Welcome to Imbibe Magazine's archived blog. Head to imbibemagazine.com for the very latest in liquid culture.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Whole Foods Opens Another Bar
We're kind of intrigued by the move Whole Foods' has been making over the past year to get into the on-premise beer and wine biz with the opening of in-store bars in six of its stores around the U.S. The latest, called Bar Lamar, opened a few weeks ago in Austin, and features craft brews and locally produced wines. Apparently, the grocery chain is planning open more bars in stores across the U.S. over the next year, so keep an eye out in your neck of the woods. It certainly seems like a clever money-making tactic, but what do you think? Would you belly up to the bar at your neighborhood grocery store?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A Q&A With Jim Rutledge of Four Roses Bourbon

Friday, March 25, 2011
Drink of the Week: Batdorf & Bronson Brazil Pedra Redonda

$16/lb., dancinggoats.com
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
March’s Where to Drink Now: The Wilson, San Francisco

Coordinates: 501 Jones St., San Francisco; thewilsonbar.com
Friday, March 18, 2011
Drink Whiskey—Help Japan
If you happen to live in Seattle or will be there later this month, Seattle-based One Pot is holding a great event to help with relief efforts in Japan. As part of their Drinking Lesson event series, One Pot is welcoming bartender and Japanese whiskey specialist Neyah White and Maker’s Mark ambassador Cody Rossen to lead a whiskey class at the Sorrento Hotel on March 31. Together, the two will talk guests through tastes of six different whiskeys, as well as the history and traditions behind each. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders to support their efforts in Japan. Get your tickets here.
Imbibe's Cover Cocktail Contest: We Have a Winner!


Thanks to everyone who submitted recipes—we really were so impressed by the quality of the recipes and enthusiasm behind each entry. We also want to give a special shout-out to the people who made it into our group of top 25 finalists because we were blown away by the thought and creativity that went into each submission (listed alphabetically).
Todd Appel, Chicago, IL (Piranha Bros.)
Charlie Bradshaw and Kathleen McCook, Alpharetta, GA (Drink Bloggers)
Brittany Chardin, Atlanta, GA (Beverage Writer)
Anthony DeCoste, Lane Douglas, MA (Home Enthusiast)
Preston Eckman, Philadelphia, PA (Opa)
Paul Edlund, Seattle, WA (Home Enthusiast)
Nathan Greene, Las Vegas, NV (Vanguard Lounge)
Brian Johnson, Tacoma, WA (Home Enthusiast)
Ted Kilgore, St. Louis, MO (Taste)
Bob Lamb, Mount Rainier, MD (Home Enthusiast)
Jessica Maria, Albany, CA (Hotsy Totsy Club)
Darlene Mann-Clarke, Greenville, SC (American Grocery)
Marcelo Nascimento, Austin, TX (Spirits Professional)
Joshua Pearson, Chicago, IL (Sepia)
Daniel Perrigan, Madison, NJ (Home Enthusiast)
Matt Seiter, St. Louis, MO (Sanctuaria)
Nate Selsor, St. Louis, MO (Monarch Restaurant)
Colin Shearn, Philadelphia, PA (The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.)
Dave Shenaut, Portland, OR (Beaker & Flask and Irving Street Bistro)
Jason Sobel, New York, NY (Home Enthusiast)
Karin Stanley, Brooklyn, NY (Little Branch, Dutch Kills, Milk and Honey)
Summer Voelker, Pittsburgh, PA (Salt of the Earth)
TJ Vytlacil, St. Louis, MO (Monarch Restaurant)
Lance Andrew Warner, Atlanta, GA (Top Flr)
Photo of David Delaney ©2010 Scott Erb/erbphoto.com
Drink of the Week: Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon

$70, buffalotrace.com for distribution information
Thursday, March 17, 2011
5 Places to Score a Perfect Pint of Guinness

Photo: Stuart Mullenberg, stuphoto.net
B.D. Riley’s
In the midst of Austin’s art and entertainment district you’ll find this Irish pub so authentic that it was actually built in Ireland and later shipped to the Lone Star State. Their Guinness pints are also just as genuine, “with time taken to pour and settle in two parts,” according to manager Steve Basile, “through clean lines and into spotless imperial pint glasses.” The result? “The perfect pint o' dark.” Basile says. “Every pint. Perfect. Every time." And it seems that more than a few regulars have taken notice sometimes emptying two kegs a day.
Coordinates: 204 E. 6th St., Austin, Texas; 512-494-1335; bdrileys.com
Casey’s Irish Pub
What was once a basement bath house in turn-of-the-century Los Angeles has since become downtown’s most popular Irish pub, with each bartender taking the time to produce the requisite two-minute double-pour. According to head barman Mark deSalvo, they “fly through at least six kegs a week,” with some of that Guinness finding its way into dishes like traditional Irish stew, Guinness-battered fish and chips and even a beer float.
Coordinates: 613 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles; 213-629-2353; caseysirishpub.com
Johnny’s Irish Pub
Just a short distance from the University of Rochester, this Irish pub could easily pour pints as fast as the local coeds order and few would know the difference. Still, owner Johnny Savino insists that all of his bartenders use the two-part pour each time, regardless of how busy they are.
Coordinates: 1382 Culver Rd., Rochester, New York; 585-224-0990; johnnysirishpub.com
Moon & Sixpence
The English and Irish haven’t always gotten along, but English pub Moon & Sixpence spreads the love with perfect pints of Guinness. And according to bartender Jason Jones, the two-part pour isn’t the only important factor in getting you the best pint, “Our Guinness keg has a short, 14-inch line,” he says, “which definitely minimizes the distance the beer has to travel before it gets to your glass.”
Coordinates: 2014 NE 42nd Ave., Portland, Ore.; 503-288-7802
The Littlest Bar
Irish descendents make up nearly 16 percent of Boston’s population, so it goes without saying that locals have their pick of where to get a good Guinness. And yet a growing number of them continually choose the Littlest Bar, which, for what it lacks in space makes up for in consistent and clean two-part pours that are easily the best in town.
Coordinates: 102 Broad St., Boston; 617-542-8469
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Tanqueray's Quest for the Best T&T in America Is Complete

Tasting more 200 recipes along the way, Winchester chose one winner from each stop. Of the 22 finalists, only one cocktail could be named the Best T&T, and that winner was Eric Ho of Cleveland, Ohio, whose Beetnik’s Tonic combines beet-infused Tanqueray with tonic water and a dash of vinegar. His inspiration? "Restaurants are always busy, so I wanted to create a drink that could be crafted quickly but also have a lot of flavor," Ho says. "I just happened to be roasting beets for dinner one day and it dawned on me that the vegetable-sweetness of the roasted beets could meld well with the spicy and herbal notes of Tanqueray. I threw some of the roasted beets and Tanqueray into a jar and let the mix infuse. I knew it was right the next day when I smelled the infusion and it was a match made in heaven."
Click here to see Ho's full recipe, and check out Tanqueray's Facebook page to see more of Winchester's favorite T&T recipes.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Drink of the Week: Sweetwater Mean Joe Bean

$6/22 oz., sweetwaterbrew.com for distribution
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Join Imbibe for an Evening of Artisanal Tequila

You’ll also get the chance to meet Casa Noble’s Pepe Hermosillo and learn about how Casa Noble is crafted organically in Mexico. Whether you’re an avid tequila enthusiast or you’re just starting to get interested in the spirit, this will be a fun chance to sample and learn more about one of the world’s best tequilas.
Space is limited, and you must RSVP, so click here to email us and secure your spot. We hope to see you there!
What: An Evening of Tequila With Casa Noble and Imbibe
Where: Mijita, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco
When: Wednesday, March 16, 5–7 p.m.
Mardi Gras Cocktails
Celebrating Mardi Gras? Here are five cocktails that'll give you taste of New Orleans, even if you can't be there for the festivities.
Brandy Milk Punch
Popular throughout New Orleans where many bars offer their own variation on the recipe, this 19th century classic is traditionally sipped after a rich meal … and again in the morning alongside breakfast.
The Hurricane
The South gets a taste of tiki with this Zombie-inspired combination of light and dark rum, Galliano and loads of fresh fruit juice. Popularized in the 1930s by New Orleans barkeep Pat O’Brien, this heady concoction is named for the hurricane lamp-like glass it’s served in, and has since become a staple of Mardi Gras celebrations.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Also called the New Orleans Fizz, this ethereal mix of gin, citrus juice, egg white and heavy cream was invented in 1888 by New Orleans bar owner Henry C. Ramos.
Sazerac
The official drink of New Orleans (literally—legislation passed in June 2008 naming it so), the Sazerac can trace its origins back to early 19th-century druggist and freemason, Antoine Peychaud, who would host freemason meetings at his pharmacy and serve a mix of Sazerac de Forge Cognac, absinthe and his proprietary bitters.
Vieux Carré
Invented by Walter Bergeron during the 1930s at what would later become the Carousel Bar in the Monteleone Hotel, this spirits-driven mix of rye, Cognac, vermouth, bitters and Bénédictine is named for New Orleans’ old French Quarter.
Brandy Milk Punch
Popular throughout New Orleans where many bars offer their own variation on the recipe, this 19th century classic is traditionally sipped after a rich meal … and again in the morning alongside breakfast.
The Hurricane
The South gets a taste of tiki with this Zombie-inspired combination of light and dark rum, Galliano and loads of fresh fruit juice. Popularized in the 1930s by New Orleans barkeep Pat O’Brien, this heady concoction is named for the hurricane lamp-like glass it’s served in, and has since become a staple of Mardi Gras celebrations.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Also called the New Orleans Fizz, this ethereal mix of gin, citrus juice, egg white and heavy cream was invented in 1888 by New Orleans bar owner Henry C. Ramos.
Sazerac
The official drink of New Orleans (literally—legislation passed in June 2008 naming it so), the Sazerac can trace its origins back to early 19th-century druggist and freemason, Antoine Peychaud, who would host freemason meetings at his pharmacy and serve a mix of Sazerac de Forge Cognac, absinthe and his proprietary bitters.
Vieux Carré
Invented by Walter Bergeron during the 1930s at what would later become the Carousel Bar in the Monteleone Hotel, this spirits-driven mix of rye, Cognac, vermouth, bitters and Bénédictine is named for New Orleans’ old French Quarter.
Monday, March 07, 2011
New Poll: Which Southern City Has the Most Exciting Drinks Culture?
As we found in putting together our latest Southern Issue, the South is a region that's exploding with creativity when it comes to drinks. But which southern city do you think as the most exciting drinks culture at the moment? Atlanta? Nashville? Louisville? Click here to cast your vote!
Friday, March 04, 2011
New Cocktail Video: Rimming Glasses With Salt and Sugar

Drink of the Week: Veritas Cabernet Franc Reserve 2008

Thursday, March 03, 2011
Win Tickets to Whiskies of the World & Artisanal Spirits Fest!

All you have to do to make yourself eligible to win is click here and email to tell us about your favorite whisky/whiskey of the moment. Entries are due by Monday, March 14, and the winner will be notified by March 15. You must be over 21 to attend this event. Good luck!
What: 12th Annual Whiskies of the World Expo
When: March 26, 2011, 6–10 p.m.
Where: The SF Belle Hornblower Yacht, Pier 3 Embarcadero @ Washington St., San Francisco
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
The Imbibe Southern Issue!

This issue includes features on the 100 Best Places to Drink in the South; the Kentucky Bourbon Trail; Virginia Wine Country; Southern Sodas; Iced Tea Cocktails; Southern Breweries (plus a beer mecca in the middle of Kentucky); Rye Whiskey; How to Pickle Okra; and on and on. If you've ever been curious about the South, or you already have an affinity for the region, this issue will give you lots of reasons to explore and celebrate.
Look for the issue on stands starting today and over the next few days (depending on the store)—it's definitely one you won't want to miss!