Vodka. Associated with Appletinis and overly sweet versions of the Cosmo, vodka has a bad rep with booze snobs like me. "It has no flavor," we say. "It has no character," we say. All that may arguably be true, but it overlooks the sales behemoth that vodka has become. More
The older I get, the less certain the world seems. One thing that I can probably always count on, though, is the morning after, and oh how I suffer. Another of life's certainties? As long as there are hangovers, some quack will always want to sell you a hangover cure. These days, they're usually pills or powders. Time and method of delivery vary. As to their efficacy, I'm a devout skeptic. More
Some of the books in today's guide offer cocktail recipes, but more importantly, they tell great stories. Every author in today's mix is a great raconteur, each with a unique and fascinating voice. These books scratch the surface of cocktail and drinking history, while exploring imbibing customs both in the United States and around the world. More
Mezcal is our friend tequila's older, mysterious, and poorly understood brother. People have a lot of misconceptions about mezcal (no, it doesn't contain mescaline) but it's worth taking a minute to see what this stuff is really all about. Let's learn a bit about how mezcal is made from roasted agave and what's up with that worm you sometimes see in the bottle. More
Don't be a slouch. A proper julep is a beautiful thing, but you can't be lazy. A bottled premix isn't the way to go here. Today, I give you three and a half tips for a proper julep, but first, as a refresher course, let's review the basic procedure. More
Our trek through the world of spirits takes us today to Western Mexico, more specifically to the state of Jalisco and the mid-sized town of Tequila. Perhaps for some of you, the very sound of the word tequila makes your stomach churn and your cheeks flush with shame, but there's far more to this beverage than shot after shot at a college bar. More
When someone talks about the proof of a spirit or liqueur, what's that person talking about? The proof of a spirit is measured by taking the percentage of volume of alcohol in the spirit, and doubling it. So a spirit with 44% alcohol by volume (or ABV) is an 88-proof spirit. Why does proof matter? Read on, friends. More
We're going to shift our eyes and livers one step to the south this week, and look at bourbon's delicious and popular cousin: Tennessee whiskey. What is Tennessee whiskey, and what distinguishes it from bourbon? More
After wading in barrels of the Scotch and Irish drams, it's time to turn our attention homeward, to that quintessential American spirit: good old bourbon whiskey. We'll look today at what makes bourbon unique, how it's made, and how it came to be. More
This week, we're talking about tequila-based cocktails. In a future article, I'll discuss the history and manufacture of everyone's favorite collegiate bad decision, but for now, let's just get straight to the drinking: 5 tequila drinks you should know. More
Last week, we discussed the world of Irish whiskey. Today, before we hop on Aer Lingus and fly back to the States, though, we'll take a quick look at another Irish spirit: poitín. More
This week, just in time for a certain mid-March holiday, I'll look at the definition and history of Irish whiskey, discuss what distinguishes it from its Scottish cousin, and talk about the major distillers and brands. Slàinte! More
Even something so seemingly mundane as warehouse placement can affect the flavor and character of a whiskey, whether that's bourbon, Scotch, or Irish. For that matter, warehousing can affect other aged spirits, as well—rum, brandy, tequila, etc. So this is just one concrete (pardon the pun) example of why blending is such an important part of whiskey production. More
Until the 1800s, there was very little Scotch available for sale in cities such as Edinburgh or Glasgow, let alone London or New York. Scotch, at the time, was considered the equivalent of moonshine—a drink enjoyed by unrefined highlanders, aged in sheep bladders and filtered through tartan. No one of refinement drank the stuff; instead, urban elites enjoyed the finest European wines, along with sherry, port, and cognac. A number of factors converged in the latter half of the 19th century to change everything. More
Last week, we examined the distinction between single malt and blended Scotch whiskies. Today, we'll step back a bit and take a more detailed (much more detailed) look at the single malt. I'll describe what single malts are, explain how they're made and aged, discuss the concept of Scotch terroir, and explore some of the regional variations. Grab a tasting glass and let's get started! More
Next week in this space, I'll be looking in some depth at the world of Scotch whisky, but first, I want to clarify a point of some confusion: the distinction between single malt and blended whisky. Consumers and even some bartenders have a misconception that single-malt scotch is not a blended whisky, but this is a myth. Single-malt Scotch is a blend, but it's a very specific type of blend. More
With the Super Bowl approaching, we at Serious Eats thought it was time to talk beer cocktails. Sure, you can crack open a cold one and sip straight from the bottle or can; that's always easy and it's always delicious. But this is a cocktail column, and sipping 'Gansett from a can may be fun...but it ain't a cocktail. These mixed drinks offer a little more than straight beer can give you. Beer cocktails have gained quite a bit of popularity over the past year or two; beer provides more complex flavor and body than your average mixer without adding a ton of alcohol. More
Cachaça—Is it rum, or is it not rum? Last week's encyclopedic guide to rum sparked some discussion in the comments about whether or not cachaça counts as rum. Before we tackle the question, I'll explore what cachaça is, how it's made and aged, and what it generally tastes like. More
January 15, 1919. North End of Boston. A large tank holding 2,300,000 gallons of molasses bursts, flooding the streets at 35 mph. The sticky wave plows through men, women, children, and horses. The molasses flow is strong and swift enough to knock down buildings and even buckle an elevated railroad, knocking a train off its tracks. The great Boston Molasses Disaster claims 21 lives, not including horses and dogs, and injures 150. And yet, when rum was dubbed kill-devil, I don't think this is what its critics had in mind. More
This week, we're discussing highballs, perhaps the easiest class of cocktail to make. A highball is a group of drinks made of a base spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer. Now, most highballs are pretty straightforward—fill a glass with ice, pour on a shot of Jack, and fill the glass with Coke, for example. They're hard to screw up at a bar, and the large proportion of unleaded mixer helps you stay hydrated when you're out for a night of drinking. With one exception, the drinks I'll feature this week require a little more work than a pour of spirit and a spray from a soda gun, but they deliver a greater reward as well. More
Winter has arrived, and Christmas is nipping at its nose. This week, I'm going to take a brief look at a few wintery drinking rituals that I hope will help to warm you and yours this holiday season. More
Today I'm revealing my secret to party planning: the easiest way to serve cocktails to a crowd. Batching up cocktails in advance provides you, as the party host, a way to offer guests well-made cocktails, but frees you up to otherwise enjoy the party, and not feel compelled to make drinks to order. It's a win-win. More
This week, with holiday celebrations looming, we'll cover essential fizzy cocktails. Whether made from cava, prosecco, American bubbly, or the venerable Champagne, sparkling wine-based cocktails are a treat for any party, from the large to the intimate. More
'Tis the season for holiday shopping, and we want to make it a bit easier on you. If you're having trouble thinking of great presents for your family and friends—and if your loved ones happen to be spirits aficionados—we're here to help. Here are ten great gift ideas that will be a hit with cocktailians, home mixologists, and fanciers of booze in general. More
While planning your Thanksgiving repast, don't forget the cocktails! This week, we're offering up three delicious apple-based drinks—lovely accompaniments to a Turkey Day feast. More
To all who've commented about acetaminophen:
Your concerns are noted and we've updated the original article to account for them. Thanks.
And as for hair-of-the-dog remedies, I think of them the way I do a greasy brunch. They don't do much to make me feel better physically, but they take the edge off of that metaphysical hangover. A brunch cocktail cheers me up enough to put me in a better headspace. And often, that's where my drinking for the day ends -- with that one bloody mary.
So no, it's not helping me physically at all, but it lifts my mood nevertheless. Especially when I'm out with friends.
Thanks, Bill, but the sections that immediately follow that sentence refer to bananas and coconut water, which I describe as natural sources of electrolytes.
I never said I was getting electrolytes from plain water.
It's funny, one commenter thinks I shouldn't have mentioned coconut water at all; another one thinks I didn't make it explicit enough that coconut water is a good source of electrolytes.
I didn't think I needed to be more explicit; I assumed most SE readers already know that bananas and coconut water contain electrolytes, so I thought the implicit segue from "electrolytes from natural sources" to the heading "Bananas" was sufficient.
Thanks for pointing that out. Unfortunately, whenever we link to sites external to Serious Eats, we always run the risk that the links will break. That's just the nature of the Internet.
I updated the link in the post, and it should work now. Hope it helps!
Try this link:
According to Wikipedia, the Dark and the Robust Russets were discontinued. I know I haven't seen them in over a year. If that's true, it's the most tragic thing to happen on earth since New Coke.
@thenbagis - Thank you! That's very kind of you to say.
I probably think about martinis way more often than I should. My gin:vermouth ratio depends on my mood. When I'm gloomy, I prefer a drier drink, of 5:1. That's also how I generally take in the winter. When I'm happier, I go wetter, up to 3:1 or 2:1. That's also my general summertime martini variant. I can even go 1:1, but not very often.
@UnicornMaster: As to water, I think you're on the right track. When I make bottled cocktails, about 25% of the volume is water, based on calculations by Booker and Dax's own Dave Arnold. If my math is right (I'm on my first sips of coffee, so it might not be), your concoction is about 20% water. You *could* increase that, but it's really just a matter of taste.
A mojito has lime juice, and it's generally made with crisp white rum. A julep has no lime juice, and by "good aged rum," I mean a dark, rich rum. So no, a rum julep is not a mojito.
Gah, the formatting on that is terrible.
@Wade: Thank you for the clarification. I put 2 and 2 together and somehow got 5. The broader point is still true, of course, which is that the Spanish applied distillation tech to native agave ferments they came across. I wish I hadn't made a direct link between pulque and distilling, though.
@mayan: Yes, I can confirm it's 100% true. Every bourbon, by Federal law, must sit in charred barrels.
Here's the law, just in case you don't think I'm 100% accurate (bolding is mine):
1)(i) “Bourbon whisky”, “rye whisky”, “wheat whisky”, “malt whisky”, or “rye malt whisky” is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn, rye, wheat, malted barley, or malted rye grain, respectively, and stored at not more than 125° proof in charred new oak containers; and also includes mixtures of such whiskies of the same type.
Nevertheless, blancos are generally not aged in wood. Herradura, and others that do, are exceptions. Thank you, though, for pointing out my error.
I find it a little misleading to call an "aged" blanco an aged tequila. Blancos can be "aged" for up to two months, yes, but in stainless-steel casks, not in wooden barrels.
What does that do? It certainly doesn't provide any barrel or woody flavors to tequila, and when we talk of aged spirits, we normally are talking about barrel-aged spirits. At best, resting in steel allows the tequila to mellow out and settle down a little.
Can most consumers taste the difference between a blanco that's immediately bottled versus one that sat around in steel for eight weeks? I really doubt it.
Thanks for the comments.
There is a LOT of tequila out on the market, so it's tough to face a wall of tequilas and choose just one to sample.
Again, not to be a snob, but stick with 100%-agave tequila. Not only does it generally taste better than mixtos, but it narrows the field quite a bit. In many liquor stores, going with full-on agave means you can eliminate half the contenders in front of you, which makes your choice easier.
Blancos will generally be the least expensive option available to you because they're unaged. It may be tempting to compare blancos to white rums but generally speaking blancos have more flavor and character than most white rums. So even though blancos aren't the best sipping tequilas (they're better for cocktails), they're still tasty when sipped, so if that's what you can afford, try it.
As for specific brands, I like these ...
Everyone seems to have a different favorite bourbon that I failed to mention, and I see one or two whiskeys mentioned in comments that aren't bourbon at all. I know of at about six dozen bourbon brands, and covering them is well beyond the scope of this piece.
And I say this as someone who loves Evan Williams, has enjoyed very many bottles of it, and mentioned it on Twitter to a reader who was looking for bourbon recommendations.
@PeteNJ: I'm not exactly sure where I implied that, but it's not true. Straight bourbon can be made from a mashbill of corn plus other grain, just like any other bourbon.
If you're referring to the bullet point that says, "Straight bourbon may contain no added colorings, flavorings, or additional spirits," let me clarify. A product that contains neutral grain spirits can be called a bourbon, but only if it's labeled "blended bourbon." Straight bourbon cannot contain neutral grain spirits.
@TheBoardMember: For those who are concerned about GMO, I don't see any reason to withhold that information from them. Can you argue that I should have left it out?
I drink bourbon and rye year-round, although I generally only have scotch in the fall and winter. I like dark rums more in colder months, although I still sometimes sip them when it's warm. Generally, though, I switch from sipping rums to rum cocktails in the warmer months: daiquiris, etc.
My biggest change-up in the spring and summer is I have a lot more highballs than I do in the winter. Oh, and it's easier to make NA drinks in the summer when berries, fruits, and herbs come into season.
Just found this topic.
Berkshire Mountain Distillers, in Mass., does a couple of gins. One is a pretty interesting product. Called Ethereal Gin, the recipe changes from batch to batch. I have a bottle that emphasizes cardamom, for example. Although I respect what they're doing, the cardamom flavor isn't my favorite, at least in gin. But it's really cool, nonetheless.
The current batch of Ethereal is more floral; the website says, "A silky floral entry of violet, honeysuckle, citrus and vanilla lingers long over an underlying brown spice base of cinnamon, clove and grains of paradise."
Each batch has a label of a different color. The cardamom batch was sort of yellow-brown. This batch is violet, in keeping with the floral notes.
Thanks, @tmread. Looking forward to your review, if you have a chance to sample.
As for price, these aren't Will Gordon's whiskeys. Expect to pay at least $50 for a 375ml bottle, which is half the size of a standard bottle. That might seem spendy, but this project is the very definition of hand crafted and small batch, and it's right in line with other, similar products.
The Highlander reference tickles the hell out of me.
Good question, @Rosewood. I only wish I could do the sorts of experiments with whiskey that Kenji does with food, but my landlord won't let me have a still on the property. Go figure.
Good comments from @TheBoardMember and @arbeck, thanks.
The biggest variable in spirits warehousing usually comes from variations in temperature and humidity. Higher temperatures increase the rate of oxidation; at hotter temperatures, spirits age faster. This is one reason you commonly see 21-year-old Scotches but seldom see rum aged as much. It's also why you rarely see bourbons that old, for that matter--and when you do, they're very expensive.
As for humidity, in a drier warehouse, water will evaporate from a spirit before alcohol does. In a damper warehouse, the opposite is true.
Buffalo Trace says that Warehouse K is a brick warehouse with wooden floors. The bottom floor is cool and damp which helps for slow aging; the top floor is hot and dry, which ages young barrels more quickly.
Warehouse L is also brick but has concrete floors, which provide for slow temperature changes and a very concentrated aging environment. BT normally uses L to age wheated bourbons.
Apparently one reason for this experiment is because even workers at the distillery disagree about whether K or L is a better aging environment.
Hope this all helps. Thanks again!
Yeah, don't know what happened there. I think I forgot to edit that out once I realized it was wrong. Oh well. This calls for a drink.
Finally, the moment we've all been waiting for! The final two chefs created their own restaurants and cooked for some of the biggest culinary legends in the world. And Curtis Stone. He was there too. [Warning: Spoilers ahead!] More
Yeast have the most important job in brewing: they start with sugar and break it down, leaving alcohol, carbon dioxide, and a variety of flavors. The importance of yeast often gets forgotten when conversations about beer turn to grain and hops, but yeast actually have the potential to contribute more unique flavors to your beer—both good and bad—than any other ingredient. Last week we talked about grain, and next week we'll look at hops, but today I'll be giving you what you need to know about yeast to make the best homebrew possible. More
Video or photographic footage of one badly managed farm or even a thousand badly managed farms does not prove that the production of foie gras, as a practice, is necessarily harmful to the health or mental well-being of a duck. Foie gras production should be judged not by the worst farms, but by the best, because those are the ones that I'm going to choose to buy my foie from if at all. More
So, you're planning a cocktail party? Commendable, friend, commendable. Careful planning and a few tips should help relieve the stress you're undoubtedly starting to feel. Let's start with the essentials: glassware, liquor, mixers, and ice. More
@scalfin: Flavored vodka's coming up next week, thanks.