I have a somewhat long-distance relationship with shots. I mean, they’re fun, and they’re easy to throw together, but when your first position behind the stick is making very complex tropical drinks, it’s easy to have a simple part of a bartender’s repertoire fall by the wayside. Then my birthday…
I try to be positive here in the Vine Geeks blog. I like cheering for Arizona wines, geekin’ on what I really like and generally celebrating all the greatness in the wine world. Every now and then, though, I run into something that really chaps my hide. And right now,…
When it comes to drinking cocktails, Michael Allmandinger says “the bitter, the better.” While his cocktails have a strong herbal element by using infused syrups and bitters as well as liqueurs like Génépi, as he does in his trademark, competition-winning Parlor Star cocktail, calling his creations bitter wouldn’t do justice…
The Spot: Pizza People Pub 1326 North Central Avenue 480-326-8542 www.pizzapeopleaz.com…
Beer: Pugachev’s Cobra Brewery: Hangar 24 Craft Brewery Style: Imperial Stout ABV: 13.8 percent The creation tale of many leaders of the craft beer industry began with a hobby; homebrewing. In need of a downtime activity, today’s master brewers started cooking up and bottling beers. They soon found they were…
It’s kind of fun looking through my bar books for some cocktailian inspiration. Quite a few of the recipes (especially the ones on the sticky pages, just like cookbooks) have memories attached to them, and good times are always involved. It beats the hell out of looking at now-questionable hairstyles…
I know, I know, when I geek out on a wine oftentimes it’s so obscure nobody has heard of it and certainly can’t find it. But sometimes I come across a wine or category of wines that are so unique and speak so loudly of their terroir, or sense of…
If you’re looking to start or just beef up your home bar, it can be pretty tricky to know which spirits and liqueurs will get you the most bang for your buck. Without going low on the liquor shelf, we’ve assembled a list of fifteen recommendations under $50 that will…
The Spot: Derby Public House 4220 Saddle Bag Trail, Scottsdale 480-999-3311 www.derbypublichouse.com…
Beer: Barrel-Aged Wee Heavy Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Co. Style: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy ABV: 10 percent ‘Twas a time, dear readers, when getting your hands on one of AleSmith’s barrel-aged beers was a Very Big Deal. These bottles were among the rarest and most highly sought-after in all the land; those…
It’s certainly busy season around the restaurant. It’s great to see endless streams of happy folks from out of town coming in to enjoy themselves. And the corresponding bump in my paycheck is pretty damn nice, too. But I can’t help but feel a little envious. I’ve found myself researching…
Many of our life experiences have been enhanced by the internet. Just think about the days prior to Facebook when all we got were a few birthday cards and now we awake on our birthday to several dozen birthday wishes. Our wine experience is no different, the wealth of content…
Like a boozy BirchBox, Kat Rudberg’s brand-new subscription service, Crafted Taste, will send craft liquors, fresh ingredients, bar tools, and recipes direct to your door every month. With recipes from top bartenders all across the country and specialized liqueurs, syrups, and bitters, Rudberg has combined her love of travel and…
The Spot: Bar Crudo 3603 East Indian School Road 602-358-8666 www.crudoaz.com…
Beer: Salty Scot Brewery: Parallel 49 Style: Scotch Ale ABV: 7.5 percent Another week, another brewery shipping its beers to Arizona shelves. Parallel 49 isn’t your usual new entrant to the American craft beer landscape, however — namely because it’s not American at all. The brewery’s located in Vancouver, British…
We’re more than a little crazy about wine at the restaurant where I work. So, it stands to reason that some of the cocktails we have draw inspiration from the wine world. For example, we recently picked up several bottles of fino sherry. At first, I wasn’t sure what to…
It’s no secret that I’m a big supporter of Arizona wine. I feel like we are in the neonatal ICU in terms of birthing a vibrant wine industry here. There are currently almost 90 licensed and bonded wineries in Arizona, some of which buy grapes and make wine; others grow…
While we noticed Asian-inspired cocktails making a showing from both Clever Koi and The Gladly at Devour’s Bartending Competition, one Valley bartender is infusing the flavors of the East into every cocktail he makes. You can expect mango, rose, and coconut flavors from Anthony Felsianes’ brand new cocktail menu at…
The Spot: Angel’s Trumpet Ale House 810 North Second Street 602-252-2630 www.angelstrumpetalehouse.com…
Welcome, class, to today’s Latin lesson. Now, you may be thinking there’s no reason to learn a language that’s been out of use for hundreds of years — but you would be, as we say in Latin, in errare. If you knew Latin, for instance, you’d know that the phrase…
You may have noticed that Mardi Gras is just around the corner. It’s one of my favorite holidays to celebrate, largely because even if I’m not going to New Orleans, it’s a grand opportunity to celebrate the Big Easy’s rich cocktail culture…
Let’s face it, it’s been a rough week for Arizona, even with that veto. SB 1062 has made our fair state the butt of jokes across the country. Many of us are responding to pleas from our friends elsewhere to get out of here, what were we thinking, moving to…
