Beer: Pump[KY]n Brewery: Avery Brewing Co. Style: Imperial Porter ABV: 17 percent We are now in the thick of pumpkin-beer season. Beer labels, like leaves on trees, have shifted to shades of brown, black and orange. Pie spices and pumpkin puns can be found all over the place, and everyone…
The Spot: 20 Highland Tavern 4701 N. 20th St. Phoenix http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/service/20-highland-tavern The Hours: Happy hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. daily. See also:FEZ in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card…
Diving into the wild world of craft cocktails and mixology head first is one way to start learning more about them. You can also take one of a few different mixology classes here in town. However, for you bookworms out there, there’s a ton of great reads for beginners and…
Beer: Tricerahops Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Co. Style: Imperial IPA ABV: 8 percent You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar, The waves rise, the waves fall. Ninkasi, you are the one who soaks the malt in a jar, The waves rise, the waves fall. You are the…
The other day when I was behind the stick, one of my guests ordered a drink that I haven’t made in a while, a Salty Dog. It’s one of those basic drinks that you learn early on as a bartender, then almost never make because hardly anybody orders them anymore…
November is just around the corner — wait, where did the time go!? — and you know what that means? Beer. The month-long NovemBEER is New Times’ annual celebration of craft beer and this time around we’ve got something big to announce. In addition to a series of style-focused beer…
The first thing that probably comes to mind when someone says the word sherry is its use in cooking. While the fortified wine does have its place in the kitchen, Stephanie Teslar is using it to mix up five different cocktails at Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails. If you’re not…
Before it was a beer style, it was a party. The first Oktoberfest celebration was held on October 12, 1810, but far from the drinking festival it’s become today, this first party was actually held to celebrate a wedding. Ludwig, Crown Prince of Bavaria (who’d later become King Ludwig I)…
In last week’s Last Call, I got to show off a punch recipe with a sanguine hue. It’s great for just about any variety of Halloween party you can imagine, especially one that leans more toward the sophisticated end of the Halloween party spectrum. However, there’s a lot of fun…
Over the weekend, if you haven’t heard, the city of Denver was swarmed with brewers and beer nerds celebrating the 2014 edition of the Great American Beer Festival, the largest celebration of American craft beer in the country. While a grand beer-tasting set up in the main hall of the…
On the first Sunday of every month, Cal Lundmark and Blaise Faber invite friends and acquaintances into their home, transforming the Encanto-area duplex into Desert Spoon. Don’t get any funny ideas, though: the events, which include a spirit tasting, class, three-course dinner, and a cocktail party to celebrate, aren’t some…
The Spot: Earnest 4991 S Alma School Rd #101 Chandler http://corkrestaurant.net The Hours: Happy Hour is 5 to 6:30 pm, Tuesday through Friday in the bar and lounge. See also: Arrogant Butcher in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card…
I’m more than a little excited that Halloween is almost here. Part of my excitement is that Halloween parties can be some of the most enjoyable soirées of the year. The mix of spooky kitsch and childhood nostalgia is irresistible. Of course, now that we’re grown-ups, our Halloween parties are…
You might fancy yourself an at-home mixologist and maybe you have been building up that home bar selection into something quite respectable. Well, it’s time to put all of those bottles to use and learn how to implement their boozey goodness in the best way possible. Luckily, there are a…
The Spot: FEZ 3815 N. Central Ave. Phoenix www.fezoncentral.com The Hours: Happy hour is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. everyday. Bonus! There’s also reverse happy hour from 10 p.m. to close. See also: Cien Agaves in Scottsdale: Happy Hour Report Card…
Beer: Scotch Ale (Kilt Lifter) Brewery: Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant Style: Scotch ale ABV: 8 percent When I was little, I had a hamster named Roxy. She was a great little hamster, playful and gentle, and the two of us used to hang out for hours, she running around in…
I find the classic French 75 a perenially enjoyable cocktail. It’s a simple but elegant affair of champagne spiked with gin and a splash of lemon. It’s sort of a Tom Collins with an extra kick. See also: The French 75: Not French, But It’s So Good, Who Cares? While…
Hailing from northern Vermont, Caledonia was known for a long time for their local, raw honey. The beekeeping family, now led by Todd Hardie, ventured into the spirit distilling world about five years ago and now the unique vodka and gin from Caledonia Spirits is hitting Arizona. Using the honey…
The Spot: Arrogant Butcher 2 E. Jefferson Phoenix http://www.foxrc.com/the_arrogant_butcher.html The Hours: Happy hour is from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday in the bar only. See also: Rokerij: Happy Hour Report Card…
Beer: White Russian Imperial Stout Brewery: SunUp Brewing Co. Style: Russian Imperial Stout ABV: 9.2 percent Sometimes, there’s a beer. I won’t say a heroic beer, ’cause what’s a heroic beer? But sometimes, there’s a beer. And I’m talkin’ about SunUp’s White Russian here. Sometimes, there’s a beer … well,…
Can I declare patio brunch season open? I’m excited enough about the change in seasons that this night owl bartender is almost willing to get out of bed before noon. Almost. My favorite part of brunch is, of course, the accompanying cocktails. After all, without them, brunch is just a…
At the end of last week, I got two e-mails. One announced 2015 Arizona Cocktail Week, the other 2015 Arizona Beer Week. I should be excited. But I’m just kind of annoyed because both take place February 14 to 21. No big surprise, as that’s happened the past few years…
