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Senior digital editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine. Recovering bartender, beverage director and former exhausted line cook with a background in food and drink writing. Previously senior music editor for PopCultureShock. Author of numerous freelance articles, terrible unpublished novels, and pro bono bios for broke musicians.
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The liquor world is full of a dizzying number of terms meant to denote quality. Most are unregulated buzzwords created by marketing teams, some vague but with well-intended origins (small batch, reserve, hand crafted, limited edition) and others completely meaningless (premium, super-premium, ultra-premium, premium-premium).
Whether wine, beer, spirit, cider or hard seltzer, every alcoholic beverage label is required to show how much alcohol it contains. What can be confusing is the multitude of ways it can be written. The two main methods for indicating the alcoholic content of a beverage are alcohol-by-volume (abv) and proof.
For well over a century, the gin & tonic has reigned as one of the most popular cocktails in the world. A 2016 study by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association found that in Britain alone, gin sales comprised 40 million bottles a year, or enough to create 1.12 billion G&Ts annually.
Along with closets and the kitchen drawer full of spare batteries and orphaned keys, the bar cart is one of the areas of your home that collects the most junk. Unlike wine, which is understood to have a short shelf life once popped, many believe that opened liquors and other bar ingredients can kept indefinitely.
In the pantheon of maligned cocktails, from the Cosmo to the Bahama Mama, no combination of ingredients may be as scorned in modern drinking culture as the dreaded Appletini. Neon green, often accented by an equally vibrant maraschino cherry, on the surface this '90s mainstay has zero redeemable qualities beyond its possible ability to revive a person suffering from dangerously low blood sugar levels.
Bars and restaurants have an array of terminology expansive enough to fill dictionaries. Most are jargon strictly used by those in the industry and carry little utility for the average customer. However, some terms may be handy for the average drinker, whether to place the proper order, better understand any follow-up questions from the bartender or accurately follow a recipe while making cocktails at home.
The gimlet is a cocktail based on gin and lime juice that dates to the 1800s, putting its age in company with classics like the Old Fashioned or the martini. The drink's origins are murky but tend to follow the tale of sailors in the British navy adding liquor to mandated rations of lemon and lime juice meant to combat scurvy.
The most asked question in Bartender Basics is one we've gone out of our way to avoid: How do you get free drinks in a bar? The short answer is, you don't.
A precursor to the ginger ale that lines soda aisles today, ginger beer is believed to have been first created in Great Britain around the mid-1700s. Its name comes from the fermentation process that gives the drink its carbonation, though it's actually more akin to cider production.
Terms like "mocktail" make non-alcoholic drinks sound complicated and bartender-y. The truth is, whether you've added a dash of honey and lemon to a cup of tea, or mixed cranberry and seltzer over ice, you've created a non-alcoholic cocktail using the same basic principles that go into their alcoholic counterparts.
Despite being a common inclusion in drinks dating back to at least the Middle Ages, cocktails that involve raw eggs can evoke fascination or revulsion in modern drinkers. Salmonella scares in the 1980s and '90s caused much of the globe to reevaluate their relationship with eggs-particularly raw eggs.
The White Russian, a combination of vodka, coffee liqueur and cream, is comfort food in a glass. Warming in the winter, refreshing like a cold milkshake on a summer day, there's a reason this cocktail has endured through decades of shifts in cocktail tastes and pop culture references.
Modern cocktail lists spend as much page space touting housemade infusions and tinctures as they do brand-name bottles. And for good reason: Custom syrups and liqueurs allow bars to create signature cocktails that can't always be replicated.
If you experiment with cocktails often, there are a few ingredients you'll see over and over. Particularly common are vermouth and bitters. They form the composition of countless classic cocktails from the Manhattan to the Alaska, the Bobby Burns, Adonis or Rob Roy.
From spheres to oversized cubes, specialized ice has spread from high-end "mixology" bars to even casual joints that want to up the quality and experience of their drinks. That said, how much do these fancy custom ice shapes affect your drink, and how much is just for show?
The Bijou cocktail (pronounced BEE-shoo) is a classic drink consisting of gin, Green Chartreuse, sweet vermouth and a dash of orange bitters. Thought to be created in the late 1800s, its current formula is usually attributed to bartender Harry Johnson, who lists the cocktail among those in his book Bartender's Manual .
The Old Fashioned is one of the earliest whiskey cocktails in modern record, thought to be developed in the early 1800s. Though countless modern variations have popped up in the centuries since, the classic Old Fashioned is understood as a simple combination of whiskey (usually bourbon or rye), sugar and bitters.
If you try to freeze a cocktail to make boozy popsicles at home, you're as likely to end up with a slushy mess than something that stays solid enough to eat. This is because ethanol (the type of alcohol we drink) has a much lower freezing temperature than water.
This Prohibition-era cocktail was made timeless through its inclusion in bartender Harry Craddock's 1930 publication of The Savoy Cocktail Book . Some believe the drink was named after a mobster, possibly Abe "Angel Face" Kaminsky, who was notorious for robbing Detroit speakeasies. But, like just about any drink from this era, the origins are hard to prove.
The Rusty Nail cocktail is a Scotch throwback to the post-Prohibition era of the 1930s. In nearly a century since its creation, the drink's popularity has lurched from one of the world's most in-demand drinks to mostly forgotten relic.
The Old Pal cocktail is often oversimplified as a "rye Negroni." While the composition remains similar-a spirit, a red bitter liqueur and vermouth-key differences change the drink immensely. Whereas the Boulevardier also follows the Negroni template, only the base spirit (bourbon in place of gin) is changed.
The gin fizz is one of the better-known variations of a broader cocktail category, the fizz. The term largely indicates a sour drink, or one that incorporates lemon or lime juice for citric acid, and is then topped with carbonated water. Many fizzes also incorporate egg whites.
It's understandable to wonder if grog is even a real drink. Most people's association with the term involve pirates, medieval taverns or Dungeons & Dragons. While similarly historic drinks like mead have since seen an artisan and commercial revival, a grog resurgence has yet to emerge.
Stirred or shaken? Not many bars will ever actually ask you this question. Recipes are usually quite clear about this. But these two ways to mix a drink are still cornerstones of bartending. Recently, we showed you a simple catch-all bartending formula to create a cocktail in the sour family of drinks-those that are shaken and include lemon or lime juice.
Bartending, from the outside, can seem incredibly complicated. With a dizzying array of cocktail names and corresponding recipes to memorize, obscure-sounding ingredients, infusions, equipment and formulations that vary down to the teaspoon, it's not surprising that most people prefer to leave mixed drinks to the professionals. What many bartenders won't tell you?
The economic effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak have progressed from initial shock to a grim new reality where hundreds of thousands in the U.S. have already filed for unemployment, with the number expected to quickly grow into the millions.
The world is seemingly divided into two camps, those who love Bloody Marys, and those who hate them. But we're going to add a third to the mix: those who don't like Bloody Marys, but maybe just haven't found the right one yet. The history of the Bloody Mary is about as varied as its recipes.
When you think of wine, most likely what comes to mind are powerhouse regions like Bordeaux, Napa or Champagne. Or, grapes like Pinot Noir, Malbec, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. But a growing group of winemakers in the Middle East, Western Asia and Eastern Europe are eager to remind they represent the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, and that they're making wines like nowhere else on earth.
What do Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck have in common? All knew how to drink well, and each counted the Jack Rose among their favorite cocktails. This easy-to-make American classic has been out of fashion since its popularity peaked in the 1920s and '30s, but it has made a comeback in bars across the country.
Trey Zoeller is a curious man. The founder and distiller of Jefferson's Bourbon, a small-batch whiskey producer based in Crestwood, Kentucky, Zoeller has made a name for his brand with experiments in what could only be called "extreme distilling." Jefferson's is known for projects that take American whiskey in bold new directions.
The real story behind sangrita, the traditional red-hued Mexican accompaniment for Tequila, is up for debate. We tackle two competing styles, with recipes.
Rum is on the rise across the globe. Often mistakenly seen as simply a Caribbean mainstay, craft producers are now making the spirit in a variety of places, from France to South Carolina. Unfortunately, rum often plays second fiddle to other options like vodka and whiskey on most cocktail menus.
Yes, today's classic cocktail lesson is the Bahama Mama. A goofy-sounding drink generally used among bartenders as a punchline. A beverage that conjures images of paper umbrellas and overwrought garnishes, more akin to a spiked Hawaiian Punch than something worth talking about in the realm of modern cocktail culture.
The Last Word is a Prohibition-era cocktail that represents one of the earlier innovations in the sour family of cocktails: concoctions that include lemon and/or lime juice. Reported to have been invented at the Detroit Athletic Club bar in the 1920s, the drink is said to have been named for, or possibly created by, popular vaudeville performer Frank Fogarty.
The Espresso Martini, like many cocktails that rose to prominence during the 1980s and '90s, gained a somewhat bad reputation after decades of abuse. It evolved from an elegant, upgraded coffee to something more akin to a milkshake, but the classic black Espresso Martini remains a delicious choice for those who seek a pick-me-up while they wind down.
"Don't bother with churches, government buildings or city squares. If you want to know about a culture, spend a night in its bars." -Ernest Hemingway The Hemingway daiquiri has arguably become the most popular variation of this classic rum cocktail, perhaps unseating the undisputed heavyweight champion of the 1990s, the frozen strawberry daiquiri.
The Jungle Bird is one of a great number of cocktails that fell through the cracks of history until Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, author and renowned tiki historian, unearthed the recipe and gave it new life through one of his books, Beachbum Berry Remixed (SLG Publishing, 2009).
These days, it's hard to find a bar or restaurant that doesn't have a cocktail menu packed with original creations. Budding mixologists the world-over are vying to innovate and leave a lasting mark on bartending culture. But what does it take for a new cocktail to transcend from a one-off recipe to a modern classic?
What should wine lovers look for in a Bourbon? Is Scotch really that intimidating? WE Editors Kara Newman and Dylan Garret pull up to the bar to talk to two experts-Flavien Desoblin, owner of Brandy Library and Copper & Oak, and New York Times spirits writer Clay Risen -about America's favorite brown spirit, whiskey.
A springtime Old Fashioned or a Bourbon snow cone? Opinions on Mint Juleps are as varied as the people who drink them. Here's how to make the perfect one. Let's get this out of the way: There's no Mint Julep recipe on earth that isn't going to upset someone.
When it comes to classic gin cocktails, few are as revered by bartenders as the Aviation. On the other hand, even fewer are reviled like a poorly made Aviation. The drink is built on a delicate balance of strongly flavored ingredients, which can easily cause ruin when out of proportion.
The mojito is a funny drink. There might not be another cocktail that people so love to order and bartenders so hate to make. Even the most casual bar-goer can understand. It's a delicious drink, well balanced and refreshing. And given all the muddling and shaking involved, it's also time-consuming and creates a gigantic mess.
Editorial Samples
On December 11, 2020, the two seemingly disparate worlds of wine and professional wrestling slammed together at the ThunderDome in St. Petersburg, Florida. That night, the pro wrestler Carmella debuted her valet and personal sommelier, Reginald, on World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) SmackDown as a pawn in the wrestler's feud with then-titleholder Sasha Banks.
The barrels used to age alcohol are often front and center when talking about wine, beer and spirits. Images of cellars and rickhouses full of barrels are prominent on websites and in marketing materials, and many producers emphasize the advantages of the toast or char level they've chosen to use.
On a Saturday night in early March 2020, even with a reservation and the first flickers of pandemic worry setting in, the wait for one of Spicy Village's five tables was 45 minutes. Guests pressed against the restaurant's single unoccupied wall and drank Cruse Wine Co.'s sparkling Valdiguié from plastic cups while silently willing diners from their seats.
Scotch whisky names, many of which are rooted in Scottish Gaelic, can be challenging for some Americans to pronounce. Here's a quick run-down of 16 Scotch brands, each spelled out phonetically, plus audio provided by a native of Scotland, Sarah Clark of International Beverage. Pronunciation: ALT-a-vain Translates from Gaelic as "stream of milk."
One night last fall at Scarr's Pizza on New York City's Lower East Side, as Destiny's Child played over the speakers, a woman rested her Louis Vuitton clutch next to a flimsy napkin dispenser. A gentleman dressed in a Dickies suit and pearls wedged into a booth with friends, while 20-somethings downed grandma slices.
One of Kilolo Strobert's all-time greatest pairings was a bottle of Peirano Estate Chardonnay from Lodi, California and a vegetarian bodega sandwich stacked with sweet and hot peppers, gouda, pepper jack, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato.
December 5, also known as Repeal Day, gets a lot of love in the bar and spirits community. It commemorates the date in 1933 when the 21 st amendment to the Constitution was ratified, repealing the 18 th amendment that banned the sale, transportation and manufacture of alcoholic beverages, effectively ending Prohibition.
Growing up in Mazatlán, a town in the state of Sinaloa on the Pacific coast of Mexico, Luis Arce Mota would watch his father and friends share a bucket of boiled shrimp while drinking small bottles of Pacifico to fend off the heat.
Tannins, a group of bitter and astringent compounds, can be found abundantly in nature. They're present in the wood, bark, leaves and fruit of plants as various as oak, rhubarb, tea, walnut, cranberry, cacao and grapes. Perhaps most importantly, they're also found in wine. Plants have tannins to make themselves unpalatable.
If you've ever gotten fed up with your job and thought, "I wish I could quit and just taste wine and tell people what to drink all day," this one's for you. The idea of becoming a sommelier is romantic to many, even if you've watched the documentary series and know how hard it is to become a certified master.
Many people still view rum through the lens of the dark, rich and sweet offerings of decades past. But clairin, a traditional rum made in Haiti, showcases the spirit in its most essential, and some say, finest form. And it's finally making the leap to the United States.
If you've been told that you have a discerning palate, the thought of working at a distillery, brewery or winery might have crossed your mind. But the reality of tasting whiskey, beer or even wine for a living isn't quite what it seems. "I think [people assume], 'Oh, you drink all day for a living,' " says Jane Bowie, master of maturation and director of innovation at Maker's Mark.
Virginia ranks No. 6 in wine grape production in the U.S., with more than 280 wineries spanning the state. If that comes as a surprise, how about this: Virginia is one of just two places on the planet making noteworthy wines with Petit Manseng, a rich and unique white-wine grape that originated in Southwest France.
As wine lovers continue to become open to new styles of bubbly, the choices are no longer limited to Prosecco, Cava and Champagne. One in particular, pétillant naturel, or pét-nat, is in full force, becoming a popular new style for domestic wine production. As it happens, the style isn't new at all.
Chardonnay is among the most popular and recognizable wines in the world. The grape's genes essentially have been passed down from a single plant in eastern France centuries ago. This genetic consistency can be seen as a good thing, as it keeps the grape recognizable.
Vodka, whiskey, gin, rum and Tequila? They have a long way to go in order to reach the popularity of baijiu, the most consumed spirit on Earth. But what's the story behind this fascinating Chinese liquor, and will it soon be coming to a bar near you?
Why settle for four-star accommodations when you could have the whole night sky? Forget the hotels, resorts and bed-and-breakfasts the next time you visit one of your favorite wine regions. Good old-fashioned camping, or newfangled glamping, lets you nestle right into nature.
Although craft beer garners a ton of attention here these days, Kansas City has a rich grape growing and winemaking history that dates to the 19th century. In fact, by the 1870s, Missouri and Kansas together constituted the second-largest grape-growing and winemaking region in the U.S., just behind California.
We spend a lot of time talking about the stuff inside wine bottles. But can the bottle itself, from its shape to color of the glass, tell you more about what you're drinking? We go deeper than a punt into what's behind your wine bottle.
It's hard to pinpoint when popular opinion declared that good wines must be dry, but it couldn't be farther from the truth. Whether it was the recent rosé revival that taught us to value dryness in response to the bulk blush wine of a bygone era, or bad experiences with cheap, sweet alcohol, most aficionados today choose dry wines.
What is natural wine? The movement gains in popularity by the day, but with shifting definitions and no official standards, confusion can abound. We take a deep look at all things "natty wine" for your complete guide to this exciting category.
It's no secret that many restaurant recipes, from sauces to a quick deglaze, start with a splash of dry wine. Alcohol creates significant transformations during cooking. But in many cases, particularly in classic French recipes, fortified wines and spirits form the unique flavors that many diners can't quite place.
Red Champagne? And one that has no bubbles? Sometimes, the most interesting wines are those that are historic oddities, ones that have been set aside as the tides of wine history have shifted to a different direction. Such is the case with a handful of table wines that are made primarily from Pinot Noir grapes and produced in Champagne's Marne Valley.
Wine finishes are a growing staple in the whiskey world as a way to add nuanced layers of fruit and spice to the spirit without artificial flavorings. Yet, the taste of a favorite wine can present very differently when it shows up in a whiskey glass.
Wedding Crashers told the world "crab cakes and football-that's what Maryland does!," but it's not everything for which the state should be known. Previously overshadowed by New York's Finger Lakes to the north and Virginia wine country to the south, Maryland is quietly making a name for itself, with the hub of all-vino activity centered squarely in Baltimore.
A beverage made from pressed grapes must be vegetarian, right? Well, some winemaking techniques can make certain bottles a no-go for the animal-friendly crowd. Learn how animal derivatives end up in your wine, and how to spot vegetarian- and vegan-friendly wine.
Toasts and celebratory glasses of wine are an integral part of any wedding reception. Many couples default to "whatever is cheapest," but just because you're on a budget doesn't mean your wedding wine can't still have heart and taste great.
As with pizza, pasta and tacos, there has never been more availability of high-quality ramen stateside as there is today. There have also never been as many delicious new innovations in the dish popping up every day, some of which may perturb purists.
What's really the difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris? Syrah and Shiraz? Zinfandel and Primitivo? While these may be the same grape varieties with different names, local terroir can change their flavor more than you think. Learn how it works.
Photo Styling Samples
Think when you've had one mulled wine you've had 'em all? Let the wine experts show you how it's done with upgrades using red, white, rosé and Port wines.
Brewed with juniper and aged in a gin barrel, this beer channels the classic gin fizz cocktail. We show you the recipe for the original, egg white included.
Think all mulled wine is red? This combination of dry white wine, ginger and elderflower liqueur makes a winter warmer that won't put you to sleep. It's important to avoid oak when mulling white wine. Also, avoid wines with residual sweetness, or even a perception of sweetness, since you're adding your own sugar.
The brew abides. The beer is modeled after The Dude's signature cocktail from the classic movie, with a recipe to make the perfect White Russian as well.
The real story behind sangrita, the traditional red-hued Mexican accompaniment for Tequila, is up for debate. We tackle two competing styles, with recipes.
Grapefruit, orange liqueur and rosé help create an uplifting warm winter treat that will make you rethink mulled wine. Think pink! In choosing rosé for mulled wine, go by color. You want a clear, vivid hue without amber tones, as the color can dull during cooking.
While not a traditional for mulled wine, nothing says cold weather like Port. This recipe gets a savory punch from bay leaves while rosemary adds aromatics. Mulling Port wine might seem a bit intense, but eliminating the sugar, using lemon and diluting with water can help offset the sweetness, and creates a unique take on the drink.
This golden ale is brewed with coriander, juniper berries and lime to evoke a classic G&T. We also tell you how to make the original cocktail right.
Looking to change up your mulled wine this season? Curious what Feuerzangenbowle is, and also enjoy setting things on fire? Then it's time for you to explore this German winter tradition. Recipe courtesy St. Regis Aspen Resort, Aspen, Colorado "The St.
Most of the ingredients for a classic chai spice blend are in your pantry already. Just add tea, cream and brandy for this perfect cold-weather cocktail. Nothing says "warming winter flavors" like the taste of classic chai spices.
While many cultures have a tradition of heating spiced wine to stay warm throughout the winter, savory aquavit sets apart the Norwegian version of this Scandinavian staple. Recipe courtesy Visit Norway Though the first culture to heat up sweetened wine before spiking it with spirits and spices were the Romans in the 2nd century, it's hard to argue that the Nordic countries have become known for perfecting it.
While a buttered cocktail may seem off-putting to some, there's a reason this seasonal hot rum classic has endured for centuries. Learn how to make it here. Winter can be an endless, freezing drag. Luckily, nothing helps melt through seasonal malaise like a cocktail classic: hot buttered rum.
Classic Eggnog Recipe Courtesy Frank Caiafa, author, The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book While eggnog seems synonymous with Christmas, the creamy, fortifying drink came into its own as a holiday specialty in the late 1800s, says New York City bartender Frank Caiafa.
Paloma Gose (Schlafly/The Saint Louis Brewery; St. Louis); abv: 4.5% The German-style ale brewed with grapefruit, lime, coriander and salt meets Mexico's famed Paloma cocktail. It's golden and bright in the glass, with a fresh grapefruit-peel scent. It drinks like a classic sour gose. It includes a distinctly mouthwatering saline quality, finishing with refreshing lime acidity.
Brewers have begun crafting beers evoking the flavors of classic cocktails. Here are six you need to try, and the recipes behind the originals.
"Don't bother with churches, government buildings or city squares. If you want to know about a culture, spend a night in its bars." -Ernest Hemingway The Hemingway daiquiri has arguably become the most popular variation of this classic rum cocktail, perhaps unseating the undisputed heavyweight champion of the 1990s, the frozen strawberry daiquiri.
Often a blank canvas for a variety of innovative upgrades, the classic Hot Toddy recipe is still the best entry point to the world of warm cocktails. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Two of the world's most refreshing drinks, beer and the Moscow Mule, collide here. Get the recipe for the original ginger-beer and vodka cocktail as well.
The Classic Hot Toddy Recipe Some people love winter. Some people also do "polar bear plunges" for fun. While it's not our place to tell anyone they're right or wrong on matters of opinion, this article is for those who think the best part of cold weather is hiding from it, and keeping as warm as possible while looking out the window at a winter wonderland and saying to themselves, "Not today."
This Irish whiskey-powered Hot Toddy brings together pumpkin puree and a unique walnut liqueur called nocino for a warm, winter specialty unlike any other. Recipe courtesy Colicchio & Sons , New York City This hot toddy variation balances the fresh, bright flavor profile Irish whiskey with touches of pumpkin, walnut and blackstrap molasses.
Brown & Stirred (Pipeworks Brewing, with Longman & Eagle; Chicago); abv: 10.5% This Manhattan-inspired ale, made in conjunction with whiskey-focused bar Longman & Eagle, is particularly exciting. It's made with cherries, corn in the mash and faux "bitters." It's then aged for 18 months in three different rye whiskey barrels ( Rittenhouse, Willett and Dad's Hat Vermouth-Finished Rye).