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Brunch and its Jacked Up Juices

Back in the day, hard working men of various occupations and military groups didn’t think twice about a little grog or whiskey wake up in the morning. However modern society generally frowns on morning drinking. If you find a cocktail in your hand before noon, you must have a well-thought-out excuse to avoid social custom…

“Whip me up a Cocktail, Harry!”

At the beginning of the 20th century, American tourism took off. Wherever they were, the American tourists wanted to find a cocktail. Because of this, many ‘American bars’ began to spring up around the world, often based in the big hotels. It’s a good thing they did, because in 1920, American legislators passed Prohibition into…

The Birth of the Sazerac, Piece by Piece

As they say in New Orleans, “Let the good times roll!” And one of the ways to live that expression is to sample some of the Big Easy’s iconic watering holes and famous cocktails. You might listen to dueling pianos at Pat O’Brien’s with a bright red Hurricane in your hand. Or, you might sip…

A Cuban Love Affair with Rum Cocktails

Almost every Caribbean island has an interesting history of rum production, and proudly produces its own brands. A document discovered in Barbados dated 1651 read: “The chief fuddling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish, and terrible liquor.” This essay focuses on the connection…

Cocktails of the American Revolution

To be sure, colonial Americans were mixing up some really interesting craft cocktails back in the day. They just usually made big batches and doled them out by the mug-full to thirsty tavern-goers. Those early Americans generally believed alcohol could be helpful to the sick or aged, and was healthier than drinking water. Many started…

A Liquid Romeo and Juliet

No, this will not be an analysis of the twisted plot of Shakespeare’s tale of desperate young love. Rather, I write of Vermouth and Campari, my mind’s mixological version of Romeo and Juliet. Why would I come up with this unusual comparison? For one, Romeo and Juliet lived out their tragic romance in Verona, Italy….

Of Brandy and Badgers and Things Old Fashioned

I recall my parents mentioning the Old Fashioned cocktail frequently as happy hour or party time approached in our home. But being primarily a beer and wine man for most of my adult drinking life, I had never given that whiskey drink much thought when my own happy hours rolled around. However, a 3-week road…

Any Last Words?

We are currently riding a 20-year wave of cocktail culture creativity. Bartenders in all corners of the USA are leading a liquid renaissance. They are drawing inspiration from traditional cocktails to create variations with complex flavors drawn from unique ingredient combinations. Some modern mixologists have turned to one classic cocktail called the Last Words as…

Big Apple Breakdown

The City that Never Sleeps, Metropolis, Empire City, Fun City, Gotham, The Melting Pot, Father Knickerbocker, Hong Kong on the Hudson, The City So Nice They Named It Twice, or The Big Apple…the many nicknames of New York, America’s largest and most iconic city. Having likely the most nicknames of any American city, New York…

A Tale of Two Tikis

Californians can claim many cocktails as representative of their fun-in-the-sun culture. There is the Tequila Sunrise’s reference to the State’s tie to Mexican history and sunny weather, the Surfrider’s connection to the beach culture, the Wine Spritzer’s relation to Napa and Sonoma, the Pisco Punch’s attachment to San Francisco, and the Balboa’s attachment to San…

The Dist-Rickey of Columbia

Almost any listing of iconic cocktails originating during the late 1800s will include the Gin Rickey. It stands alongside such world-renowned greats as the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned, the Sazerac, and the Mint Julep. It should, however, be just listed as a Rickey, given that it was born as a bourbon drink. At the time…