Good Spirits News

Golden Daiquiri: The original daiquiri was just rum, sugar, limes and ice; the fruity frozen daiquiri didn't become popular until the advent of the home blender in the 1950s. We've melded the two, adding raspberries for flavor and golden rum and dark brown sugar for mellow, muted sweetness.
>> Get recipe for Golden Daiquiri

Plum Caipirinha: The caipirinha, a combination of rum-like cachaca, limes and sugar, is considered Brazil's national drink. Poached plums add depth of flavor and sangria-like texture to make a perfect party sipper.
>> Get recipe for Plum Caipirinha

Michelada: As counterintuitive as it may seem to add salt, hot sauce and Worcestershire to your beer, versions of this drink are popular all over Mexico. The salt sharpens the flavor; the lime brightens it; and the hot sauce and Worcestershire spice it up, making it a natural for barbecues, tacos or just hot days.
>> Get recipe for Michelada

Orange Creamezcal: When was the last time you had an ice cream float? This one is rich, refreshing, and, thanks to mezcal, unmistakably grown-up. Mezcal is bolder-tasting and a bit smokier than tequila, and a natural with sweet orange soda.
>> Get recipe for Orange Creamezcal

Gin & Tonic Jellies: There's nothing we like more than the genteel — unless it's the raucous. These shots neatly combine the two; serve them with demitasse spoons (the genteel) or come up with your own, more creative way (the raucous).
>> Get recipe for Gin & Tonic Jellies

Pisco Sour: Sours are a summer classic. This one is made with Pisco, a grape-based brandy developed in the 17th century (after the king of Spain banned wine in the Latin American colonies). Both Peru and Chile claim to have invented Pisco — but no matter its origins, this drink is a welcome addition to any cocktail repertoire.
>> Get recipe for Pisco Sour

Long Island Green Tea: While this is not quite the Long Island Iced Tea of your youth — for one, there's actual tea in it — the variety of alcohols used and the easy-drinking nature more than merit the name.
>> Get recipe for Long Island Green Tea

Margarita: You already know this drink. It's consistently one of the most popular drinks on our site, on our air and in the emails we get. Fresh ingredients make it truly shine.
>> Get recipe for Margarita

Rose 75: A French 75 is a combination of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and champagne; a French 74 swaps cognac for gin. Rose champagne adds another layer of complexity to what's already a classic in its own right.
>> Get recipe for Rose 75

Summer Watermelon Situation: This lighter, sunnier, slushier Cosmopolitan screams summer to us. The foamy head is chased by a sweet, slushy watermelon base, all braced with crisp lemon vodka for a clean, refreshing finish.
>> Get recipe for Summer Watermelon Situation

Recipes courtesy of The Food Network

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The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks

Recent Spirits & Mixology Books



	5/08 - Everyday Drinking: The Distilled Kingsley Amis by Kingsley Amis Along with a series of well-tested recipes (including a cocktail called the Lucky Jim) the book includes Amis’s musings on The Hangover, The Boozing Man’s Diet, What to Drink with What, and (presumably as a matter of speculation) How Not to Get Drunk.

	5/08 - Collins Need to Know? Whiskies by Dominic Roskrow Whisky or whiskey? With ice or without? A peaty island malt or a mellow Lowland dram? This fully illustrated book will give you all the information and advice you need to appreciate whisky.

	5/08 - Hideous Absinthe: A History of the Devil in a Bottle by Jad Adams Absinthe, a strongly alcoholic drink with a reputation of mythic proportions, is again in fashion, 90 years after it was banned in France and elsewhere as a cause of madness.

	5/08 - Frozen Drinks: An a to Z Guide to All Your Frozen Favorites by Cheryl Charming More than 800 frozen libations are detailed in this handy volume. Featuring a unique spiral binding, the book will remain open while you grab the ingredients and blend. No pictures, but loads of interesting drinks to try! Good Spirits Rating: VS

	5/08 - Food & Wine Cocktails 2008 As a scene-scoping, style-setting, modern magazine, Food & Wine always keeps tabs on the trendiest nightlife. These 150 cocktails are the ones making a sensation in the hippest eateries and bars throughout the nation.

	4/08 - A Man's Place Is Behind the Bar: Killer Cocktail Recipes by Tucker Shaw A trendy, colorful paperback recipe book containing many fo the classics. I don't always agree with the ratios of spirits used, (Mr. Tucker tends towards the sweet toothed crowd) but still a nifty little cocktail 101 book. Good Spirits Rating: VSOP

	4/08 - Margaritas!: Mix and Enjoy More Than 70 Fabulous Margaritas and Tequila-Based Cocktails by Henry Besant Colorful and loaded with recipes, this is the best volume I've come across for tequila based drinks. Listing unique and creative drinks with photos, the author suggests particular brands for each cocktail. Good Spirits Rating: VSOP

	4/08 - Spirits & Liqueurs for Cooking: A Practical Kitchen Handbook: A definitive guide to alcohol-based drinks by Stuart Walton A definitive guide to alcohol-based drinks and how to use them with food. 170 spirits identified and described plus over 100 classic and contemporary recipes and more than 125 cocktails.

	2/08 - Diffordsguide to Cocktails #7 by Simon Difford The 7th edition of a book that is widely regarded by members of the drinks industry as the most complete and authoritative cocktail publication available. It contains 2,250 easy to follow cocktail recipes, each accompanied by a colour photograph.

	2/08 - Kentucky Bourbon: The Early Years of Whiskeymaking by Henry G. Crowgey A rather dry, if interesting study of the early days of American Whiskeymaking. Well researched and with extensive bibliographical information, this book would be a good addition to any Bourbon lover's library. Good Spirits Rating: VS

	2/08 - Kindred Spirits 2 by F. Paul Pacult The second volume of F. Paul Pacult's reviews of spirits. This is a massive tome with excellent insight and tasting notes. My only complaint is that there is no index or cross referencing with the first volume. Good Spirits Rating: Top Shelf

	12/07 - Malt Whiskey Yearbook 2008: The Facts, the People, the News, the Stories Malt Whisky Yearbook has become an authoritative book that whisky enthusiasts worldwide look forward to each autumn. This is the third edition

	12/07 - The Pocket Recipe Guide: Museum of the American Cocktail by Anistatia Miller In honor of the first time the word 'cocktail' was defined in print on 13 May 1806, the Museum of the American Cocktail presents this second edition of its guide to 100 classic recipes every bartender and cocktail lover should know.

	11/07 -The Professional Bartender's Handbook: A Recipe for Every Drink Known - Including Tricks and Games to Impress Your Guests by Valerie Mellema Designed for the beginning bartender, this book details bar basics. Loads of recipes, but no information on their flavour or history. A Dummy's Guide to Mixology. Good Spirits Rating: Bottom Shelf

	11/07 - How's Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well by Eric Felten A fun read from the Wall Street Journal columnist. Great anecdotes and history on some of the most popular and obscure cocktails of the 20th century. Nice book design too! Good Spirits Rating: VSOP

	11/07 - Classic Cocktails: A Modern Shake by Mark Kingwell Designed in the style of a 1930's cocktail book, this volume contains period style illustrations and stories about some of the classics. Written in a modern, jaunty style, this is an easy read for cocktail nuts. Good Spirits Rating: VS

	11/07 - Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas by David Wondrich The most detailed study of early American cocktails ever attempted. Looking through the eyes of Prof. Jerry Thomas, Wondrich recreates punches, fizzes, slings and more importantly, how to recreate lost ingreidents. Good Spirits Rating: Top Shelf

	11/07 - The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock A reproduction of the original 1930 volume in all it's glory! Not every recipe is great or even good, but so many of the standards are here, that any mixologist worth his rimming salt will want this. Good Spirits Rating: Top Shelf

	10/07 - In the Land of Cocktails: Recipes and Adventures from the Cocktail Chicks by Ti Adelaide Martin Proprietors of the legendary New Orleans restaurant Commander's Palace, Ti and Lally are cocktail divas, spreading the gospel about how to make drinks properly.

	10/07 - The Malt Whisky File by John D. Lamond The Malt Whisky File is the most complete reference available to the whiskies of the world, including those from the distilleries of New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, and, of course, Scotland.

	10/07 - Secrets Revealed of America's Greatest Cocktails by Robert Plotkin This groundbreaking effort highlights America’s top bartenders and their best methods for creating and preparing America’s greatest cocktails.

	10/07 - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible by Jim Murray The author has travelled around the world checking out whisky from distilleries as far-flung as Argentina and Thailand, as well as the world-leaders in Scotland, Ireland, the United States and Japan. In terms of whisky, this is the gospel!

	9/07 - Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist by A.J. Rathbun A beautiful volume with recipes from past to present, my only complaint is unusual size, makes it hard to read. Recipes are broken down into odd categories, but an index makes it easy to find what you're looking for. Good Spirits Rating: VSOP

	9/07 - Whisky Tales by Charles MacLean The history of Scotch told in a light and breezy style. Nice period illustrations are scattered throughout and the history is quite in depth. Makes for a good bedtime read with your wee dram. Good Spirits Rating: VSOP

	9/07 - The Craft of the Cocktail Deck: Artful Tips and Delicious Recipes for Serving Masterful Cocktails by Dale Degroff Two parts distinctive drinks, one part technique, with a garnish of potent personality, this deck includes fifty fabulous cocktail recipes created by the King of Cocktails, Dale DeGroff.

	9/07 - The Business of Spirits: How Savvy Marketers, Innovative Distillers, and Entrepreneurs Changed How We Drink by Noah Rothbaum As with so many industries, conglomerates have soaked up the small distilleries, improving global distribution, while increasing connoisseurship spurred partly by pop culture vehicles like Sex and the City has turned on consumers to super-premium vodkas.

	8/07 - Mixologist 2: The Journal of the American Cocktail by Jared Brown Featuring works by noted cocktail authorities Christine Sismondo, Robert Hess, Gary Regan, LeNell Smothers, Gwydion Stone, Audrey Saunders, Dale DeGroff, Ryan Magarian, Darcy O'Neil, Jared Brown, and Anistatia Miller.

	7/07 - Diffordsguide to Cocktails: Volume 6 by Simon Difford If on a desert island (and a fully stocked bar), this is THE one volume to have. If it's been made, it's likely here. Not only do you get the recipes, but the style of spirit and a handy rating on taste. Indispensible! Good Spirits Rating: Top Shelf

	6/07 - And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails by Wayne Curtis Curtis follows rum's checkered 400-year career through various incarnations, from the cheap, caustic "kill-devil" that fortified 17th-century pirates (Blackbeard was said to enjoy a glass of flaming rum mixed with gunpowder) to today's mojitos.

	6/07 - Sippin' Safari: In Search of the Great "Lost" Tropical Drink Recipes... and the People Behind Them by Jeff Berry Stories culled from over 100 interviews with those who actually created the mid-century Tiki scene - people as colorful as the drinks they invented, or served, or simply drank.

5/07 - The Whiskey River by Robin Lang An unusual volume written by a folk singer, Mr. Lang had the enviable task of visiting every distillery in Speyside and tasting their wares. Including poetry, lyrics and New Yorker-style illustrations, this is a unique volume. Good Spirits Rating: VSOP

The Gentleman's Companion

Cocktail Blogs & Websites



Alcademics.com Alcademics.com is a website about booze- mostly spirits, but you'll find some beer, wine, sake, and other beverage information here too.

The Art of Drink The Art of Drink is currently one of the top cocktail and drink weblog on the Internet.

B.A.R. (Beverage Alcohol Resource) BAR, a Limited Liability Company headquartered in New York, is an independent organization whose mission is to propagate the healthy and responsible use of beverage alcohol products through innovative and comprehensive training programs and seminars.

Barmedia.com BarMedia's mission is to serve the needs of aspiring professionals, as well as enlighten the social host on the nuances of creative mixology.

Blogging Tales of the Cocktail Blogging Tales of the Cocktail: 2008 covers mixology’s largest and most influential event: Tales of the Cocktail, held each July in New Orleans.

The Cocktail Guru Jonathan Pogash is a cocktail consultant and mixologist who creates exciting signature cocktails for the hospitality industry. He provides recipes, product insight, staff training, and consults for every level of the wine and spirits industry.

Cocktail Nerd A blog of most things cocktail and alcohol related.

CocktailDB Your most complete source for cocktails, cocktail ingredients, and barware knowledge on the web!

CocktailTimes.com Launched in 1998, Cocktail Times helps you become a great home bartender with everything you need to know about cocktails and distilled spirits, from the classic concoctions to the new inventions, nicely indexed by the type of spirit.

A Dash of Bitters A weblog detailing cocktails, spirits, liqueurs, mixers, barware, bars, lounges, and of course, bitters.

Diffordsguide Online The discerning drinkers online magazine.

eGullet Society The purpose of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters is to increase awareness and knowledge of the arts of cooking, eating and drinking, as well as the literature of food and drink.

Esquire's Drinks Database Enter what ingredients you have on hand, and it will tell you what concoctions you can create.

Exposition Universelle des Vins et Spiritueux A permanent encyclopaedia of the wine and spirits industry located on Ile de Bendor in southern France.

International Bartenders Association The Foundation of the International Bartenders Association (I.B.A.) A Historic Conference in Torquay, U.K on 24th February 1951.

IWSC - International Wine & Spirits Competition The International Wine and Spirit Competition was founded in 1969 and is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs.

Liquid Architecture Liquid Architecture is a beverage consultancy that creates "Signature" drinks and bar concepts for a wide variety of clients.

Liquor Snob News and tips on all things alcoholic, including beer and wine, breathalyzers, cocktails and spirits; plus drink recipes, booze reviews and more.

The Museum of the American Cocktail The Museum of the American Cocktail, through its seminars, permanent exhibits, publications, and outreach, actively involves professionals, scholars, and visitors in the American Cocktail's history and continuing lore.

New York Speakeasies An interactive map of the best places to find classic cocktails in the Big Apple.

The Spirit World Articles quenching your thirst with sips, nips and tipples.

Tastings: The Beverage Tasting Institute The Beverage Testing Institute was founded in 1981 with the objective of producing fair and impartial wine reviews for consumers. Today, this philosophy still holds true.

The Whisky Guild The first 2.0 online community for whisky lovers. Blog, Upload Images, Watch Videos, chat with others and more.

Virtual Absinthe Museum "...here you will find a world entirely devoted to the magic of absinthe..crammed full of information...an absinthe collector's paradise."

Jigger, Beaker and Flask

Resources for stocking your bar



Absinthe Online Shop An array of absinthes, fountains, glasses, spoons, books and rare original bottles for sale.

Angostura Bitters The standard for bitters.

Beer & Liquors.com BeerLiquors.com is a web site designed to provide information on a large choice of fine wines, spirits, cigars and gifts available from selected merchants.

Bevmo! Fantastic source for hard to find spirits, barware and more.

Buffalo Trace Distillery A distiller who carries not only an excellent bourbon, but also Peychaud's Bitters & Regan's Orange Bitters.

Drink Up NY The best place for New Yorkers to order hard to find spirits, liqueurs and cordials.

Fee Bros. Fee Brothers is a four generation old manufacturer of top quality Cocktail Mixes, Bitters, Flavoring Syrups, Iced Cappuccino Mix and other beverage ingredients.

Haus Alpenz A resource for hard to find spirits & liqueurs such as Batavia Arrack, Creme de Violette, Allspice Dram and Velvet Falernum.

Imbibe Magazine Imbibe is the magazine of liquid culture. It is a completely new way of looking at drinks—as a distinct culinary category, deserving in-depth exploration of history, ingredients, preparation, artistry and consumption.

Internet Wines & Spirits An online source for some hard to find spirits, liqueurs and cordials.

Kegworks.com Kegworks offering high end products such as shakers, strainers, jiggers, muddlers, cocktail trays, glassware, etc...

Macha Weine & Feines A German source for an amazing array of Cuban rums.

Martiniart.com The concept of a martini devoted website grew out of an obsession with tasting new and unique martinis, and eventually a thirst for martini experimentation. Early on, we made a hobby out of photographing cool martini glasses and cocktail shakers.

Mr. Mojito's Muddlers Mr. Mojito (aka David Nepove) is proud to announce that his signature muddlers are now available. You can now experience the rich flavors of muddling fresh fruit (or whatever you like) into your cocktails.

Oxo Oxo makes several excellent bar tools. Jiggers, juicers, shakers and more.

Reidel Glassware Claus Riedel was the first person in the long history of the glass to design its shape according to the character of the spirit. Choose the best glass for your spirit!

Rosle High quality bar tools made in Germany.

Salt Traders Salt Traders is the original and best collection of hand-harvested, natural, specialty, rare, artisan, smoked and gourmet sea salts from around the world.

The Soda Pop An online source for cane sugar Coca-Cola, Blenheim's Ginger Beer and other great mixers.

Tag Bar Barware Barware chosen and endorsed by Tony Abou-Ganim, the modern mixologist.

Giggle Water

Fun Stuff



Cocktail Candles Yes, they even have a Hemingway Daiquiri scented candle!

Cocktail Gadgets Several interesting items to enliven your next cocktail party.

Drink Wizard This online program will predict what you're favorite drink is.

Mad Scientist Bartending Kit A cocktail set consisting of a shaker, beaker and test tubes. Not practical, but a good conversation piece.

The Mixilator The odds of obtaining potable drinks from this site are, at least, somewhat greater than monkeys typing Shakespeare on typewriters.

Tiki Bar TV A ongoing video drama of people who live 24-7 in a tiki bar.

The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them

Spirits & Cocktails in the News



5/14/08 - What the H? It's Remarkable Rum "It's an acquired taste," says Wayne Curtis, rum expert and author of "And a Bottle of Rum" (Three Rivers Press, 2007). "I didn't like it at the outset. It was too grassy, too organic. But I've really started to appreciate it."

5/14/08 - Cognac buff lifts the spirits of small French distilleries "I made up my mind to try to tell people in Japan about cognac made on small family-run farms."

5/13/08 - Global Cocktail Challenge today The bartenders are all familiar with the white bottle with the yellow cap, no matter where they come from, so there must be at least five dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters used in each concoction, which will show the versatility of the product.

5/13/08 - Hit me with your swizzle stick Bubble’s time machine will beam you up a Mojito of the future and a deconstructed Bellini. Prepare to enter the science laboratory of mixology.

5/13/08 - New Orleans to join 10 other cities to salute the Cocktails resurgence "This is the right time to return to the Golden Age of the Cocktail with fresh ingredients, classic recipes, and to take pride in the craft of bartending."

5/13/08 - A Night Out: World Cocktail Week Kicks Off at Proof World Cocktail Day celebrates the first known instance of the use of the word “cocktail,” which was May 13, 1806 in the Balance, a New York newspaper.

5/13/08 - $1,300 Ice Balls Will Chill Your Top-Shelf Swill The unbelievably intrepid whiskey drinkers at Taisin have come up with a $1,300 Ice Mold to create 55 mm (about two inch) ice balls for your drinking pleasure.

5/12/08 - Cottage Grove distillery finds winning mix of vodka, charity Support Her is one of the fastest-growing brands of vodka in the nation, he said. Side Pocket introduced the product in September, and it's now available in 22 states, with plans to be in 48 states by December.

5/12/08 - Jeremiah Weed Reappears on the Scene; Blasts Evan Williams Bourbon for Playing Politics in Presidential Primary Electi "In an electoral season full of strife and controversy, it is important for someone to speak out for the people, and as the patron father of “The People’s Bourbon,” I am confident that the people will ultimately settle this by seeing past the gimmicks."

5/12/08 - And no hangover! Blindfolded participants walk through and get a "sensory experience" of the brand's vodka, including scents of lemon and cedar, and listen to music played on a Level-bottle flute (sadly not for sale), all while a monitor broadcasts the user's heartbeat.

5/12/08 - Raise a Glass to Dad This Father's Day With Newly Released Ardmore(TM) Traditional Cask Ardmore Traditional Cask is unique in that it is the only Highland single malt whisky to be 100 percent peated since its inception in 1898.

5/11/08 - It's All About Flair Performance bartenders, dubbed "flair bartenders" by many, credit Cruise and his Razzie-nominated turn in the movie Cocktail for bringing the competitive sport of flipping, twirling, and juggling alcohol bottles into popular culture.

5/11/08 - Old Absinthe House continues to charm A 1934 article in Time magazine declared New Orleans the absinthe capital of the world. L.E. Jung & Wulff Company was known as "the big New Orleans absinthe firm," and according to Time, sold 1,500 cases of absinthe following the repeal of Prohibition.

5/11/08 - Havana calling, with rum Cuba’s post-Fidel Castro government wants the Havana Club rum bottled in India for the first time, and is sending a team to talk about it — perhaps over a few bottles of the liquid. If the deal is done, Indians can hope for cheaper Cuban rum.

5/10/08 - Victoria's first gin to hit the shelves next week Sporting a striking and youthful portrait of Queen Victoria on its bottle, Victoria Gin will hit the shelves and the throats of the city Tuesday, as Winchester Cellars introduces the Island's first gin.

5/9/08 - Soak Your Head With The Greatest Cocktails From Science Fiction Equal parts Southern Comfort, Amaretto, Sweet'n'Sour mix, and Sprite... you might as well just smoke some crack and drink the entire contents of the Slurpee machine at the movie theater.

5/9/08 - Robots serve up fiery cocktails in San Francisco The arm sped up, and instead of stopping and serving my drink, Chapek slammed the glass against its body, spilling my screwdriver all over itself and its interior electronics.