making their bottles more eye-catching and fun. You can’t judge a book by its cover, but we’d be lying if we said the same about liquor.

Hometown Heroes:

Craft brewing has been huge these past few years, and it’s not going away any time soon. Distilleries are in on the game now and pleasing the hipsters even more with organic ingredients. Plan to drink local in 2015.

Of All The Gin Bars In All The World:

Gin. Gin. Gin. Infused or in a new cocktail, it’s going to be EVERYWHERE. If you’ve never been a fan, it’s time to hop on the bandwagon.

There’s sure to be more surprises ahead of us, but one thing we can absolutely agree on is that next year is going to be ever drunker than the last.

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Chinese New Year 2014 Cocktails

Cocktails / January 31, 2014 / No Comments.

Today marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year and the 15-day celebration of the year of the Horse. Though obviously extremely popular in China, the Chinese New Year is becoming a big deal in countries like the United States as well. Why? It’s just a fun time to celebrate the new year and to enjoy feasting, family, and friends. That is a holiday we can certainly get behind. Whether the Chinese New Year is something you’ve always celebrated, or you’re just learning about it now, here are some festive cocktails to help you get the party started:

Reunion

This recipe from the Time Out Kuala Lumpur blog is definitely a recipe to share with your friends. It’s also a really interesting combination of sweet and sour flavors that’s served with traditional Chinese bowls and spoons.

Mix all of the follow ingredients in some type of punch bowl:

2 parts Tanqueray 10 gin
1/2 part fresh lemon juice
1/2 part apple syrup
1 part peach puree
1 part peach liqueur
1 part of packet chrysanthemum tea

Mix everything up and garnish with strawberry slices, apple slices and orange slices.

The Red Runner

Red is the color of the Chinese New Year, so The Red Runner cocktail is a perfect fit for this celebration.

Combine 1 1/2 oz. Silver Tanduay Asian Rum, 1 1/2 oz. tart cherry juice, and 1/2 oz. lemongrass simple syrup over ice and shake well.

Pour into a rocks glass and top with ginger ale and a cherry.

Gosling’s Ginger Ale Cocktail

This ginger ale cocktail is legit because you actually have to make your own ginger syrup and candied ginger before mixing up your drink. Be sure to follow the full recipe on Marie Claire, but once you have those ingredients ready, here’s how to complete your cocktail:

Full a tall glass almost full with ice and then with club soda.

Pour 2 Tbsp. ginger syrup down the side of the glass to create a layer of syrup on the bottom.

Add about 4 tsp. orange juice and the juice of 1/2 lime.

Carefully add 2 Tbsp. rum, floating it in a layer on top. There should be three visible, distinct layers: syrup, club soda and citrus juice, and rum.

Garnish each glass with a lime wedge and a slice of candied ginger hanging over the rim. Serve each drink with a straw and tell you guests to mix layers with the straw before drinking.

We’re kicking off this weekend with a few drinks in honor of the Chinese New Year. Mix up a few with friends and cheers to the year of the Horse.

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Alcohol Trends We’re Looking Forward to in 2013

Our Stories / January 1, 2013 / No Comments.

Happy 2013, drinking buddies! A new year means lots of opportunities to try new drink trends and we’ve been hearing some good buzz from the industry experts. Here are a few things we think are looking forward to this year:

• Sweet Wines, like Moscato and a range of sweet and medium red blends. It’s been rising in popularity over the last couple of years, but it’s expected to really shine in 2013.

• Bottle Shops, bringing an upscale turn for retailers.

• Outdoor and Indoor Beer Gardens, with the goal of offering relaxed settings to hang out and enjoy good food and drinks.

• Digital Menus for beer, wine and spirits. This has been building over time as well and is beginning to become more widely adopted across the nation. Digital menus can come in many different forms from a big, digital beer menu on the wall at a bar to an iPad wine list brought directly to your dinner table.

• On-site Barrel Aged Drinks, meaning everything from beer, wine, liquor and even full out cocktails.

• Local, local, local. We’re talking locally produced spirits, beer, and using local fruit/produce. Also keep an eye out for regional signature cocktails to keep with the local theme.

We obviously have our favorite drinks, but it’s always fun to see what’s new and different on the drinking scene. Woohoo – cheers to 2013.

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5 Reasons To Drink This Weekend

Our Stories / December 28, 2012 / No Comments.

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. 2013 – Time to say goodbye to 2012, which means friends, booze and whatever antics may ensue at your NYE party.

2. Winter Weather – The temperature has dropped and the snow has started to fall. You are going to need a few cocktails after you finishing all that shoveling.

3. Discounts – Now that the money-sucking holidays are over everything will be on sale. Here’s to hoping drinks will be 50 percent off.

4. Ski Season – The resorts are open which means you can reward yourself with a beer after you hit the slopes. Even if you don’t ski be sure to tag along, bartenders don’t discriminate when spiking the hot chocolate.

5. New Years Resolutions – With New Year comes a clean slate. Don’t worry, we won’t be giving up drinking.

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