When we picture dive bars, the images that come to mind often include scuffed-up floors, worn barstools, and quirky decor. But when Michael Long enters a local dive, he envisions his next masterpiece. The Santa Barbara, Calif.-based artist uses grungy bars as inspiration for his lifelike, miniature dioramas. The grownup dollhouse-like replicas are made from found pieces, such as miniature beer cans and chairs, sourced from flea markets and other artists. His recreation of Santa Barbara’s La Bamba is composed of paper, glass, and acrylic paint, while Elsie’s Tavern, also in Santa Barbara, is made from wood, paper, and “assorted trash.” Between the pieces’ colorful collections of mini mismatched barstools, tiny glassware, and “open” and “exit” signs that actually light up, Long’s pieces are accurate down to the posters and photographs decorating the walls — a testament to the artist’s authentic respect for these neighborhood haunts. You might be wondering: Why dive bars? The answer is simple: camaraderie. Long calls the dive bar “a community’s public house.” The artist sees dives as judgment-free places of comfort, where a community can come together. Like a place of worship, the dive bar can feel, for some, like a home away from home. What makes dive bars translate so well to art pieces, Long suggests, are their imperfections. Long says the grime of these establishments, such as cigarette burns, wobbly chairs, and tilted art on the walls — are his favorite parts to recreate. Unlike their more high-end counterparts, dive bars have personalities that shine through from the inside out. So far, Long has made mini versions of The Mecca Sports Bar, Elsie’s Tavern (both its interior and exterior), La Bamba, and Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens in Santa Barbara. He’s also recreated The Dive Bar in Worcester, Mass., and the Mercury Lounge in Goleta, Calif. — both of which were commissioned by dive bar enthusiasts. He says he has plans to make more dioramas in 2021. Long has been creating artwork, including collage and assemblage pieces from found objects, for over 30 years, but none have become as popular or beloved as his dive bar replicas. While his other mini dioramas aim to capture the eeriness of his childhood nightmares and are inspired by Dadaist artwork, his dive bar replicas evoke a different mood: one of warmth. The article Santa Barbara’s Grimiest Dive Bars Are the Inspiration for This Artist’s Work appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/dive-bar-art/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/santa-barbaras-grimiest-dive-bars-are-the-inspiration-for-this-artists-work
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If you, like 007, prefer your drinks shaken not stirred, you’re in luck. After extensive testing (by which we mean drinking), we’ve found the sturdiest and most stylish cocktail shakers out there. Here are the ones you need to add to your bar. Gold Faceted Cocktail ShakerThe Gold Faceted Cocktail Shaker is both ergonomic and stunning. To be honest, it’s the one we most often keep on the VinePair bar cart in the lobby. This gold-plated beauty holds 30 oz of liquid and will add some shine to your favorite shaken cocktails. Plus, it makes a beautiful gift for your favorite cocktail lover! Even if they already have a cocktail shaker, this one will quickly become their favorite. Glass Cocktail ShakerThe Glass Cocktail Shaker is one of our standbys, and once you try it, you’ll quickly see why. The glass makes it a delight to watch as you’re shaking up your evening nightcap. It holds 28 oz comfortably and you can keep an eye on each and every ounce as you’re shaking away at it. Plus, it features a built-in strainer, meaning no need for any extra tools. Watercolor Cocktail ShakerLooking for something incredibly stylish? Meet the Watercolor Cocktail Shaker, which is both a treat to use and to look at. It features a lovely floral pattern and is topped with gold plated 304 stainless steel. It includes a built-in strainer and jigger cap and comfortably holds 16 oz. Your Daiquiris, Cosmos, and Mai Tais have never been made with more flair! Gunmetal Cocktail ShakerFor more of a Bond villain vibe, meet the Gunmetal Cocktail Shaker, with a sleek polished gunmetal black finish. Crafted from trusty 304 stainless steel and holding 25 ounces, this is the one to mix up gimlets, Palomas, and more. Let’s be real, this is a very sexy shaker and it deserves a spot on your bar. Leather Cocktail ShakerMore into leather? Here’s the shaker for you. The genuine leather wrapped around the stainless steel cocktail shaker makes an impression as you’re using it, plus looks great on your bar. Plus, the removable top includes a strainer and a citrus reamer. For serious John Wayne vibes, go for the Leather Cocktail Shaker. The article Shake Your Cocktails in Style With One of These Cocktail Shakers appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/picks/best-design-cocktail-shakers-2021/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/shake-your-cocktails-in-style-with-one-of-these-cocktail-shakers It was February of 1988, and Ronald Reagan was winding down his final term in office. The AIDS crisis was still booming, as was the crack epidemic, and murders had hit an all-time high in New York City. Times Square was still gloriously sleazy, yet on West 54th Street and Broadway a small oasis of supposed purity had just opened in a once-depraved den. “We’re packed every night. It’s incredible,” Marvin Ginsberg told The New York Times. He was then running Studio 54, surely the most famous nightclub of all time — though now in a different incarnation, as a booze-free club for teenagers. “[L]iquor or no liquor, people under the age of 21 want spectacular escapes, with soaring spaces, stellar light shows and pulsing music,” claimed The Times. Studio 54 had burned brightly from 1977 to 1980 as a hotbed for celebrities, cocaine, and crime. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager’s iconic nightclub courted controversy right from the start, however. Within a month of opening, the New York State Liquor Authority raided it for selling booze without a license. By 1979 the IRS had arrested the twosome for skimming $2.5 million in profits. Felons can’t own liquor licenses and, thus, Studio 54’s license would expire on Feb. 29, 1980. Amusingly, on the following night, without any drinks to legally serve, the shirtless bartenders offered platters of fruit to guests. The thinking being, BYOD (bring your own drugs) would be enough to keep Studio 54 afloat for a while. “But without alcohol, the numbers dwindled, and after five or so days the club closed,” writes Mark Fleischman in his book “Inside Studio 54.” He would buy the club from Rubell and Schrager — who were now in federal prison at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. — and eventually let them stay on as unofficial consultants when Studio 54 reopened in September of 1981 (after long negotiations with the State Liquor Authority). Fleischman would develop a coke and whippets addiction himself and sell the club to Frank Cashman, who kept Studio 54 running on fumes until he defaulted on payments and the club seemingly closed for good in the spring of 1986. After years of such ownership reshuffling — along with tax issues, drug abuse, and angry community boards and city planning departments — the Studio 54 space lacked a liquor license, and it was said that it would cost over $1 million in insurance claims to get it back. But the club itself would eventually end up in the hands of Ginsburg, who, without a liquor license, still had an angle on how to make money from the massive space. Near Beer and Imported Waters“We’d had the underage into Studio 54 before, for private events, bar mitzvah parties, Sweet 16s, and whatnot,” David Miskit, the club’s general manager from 1981 to 1983, told me. He recalled hosting the Sweet 16 party for Calvin Klein’s daughter Marci in 1982, which featured a 16-piece classical orchestra and 16-foot tall wax candles. Yes, by 1988, the Studio 54 name was dead as disco to celebrities and Manhattan’s nightclub elite, though maybe it was still strong enough to attract a kiddie crowd that had been in grade school during the club’s golden era and wanted to cosplay in the past. It was a decent bet. We were at the height of “Just Say No” and DARE, the city was becoming more yuppie and conservative, and New York’s drinking age had just been raised from 19 to 21 in December of 1985. Surely there were some 19-year-olds who felt they’d been robbed at the 11th hour of their God-given right to go out clubbing. “All the people who used to be on line at Studio 54 are now on line at AA,” Rubell told The Chicago Tribune in 1988, in an article about the rise of sober living among the fashion crowd. Ginsberg couldn’t obtain a liquor license, and while he sat around waiting for it, he ambitiously reopened Studio 54 as an alcohol-free club for the underaged. Andy Warhol and Liza Minnelli would no longer be in attendance, but it was still glitzy and gorgeous with its gray walls and black lights and glitter aplenty. Likewise, The Man in the Moon With the Spoon — an anthropomorphized lunar body snorting coke — may have no longer been swinging over the dance floor stage, but the club still had the custom-built Coliseum Galileo G-Force Sub-Mass speakers. Kids would dance to hip-hop music like Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, and KRS-1, while sipping on soda and “near” beer. And it still had that great name as its key draw. (“Now out of minimum security prison, Rubell threatened to sue Ginsberg over the use of the Studio 54 name, before realizing he had no legal right to it,” explained Spy Magazine in 1988.) By the late-1980s, the New York nightlife trend was moving toward smaller-scale, more intimate clubs like Nell’s on West 14th Street, which attracted more conservative clientele that eventually wanted to get to bed so they could wake up bright and early (and not hung over) the next morning to go make money. Black Monday, the stock-market crash that had occurred on Oct. 19, 1987, may have not taken much of a toll on the city’s nightlife economy, but it certainly left many broke, unhappy people in its wake. But not at the sober Studio 54, which was eventually drawing 2,000 teens a night, every night, throughout much of the summer of 1988. Despite the lack of alcohol and drugs, the underage crowd was having enough of a raucous time and so disturbing the peace that the local community board soon complained that people in the neighborhood couldn’t even live in their own apartments. ExileStudio 54 wasn’t the only once-legendary club now catering to non-drinking youth in 1988; at least a half-dozen teen clubs opened in Manhattan that year. “We’re not into drinking, or anything,” said Daniella, a 17-year-old hanging at the Palladium one night in the summer of 1988, according to the New York Daily News. “Kids need a place to hang out, too.” The famed Union Square nightclub, also opened by Rubell and Schrager in May of 1985, offered an offshoot called Exile for 16- to 20-year-olds like Daniella. (The Times noted that the venue was “now viewed as somewhat over the hill by downtowners, but still a striking architectural presence,” while a 1988 issue of Spy Magazine more bluntly called it a “loser nightspot.”) Exile was held in what was known as the Michael Todd Room — formerly the club’s VIP spot — which featured a Basquiat mural and futuristic design. “You wouldn’t open the doors at the nightclub ’til 10, so we could have the kids in ’til 9:30,” claims Miskit, who by this time had moved onto GM-ing at the Palladium. It drew an eclectic crowd, everything from middle- and lower-class “bridge-and-tunnel” kids to yuppie spawn from uptown and the suburbs. “A parent who let their kid go there meant it would always be filled with a bolder type of kid,” Miskit says. The cover charge was $10 and bouncers were said to check IDs at the door to make sure customers were young enough to come and sip the exotic juices, virgin frozen Daiquiris, and “imported” waters stocked at the bar. (Remember, this was before the era of craft … anything, and even the adult nightclubs were serving nothing fancier than Screwdrivers, vodka tonics, and Budweisers.) “Even though it wasn’t a place with alcohol, it was still very exciting to these kids,” says Miskit, noting it was still very much a world-class club. Since the Palladium had formerly been a concert hall and theater, it offered the unique ability to pull out sets, meaning the dance floor could constantly be shifting in size depending on how many people were in the venue. It also offered the most impressive light show in the city — one that reportedly forced the club to foot a $2,000 light bill every single week. Even so, despite the fact that the 3,000-person capacity club was drawing a couple hundred kids per night, the lack of liquor revenue meant they weren’t making much money on them. But that was fine with Rubell and Shrager. “The kid thing was not so much for business itself, says Miskit. “Rather, we used it as a marketing tool for our catering business. Kids come in, see it, and they’ll want their parents to pay for a Sweet 16 or bar mitzvah or whatever at another time.” While Studio 54 and the Palladium’s Exile were all-children, all the time, other Manhattan clubs would only dedicate the quieter nights of the week — Tuesdays and Sundays — to the underaged. Notably, there was 1018, a club as large as a football field in Chelsea, which packed the dance floor as DJs spun house music and R&B. Nearby, there was the Tunnel, occupying an entire city block on 12th Avenue, where by a summer Tuesday in 1988, “16-year-old girls in clingy Betsey Johnson minis” and “17-year-old guys wearing jeans and Reebok high tops” (according to the New York Daily News) were 200 deep to get in and listen to live music acts such as Noel, the Latin Rascals, and Pebbles. Claimed Vito Bruno, Palladium’s co-manager then (and today a Trump-loving Republican who ran for State Senate in Brooklyn last year): “These kids aren’t into drinking — they’re into dancing.” The Club KidsAs we’re currently working our way through another Dry January, with NA beverages way more advanced than imported water and near beer, and legitimate no-alcohol bar scenes emerging not just for kids but for adults, it would seem that places like Studio 54, Exile at Palladium, and the Tunnel were ahead of their time. But, those odd few months in 1988 were hardly the start of a new trend. It was, rather, merely the calm before the next storm. In April of 1989, the Ritz took over the Studio 54 space, dubbed it The New Ritz, and finally got the space’s liquor license back, turning it into a venue for new wave, punk, heavy metal, and Eurodisco. A new era of Manhattan partying was soon to come. A month before, 1018 was forced to close due to rampant violence that the mayor’s office claimed was spurred by the club selling alcohol to minors and looking the other way regarding drug-dealing and use. By May of that year, The Times was reporting that the Tunnel was likewise “attracting rowdy teenagers.” “The clubs that cater to the younger people are the ones that end up in trouble,” said Captain Daniel Collins, head of a new NYPD unit specifically monitoring these nightclubs. “Even though they say they don’t let them drink, we see kids 15 and 16 years old coming out drunk and rowdy.” The early days of the Club Kid culture had just begun as well, and these colorful and carefully cultivated misfits had begun gathering in the Tunnel’s VIP room in the basement. After a New York Magazine cover story earlier in the year, there would soon be perhaps 1,000 Club Kids haunting New York. They may not have drunk a ton of alcohol either, but they helped revive coke and ushered MDMA into Manhattan’s nightclub scene. By 1993, in an article in New York Magazine called “The Village Under Siege,” Carolynn Meinhardt complained that “Violent, noisy, and homophobic 14-, 15-, and 16-year-old disco patrons were brought into our neighborhood by one Marvin Ginsberg.” By 1994, Rudy Guiliani was in the mayor’s office with a plan to “clean up” the city; the days of kids in nightclubs were all but over. Today, the Palladium is an NYU dormitory. The warehouse that once hosted the Tunnel was sold in 2019 for $880 million and is slowly being turned into a high-end commercial, retail, and restaurant space. And, the former Studio 54 space hosts the Roundabout Theatre Company, staging musicals like “Kiss Me Kate,” with a cabaret in the basement. Both continue to sit empty during the Covid-19 pandemic. “People remember [Studio 54] better than it was,” Rubell told Vanity Fair in 1987, a few months before his iconic nightclub would again open in its final, and most tame guise. “There were many dull nights.” The article When Studio 54 Became a Sober Club for Teens appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/studio-54-sober-club-teens/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/when-studio-54-became-a-sober-club-for-teens With an ever-growing collection of distilleries demonstrating an amazing range of unique and creative expressions for gin, there’s no doubt that many are vying to put their own twists on the spirit. But with so many options, how can imbibers choose the perfect gin? Enlisting the help of bartenders around the world, VinePair asked experts for their tried and true brands of gin. From classic London Dry and increasingly popular juniper-light styles, to several bartenders’ prized local products, keep reading for a list of gins sure to please any palate. The Best Gins Recommended by Bartenders
Keep reading for details about all the recommended bottles! “I’m really digging two Los Angeles gins: Astral Pacific Gin from Spirit Guild and Amass Gin, both of which are made in the Arts District.” —Steve Livigni, Food and Beverage Partner, Hotel June, Los Angeles “My go-to gin would be 18th Street Distillery Gin, made by the only Black-owned and operated distillery in the state [of Indiana]. A fine locally produced spirit that fits well in a cocktail or on its own. With its emphasis on lighter botanicals, it strays from the overwhelming pine of more traditional gins. It also has a higher alcohol content, which everyone can appreciate this year.” —Corey Ewing, Bartender, Bar One Fourteen, Indianapolis “While the gin category is expanding dramatically — and not always with the right results, in my opinion — I do like a traditional London Dry gin in style. Sipsmith has been one of my preferred choices since it was launched in 2009. It is citrusy, with strong notes of juniper and a slight spicy finish.” —Benoit Provost, Head Bar Manager, The American Bar at The Stafford London, London “Gin is hard to pin down, perhaps more so than any other distillate, as the wide range of ingredients makes it variously suitable for different occasions. But, I have a place in my heart for the versatile, award-winning Broker’s Gin. A micro-distilled spirit from a 200-year-old recipe, it’s prepared in copper pot stills by two brothers with a quintessential British sense of humor. Just look for the bottle wearing a little bowler hat.” —Chris Keller, Bartender, Osaka Ramen, Denver “New York Distilling’s Dorothy Parker Gin: It’s hands down my workhorse for gin cocktails. I love the classic profile of juniper, cinnamon, and citrus; it stands out for my favorite shift drink, which is a G&T. The hibiscus and floral notes in the gin really help to soften it without getting into this potpourri flavor that I think turns some people away from gin. It also gives it a versatility that really sets it above other American gins. It’s great in anything from a Negroni, to a Gin-Gin Mule.” —Bill Brooks, Beverage Director, Torch & Crown Brewing Company, NYC “One of my go-to gins right now is Artingstall’s London Dry Gin from director and producer Paul Feig. It’s a perfect blend of London Dry and New Western gin with a nice balance of juniper and citrus notes, making it super versatile. —Tobin Shea, Bar Director, Redbird and Vibiana, Los Angeles “It’s tough for me to pick just one. When it comes to gin, I have different favorites for different occasions. There is a gin called Waterloo Antique by Treaty Oak Distilling in Texas. It is a barrel-rested gin that is perfectly balanced and makes a phenomenal gin Old Fashioned and unique Negroni for when I’m looking for something spirit-forward. For a non-barrel-rested gin, I am a huge Sutler’s fan, partly because I love their citrus-forward, modern style that even non-gin drinkers can get behind. Another reason is because their bottles are unique and sometimes have fun, interesting messages on the bottom. Lastly, they are a small, local North Carolina company. I’ve met the owner on several occasions, and he’s a great guy!” —Ashley Brown, Assistant General Manager, Dot Dot Dot, Charlotte, N.C. “As a relative newcomer to gin but a lover of rhum agricole, I’ve been enjoying Death’s Door recently. Made in Wisconsin, it tends toward more savory, earthy notes at the end and citrus throughout. Its versatility works in a lot of favorite gin cocktails and Highballs. I especially like it in a Gimlet or with seltzer and grapefruit juice.” —Shannon Grant, Bartender, Lost Lake, Chicago “[My] go-to gin is going to be Bombay Sapphire East. This gin is amazing for mixing and sipping! The juniper takes kind of a backseat to the lemongrass, black pepper, and coriander, which makes for a great Martini or just on a couple rocks. I have to mention Beefeater 24 as well. Chinese and Japanese teas are among the 12 botanicals used, and that makes for amazing cocktails — especially a Last Word!” —Allen Parker, Bartender, Good Word Brewing, Duluth, Ga. “My current favorite go-to gin for Gigi’s is G’Vine Nouaison. It is a French gin distilled from grapes, giving it a much softer mouthfeel considering it is slightly over-proof. The botanicals are all individually macerated and distilled, allowing for a really incredible progression of flavors, from grape, to citrus, to spice, to wood as the gin makes its way through the palate. I love pairing this gin with vermouths and other wine-based aperitifs in cocktails, and would recommend drinking this gin neat or on the rocks as well.” —Courtney Rose, Bar Director, Gigi’s, Los Angeles “My fave gin is Kyoto Distillery’s KI NO BI. I like the Japanese botanicals, which are a little more subtle and nuanced and not as juniper-heavy. This gin features yuzu, ginger, and Japanese peppercorn instead.” —Emmanuelle Massicot, Assistant General Manager, Kata Robata, Houston “I have recently been introduced to an amazing local product: the Fourth Handle Gin from Tarnished Truth. This has quickly become my go-to gin. The complex blend of a classic London Dry-style gin, with a nod to the more citrus-forward American-style gin, makes this product perfect for a refreshing Spanish G&T, as well as any gin-based cocktail you’d like to put a fun spin on. The nose is robustly floral, with the familiar notes of juniper playing nicely with notes of rose hip. The gin by itself has a very approachable, rich, creamy mouthfeel that is elevated by the more dialed-back taste of juniper. Rose, grapefruit, cucumber, and black pepper all round out these engaging flavors for something unique and distinctly Virginia Beach.” —Paul Gonzalez, Head Bartender, Tin Cup Kitchen and Oyster Bar, Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Bayfront Suites, Virginia Beach, Va. “For sure Beefeater. This is one of the absolute most authentic, classic expressions of London Dry that exists on the market. Beefeater is also much more affordable than other gins in the same category and is crazy versatile. Its botanicals are robust enough to stand up next to the lemon and honey in a Bees Knees, and is delicate enough to sip in a classic Martini.” —Drew Johnson, Head Bartender, The Musket Room, NYC “I have to go local on this one and say Bluecoat Gin. It’s very citrus-forward on the nose, with [a] lovely spicy and earthy taste. Definitely my favorite for a G&T.” —Damian Langarica, Head Bartender, a.bar, Philadelphia “Right now, my go-to gin is Askur. The Nordic-[inspired] gin is very versatile [for] mixing in any cocktail because of the six different botanicals that make it easy to pair with many flavors. It’s not dominated by juniper, so it gives the other botanicals more dominance in creating a creative cocktail.” —Hanna Stickler, Bartender/Events Manager, ll Posto, Denver “If I had to pick one — a desert-island gin — it would be Tanqueray 10. It’s the perfect balance of strong juniper presence that London Dry drinkers enjoy, and nuance from citrus and chamomile. While I certainly love a dry or bianco vermouth and some bitters in my Martini, Tanqueray 10 is almost a complete Martini in the bottle. It also works great in a Gin and Tonic and shaken cocktails. The total package, in my opinion: versatile, elegant, and still packs a punch.” —Charles Joly, World-Champion Mixologist & Co-Founder, Crafthouse Cocktails, Chicago The article We Asked 16 Bartenders: What’s Your Go-To Gin? appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/16-best-gins-bartenders/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/we-asked-16-bartenders-whats-your-go-to-gin When it comes to whisky, it doesn’t get more classic than Old Forester. Based in Louisville, Ky., Old Forester has been known and loved by Americans for generations, and is consistently praised by aficionados for its great-value bourbons and ryes. The veteran brand knows how to keep things fresh, however, and consistently integrates itself into celebrations both big and small. Keep reading to learn more about the distillery that changed the American whisky game forever. Your great-grandpa probably loved Old Forester.Though many whisky brands claim to be “old,” Old Forester is the real deal. Established in 1870, Old Forester is the longest-running bourbon brand in the United States. Since its inception, it has never gone out of production — continuing to make bourbon even during Prohibition. It’s responsible for a key bourbon invention.Old Forester’s founder, George Garvin Brown, is the mastermind behind every traveling drinker’s favorite invention: bottled bourbon. In 1870, Brown became the very first to sell bourbon in bottles rather than barrels. Old Forester is part of a famous family.Old Forester is owned by Brown-Forman — co-founded by Garvin Brown and his friend George Forman. Brown-Forman is now one of the world’s largest spirits companies, owning many other major spirits brands, including Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve. Its founder thought bourbon was the best medicine.Before founding Old Forester, George Garvin Brown was a pharmaceutical salesman. In line with his medical background, Brown named the brand after a Civil War surgeon, Dr. William Forrester, and initially sold the whisky as a medicinal product. It’s a Virgo.Old Forester celebrates birthdays in style. Since 2002, Old Forester has released a limited-edition “Birthday Bourbon” on Sept. 2, George Garvin Brown’s birthday. The 2020 edition of this whisky was bottled at 98 proof after being aged for 10 years. Bottle hunters search far and wide for the yearly expression, but it’ll cost them. On the secondary market, the bourbon is currently being sold for almost $1,000. Old Forester loves Derby Day.The brand deems itself the official Mint Julep bourbon, making it a favorite to drink with crushed ice in pewter cups. Old Forester loves the cocktail so much, it even offers a 60 proof Mint Julep whisky expression perfect for mixing the classic cocktail. It’s a key ingredient in your favorite seasonal brew.Every beer lover looks forward to the yearly release of the Goose Island Bourbon County collection. This year, one of the stouts — appropriately named Birthday Bourbon County Stout — was aged in the coveted Old Forester Birthday Bourbon barrels. The resulting brew is marked by aromas of chocolate, vanilla, oak, and dark fruit. Old Forester knows that slow and steady wins the race.When the 2020 Kentucky Derby was postponed due to Covid-19, Old Forester kept the party going by reviving an old tradition. This past May, the brand held a Kentucky Turtle Derby, a turtle race on which viewers could place bets on one of the eight competing animals. The turtle race had not been held since 1945, when the Derby was postponed due to World War II. Those interested in watching can view the event on the brand’s YouTube page. Old Forester supports the troops.In 1941, weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Old Forester released high-proof alcohol to be converted into gunpowder. The distillery later became a self-proclaimed “total war plant,” as it was first to convert its entire production to industrial-grade alcohol. Old Forester wants you to eat your bourbon.The brand has hopped on the bourbon food trend, offering a collection of bourbon-infused confections. From bourbon chocolate truffles to the classic Kentucky candy Modjeskas, Old Forester aims to ensure that your bourbon experience is extra sweet. The brand also offers branded cocktail ingredients including bitters, tinctures, and syrups. The article 10 Things You Should Know About Old Forester Bourbon appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/old-forester-bourbon-whiskey-guide/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/10-things-you-should-know-about-old-forester-bourbon In this episode of “EOD Drinks,” the VinePair team is joined by Aleco Azqueta, vice president of Grey Goose North America. Azqueta initially worked with the brand in the early 2000s, before moving into his position when Grey Goose joined Bacardi’s larger portfolio. He has seen the brand evolve over the years, but emphasizes that its greatest strength remained its consistency. For a brand that celebrates quality ingredients, that consistency meant ignoring waves of confectionary vodkas and staying true to its branding. Azqueta discusses the steps Grey Goose has taken over the years to become ingrained in popular culture, including the invention of the Grey Goose Honey Deuce. This cocktail has become a staple at the U.S. Open, rivaling the Kentucky Derby’s Mint Julep in terms of game day staples. As the USO was held virtually this year, Grey Goose put together a Honey Deuce cocktail kit that consumers could assemble in their homes. Here, Azqueta discusses the other steps the brand is taking to keep up with RTD cocktails, preserve its place in the premium spirits world, and appeal to what he calls the “home premise” sector. Listen OnlineOr Check out the conversation hereAdam: From VinePair’s New York City headquarters, this is “End of Day Drinks,” where we sit down with the movers and shakers in the beverage industry. So pour yourself a glass, and listen along with us. Let’s start the show. On today’s episode of “EOD Drinks,” we’re talking with Aleco Azqueta, the vice president of Grey Goose North America. Aleco is going to tell us all about how Grey Goose was invented in the first place, and why they made the decision to produce the vodka in France. We’re also going to hear all about the really cool new innovations that may be coming down the line for the brand. And we’ll just get a really deep, intimate understanding of the brand. So let’s start the show. What’s up, everybody? I’m VinePair co-founder Adam Teeter, and this is “End of Day Drinks.” And today, I am really thrilled to be joined by the North American head of Grey Goose, Aleco Azqueta. Aleco, what’s going on? Aleco: Hey, Adam. How’s it going? Excited to be with you guys. AT: Good, man. Thank you so much. Yeah, I’m really excited. And it’s not just me and you on the podcast. As always, I’m joined by members of the VinePair editorial team. First of all, joined by my co-founder of VinePair, Josh. What’s up, Josh? Josh: Hey, how are you doing? Glad to be on one of these, finally. AT: I know, seriously. Well, it’s the third. You only missed the first two. Also joined by VinePair tastings director, Keith Beavers. Keith: What’s going on? And glad to be on here for the first time. AT: Yeah. And VinePair staff writer Tim McKirdy. Tim: Last but not least, glad to be here. AT: Yeah, I know you were going to say that. So Aleco, I was really excited to have you on because I feel like Grey Goose is this brand that is just iconic. So I’m not going to give a lot of nostalgia in this conversation, but just a little bit. So for those unfamiliar with how VinePair started, Josh and I co-founded it in 2014, but we actually go way back. We were actually college roommates. And I will never forget, one of the coolest things ever was when we went and bought what Josh liked to refer to as Mother Goose, which was the large bottle of Grey Goose. It was always like that thing where you felt like you really had a ride, when you brought Mother Goose to a party or you drank it with friends. And it was this brand that I feel like for me was one of the first that I really knew as I was learning about drinks as a premium brand. So I’d love it if you could start off by just sort of telling us a little about how that happened. How did Grey Goose sort of come out of nowhere and become this brand that is now recognized by so many people as the pinnacle of vodka? A: Yeah, no, for sure. I’d love to. So Grey Goose, it’s just this phenomenon, really. It was founded in 1997 by just an industry legend, Sidney Frank. For those of you that have heard of Sidney, he was just larger than life personality. He just would wear these colorful outfits, always had this giant cigar and bon vivant. Just loved the epicurean world. And if you remember during this time, in the late ’90s, a little bit of that bling era. Right? The economy was soaring. Luxury goods were soaring. And we started seeing luxury vodka at the time. And Grey Goose was part of a set that initially saw, like Belvedere and Chopin, and there were some other vodkas to come out. And then a lot of others that aren’t even around to this day. But most of those vodkas have kind of Eastern European feel. They might have had the frosted bottle, but it didn’t have all the colors of Grey. I think when you see Grey Goose, it’s just so iconic because you have the warmth coming through the bottle. You look at it like the flying geese, which we call the flock. So I think there’s a social aspect to it. So just from the bottle itself, I think it was striking. Even Adam, to your point, when you were saying, when you first got that Grey Goose magnum, it’s like “I’ve arrived.” So I think the bottle was really unique. And then what Sidney Frank did, which I think it just really kind of turned the category on its head. I think back when you thought “vodka,” you would think, like, “oh, Eastern Europe, that’s where vodkas come from.” But Sidney Frank was like man, all the best things come from France. From a gastronomical perspective, the best wheat, the wines, the cheeses. So he almost did something like philosophy: “I’m going to create a vodka from not just France, but from the Cognac region of France,” which is pretty incredible and paradigm-shifting at the time. And then almost coming out like if it was a wine. So one of the original Grey Goose ads is like this wine rating where it actually won these competitions, world’s best tasting vodka, and that’s how it was marketed. And he was also a very generous person. So he would put Grey Goose every time he did like a charity event. And he would feed it. And he’s like, “Listen, I don’t really want to price it a little bit premium.” He went and he was almost like $10 higher than the nearest competitor at the time. So the brand just started taking off and then it just started ingraining itself organically in popular culture and really just becoming a cultural phenomenon. And I’m very fortunate. Adam, because I actually got to work on the brand right when Bacardi purchased it in 2004, so I was the brand director from ’04 to ’08. So the brand at this point is still a relatively young brand. And now I have this amazing opportunity to come back to the brand, which has this iconic status in 2020. AT: Cool. Very cool. K: Hey, man, I have a question, this is Keith, the tastings director. I don’t really know much about vodka. Is this the first French vodka, or there always have been, but this is just one of them? A: Yeah, I think obviously vodka as being a grain spirit, I’m sure that there were others in France. But Grey Goose is really the first one to really promote France as its origin, as its sense of place and particularly Cognac. So, yeah, that’s definitely, I think very unique to Grey Goose. K: Cool. AT: Interesting. Very cool. So when did the brand come to Bacardi? And do you know what the decision was? I mean, obviously it was an explosive brand at the time. But like when the brand came to Bacardi, had Bacardi been looking to have a vodka for a while, do you know that backstory a little bit? What went into that decision-making process and how the brand evolved once it came to Bacardi? A: Yeah, for sure. So for sure, Bacardi was looking for a vodka. I think when you look at the spirits industry in general, a lot of the big players, naturally being one of them, you’re looking to have a representative across multiple categories. And in fact, when I started at Bacardi, we had just purchased Dewar’s Whisky and Bombay Sapphire as the result of the Diageo merger that took place. So now we had the rum, we had our gin, we had a Scotch. But vodka was just this huge category, and we still had a void. And really, I remember clearly, when we were able to work this deal out with Sidney Frank, it was just this is the absolute perfect fit. One, Sidney Frank is a family company. Bacardi is a family company, integrated very well. But then we also have a very premium portfolio. So it fit in really nicely with everything that we’re doing, and the brand just created such emotion, such a part of culture, that we were all just ecstatic when we were able to purchase it and bring the brand in-house and have the opportunity to market and sell it. And then also what we were able to do was there was also a massive global opportunity with the brand as well. So at the time, it was very much a U.S. brand with some presence in France. But we were able to take it throughout the world, which is also a fantastic experience. T: Hey, Aleco, Tim here, staff writer. I was wondering so given that, like you say, I think Grey Goose really does when you look at Bacardi’s portfolio, really does have a natural fit there. But I was wondering how have you experienced vodka sort of evolving during your time there or maybe more like the vodka market? What have you seen? What have you witnessed, and where do you feel like the category is now? A: Yeah, no, so I think the category is in a good place, and I think it’s actually getting even better because vodka went through a little bit of a phase kind of in the 2000s where you started getting a lot of artificial brands coming in. There was like confectionery vodka. I mean, I remember everything from cotton candy vodka, bacon vodka, like anything you could think of. Right? There were different vodkas. And Grey Goose has always just been really true to itself. I mean, my other passion, I love whiskey as a category — particularly single malt, because it’s so pure. It’s malted barley, water, and yeast. And Grey Goose is very much the same thing. When I think of vodka, Grey Goose to me is kind of the vanguard brand in it because we truly are across-the-cork brand. Terroir is very important. So although image plays a big part of vodka and mixability, from a brand standpoint, Grey Goose really has it all. We know our wheat, we know exactly where it comes from. The Picardy region of France. We have our Genset spring water and although a lot of vodka, they talk about all these like 20 times distilled. Right? We’re actually very proud. We actually have one distillation because we’re using the best ingredients and we actually want our vodka to have a taste to it and be distinctive. And so I think as people learn more about vodka as a category it really has just as beautiful and interesting a story as the other categories that are out there. J: Hey, this is Josh here. Aleco, you mentioned “international.” So I was wondering, I guess a twofold question: I assume the U.S. is the biggest market for Grey Goose, but where else are big markets? And what’s Grey Goose like domestically in France? A: Yeah, so the U.S. is the biggest market for Grey Goose still, but the share, we’re continuing to diversify it. So in France, it’s basically, you’ll find it at all the top accounts in France, and the serious mixology accounts and people know it in France. It’s not as big of a category, vodka in France. So whiskey is still a dominant category in France. But Grey Goose as a brand, I think there’s a lot of pride to it. And especially I think when you go to the Cognac region, there’s one of the things that’s unique to us is we actually have our own cellar master François Thibault. And he’s been with the brand since the inception. So in that sense, I think the brand is very French. There’s a lot of pride in the craftsmanship of it, and then other international markets where the brand does very well, just throughout Europe, U.K., Germany, Israel does great with the brand. So it really is trying to get a global footprint, Latin America as well. So I think that’s what’s just awesome to see, coming back to the brand almost like a decade later just seeing how iconic it is and it’s truly a global brand. AT: So a question for you really quickly, Aleco. So, we thought about this a bunch internally, and I think we could talk about this with you for a long time. What causes certain brands to win and continue to win, and what causes other brands to sort of never get quite there? And I know you have experience being at Bacardi, but you had your own brands for a while. What has really allowed Grey Goose to maintain this iconic status as the top premium vodka, especially at least among American consumers, for so long? A ton of brands have run at you guys, a ton of brands have tried to look like you guys, and no one’s ever been able to do it. Why? A: Yeah. No, that’s a great question. And it’s a little bit like “what’s like the magic in the sauce?” But I think with Grey Goose, when you look at it, I mean, it starts with the consumer. We have such a very fanatical consumer base. They’re just so passionate about Grey Goose because it just reminds them of celebration. Good times, right? The brand has this positive aura to it. Also, we’ve been incredibly consistent throughout the years, just like everything that we’ve done. So always maintaining the image of the brand and one of the benefits of being within a bigger organization is that we can really, form a production capacity as well, just maintain the integrity and the consistency of the product. But I think more than anything, it’s just the consistency of the product. Everything that we’ve done, just maintaining our relevance with the consumer. And a lot of times, just letting the consumer tell the stories and just really being a part of those occasions where it’s about celebration and feeling good, which obviously has been very interesting this year. Because I think special occasions and the celebratory moments that Grey Goose is known for, this has definitely been a year like no other. K: Interesting. I have a question— this is Keith — is vodka when you’re out there in the market, is it a mixology thing or is it a straight-up thing? Are there two categories of people that dig vodka? Like “yeah I want this straight up, I don’t want to put anything in it.” Then there’s people that like the cocktail movement? A: Yeah, that’s a great question. I think it’s obviously such a massive category because you can kind of play on both sides. But I think when you get into a brand like Grey Goose where people that consume it, they really care about what it is either if it’s a cocktail, what is the base ingredient? Or if you’re drinking it on its own. So you have the Martini aficionados, they’ll even be putting the thermometer in their Martini to make sure it’s at the temperature that they want. So they really care, right, about what vodka am I using? And again, the purity of it. And I think with Grey Goose, like I mentioned, of course, also it has a certain taste. It’s unique. But I think there is this misconception that, “Hey, all vodkas are the same.” But it really depends on how it’s made, the taste profile of it. But then the mixology movement is massive. And I think as that evolved, you want to be using the best base ingredient that you can no matter what cocktail you’re making. And again, this year, it’s just been really interesting just because now the mixology movement has now gone residential. It’s not just at a bar. We’re seeing our consumers now becoming expert mixologists in their homes. AT: So obviously, the brand is really iconic in pop culture — from hip hop to country R&B. What does the brand think about its prevalence in pop culture? And I think is that something that you guys have also cultivated? Did that happen just by chance? And if you did cultivate it, how do you continue to cultivate it now? A: Thank you for that question. It’s a great question. Yeah, I think, to be honest, is a bit of a combination of both. So I think organically, we’ve seen Grey Goose end up in hip hop songs and films from product placement, completely unearned. I also think over the years we’ve had consistent campaigns where we’re showing up with that influential consumer, so we’ll see where they are in the funnel to whether it’s what films they’re seeing, on the digital side, where are they? We want to be present to make sure we’re tapping into those influencers. We do things like the U.S. Open event, where we have the Honey Deuce in New York. And we’ll see some of our influencers, like we have Jay Ellis and Yvonne Orji from Insecure. And they’re actually creating their own Grey Goose. And then we help promote that through social channels as well. So I really think it’s like a combination. To be honest with you, I think the way the brand is positioned, we’ve also been very active historically in film, sponsoring the Vanity Fair Oscar party, for example. And I think things like this, driven by the PR, have kind of led to that whole iconic status. And just like the cultural phenomenon that Grey Goose is. J: Hey Aleco, this is Josh again. I was actually about to ask about the Honey Deuce. The last time I was at the U.S. Open, I was not of drinking age, growing up in New York. And it was something that was awesome to do in the summer, end of summer. How did that come about? I really don’t know the history at all. Was that a vodka-based drink that was served at the Open before you guys came in, or is that something you created together? I’m just really interested in how that came to be such a signature thing for the brand. A: Yeah Josh, you’re talking to the right person, because I can tell you exactly how it was created, and it’s going on to 15 years already, which is amazing. So there was a gentleman by the name of Nick Moton that helped us create it. And really the genesis of the cocktail, obviously we wanted something delicious, something that would feature Grey Goose. But we’re like, how do we get this to actually tie back to the whole tennis experience? And so that’s where the melon balls came in, so they actually looked like tennis balls. And really the idea was to almost create like what the Mint Julep became for the Kentucky Derby. And it’s really just been a phenomenon, if you go on Instagram, #honeydeuce, you’ll see like just thousands of pictures to the point, I don’t think the U.S. Open experience these days is complete without having a Grey Goose Honey Deuce. And this year because of obviously the Covid restrictions and the U.S. Open was virtual we were talking like, well, how do we still maintain this tradition? And lo and behold, the one thing that Covid did for the spirits industry was really accelerate the e-comm component. And we were able to partner with different e-comm groups to actually create the Grey Goose Honey Deuce kit. And people could order that to their home and actually at least have the closest thing to their U.S. Open experience at home that they used to have on site. AT: That’s really interesting. So question for you, Aleco. So obviously, I know you’re a fan of VinePair, which I’m very thankful for and appreciate. So you may be aware of this, but it would not be a VinePair editorial meeting if we didn’t talk about hard seltzer. And so my question for you is, how has hard seltzer impacted the vodka category, or how have you seen it? And due to hard seltzer’s meteoric rise, has Grey Goose considered RTDs or things of that nature for the future? I mean, I know I’ve only seen it a few times recently with other brands, but Grey Goose being so premium, I’m curious if you’ve considered it, too. A: Yeah, thanks for that question, Adam. So, I mean, obviously, like every major liquor company, we have a robust pipeline of innovation ideas that we look at. I think when you talk about hard seltzer, we usually refer to them as like the RTD category or ready to drink. And I think it’s really tapping into that trend just a convenience, just people looking for a different alternative. A lot of the research that we see, it really steals a lot of share from beer. But there’s no doubt that it also increases the occasions of the penetration of brands. So within our company Bacardi, for example, launched an RTD and it’s been incredibly successful. And the Bacardi RTD is unique, it’s actually rum-based versus malt-based. So we don’t have any plans for a Grey Goose RTD. Again, I would never say never, but I do think whatever we did, because just being Grey Goose, we would have to do something that was in line with Grey Goose itself, with what people come to expect from the Grey Goose experience. But yeah, and I think even now, again, with Covid, the RTDs are taking off even more just because you have your cocktail in a can already, you don’t have to worry about preparing it or having someone else prepare for you. So it really is just a massive phenomenon that’s going on right now in the industry. AT: Yeah, totally. T: And can I follow with something sort of semi-related. So obviously, hard seltzer has been this incredible trend over the past few years. But I think when we typically look at drinks trends, we see those as kind of being born out of like on-premise experiences kind of across the board. And given that we were really kind of robbed of that for the most part of 2020, Aleco, I was wondering what you think we can expect to see in terms of drinks trends in 2021? Maybe within vodka or even without, just given your experience. A: Yeah, I’ll be honest, I’m a very optimistic person, so I’m actually very excited about some of the trends that I think are going to come out of this. So first and foremost, one of the things that’s really interesting is that I feel like what we call it, “the home-premise” internally now, because it’s almost like you take off-premise, on-premise. But now there’s this whole new avenue, which is the “home-premise,” whether it’s the rise of the home bartender or the home mixologist. So now you have people making Old Fashioneds, Negronis at home. So I think now when the on premise does open up, when people go to the on premise, they’re going to be looking now for a kind of “next-level” type of experience with cocktail making. So I think that’s going to be one thing. One thing that we’ve seen, too, come out of it is the whole rise of what we call to-go cocktails, right? Where we know how many people now are like ordering food delivery. But a lot of these higher-end restaurants are also having cocktails, and you have the ability to have cocktails delivered to your home. So I think that that’s going to be a massive trend. And then I think the other trend that we’re seeing is the kind of “mindful drinking” movement, like lower-ABV spritzes. And I think as people are just a little bit more conscious of what they’re consuming, I think that also is going to carry over to spirits. But I do think people are going to continue to go for quality. And I think that really positions Grey Goose well for 2021. AT: So what cocktails do you guys see or do you think are going to be made more at home moving forward? Or what cocktails, especially with Grey Goose, are people embracing? Is it just Grey Goose with tonic or some other mixer or are you seeing people get a little bit fancier making Grey Goose Martinis? And what are you guys circling around in terms of cocktails? Because Honey Deuce is great. But I would assume most consumers aren’t making that at home. A: Yeah I think it really depends a lot on the occasion. And that’s what’s great about Grey Goose, is that it’s not limited to an “after-dinner” cocktail or an aperitif. I think it can play in a lot of different occasions. So, for example, this past holiday, we teamed up with one of these cocktail delivery companies and created a Grey Goose Holiday Punch kit that actually arrived at your house via cocktail courier. You could create your own holiday punch, which was great. In the summer, you could do something refreshing. Fever Tree, for example, making its amazing mixers and that great product. I live in Miami, Adam. So even in the dead of winter, it’s warm. So I’ve discovered that this Grapefruit Fever Tree, just mixing that with Grey Goose is amazing. And then you have, as we were talking about earlier, your purist that they really just want their Grey Goose Martini and they’re like maniacal about how they want to prepare for them. So I think that’s why vodka, there’s so much opportunity for it, it’s such a massive category. It can really play in every occasion that there is. AT: So there used to be this movement among bartenders, I don’t know, maybe five years ago, where we’d hear bartenders be like, “Oh, I don’t use vodka for cocktails.” Are you seeing that change? I feel like I’m seeing a lot more vodka cocktails, especially like the high-end cocktail places, on the list than I used to. Or was that just like snobby Brooklyn bartenders that would always say that five years ago, everyone else was always using vodka in cocktails? A: Yeah, Adam, I don’t think it’s necessarily, I would say, snobby bartenders. I think it’s just like vodka just almost became so ubiquitous in the late ‘90s, early 2000s. And then with different categories, people started learning about different categories and it was kind of this almost back to the Prohibition-era-style cocktails when he had all the speakeasy type of accounts opening up and so they were trying to go back to more of those Prohibition-style cocktails. And that’s also when you had the whole rise of the mixology movement. And then I think what we’re seeing now is a lot of mixologists, they don’t even like that term anymore. Right? They’re like, “I’m a bartender.” And I just like to make drinks that people like. And I think that’s why we’re seeing vodka is starting to make a comeback. And I think also, as you get into more elaborate cocktails with natural juices and different purees, vodka is just a great complement to those cocktails that they’re creating. There has almost been like this blurring of the line between the bartender and the chef as well. AT: Yeah. You think it was all just like the Cosmo had become so ubiquitous that people were like at some point, “We’ve got to find something else,” and vodka kind of became also something to take the fall because it was one of the main ingredients in the drink? A: Yeah, that’s a good point. I mean, we all remember, like “Sex and the City” and the Cosmo, and Grey Goose was in that in one of the episodes of “Sex and the City.” But yeah, for sure I think the Cosmo just kind of became part of bartender fatigue with the cocktail and they were looking for the next thing and to elevate their craft. I definitely think that played a role in it. But I think now we’re seeing also people are kind of back to simplicity and trying to really just work with the best ingredients that they can. And I think that’s a very favorable trend for Grey Goose and vodka as a category. AT: Well awesome, so this has been a really important conversation. Before I let you go, I would love to hear if there’s anything on the horizon, all of us would, for Grey Goose in 2021. Obviously, we’re in a new year, finally, which is awesome. 2020 was a rough one. Is there any really cool stuff on the horizon that you guys are working on, or anything you can share with us or for the big brand plans this year? A: Yeah, I mean, more than anything, I’m looking really forward to just kind of the return of the on-premise and how we can play a role in it, because any way you cut it, this has been a really difficult year. I think all of us working in this industry, we have a lot of friends in the hospitality space and they’ve really been hit obviously very hard. And we’ve tried to do a lot of initiatives as an organization to help with that. From the tip-your-bartender program that we had where we would match the tips that people gave bartenders, when we featured them on our social media accounts. Also basically, I think just people wanted to get back and experience the on-premise, so one of the trends I’m really looking forward to is I think this whole concept of like al fresco cocktail and dining. I’m really set to be a part of that, creating these refreshing, really playing a role and in these spritz-style cocktails that are refreshing and really tie in well to the whole outdoor experience, which I think will be a big trend — especially going into spring and summer of next year. AT: Makes a lot of sense. Well Aleco, thank you so much for taking the time to join us all for drinks. We also appreciate you guys all sending us a bottle of Grey Goose. It has been delicious to sip on. Actually, I am curious if any members of the staff have made a special cocktail with their Grey Goose since we joined. K: I must be a purist because I’m just drinking it straight. AT: Tim? T: Well, I went for a miniature Martini just because it’s not quite that time of afternoon yet. But you know, it helped. It was lovely. AT: Josh, what did you make, man? J: So my bar is pretty bare right now. And I was rushing home to get here on time. And I got to say, it’s delicious. I took a lemon Spindrift, put it in my Cocktail Kingdom Tumbler with some ice and some Grey Goose. And it’s a very tasty, refreshing drink. AT: I dig it. Well, I actually made a Cosmopolitan. I felt like I had to. I was feeling nostalgic, and it is a delicious drink that I think everyone just got sick of. But it is actually going to make a comeback, I think, because it’s really quite good. A: Adam, I agree with you. I mean, we have “Top Gun” coming back this summer, and it wouldn’t surprise me if a retro Cosmo makes a comeback. AT: I got to say, I think it’s going to. Well Aleco, thank you so much again for joining us. This has been really, really awesome to get to know you and the brand. We really appreciate it. And yeah, have a great 2021. A: Likewise. Thanks, everyone. Appreciate it. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of “EOD Drinks.” If you’ve enjoyed this program, please leave us a rating or a review wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps other people discover the show. And tell your friends. We want as many people as possible listening to this amazing program. And now for the credits. “End of Day Drinks” is recorded live in New York City at VinePair’s headquarters. And it is produced, edited, and engineered by VinePair tastings director, yes, he wears a lot of hats, Keith Beavers. I also want to give a special thanks to VinePair’s co-founder, Josh Malin, to the executive editor Joanna Sciarrino, to our senior editor, Cat Wolinski, senior staff writer Tim McKirdy, and our associate editor Katie Brown. And a special shout-out to Danielle Grinberg, VinePair’s art director who designed the sick logo for this program. The music for “End of Day Drinks” was produced, written and recorded by Darby Cici. I’m VinePair co-founder Adam Teeter, and we’ll see you next week. Thanks a lot. Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity. The article EOD Drinks: Aleco Azqueta: Vice President of Grey Goose North America appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/eod-drinks-aleco-azqueta-grey-goose/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/eod-drinks-aleco-azqueta-vice-president-of-grey-goose-north-america The Bronx Brewery and Beer Kulture Announce Internship Program for BIPOC Craft Beer Communities1/28/2021 On Wednesday, The Bronx Brewery and Beer Kulture announced a new internship aimed to help BIPOC individuals enter the craft beer space. The program offers a two month paid internship where applicants will train with The Bronx Brewery’s production team. The curriculum will revolve around the scientific and practical knowledge brewers need to launch their career, and culminate in aid for those hoping to find a position in the space. Latiesha Cook, president and CEO of Beer Kulture, explained this opportunity will help bring new people into the industry. In an email press release she emphasized that Beer Kulture wants to address the barriers that often prevent BIPOC people from working in craft beer. In partnership with BronxConnect, the applicant pool will also include recently incarcerated individuals from The Bronx and Harlem. Rev. Wendy Calderón-Payne, the executive director of BronxConnect said, “This internship program will serve as a powerful model for other employers both within the beer industry and beyond.” The program will be partially funded by proceeds from The Bronx Brewery and Beer Kulture’s collaborative beer called “YERRRR.” Sales from the rice-based IPA will allow the inaugural intern to learn about brewhouse operations, cellar management, packaging, and warehouse management. The program will also educate the individual about recipe development, and be asked to write a recipe for the brewery’s Up and Comers limited-release series. Anyone interested in applying can find a link here, and look forward to a rich, balanced education in the world of craft beer. The article The Bronx Brewery and Beer Kulture Announce Internship Program for BIPOC Craft Beer Communities appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/booze-news/bronx-brewery-beer-kulture-internship/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/the-bronx-brewery-and-beer-kulture-announce-internship-program-for-bipoc-craft-beer-communities Maybe you’re a new bartender, still figuring out how to make a Negroni. Maybe you’ve been on your at-home mixology game for a while and can whip up custom tiki drinks and riffs on the classics with your house-made syrups and even bitters. Wherever you are in your home bartender journey, this ice tray set is going to seriously up your game. As you likely already know, most cocktails are pretty simple—usually just a few ingredients. Every little upgrade to one of these ingredients results in a cocktail that’s all the more mind-blowing. Ice is an important structural and flavor element in cocktails, adding both a refreshing chill and keeping it properly diluted without watering it down. Ice is a heavier hitter than most of us realize and deserves some customization. That’s why these specialty ice cube trays are so great. Each is crafted from flexible, sturdy silicone which is both dishwasher and microwave safe, and also makes it very easy to pop those cubes out when you need them, rather than engaging in a quick battle with the ice cube tray. Each also comes with a lid, protecting your ice from picking up other flavors from the fridge and making it easy to stack them. The Crushed Ice Tray is extra thin, meaning it freezes quickly and gives you enough crushed ice for a single serving of your favorite tiki drink, Margarita, or even a Long Island Iced Tea. Thanks to the genius design of the lid and funnel, it’s easy to guide said crushed ice exactly where you want it—into the glass, rather than all over your workspace. Maybe you’re making something super classic and spirits-forward like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. For that, we love a gigantic rock of ice from the Sphere Ice Cube Tray. These large cubes melt more slowly, keeping the dilution minimal while chilling your drink. This tray features an internal steel frame, meaning that filling and transporting the tray is a breeze. The Collins Ice Tray makes four ice spears, perfect for your Toki highballs or Tom Collins. Rather than trying to stack small cubes awkwardly atop each other (and majorly diluting your drink in the process), this tray makes it easy to ice down your tall drinks in an elegant and effective way. The steel frame keeps everything where it should—no spills here as you’re filling or walking the tray back to the freezer! No matter the cocktail, with this set of ice cube trays, you’ll be set to turn your living room into a chic speakeasy. All you’ll have to worry about is refilling them when the night is done. The article Every Home Bartender Needs This Ice Tray Set appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/picks/home-bartender-cocktail-ice-trays-2021/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/every-home-bartender-needs-this-ice-tray-set The term “cocktail bitters” is both a very literal ingredient descriptor and a misnomer, as David Embury notes in his classic 1948 mixology manual, “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks.” “Strangely enough, while they are distinctly bitter when tasted straight, their effect on a cocktail is almost the exact reverse,” Embury writes. “A raw, sharp, acrid, bitter whisky can be smoothed out tremendously by the addition of a sufficient quantity of bitters.” Not to be confused with potable bitters like Campari or Fernet Branca, cocktail bitters are concentrated, high-proof infusions that are made with aromatic ingredients and hold the power to significantly alter the profile of drinks with just a few drops. With its oversized label, distinctive yellow cap, and use in classics like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan, Angostura Bitters leads the way as the most recognizable bitters brand. The anise-forward profile of the gentian-based Peychaud’s Bitters is another standout example, not least for its association with the Sazerac. While these may be the most recognizable examples, Angostura and Peychaud’s scarcely represent two teardrops in the bitters ocean nowadays. New-aged producers such as Scrappy’s and Bittermens are pushing the boundaries of the bitter spectrum, offering every flavor imaginable, from chocolate to chili to celery to cardamom. Modern bartenders celebrate this broad range of flavors, but in the realm of home mixology, bitters remain among the most underutilized ingredients. Whether you purchased Peychaud’s for a Sazerac or acquired Angostura for an Old Fashioned, it’s time to break free from the classics and get more from your bitters selection. The sheer list of options may seem daunting, but the trick is treating the selection like the spice rack in your pantry, and following in the footsteps of the pros. Given the high quality of modern distilling, bartenders no longer call on bitters to smooth out the kinks of an “acrid” whiskey, as in Embury’s day. Instead, they are an essential tool in cocktail creation, used as commonly as fresh citrus juice or simple syrup. “Bitters are the seasoning holding the soup that is your cocktail together,” says Sother Teague, owner of New York’s Amor y Amargo bar and general store. Just as it would be criminal to serve a soup without salt or pepper, Teague staunchly promotes using cocktail bitters in all manner of mixed drinks, not just classics like the Old Fashioned or Sazerac. Adding a few drops of grapefruit bitters to a Margarita, for example, has the effect of adding an extra layer to the cocktail, while also heightening the profile of the drink’s other ingredients. Teague’s approach to using bitters is one of calculated experimentation. Be guided by the kind of flavor pairings you might find in the kitchen, he says, or work within the principles used for matching food and wine: like for like, or opposites attract. For example, spicy with more spice, or sweet and sour. For those who appreciate a more structured approach, Teague recommends riffing on drinks that classically include bitters and that you’re familiar with. For most, this will likely be the Old Fashioned. So rather than including two dashes of Angostura, he says to turn instead to chocolate or chili bitters, or one dash of each. And don’t be afraid to push the boundaries — you can’t knock a cardamom bitters Old Fashioned until you’ve tried it. “It’s a rare occasion that you’ll have to dump a drink because it just isn’t drinkable,” Teague says. Brock Schulte, beverage director of Kansas City’s acclaimed cocktail bar The Monarch, seconds Teague’s recommendation of using the Old Fashioned for bitters experimentation, describing the process as “trial by repetition.” When doing so, opt for wheated bourbons (such as Larceny or Maker’s Mark) rather than those with a high rye content, he says, as their sweet, rounded profiles are more receptive to the complex bite of bitters. “They tend to be more forgiving,” he adds. At The Monarch, Schulte uses bitters to recreate the profile of classic drinks while changing their preparation and serve. In this way, he’s reimagined the Aviation, a cocktail most recently popularized during the “craft” renaissance, which is shaken with fresh citrus juice. Schulte’s version is instead served stirred, and includes lavender bitters and a blend of powdered citric and malic acid. It’s an admittedly complicated composition, and no doubt beyond what most home bartenders will be looking to explore. But it’s a great example of how the ingredient can be used for so much more than its bitter flavor. Others share tips and tricks for altering the level of bitterness. Tad Carducci, a New Jersey-based master mixologist and director of outreach and engagement for Gruppo Montenegro, says adding a sprinkle of salt or a few drops of saline solution helps bring out the sweetness of other ingredients when bitters are added to a cocktail. Another method — seemingly counterintuitive — involves using compounding ingredients, such as tonic water and lime bitters. “When one bitter element is added to another, it actually cancels some of the bitterness out,” he says. Carducci also recommends playing around with the Old Fashioned to get a feel for working with different flavors. Rather than stopping at a dash or two, he goes as far as mixing half an ounce of bitters with 1.5 ounces of bourbon. “You get a much more expressive, intense delivery of flavor,” he says. And for a sure-fire combo that’ll always impress, Carducci points to the all-time brunch classic, the Bloody Mary. Its savory, herbaceous profile is the perfect foil for any number of flavors, he explains, “and can take a lot of punishment.” The limit, as it may already be abundantly clear, is simply your imagination and appetite for experimentation. Or, as Teague puts it, “The only way to misuse bitters is to miss using them.” The article How to Customize Cocktails With Bitters appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/customize-cocktails-with-bitters/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/how-to-customize-cocktails-with-bitters From harrowing disputes like Founders Brewing Company’s 2018 racial discrimination lawsuit to sexist marketing snafus (of which there are too many), the craft beer industry continues to struggle with myriad forms of discrimination. The latest controversy comes from Kansas City, Mo.’s Boulevard Brewing Company. It contains all the hallmarks of an unchecked culture of misogyny: accusations of bias against a pregnant person, gaslighting women by responding to claims of sexual harassment with “it’s just a joke,” and so on. Additionally, a former female employee calls out Boulevard for perpetuating targeted harassment while also participating in women-positive events, such as Women’s Brew Day, organized by national women’s nonprofit organization the Pink Boots Society. Founded in 1989, Boulevard has long been revered in the craft brewing world, with iconic brews like Tank 7 American Saison putting it on the global map. Duvel Moortgat acquired the brewery in 2013 and was ranked No. 5 on the latest Brewers Association’s Top 50 Brewing Companies by Sales Volume report. On Jan. 23, 2021, a Reddit post made by user notfrankthecat (a former Boulevard employee) publicly outlined her accusations against the brewery, claiming she was harassed because of her pregnancy. She specifically referred to her former boss, as well as another man employed by Boulevard, as the primary perpetrators of ongoing toxic treatment toward women, herself included. She goes on to recount her struggles to be heard and taken seriously by Boulevard’s human resources department, but says nothing was done to correct bad behavior or discipline those contributing to the hostile environment. In her statement, the former employee ultimately concludes that “If you fuck up, you are forgiven. If you report misbehavior, you are punished.” In the same post, the former employee says she left Boulevard in March 2020, and no longer works in the brewing industry due to the discrimination she faced in her position there. During a brief correspondence with VinePair, the former employee described feeling “overwhelmed” with the response to her anonymous accusations, but ultimately declined to provide a comment for the time being. On Jan. 25, Boulevard released a statement in response to the allegations, saying it took the accusation “very seriously” with a promise to “use this situation as an opportunity to learn and to grow.” However, nowhere in the statement were the words “apology,” “sorry,” “amends,” or any other reference to repairing the harm it is accused of. Feedback on social media has largely remained vitriolic to the statement from Boulevard, demanding more details about the investigation the brewery claims took place a year ago, as well as condemnation for the lack of accountability. On Jan. 26, after facing widespread reproach to its first statement, Boulevard released a second statement titled “Reflecting,” which begins with an apology and acknowledgment of failure, before revealing an executive has been let go from the company. Boulevard also says it plans to hire an outside HR firm to investigate the internal issues. We’ve heard this before. Danii Oliver, recently elected to the Pink Boots Society board of directors and owner/brewer at Island to Island Brewery in Fort Worth, Texas, laments this avoidable loss of another woman in beer. “Once again, we learn the story too late, of a woman who has been discriminated against, forced out and who has lost her livelihood,” she says on her website in a post titled “A Call To Action.” “These women are out here telling their [stories], because they’re at the point where they have nothing left to lose,” she says. “It’s all been taken from them. So now they speak. But now, they can’t do anything. It seems like every time I stop grieving from one incident, another one comes up.” In August 2020, the Brewers Association outlined a code of conduct for its membership, which includes Boulevard. It created a “member complaint process” with a stated intent “to hold our peers accountable for unacceptable behavior while pursuing an educational path forward that leads to a more inclusive and respectful craft beer community.” It goes on to promote a partnership with the Racial Equity Institute, but does not specifically mention any gender-based discrimination partners or training other than a goal “to eliminate discrimination, harassment, and bias of all types,” which, presumably, would include gender discrimination. According to the Brewers Association’s only brewery diversity report from 2019, women continue to be a minority in the beer industry in every single position except non-managerial service staff roles. That means in the majority of cases, women remain reliant on tips — a practice that puts workers in compromising, and sometimes dangerous, positions — and often lack access to support systems available to those in managerial or higher-level roles. Without widespread representation, women often find themselves without an advocate in their corner, even from the most seemingly inclusive brewery. Jen Jordan, board of directors president for the Pink Boots Society, says in an email to VinePair: “Discrimination and harassment issues have been prevalent and pervasive in our industry for too long, and have done severe damage. … Please educate your management and staff on how to create a safe and inclusive workplace.” She goes on to explain that the group’s mission has always been to assist, inspire, and encourage female-identifying industry professionals working in the fermented alcohol beverage industry, and she hopes more organizations join the cause. “The Industry is now asking for self-advocacy and workplace safety education,” she says. “Pink Boots Society is working to meet those needs too, but we shouldn’t have to do it alone.” Putting together a task force of women to review allegations of sexism, as Boulevard claims it will do, does allow women to have a voice in shaping HR framework. However, this type of thinking is wholly reactive, and relies on the labor of women to correct wrongs largely perpetuated by men who participate in toxic masculinity. It also runs the risk of non-objectivity: What employee is going to feel empowered to point out flaws to the person who signs their checks? The Pitch, a Kansas City-based publication, reports a possible mass walkout of Boulevard employees to protest the recent scandal. Allies putting their livelihoods at risk is admirable, but individuals should not have to carry the weight of organizational failures on their backs. It’s a shame that’s the final card people feel they can play. A better solution? Believe women. Putting women in leadership roles where they can identify areas of improvement — before they become areas of reproach — is a crucial step that many breweries have yet to take. And, breweries: If you’re going to hop on a progressive initiative like Women’s Brew Day, or Black is Beautiful, or any of the opportunities to support marginalized members of the beer community, back up those splashy PR moves with action. Earn the clout through work, in the brewhouse and out. Don’t assume you have it, regardless of how good your beers are. [Ed. note: This is a developing story. Updates are published on thepitchkc.com.] The article Accusations of Sexism and Discrimination at Boulevard Brewing Company Show the Industry Still Has Far to Go appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/boulevard-brewing-company-controversy/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/accusations-of-sexism-and-discrimination-at-boulevard-brewing-company-show-the-industry-still-has-far-to-go |
John BoothHi I am John Booth,36 years old from California,CA,USA,working in Whole Seller market,we supply different types of Beverages to the market.Here I am sharing some special tips about it. Archives
August 2021
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