Martini Groove

Stoli and Hef!

2010-05-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

Stoli's new marketing campaign is tied to another icon in the Bad Decisions industry, that's right, Playboy. They're rolling out a year's worth of promotions with Playboy with everything from changing their logo on one of their flavors to the Playboy Bunny logo to these commercials with Hef himself.

It's a great concept. Would you have a drink with you?

Check it out.

Absolut Brooklyn

2010-05-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

I've been a pretty big fan of the Absolut city series since the first one out of New Orleans. Now, Absolut has teamed with Spike Lee to bring you Absolut Brooklyn. Let's hope they do Brooklyn better than Domino's did.

They've gone all out on gimmick for this whole series but most of the flavors have done a pretty good job of backing it up. For Brooklyn they even changed the usual seal on the bottle and added some spikes to it. Now that's fancy!

Spike Lee did the design on the bottle and tried to match the feel of the red apple and ginger flavor inside. On the heals of the launch, Absolut is donating US$50,000 to Habitat for Humanity in NYC.

Look for it starting in June.

Absolut Brooklyn

Best vodka in the world ever in the world?

2010-05-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

Chase Vodka won the best of the best at the 2010 SF World Spirits Competition and it's rather surprising. Now, this isn't the kind of vodka you want to drink through your eye, it's the good stuff. It's special because it's not from Poland, Russia, or the US and it's not a grain vodka. It's made from taters and comes from Jolly Olde England.

The vodka isn't made by one of the big guys but from a guy who was a big guy in the snack food industry. William Chase was the founder of Tyrrell's, a company that makes potato chips (they call them "crisps!") and he chucked it all in 2008 to go and make vodka. Apparently, he's one of those "over-achievers" we hear so much about.

He says he didn't do it with gimmicks (like a fire extuingisher for a bottle, which is freakin' cool!!) or with tons of marketing. He just became the brand and pushed his stuff until he got it to 1,000 bottles a week. Next year, Chase plans to get to 3,000 bottles per year.

Check out Chase Vodka and let me know what you think in comments!

Chase Vodka

8 Tips to increase your cocktail IQ.

2010-05-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Tony Abou-Ganim has done more to advance the art of cocktails than Tonya Harding did for sex tapes. Vanity Fair is covering the wildly popular Manhattan Cocktail Classic and one of the writers went and hung out with Tony and got some great tips from him about making drinks as well as going out drinking.

My favorite tip? Ask for a Negroni. If they don't know how to make it or tell you that Negroni isn't working tonight, then get a beer. Now, not everyone likes Negroni's so maybe think of a cocktail you love and know how it's supposed to taste. No, not Sex on the Beach. Maybe an Aviation or a Sazerac, something with some culture.

Tony's obviously biased when it comes to East Coast vs. West Coast and, though he's done work in Las Vegas, hasn't spent enough time in our West Coast cities to make a valid argument. If you think it's San Francisco vs. New York, then you're not even close.

Check out his other tips on Vanity Fair's site.

Eight Tips for Improving Your Cocktail IQ - Vanity Fair

More Absolut What The Hell

2010-01-25T14:08:00.000-08:00

You probably remember when Tim & Eric & Zach all made the commercial(s) for Absolut a couple of years ago. Absolut had one rule: Do whatever you want, but the product has to be in there somewhere.

Jump forward to 2010 (or whatever year it is right now, I've kind of stopped thinking about it) and they did the same thing for Spike Jonze. Jonze's take is a robot love story (You know, like in The Notebook) called "I'm Here."

The series of shorts aren't out yet but here's the gorgeous and intriguing looking trailer.

Absolut

Swig and Jig Singing Liquor Cabinet

2009-12-21T21:20:00.000-08:00

Looking for a liquor cabinet that plays songs depending on which bottle you take out? How about one that may kick off a seizure for all unmedicated epileptics? The Swig and Jig may be for you! Check it out below:

Swig & Jig from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

Book! Cocktails at Home: Vodka

2009-12-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

I contributed to a book about Vodka. What? Vodka's cool! VODKA'S COOL!!

Some other people are in there too. I don't exactly remember their names but I think it's Kevin Moleskin, and Jeff Emmentaler, and President Gary Reagan, and the guy from O'Neil Surfwear.

Anyway, it's free and in .pdf format. If you want it on paper, you can hit "Print" and kill trees and stuff.

Check it out here. It's free but you can send me money if you want.

IKEA Home Bar

2009-12-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

A lot of people are sure to have the problem of building a home bar without having to spend $5000 on a home bar unit. Here's a solution using IKEA gear.

Hey, you're not going to be able to put it together correctly anyway thanks to instructions that are completely vague and have no words whatsoever. It's like a mime trying to tell you how to do build an atomic bomb.

Indy Spirits Expo - SF

2009-11-23T22:17:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday I got to meet up with Courtney Cochran (of Hip Tastes fame) and head over to Mighty in San Francisco to taste some of the latest and greatest spirits that are out there at the Indy Spirits Expo. The event had some great tastes and a few that I'd rather not taste and lots of mediocre stuff that I won't even mention. There were some great gins but absinthe was the star of the night.

The Good
One of the first spirits I ever reviewed, Orange V Vodka, was there and I was reminded of why I gave it a great review. Great orange taste without being syrupy or overpowering. Still a go to flavored vodka even though so many other ones have come out since then.

Heavy Water vodka had ACTUAL HOT SWEDISH GIRLS at their booth! The Swedish vodka was a nice change from a lot of the other vodkas that have been launching lately. It has all of The Smooth you're looking for in vodka but actually has a finish that pushes a little flavor your way. The slight fennel taste makes it perfect for your vodka martini.

North Shore Distillery came out to San Francisco from Chicago with a whole bunch of perfection. Everything that they were offering was absolutely perfect. They had two gins including Distiller's Gin No. 6 and No. 11. No. 6 is what I call a "crossover gin" meaning that people that don't think they like gin can try this one and have a great chance at liking it. It's light, fruity, and perfect for mixing. Distiller's Gin No. 11 was for gin-lovers only and packs a huge wallop of Juniper. It's called No. 11 because the Juniper "goes to 11."

North Shore also brought out their absinthe which is the first one of note for the night. Their Sirène absinthe made me think of sitting with a friend on a late night and enjoying a glass of green fairy. It was smooth, full of flavor, and made my mouth water. Easily one of the best of the night.

Craft Distillers (of Hangar One and St. George's fame) was pouring a wide variety of spirits but the real standout was the Germain-Robin Absinthe Superieure. Far and away my favorite spirit of the night it was absolutely delicious and made me realize why people go absolutely insane drinking this stuff so much. Not from the Wormwood but from the sheer amount of alcohol that goes down without any realization of how strong it is. Perfect flavors and what I consider to be the world's most perfect absinthe. There, I said it.

Square One's Botanical was gin without the gin in it. Plenty of the spices and flowers that you get in gin but without any of the Juniper. A great spirit for mixing without worrying about anything being overpowered. Square One spends times on their spirits and does them right.

Lastly, is the Ransom Old Tom Gin. This amazing gin that is made in the old style is then aged in oak barrels where it gets its gorgeous colors. One site I read says that it carries hints of lavender (which I got) and mango custard. Mango custard? Who the hell writes this stuff and how the hell am I supposed to relate to that? However, Ransom's complexities don't cease to amaze and it was one of the few spirits I went back and asked for another tasting of. Absolutely amazing. I'm not sure how I missed this one as it launched but I'm sad I did.

Of course, Veev, 44 North, and Bols Genever were great but you already expected that one.

The Bad
There were only a few things that I thought "I never want to drink this again, ever, with anyone." One of them was Vieux Carre which made me want to learn the French phrase for "This tastes like it has been drunk before." It comes in an ultra-cool sherry bottle which I'm glad to take off your hands if you've had the misfortune of buying this stuff. If you want to purchase this stuff despite my advice then let's make a deal: You give me $50 and I will come over to your house and kick you in the crotch (male or female) and we'll call it a day.

Not quite as bad was the J. Witty Chamomile liqueur. If you like a bit of tea with vodka in it then you can skip a step here. The honey flavors in it completes the tastes and it was fun to have a sample but not really worth having a whole bottle of. Maybe cocktail gods greater than I can come up with something for it. I've had amazing drinks with the Tarragon and Saffron vodkas made for me by the distiller, unfortunately J. Witty didn't seem to bring their A-Game.

Choya Umeshu liqueur is the last one I'd warn you off from. It was, well, nice. It's made from the Japanese Ume fruit and even has a few sitting in the bottle. It tastes sweet and syrupy by itself and maybe cut with a light vodka it would be decent by itself. I didn't get that it was very mixable and when I tasted an actual plum from the bottle I felt like causing someone pain. Like taking your mother out to a nice steak dinner then not calling her the next day. That kind of pain.

Conclusion
I tried pretty much everything that they had there but these were the standouts one or the other. I wanted to give some notes on stuff that you may not have tried to either go get it or avoid it. Leave questions or disagreements in comments.

Whisky Bottle Has a Graphic Equalizer

2009-11-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

Ballantine's is probably one of the world's best selling whiskeys but doesn't get much play when it comes to whiskey lovers who prefer a Scotch that tastes like you're licking a large stick that was recently encompassed in snails. However, they sell a LOT of their stuff and they seem to be happy doing just that.

Their newest bottle is one that even the most outrageous of vodka companies are going to be angry at themselves for not thinking of first. The bottle uses a power source and has an electroluminescent technology to make it look like a graphic equalizer that is reacting to the sound. Contrary to reports, it's not actually reacting to the sound but moves the lights at random.

It would be cool to travel back in time and show this bottle to a T-Rex or something. They would FREAK THE HELL OUT! Okay, that might be too far back in time but it's a nice thought. Maybe Abe Lincoln or something.

This stuff is shipping all over the freakin' world but there's no date set for it hitting the U.S. shores. That's just weird because you KNOW that U.S. Americans would go crazy psycho for it.

Checkout the link to see a full line-up of these kind of bottles in action.

Dieline Package Design

All natural Nyquil with Southern Comfort

2009-11-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

Nyquil is great for dealing with things like a cold, jet lag, or boredom, but did you know that it tastes like ass? Actually, if your ass had an ass and you put paprika on it, then licked it, that's what Nyquil tastes like.

If only there was some way to make an all-natural version of Nyquil that didn't taste like the ass of an ass with paprika. Now there is!

The good folks over at Hot Knives have put together a lively concoction that starts with Southern Comfort and only gets better from there. You'll need stuff like mint, green chili, ginger, and other goodies. Did I mention the Southern Comfort?

This one is all natural and even has a better commercial. Follow the link below for the full recipe.

KniQuil from Hot Knivez on Vimeo.

All natural NyQuil - Hot Knives

Girl Drink Drunk

2009-11-06T16:17:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm mostly phoning it in at this point. My buddy Dan found this one and I wanted to share.

Mixing a cocktail while Schumacher drives

2009-11-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

Schumacher's brief return to Formula One was only the beginning! Now he's got a guy mixing cocktails in the car as he tears around a closed course.

Getting Democratic on The Democrat

2009-10-08T23:07:00.000-07:00

I've had my share of days bartending and even more than my share of days of weeding through the crap that companies publish about their products in the name of "breaking news." I mean, really, do we NEED a tequila recipe that commemorates Columbus Day?

My solution lately? I've been hitting the classic cocktails hard, buying the old books, and bugging all the people I know that are good at this on how to do something. Thus cometh The Democrat.

Now, The Democrat is one of those cocktails that I call a "Crossover Cocktail." Why? Because it's one of those drinks that has something in it that people will say they hate, something like bourbon, and it will win them over and get them started on path to righteousness. Other cocktails I include in this are a Cucumber Gimlet, an Aviation, and a few others.

So, here's the old recipe for The Democrat.

2oz Bulleit Bourbon
1oz Democrat Syrup
3/4oz Fresh Lemon Juice

The Democrat Syrup is really the key here. It's one part warm water, one part honey, and two parts peach liqueur all mixed together. Then you let the syrup get to room temperature (or chilled) before you use it in the cocktail. Combine the ingredients in a Collin's glass and then stuff the glass full of crushed ice. Tasty.

I wanted to mix it up a bit and see what I could do to change up the flavors. So, I made what became The Ted Kennedy

2oz Rye Whisky (I used Hirsch)
1oz Kennedy Syrup
3/4oz Fresh Lemon Juice

For the Kennedy Syrup, I wanted to use a pear liqueur so I lowered the ratio of the honey so it wouldn't get overpowered. So, it was one part warm water, one part honey, and 2 parts pear liqueur. Using the rye whisky really brought out the flavors of the pear as well. A nice mellow blend.

The beauty of this one? You can try it for yourself very easily. So, you know, you might want to get on that.

Whisky Connosr Launches

2009-09-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

The nice thing about web developers is that, sooner or later, they're going to build a website based on their interests and make it pretty nice.

Jean-Luc Thiébaut did just that with Connosr, the social networking site for whisky lovers. Now, because whisky snobs are, well, snobs, having their own site to talk about the vagaries of pungency and mouthfeel will keep Them off the backs of the gin drinkers. One can only hope.

The site allows you to setup your own profile and then works in a lot of the same ways that the wine cataloging sites work. You can write notes on spirits you've tasted, put in ones you'd like to taste, see what your friends are saying about their experiences, and be called a "Rookie" by those that disagree with you.

Check it out via the Web or iPhone.

Connosr

Yoga seems to be every bit as good as alcohol!

2009-09-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

Looking to get the peace and comfort that only Yoga can give? Well, head on over to your nearest watering hole and get the flexibility you've always wanted!

See more great moves here!

Review: Absolut Boston

2009-09-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

Flavored vodkas are so hit or miss. I've found very few to be mediocre in nature, most of them are completely awful or pretty tasty and unique. Luckily, Absolut Boston falls in to the latter category. Absolut Boston is a black tea and elderflower flavored vodka that shows a bit of tongue-in-cheek, unlike some of the other flavors in their city category.

On The Eyes
The bottle is pretty straightforward and looks like your regular Absolut bottle but has "Boston" on it. Easy enough.

On The Nose
This is kind of crazy: It looks like vodka but smells like black tea. There's absolutely no scent of the alcohol or elderflower in there and it's that same refreshing smell that you get when you take a whiff of a cold, sun-made, iced tea. Every person trying it had a response of "It smells gooooood." 'Nuff said.

On The Tongue
Well, it tastes like black tea. Unfortunately, there's almost no hint of elderflower in there. I'm an elderflower lovin' brutha thanks to St. Germain but I just couldn't find it in here and I tried. Now, there is a bit of sweetness that could probably be attributed to the elderflower but that's about it. If you get past this part of the vodka then you're going to be very pleased. It has a lot of potential for some great cocktails using the black tea flavor.

On The Chest
It felt like most other vodkas do when I poured it on my chest. However, I believe the black tea flavor may help with the removal of skunk scent should you need it.

On The Brain
How about a Long Island Iced Tea that actually tastes like iced tea?

Strong Island Iced Tea
2 oz Absolut Boston
1 oz Rum
1 oz Triple Sec
Splash of orange juice
Squeeze of fresh lemon

Assemble all ingredients in a tall glass with ice.

I just made that up! I tried it! It tasted good! You should try it too!

Absolut Boston

Bartending School?

2009-09-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Bottom line: Don't go to bartending school.

Why? Well, Darcy over at Art of the Drink has some pretty good reasons and even got in to some back-and-forth with a PR Moron at National Bartending Schools. Morgenthaler has some good reasons too (and a way to get a bartending job without that experience). Joe Bartender went to a school and wrote about his experience (including a conversation with an instructor at a school who though the curriculum was crappy too).

I did attend National Bartending School and did get a very cool little bag with a cocktail shaker, a recipe book, a jigger, and a strainer in it for my troubles. That's pretty much the only thing I came away with of any real use.

Do you doubt? Go talk to the head bartender at your favorite bar (No, not at TGI Fridays) and see how they got in the business. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who did it via bartending school and if they did, they'll be embarrassed to admit it because they know it was a waste of $500.

Normally, I wouldn't pipe in on something like this, but National Bartending School's response to Darcy was just ridiculous.

Jagermeister's 6-Pack Cooler

2009-08-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

Jägermeister's got the hook-up for toting all those cumbersome bottles of Jägermeister around.

Buy six bottles of Jäger and you get this sweeeeeet cooler that holds those babies and has the Jäger Tap Machine Technology built right in. It even comes loaded with Jäger shot cups! This is the stuff that DRIVES Girls Gone Wild [sic]!

Hey, if you're going to get alcohol poisoning, you might as well go with Jäger, you're going to hate it later anyway and this will just make the transition easier.

Six bottles of Jäger run about US$120.

Say It With Flowers (And Booze)

2009-08-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

I <3 Camper!

Check it out.

Absolut's New Bottles

2009-08-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Absolut's been busy over the last month.

The next city flavor up? Boston! Of course, it's green tea flavored (because Baked Beans would have been just weird) and it throws in a hint of Elderflower (Yup, just like St. Germain). I've been drinking a bit of the bottle over the past few weeks and it's absolutely gorgeous, even though the flavors don't seem like they'd fit, it's a nice concoction. A full review is to come.

Absolut Naked is a bottle without much on it. It has no label and it's out there as a statement against labels. The bottle's "stark naked" and it's about going against prejudice and stereotypes. Look for it in your favorite Duty-Free store.

Finally, there's Absolut Rock. It's in celebration of Woodstock all-those-years-ago. You know, the concert with crappy sanitation, STD's, and a bunch of people who wish they could bring it all back again. Absolut Rock looks more like a bottle doing a bit of S&M but maybe those two things are synonymous? This one should be widely available starting in late September.

Absolut

Disney and Tequila: Finally Together!

2009-08-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

Disney's had their fair share of alcohol attractions in their Downtown Disney areas but now they're doing the exact right thing for the average park goer: They're opening up a tequila bar inside of Epcot Center.

La Cava del Tequila is going to offer up 70+ types of tequila and small plates to help you try to not get absolutely hammered as you go sipping through the menu. They'll even have a "Tequila Ambassador" on hand to teach you about tequila. For an extra Fiver he'll pour some tequila straight in your mouth, blow a whistle, and shake the hell out of your head. Just don't blame him when you wake up next to a co-ed who's singing "I'm Like A Bird" and crying about how you passed out.

Check it out in Epcot Center starting August 28.

Three-O Vodka's Slip-O-The-PR-Person's Press Release

2009-08-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Update!: Three-O vodka did NOT include Kiefer on their list. They sent me the original press release and it looks like the Winnipeg Sun added Kiefer on their own.

This is awesome.

Hey, ~~Three-O~~, I know you want to tell us about what Kiefer Sutherland drinks and make sure that you put "Three-O" in the vodka parts, but a guy who just got busted for headbutting a FASHION DESIGNER and has a history of DUI may not be the exact right image.

Seriously though, who headbutts a fashion designer??? Like fashion designers are super aggressive and Kiefer couldn't help but CRUSH HIS SKULL!!

Let's NOT celebrate the guy just because he saves the world every year in one day.

I'll let the Paris Hilton one slide because she's insane.

Megan Fox's Cocktail

2009-08-17T00:20:00.000-07:00

Second Hottest Girl Ever (Right Now)!

This is her drink:

First Class Punch

Ingredients: 1 and one-quarter ounces of Vodka, 1 ounce of Domaine Canton , 1/2 ounce of agave nectar, 1/2 ounce of fresh lime juice, 1 strawberry, 4 basil leaves.

Directions: In a mixing tin, muddle the strawberry, basil, and Agave nectar. Add the rest of the ingredients, shake very well with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

Rotgutonix Makes Sure That Your Alcohol Is Pure

2009-08-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

The same guy that brought you a way to tell penis size simply by putting on a condom is bringing you an indicator that tells you if your alcohol is the real thing or not: Rotgutonix.

Okay, not a huge problem for us in the U.S., but there are myriad stories in Europe of people making designer imposters using very low-quality grain alcohols. At best, this stuff will make you sick, at worst it'll cause blindness and death OR WORSE!

This little gadget is in concept phase but can test if you have the real Johnny Walker, JB, DYC, Pampero, Brugal and Havana. More alcohols are to come and it will cover mostly the clear ones and some whisk(e)ys.

Rotgutonix

Kool Aid Wine

2009-07-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

With all these "Ultra-Super-Mega-Premium" vodkas that are $50 a bottle and other liquors trying to see how much they can charge you, can't a playa get something on the cheap side that'll be drinkable and get you good and hammered?

Kool Aid Wine to the rescue! This isn't a mixture of Kool Aid and some clear spirit, no sir! It's Kool Aid that is actually fermented and ready for you to either a) make you happy or b) make you go blind.

Don't believe how cool this is? Well, just check out the list of materials you'll need for starters:

4L jug or two 2L soda bottles
a fairly long piece of thin rubber hose
a funnel
a measuring cup
1 balloon
1 rubberband
1 pin

And the fun just keeps on coming! Anything that uses a thin rubber hose and a funnel is a-ok in my book.

How to make Kool-Aid wine

Starbuck's Gives You Your Morning Booze Fix

2009-07-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

So, how do you save Starbucks now that everyone is serving coffee that's pretty good and making fun of Starbuck's for still charging you 4 bones for a cup?

Well, take away the logo, take away the marketing, and then start serving booze.

Starbuck's is taking one of their stores in Seattle that was supposed to be closed down and turning it in to the very thing they put out of business, a nice, local coffee shop. Also, one that's going to serve wine and beer. Keg stand competitions may be in the works (I'm just kidding. No, I'm not. Yes, I am).

I'm already getting my drink order ready: "Yes, I'd like a half-caf, double-decaf, no foam vodka Red Bull with a twist of lemon and 3 cubes."

Go you Huskies!

Starbucks Tests Alcohol Sales

Three O Bubble Gum Vodka

2009-07-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

Three O Vodka is pulling out all the stops. They got Kim Kardashian to launch their latest vodka and even found a clever flavor to launch, Bubble Gum.

You know what this means: The entire world of drunk college girl shots is going to really take-off now, because those same girls are just so over watermelon shots and Purple Hooters.

Considering how amazing I am at mixing stuff, I'm sure that I could find some way to make this awesome. Like...I could put it in ice and shake it and serve it in something pink. Or I could I could put it in a tiny glass with a single pink ice cube. The options are endless!

Three Olives Tomato Vodka is great for Bloody Mary's. The Root Beer one is fun to make a few things with. I'm wondering how this one will really do.

Three Olives Bubble - US$22.99

The Martini FAQ

2009-06-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

I get e-mails all the time from the drink snobs who look upon you in disdain as you order a mojito or couldn't bear the thought that sometimes you just want to drink a damned gin & tonic. Not everything needs to have absinthe in it or be some homemade liqueur that you fermented inside the ass of a goat using old chardonnay barrels.

Hey folks, you're at martinigroove.com. Sure, I cover the drinks that have things like a "flavor profile" but that doesn't mean I don't still love my martinis. And what we all need every now and then is a good old Martini FAQ.

Read it. Learn it. Live it.

The Martini FAQ

Oxley Gin

2009-06-29T23:08:00.000-07:00

I, for one, am glad for something as complex and wondrous as gin and it helps the world turn in to Drunky McDrunkerson with a bit of class and taste. You can't shotgun it but you can put a nice sweet vermouth in it and step off-campus for a bit.

Oxley gin is not easily made and it's probably not for you. First, they hand spoon their macerated grain in to the kettle but then they do something you weren't expecting. Well, unless you were expecting them to create a vacuum that causes the alcohol to vaporize at -5°C. In the true manner of distillation, the vapor passes through a colder probe at -100°C where it changes back to a liquid. If that's what you were expecting, then you were right.

They only make 120 bottles of the sweet juniper goodness a day and only for 4 days a week, so you probably won't get one. Hell, I probably won't get one and I'm friggin' popular.

The stuff is launching in SoCal with no price set yet. The bottle comes with a galvanized tin bucket around the bottom and a leather cord fashionably twisted around the neck. Cuz, you know, that's pretty cool.

Oxley Gin

Need To Re-Hydrate? Grab A Beer!

2009-06-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

There's just something about a beer after a hard workout. It always goes down smooth and seems to be a great fit.

Now, you don't have to worry about all those petty commenters who tell you that you're hurting yourself! Apparently, beer's bubbles, sugars, and cold-filtered marketing using hot girls all work together to help you re-hydrate fast. How fast? FASTER THAN WATER AND THAT'S FAST!

The study, from Spain, had 25 students running on a treadmill in a room with a temperature of 104 degrees. They ran to the point of exhaustion and then measured their hydration levels and found that the ones drinking beer to re-hydrate were able to regain their lost water faster and were more quickly quenched of their thirst. Also, they showed significant improvement in their Flip-Cup team.

It's Better To Drink Beer After Exercise Than Water

The Martini Groove.com Theme Song!

2009-06-18T18:58:00.001-07:00

Camper found this. He's brilliant.

Ruin A Great Drink! Now On YouTube

2009-06-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

So, YouTube is turning in to a hotbed of crappy bartending videos.

Ever want to learn how to ruin a perfectly delicious drink? Sure you did! Now you can learn from a Douchebag the best way to kill your Mai Tai! You'll have to find your own Ed Hardy shirt though.

Jamie Boudreau's Absinthe Service

2009-06-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Cocktail great, Jamie Boudreau, shows us the finer parts of Absinthe service.

Monday Morning Tip: Opening Wine With No Opener

2009-06-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

There are hundreds of ways to get your grape juice of the bottle without a corkscrew. The easiest is probably to buy a screw top. However, I like cork better (It's sustainable) and tend to buy wines that use cork for that reason. Here's what you can do if you can't find that elusive wine opener in the bottom of your junk drawer.

Beer Dominoes Are Just Like Dominoes But Without The Dominoes

2009-06-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

It's so noisy! It's so beautiful!

myOrder Lets You Order Remotely

2009-05-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

Look! An iPhone app! These sure are rare!

How about bellying up to the bar without actually having to move your belly, thus allowing said belly to grow? myOrder can help with that.

myOrder is an iPhone app that allows you to order from inside your favorite bar/restaurant/snack shack. The application uses the iPhone's faux-GPS to locate you, then you punch in your order, and voila! Your order arrives without you having to stand four people deep and pray for a bartender's attention. If you're a hot girl, this is not a problem for you. If you're me, you don't drink much.

There's only a limited amount of places that you can use it right now, like San Francisco and your house. Except when your significant other gets the order at your house it's called a "text message" and you better damn well remember that you owe them one.

You can pick up myOrder in the app store on iTunes.

myOrder

Martini Groove Sucker Punch

2009-05-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

With the BIGGEST MEMORIAL DAY EVER on its way this coming weekend, I'd be remiss if I didn't get you some recipes well in advance so you can prepare to serve up the most rockin' punch that will keep your guests drunk and sunburned!

Fine Living Network has put together some options for a tasty weekend including a ginger passion punch, a sangria, a watermelon champagne punch, and lots more.

There's even a punch to make if you're drinking alone and want to pretend that you're popular enough to have to make a punch for all your "friends."

Fine Living Network's Punch Up Your Party

"Signature Premium" Coconut Brandy Launches

2009-05-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

When five stars wasn't enough for some hotels, they invented the six star designation in order to separate themselves from the ghetto five star hotels. They wanted you to know that not only could you get your shirt laundered overnight but they would also put it on for you and take your place at the boring convention you were in town for.

"Signature Premium" means that the alcohol within the bottle is very high-end but it also has features that allow it to rise above mere "Premium" designation. In the case of Mendis Coconut Brandy means that the alcohol will have a short run, artistic expression, and signature markings on the bottle.

The bottle not only has the Mendis and Luma names on it but it also comes with a pair of ML cufflinks adorned with Cognac-colored diamonds set in 18 carat white gold. The cufflinks let the whole world know that you dress like you drink.

You can see a video of the cufflinks, swirling about and hypnotizing you, right here.

Pricing to be announced in the next few days, but really, if you have to ask, you're not going to get it, are you? Of course, this could all be moot if the actual brandy tastes like cufflinks.

Mendis Coconut Brandy

Pukes and Staggers Board Game

2009-05-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

This has to be the most contradictory press release I've ever received, which means I absolutely had to talk about it.

I got the note about a new game that is launching with a national "Stay At Home Tonight" campaign. The campaign is against, of course, drunken driving, but also against, get this, binge drinking.

Here's where it gets fun, because Pukes and Staggers says that they "will have you laughing and drinking beyond imagination!" The game asks, "Have you ever tried to drink a beer upside-down, reveal an embarrassing story about yourself, or mix together every drink in the room?"

Well, yes, most people have. It's called "Saturday Night."

I'm not sure if this is the most brilliant tie-in to a random press release ever or such an unbelievable crock that I might have to tell Louis Black. Drinking games can be a lot of fun but if you need a board game to figure out how to drink, you've already lost.

Pukes and Staggers - US$24.95

Twitter

2009-05-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Yup, I'm on Twitter.

If you don't know what Twitter is it's....hahaah! That was funny. I almost believed you!

www.twitter.com/martinigroove

Find A Nice Bottle In Circle K's Wine Cellar

2009-05-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

Ever get the hankering for a lotto ticket, a ThirstBuster, a cheesy taquito, and a nice Cabernet Savignon for later?

Circle K has decided to get your well-rounded back by opening up a 100 square foot wine cellar in one of their stores in Costa Mesa, CA. If it's successful (and why wouldn't it be?) then they expect to open more of them throughout their West Coast operations. Sorry East Coast, I guess this means we really do have more class than you.

Wine prices range from US$5.99 to $90 and have multiple varietals. More stores are possible but not all of them have the 100 square feet of prime cheesy taquito space to give up for the cellar, so it will be on a limited basis.

Circle K West

Review: Port of Barcelona Gin

2009-05-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

I have a bottle of this and probability is that you don't. I'm sad for you. Let's talk about it just like some guy who just came back from The Bahamas in the middle of winter telling you every single detail about his days on the beach.

Port of Barcelona is a small batch gin made by Esmeralda Distillery, the same geniuses who brought you Obsello Absinthe. The gin starts with malted barley and goes on to triple distillation and infused with Wild Juniper, Iris Flower Root, Star Anise, Coriander Seeds, Orange Peels, Sweet Almonds, Hazelnuts, Lemon Zest, Chebub Seeds, Black Cardamom, Orris Root, Ginger Root, Nutmeg, Cubeb Root. That's quite a mouthful. Let's fill our mouth with it.

The Bottle
The bottle is short and squat and a bit reminiscent of Hendrick's. Lately, I haven't been even talking about the bottle because, really, who cares? Unfortunately, this one has a problem. When you put a bartender's spout in to it, it doesn't pour. I tried multiple different kinds of spouts and none of them worked. That means that you have to use a measure for every pour which is not always the best thing. I only say this because that will create an issue when it tries to get adopted in bars. Fear not, intrepid gin drinker, our problems end here.

The Nose
When I poured this in to the shaker it smelled like I think Megan Fox's perfume would smell if she was walking through Heaven. The gorgeous Juniper smell makes you think that it's going to be about as "gin-ny" as you can get. I tried and tried and all I could really pull from it was the Juniper. Keep in mind, this is not a problem for me. It's nice to have a gin that's not trying to be a vodka or a liqueur or tasteless enough to only be served at TGI Fridays.

The Taste
I'm not even sure where to start so I'll just come out with it: Port of Barcelona Gin is easily one of the best tasting spirits I have ever rolled across my tongue. I figured that I would try a bit of it neat as I always do in a tasting just to make sure I knew exactly what it tasted like all by itself. I found that I just wanted to keep drinking it neat so that I can enjoy the opulence and flavors that fell across my tongue.

Let me just tell you, this is not a review anymore, this is a love letter. As I sipped this gin, I found the Juniper flavors quickly fell away and I got hints of the star anise, the coriander, and my favorite, the butter. It's very clear to me the love and care that went in to building this spirit and it shows that B. Alex, the distiller, put not only his heart in to it, but a piece of his California native soul. I've always considered Spain to be the California of Europe and it's clearly treating him well as it comes across beautifully in this gin.

Let's be clear: This gin will taste fantastic in a lot of cocktails but it needs absolutely nothing at all. NOTHING. It's almost a shame to spoil it with other ingredients though I know that geniuses greater than I will use premium additives and come up with something that makes it even more amazing.

The gin is a bit higher in alcohol content than we're used to but you won't feel a burn, you'll only feel the silk as it finishes on the back of your tongue. I'm looking forward to the day when this reaches everyone so that we can all have the shared experience of this gorgeous gin.

~~The gin launch is already a bit behind schedule, so look for it soon.~~ Look for it in San Francisco, Atlanta, New Orleans and Las Vegas starting next week.

Port of Barcelona Gin - US$30

Food & Wine Top 100 Bars

2009-05-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

Food & Wine magazine has just launched their list of the Top 100 bars in America. Surprisingly, the list is actually GOOD. Some of the bars are fairly obvious (Tini Bigs, The Drawing Room, Absinthe) but others are a great addition.

I'm glad to state that I've been to all the ones in San Francisco and I'm even a regular at ones like Nopa, Beretta, and Bourbon & Branch. Clyde Commons in Portland is a great spot and Morgenthaler is running it now (no pressure, Jeffrey). B Flat and Milk & Honey in NYC are absolute must-visits.

Check out the full list in Food & Wine Cocktails '09 - US$10.17

Beefeater 24 Launching

2009-04-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Experiment on gin for 2 years and you'll probably come up with something that's perfect for removing bumper stickers from your car and fingernail polish. However, when Desmond Payne does it, you get 12 botanicals, including a blend of teas along with extracts of grapefruit, bitter almond, orris root and Seville orange peel You then name it Beefeater 24 after the 24 hour steeping process that is required for each batch.

It's launching right now in San Francisco and New York, because those cities are pretty cool, but you'll be able to get it in Peoria fairly soon. Want to know more? Watch the video!

Beefeater 24 - US$30

The Happy Hour Lounge Podcast

2009-04-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

The Happy Hour Lounge is all about casual banter, good music from multiple eras, and making sure that you know how to make a cocktail. If only one person listens to the podcast and is able to get drunk, then Happy Hour Lounge will have fulfilled their mission.

In their most recent version they rocked some Ray Charles, talked about some great music history, and mixed a White Russian. These are a few of my favorite things.

You can check out the podcast on crappy ol' iTunes or you can listen to them over at podbean. I don't care how you do it, but you must listen.

The Happy Hour Lounge Podcast

Alcoholic Architecture Bar Pumps Gin And Tonic In the Air

2009-04-27T23:21:00.000-07:00

Just the other day I was thinking to myself, "Self! Wouldn't it be great if we could get good and pickled without all that nasty drinking? The effort is just getting to be too much!" Well, not one to sit idly by while a great idea comes through my head, I went on the Internet Service and found this!

Alcoholic Architecture is a bar in central London that promises to leave you "feeling slightly merry" after just 45 minutes of inhaling their specially blended gin & tonic. No, not inhaling like your sister-in-law with a pound cake and a Hershey's bar in front of her. Inhaling like literally breathing IN. Though breathing out is also recommended, you may not want to as your lungs will be filled with vaporized gin and tonic.

Here's a nice part: You get to stay in there for an hour for ~US$7.25!! That's a cheap drink. No, not cheap like your sister-in-law's taste in fine cutlery which compels her to buy Ginsu, but cheap like "That's a good price!"

Now, they do make you wear a plastic suit so you don't leave smelling like gin. Which I don't understand. How come I wouldn't want to leave smelling like gin?

Get Your Tickets!

Vodka on the decline?

2009-04-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

So, if you look at today's top bartenders, including all of the ultra-cool ones mentioned in the latest Playboy article, they never really got in to the vodka thing, but lots of other ones did and it was somewhat integral in bringing back the cocktail craze.

I think vodka was an important step to bringing us to the current renaissance of classic cocktails as well as helping us take baby steps to enjoying some of the more complex stuff that's out there right now. Vodka will always have a place at the bar and in a lot of drinks, but maybe not always as prominent as it was in the early 2000's.

The Wall Street Journal points out that there's been a significant decline in the sweet cocktails of yesteryear (3 years ago) and that it's not being taken over by any one liquor but by many. Gin, amari, and others that create tastes that are far away from the Sphincter-tini's we were all getting charged $15 for (oh, and I enjoyed quite a few of them).

The proof? Just take a look at Food & Wine's Cocktails '09 book. You'll see less of the sweetness and a lot more unique, balanced, and deep flavors.

A Welcome Sign of Vodka's Decline - WSJ

Infusion Health Conscious Vodka Drink

2009-04-08T21:15:00.000-07:00

It can be safely said that drink probably isn't going to be good for you. I mean, it's good for you in the same way that the occasional weekend in Vegas or a plate of fried chicken is good for you, but not in the same way as say, a plate of broccoli or a Bloody Mary (those are good for you, right? Especially if you use V8 instead of tomato juice).

Infusion vodka drink is 4% alcohol (That's 8 proof!) and talks about what's not in them rather than what is in them. Notably there's no stabilizers, sweeteners, preservatives and artificial ingredients. It comes in multiple flavors like Mango & Passion Fruit, Pomegranate & Blueberry and Vina Grape & Lime. So yeah, they're for girls.

Awwww, they're in the UK only. Pack your bags!

Infusion Drinks

Square One Botanical Vodka

2009-04-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

Square One loves vodka and the folks over there know how to do it right. If you want to impress just about anyone then grab their Cucumber infused version and you'll spend the rest of the night drinking great gimlets.

The recently launched Square One Botanical is stepping up to the plate with some tasty sounding flavors as well. It's infused with 8 botanicals including pear, rose, chamomile, lemon verbena, lavender, rosemary, coriander and citrus peel. It's potpourri in a bottle!

~~It doesn't say what pricing is but the other one's both sell for~~ ~~US$29.99, so you can probably expect that price range.~~

Edit: I just heard from the Square One crew that this stuff is 90 proof and not quite gin (no Juniper) so it's a "specialty spirit." The extra processing makes it a bit more labor intensive so they're expecting to sell this for ~US$39.99.

Square One Botanical

Wine glass light bulbs

2009-04-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

You see, it's a light bulb that looks like a wine glass. And because The Martini Groove knows you're fabulous and eco-friendly, it's actually stuffed with LED's which should give you around 10 years of bulb life.

Of course, at US$120 you could buy quite a bit of light bulbs that look like, you know, light bulbs.

Wine Glass Light Bulbs - US$120

The ShotCarver

2009-04-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking: "If only I had something that could turn this apple here in to a shot glass that will match this bong I made out of a banana."

Well, think no more! The ShotCarver will make a shot glass out of most fruits (and a few non-fruits, based on my experiments with cactus and guinea pigs) and it's as easy as carve, pour, drink!

If this sounds like an ad that the PR company wrote and asked me to post here, rest assured, it's not. I just want them to send me a free one.

ShotCarver - US$11.99

DQ Vodka

2009-03-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

And the vodka hits just keep on rolling.

DQ Vodka's gimmick is that it's the "Nuclear Vodka" as the shape of the bottle resembles plutonium rods. The unique bottle also has some functional purpose, as it is poured, the vodka is drawn through a central shaft, enabling oxygen to get into the liquid and allowing it to breathe.

The wheat vodka uses water from a highly-protected, glacial source and is then distilled through multiple columns. The interesting thing about DQ is that they start out with a fermented product that is already 9% alcohol. Though I have no idea how this would change the flavor if you're going to end up distilling it to 90% alcohol anyway, I'm open to the concept. I'm very open-minded when it comes to booze.

Before the whole thing is finished they add a bit of a "richer" product to the final batch, though there's no info on what that richer product is.

Anti-nuclear protests have stopped this vodka from entering the U.S. market (no, not really) so it's only available in the UK right now.

DQ Vodka

Review: Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon

2009-03-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

This bottle of Jim Beam's Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon has been sitting around the house for a few weeks. Matt Lauer's recent accident on his bike with a deer prompted me to drag it out and see how it went down.

The bottle looks like the standard Jim Beam type bottle but with a pair of deer antlers on it. I imagine the first concept was to have the full deer on it but the rednecks in test groups wanted to shoot at it, so they removed the rest of the deer.

I'm a pretty big bourbon lover which means I was pretty ready to take a sip and then pour it down the drain. I tried my first taste and felt a bit of the burn but was then pretty pleased with the cherry notes that weren't too heavy. However, my first few tastes felt a bit syrupy but I got used to it fairly quickly. A few sips later I was thoroughly enjoying it and ready for another glass.

If you're looking to have a bourbon and coke this would definitely be a good choice. For something different, put it in a shaker with some ice, add a little Tia Maria and some Orange Bitters then serve it in a martini glass with an orange peel garnish and you'll have yourself a fine version of the Manhattan that is sure to please.

Red Stag's 80 proof Bourbon will be available to everyone this June so look for it just about everywhere.

Justin Timberlake Launches 901 Tequila

2009-03-19T13:29:00.001-07:00

Justin Timberlake could take a poop in a piece of tinfoil, roll it up, attach a couple of fish hooks to it, then sell it for $10,000 as earrings. That JT, he's so hot right now.

He's now going to use his hotness to pimp tequila which is, if you think about it, the perfect pairing. The tequila is sourced out of Jalisco, Mexico and is expecting to launch in LA, Las Vegas, St. Louis (???), and New York sometime this spring.

Why 901? A spokesperson for Timberlake explains that "901 is that time of night when your evening is ending, but your night is just beginning." I don't think that's really the case, because 9:01 is about the time American Idol comes on. 901 is also the area code of JT's hometown of Memphis.

The link to the site must be a placeholder and is currently being used by the same people who are going to make the 901 Tequila. But, for now, you get a big phallic bottle of tequila in its stead.

901 Tequila - US$40

The First Vodka To Be Sold Exclusively Online

2009-03-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

Trying to sell vodka isn't always easy. You have to go through things like "State Approvals" and "Liquor Boards" and "FDA Requirements That Make Sure You Don't Kill Anyone."

Bullocks to that. Silver Mustang Vodka is cutting the red tape and sending their vodka directly to you, just like the Shamwow! However, there's still some red tape that the government has to get involved in so they only ship right now to California and Nevada.

Mustang vodka says that their vodka embodies "the living symbol of America's free spirit" and is, of course, made in Poland. Which seems about right.

This stuff is only available online and it comes in a plain box, just like the toys from those other places you order, so your neighbors won't think that you're a complete lush. The bottles come in a gift pack of 3 and, right now, that's the only thing you can order, but why would you want to order just one anyway?

Silver Mustang Vodka 3 Bottle Gift Set - US$99.00

Random Thoughts

2009-03-08T21:35:00.000-07:00

- I'm surprised that bar week was last week in Vegas and that the most that came out of it were a few press releases that Blue Ice was going to do an organic spirit.

- I drank with Jeffrey Morgenthaler in Portland and lo, it was good. His new menu at Clyde Common sounds fantastic (as is the current one) and we even got to try a few things out at another bar that blew my mind. The difference between cocktail cultures in Portland and San Francisco? The Portland bartenders are still friendly and don't treat you like you're cutting in to their "cocktail creation" time when you ask about the drink.

- I have Absolut Mango in my possession. I know that it would be much easier to be a snob about it and write it off as another damned, flavored vodka, but it smelled nice and I'm sure it'll work well with something. Just have to figure out what. Their website isn't exactly rife with recipes but that's supposed to make it more fun, isn't it? Besides, chicks will DIG this stuff and that's pretty much the only measurement I stick to as a bartender. I'm very shallow.

Review: Combier Orange Liqueur

2009-03-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

A mini-bottle gets yet another mini-review. Here's the bottle next to a lemon from my lemon tree. Granted, I grow HUGE lemons.

On to the review:

It tasted orangy.

Combier Orange Liqueur - US$39.99

Horny Goat Beer Gives Free Condoms

2009-02-25T16:33:00.000-08:00

Of course, if you drink too much beer, you won't be needing this free gift from Horny Goat Brewery, the brewery that wants you to take your clothes off but still be responsible.

Though I don't know that I'd rely too strongly on free condoms from a beer company with a goat for a mascot, they do make some clever conversation pieces when you drop your wallet and they fall out.

I would get them, but they don't come in XXL.

Horny Goat Brewing Company Free Condoms!

Dabling in cocktails? Fine Living Network has you covered!

2009-02-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

If you're looking to get started making cocktails or if you just want some new ideas, Fine Living's latest newsletter has all kinds of tips and tricks with new cocktails, old favorites, and even a must-have liquor list.

If you're looking to start a drinking problem then this is the place to start!

Fine Living Network Cocktail Special

Naked Scot Hangover Free Whisky

2009-02-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

It's a whisky with the word "Scot" right in the name and even has a picture of Scotland on the bottle. Of course, it's made in Scotland but by an Australian company.

The company says that the whisky is free from pesticides and herbicides which, they also say, is part of why you can get some particularly nasty hangovers. It's distilled on the Island of Mull then aged 3 years. There seems to be some dispute as to whether it's a single malt or a blend, though.

From my understanding, you get a hangover by drinking until you can't feel your face, but maybe the lack of pesticides will help that a bit and I'm all for that.

Naked Scot Whisky

Leblon's Muddler and Kit Helps Launch Carnaval

2009-02-19T22:54:00.000-08:00

You like free, don'tcha? When free's not there, cheap will do, but you're always looking out for the free.

Leblon Cachaça is dishing out free muddlers for all who will have them (and also be willing to pay a couple of bucks for shipping). You can't make a Caipirinha without a muddler and they want to make sure you have one.

Maybe you already have a muddler. I'm not sayin' you do, but maybe you do. Do you have a Carnaval Kit? I did not think so. Now be quiet.

This kit comes with:

20 Sparkling Green Masks
20 Bon fims
20 Carnaval Beads
20 Caipirinha Glowsticks
Leblon Napkins
Leblon Stirrers
Leblon Recipes
Leblon Muddler
Leblon Carnaval Music

Get this kit and an STD and it'll be just like you're in Rio! It's only US$36 delivered and let's face it, you've done worse things with your money.

Free Muddler That Costs 2 Dollars
Leblon Carnaval Kit - US$36 (Delivered)

Review: Veev Açai

2009-02-18T22:51:00.000-08:00

Don't be fooled by my tough exterior and manly voice. Or my well-rounded ass and formed biceps. Don't even be fooled by my sexy walk that makes grown women feel like schoolgirls. And don't let it slip by just because of my dazzling intellect or rapier wit. Let none of these things stop you from believing for a second that I like what are considered "girly" flavors in drinks.

The Setup
I planned on having some friends over and trying Veev with them but, thanks to an unfortunate incident with a goat and several restraining orders, I quickly realized I had no friends. I now have lots of stuffed animals and none of them were even interested. All except one, shown here. The name knitted on his adorable little jacket has been professionally blurred to protect his identity.

The Tasting
Veev Açai is 60 proof which is a bit strong but it's not quite a liqueur either. Drinkhacker called it a flavored vodka and I think I'm going to go with that. Considering how much Açai has taken off and the fact that it's being used in almost everything out there (Just take a look at my Açai Flavored Fried Chicken), I was rather impressed with how well Veev came off.

Veev uses the Açai flavor as a bit of a background note rather than shoving it in your face and making you taste it's bitterness, like Vitamin Water does to you. There seems to be lots of cherry and even hints of pineapple in there. It's really not something that you drink straight though, which brings us back to being more of a liqueur.

At this point, my drinking partner was several drinks in not caring much if the drink had Veev in it or not. Or caring if he was standing up. After some admonishment on my part, we were able to continue with the review.

The thing I really liked about Veev was it's versatility. I was able to use it to finish a lot of different cocktails, especially ones with Triple Sec, they seemed to compliment each other rather nicely. Veev was good for adding hints of finish to other cocktails as well as "cutting" it with vodka and making a martini out of it. The martini made for a gorgeous color in the drink that looked really cool with a cherry garnish. Simple and tasty.

The Verdict
My drinking partner loved the Veev and it left him with a smile on his face. I'm a big fan and this will be one of the bottles that I'll be keeping in my bar. For my manly days.

Veev Açai- US$35

Love Potion #9

2009-02-18T21:52:00.000-08:00

This new sugar cane alcohol distilled product actually comes from South America, not Madame Rue. OMG! SONG REFERENCE!

The blend of 20 fruity fruits from the Tropical Zonal Region Place of the world includes stuff like mango, peach, chocolate, and vanilla and is set to launch this May. The Talking Heads from their company say that it is very mixable and that it "tastes different every time." It has also won the 2009 World Spirits Competition Platinum Meda, so, you know, they have that going for them.

When I get samples to pour down my gullet I'll let you guys know how it is. Will it be tasty or will I have to call a Witch Doctor? OMFG! OBSCURE-BUT-RELATED SONG REFERENCE!!!

Love Potion #9 - No Announced Price

The McNuggetini!

2009-02-17T00:08:00.000-08:00

It has come to salvage your tastebuds and conquer your hunger! Behold! The McNuggetini! The chicken nugget that drinks like a shake!

Just think! A McNuggetini for breakfast, one for lunch, and then a sensible dinner!

Mix McDonald's chocolate milkshake with vanilla vodka and pour into a barbecue sauce-rimmed martini glass topped off with a McNugget. Sexy! Cool! Neat!

Normally, McDonald's would keep this amazing recipe all to themselves, just like their vaunted Special Sauce. Oh, we all know it's just Mayo and Ketchup, but it's "Special!" Lucky for us though that the whole recipe on how to make it is on the Internet Service!

Yes, The McNuggetini

Absolut's Grammy Commercial

2009-02-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

I'm liking Absolut's new ad campaign a lot more than their old one. Their latest shows what the world would be like if the currency was Acts of Kindness. Pretty clever. Check out the video:

Agavero Tequila Gets You Sex

2009-02-08T20:09:00.000-08:00

Talk to any girl about tequila and 9 times out of 10 you'll hear "I can't do that stuff. I do crazy things on that stuff." Talk to a guy about tequila and 9 times out of 10 you'll hear, "Yeah, I like doing tequila with girls, they go nuts on it."

As if tequila wasn't already the cause of thousands of surprise pregnancies, Agavero Tequila is taking it to the next level and introducing a tequila that really pumps up the passion. They make the tequila as one normally makes tequila then hand-blend the Damiana flower in to the stuff. The Damiana flower is well known (at least in PR circles that write press releases) to be one that induces passion and love in a person.

Got someone who won't touch tequila? Well Agavero is glad to help you get them horny as hell by providing a recipe for the Agavero Mango Chutney, a nice topping to their brown butter seared scallops. Oh, you're so smooth.

Agavero Tequila - US$30

Belvedere IX Launches

2009-02-06T21:13:00.001-08:00

Lotus, P.I.N.K., and the other energy vodkas out there have done pretty well. So well, in fact, that they've attracted the attention of some of the big boys, including Belvedere.

Belvedere IX is set to launch and is looking to make you more awake and more drunk than those other ones. The vodka is 100 proof (most vodkas are usually 80) and distills in it's extra ingredients much like a gin. What extra ingredients? Well, there are nine, including: ginseng, guarana, acai, ginger, sweet almond, jasmine, eucalyptus, three cinnamon, and black cherry. All of which sounds very tasty.

Because it's Belvedere, you don't need to wait for it to come to your state or your part of the world. They're rolling it out as fast as possible and with as much fanfare as possible. They expect it to hit the clubs first, of course.

Belvedere IX

Craig Ferguson on Whiskey

2009-01-29T18:28:00.000-08:00

The Much-Harder-Working-Than-Me, Bill Dowd, pointed out a good clip from the Craig Ferguson show. Check it out.

Roundhouse Gin

2009-01-27T22:17:00.000-08:00

Now this is what I've been waiting for!

A small batch gin, hand-bottled, and from The Western U.S., which is a region far better than those other directional regions.

Roundhouse Spirits has come out with a gin that is carefully crafted with all organic ingredients. It's stable of herbs and spices includes juniper berry, corriander, citrus peel, star anise, angelica, and orris root. That's only a few less than KFC! The company even buys credits through a non-profit to offset it's own carbon footprint.

Alas, you need to be in the only state in America that requires a cat on the loose to have a tail light in order to imbibe upon this magical concoction that begs me to be drink it. At some point you're probably going to have to fly through Denver anyway, pick some up!

Roundhouse Spirits is also making a coffee liqueur called Corretto.

You stay classy, Colorado!

Roundhouse Gin

Review: Obsello Absinthe

2009-01-20T11:22:00.000-08:00

If you're drinking absinthe at this point, there are a limited number of reasons for it. Some people just want to try it because of the mystique or because it's a new drink, other's have a love of black jelly beans, and the rests are the purists. The one's who want a real absinthe and create something new with it.

Obsello Absinthe is for those purists that want a great, traditional Absinthe.

The Story
Obsello is the real thing, not a chemical creation that is taking advantage of the trend. It's a Spanish absinthe that actually is distilled from grapes, the original stuff they made absinthe from all those years ago. They also distill their own herbs and use Alicante Anise, only the best for you. Just like a winemaker pours his heart and soul and best ingredients in to his fine wine, the folks at Obsello are bringing that same passion to absinthe. Natural ingredients, well thought-out flavors, and Grand Wormwood. Cuz, it's absinthe.

Talk About The Stuff Already
Of course, it tastes like licorice. But there's a lot more to it. This doesn't look like the bright green slime that Nickelodeon dumps on people. It's got a nice, natural look and no ridiculous neon colors. The smell gives you the anise feel but there's also some vanilla tones in there. At this point, I very much looked forward to it.

The Louche effect was pretty cool because it was so uneven. There were swirls and shades and things that made it look like something was really happening. A lot of other absinthes just tend to change to one color and move on.

The taste left no bitterness but it wasn't skimping on the anise flavor either, which must be very hard to do when you're making absinthe. The attention to detail from start to finish is pretty impressive. Obsello feels a bit thick in your mouth and goes down smooth without any artificial taste. There's a tiny bit of bitter finish which is a nice way to remind you that you're drinking absinthe.

The nice thing about Obsello is that it's so premium. It's a top-notch absinthe that doesn't skimp on a single thing. Even the cork is perfect for preventing oxidation. However, it sells for an easy US$59.95, which is squarely in the mid-market pricing, but it'll beat out anything that you put in front of it that costs a lot more.

Verdict
If you're in to absinthe or you want to get someone in to absinthe, this is the right stuff for you. Easy to drink, fun to play with, and what every absinthe is supposed to be.

Obsello Absinthe - US$59.95

Prohibition Distillery is planning vodka...and gin...and rum

2009-01-18T22:10:00.000-08:00

As "Eat Local" becomes more and more of a desire for people trying to be more sustainable, one distillery wants to promote the cause but not let you miss out on your vodka.

Prohibition Distillery is based in New York (Long Island) and the former investment banker and realtor brother-sister team want to add to their stock soon by making gin and bourbon. This way, you can live in New York and not get your Organic Vodka from California, Bourbon from Kentucky, and gin from...well, wherever it is that gin comes from.

No info yet on release dates or prices, but the vodka is coming first with the gin and bourbon to follow.

Prohibition Distillery

Slava Vodka - High-end vodka, on the cheap!

2009-01-11T23:10:00.000-08:00

Edit to the edit: The owner has e-mailed me a lot and apologized for being...well, the way he was. Let's see how it goes when this stuff hits the U.S.

Edits: Slava Vodka, under penalty of legal action, asked me to make some corrections and remove their image. A nice e-mail letting me know where I was wrong would have been better but I guess they feel that pulling the lawyer card instantly will garner goodwill.

If you're Canadian, you know just how important it is for an alcohol to be cheap AND good! It's the only country I've been to where many companies just advertise how much product you get without saying a thing about taste. Oh! Canada! Edit: Slava Vodka says you can't advertise quantity in Canada.

Slava is a new vodka that is only available in Canada and is distilled 4 times and then filtered 12 times. 12 times! What are they making this stuff from that it needs to be filtered 12 times? Are we looking at the worlds first vodka made from steel refinery by-product? Edit: Slava vodka says that Smirnoff is filtered 10 times and that it's normal to filter this much. However, I say that there are also many that are filtered less and they taste pretty good.

They also claim that it tastes every bit as good as the super-premium vodkas that cost more than US$40 but costs less than ~~US$30~~ (Edit: Slava vodka says that it will cost around US$17) . They say that those other vodkas cost so much because the bottle is expensive and Slava doesn't try to make their bottle look like an AK-47, so it can be cheaper. But let's be honest, it's not the bottle that's raising the price, it's the marketing budget.

Slava then goes on to tell you how unique their bottle is and how important it is that their bottle is freezer friendly because of its triangular shape, you know, so it won't roll around in your freezer.

If you're going to get a cheap vodka, then use Tito's, IKON, or UV Vodka and get the great taste for under $20. Otherwise, impress your friends with the bottle that has jewels in it and pay the piper. Edit: I guess "The Piper" only charges an extra dollar since my pricing was wrong. Oh Hyperbole, what will you think of next?

They also saved a ton of money on building their website in Microsoft Word and passed those savings on to you! Edit: I looked at the HTML Source. This part is still true.

Slava Vodka - ~~~US$30~~ Edit: US$17 dummy! And it's not available in the US yet anyway. Only Canada.

Love My Martini Glasses

2009-01-08T21:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not even done with the Halloween candy that I stole from my kids yet, but here we are, on the downslope to Valentine's Day. Yep! You've got just enough time to get that credit card bill from Christmas, get in a fight about it, and make up before the holiday that makes even the best restaurants serve crappy food.

The bottom of the glass has martini recipes and the the hearts on the glass have those little sayings on them like "Be Mine" and "Marry Me." That last one being a bit awkard if you were just waiting until after Valentine's Day to ask for the divorce.

Each glass sells for $24.95, so you better be ready to commit.

Love Candy Hearts Martini Glasses - US$24.95

BaR2-D2 serves 'em up!

2009-01-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

Our shared dream of coming closer to a bartender like the one in The Fifth Element is slowly coming to fruition!

BaR2-D2 has been unleashed on the masses with sound activated lighting, a removable drawer for mixers, a turntable that rotates beers in to position, and a six-bottle shot dispenser. Apparently, these ARE the droids you're looking for.

Next up, a robot urinal, C3PeeO.

You can download the instructions on how to build this for free! Time and materials are on you though. You can see a video of it in action here.

BaR2-D2 on Instructables
via BornRich

GiveReal.com lets you buy someone a drink, anytime, anywhere

2009-01-06T13:53:00.000-08:00

The problem with Buyyourfriendadrink.com is that you have to use one of their participating bars. GiveReal.com solves that problem by allowing you to use a credit card you already have. Let me 'splain.

Let's say you want to buy your friend a round for helping you move that Bowflex in to the laundry room where it can serve some actual use. You can go to GiveReal.com and put some money in to their account. Your friend gets an e-mail stating that you bought them a drink which then allows them to go on their site and register their credit card. They can then use that credit card to purchase their drink at ANY restaurant or bar in America.

Since we've all become Facebook junkies, they even have a Facebook application. Finally! An application that you might actually use that doesn't involve a sex test or throwing a snowball at someone!

GiveReal.com

New Year's Eve for 24 time zones!

2008-12-31T14:15:00.000-08:00

Hey! Chow.com has a way to celebrate New Year's Eve for every time zone! Already behind? Then catch up!

http://www.chow.com/stories/11442

Oh the things in store for this blog in the new year! I know you can't wait, but I'm going out drinking, so you'll have to!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Rick Presents Rick's Holiday Gift Guide With Opinions by Rick and Special Guest Blogger, Rick

2008-11-29T19:12:00.000-08:00

I've been shopping for the last two days straight, checking out the bargains, surfing the web, and standing in lines so that YOU DON'T HAVE TO! It's the kind of love I have for you, my occasional reader.

Over the last few days you've been inundated with newspaper inserts the size of Finnegan's Wake and just as confusing. I'm here to help you break out of the recycling bin and focus on the important stuff: Wine and cocktails.

Things here range from free to pricey, so it's sure to fit everyone's budget. With gas on the decline, you can use those extra duckets for something cool to give (and those pectoral implants you've been wanting).

Chilled Shot Machine
Do you have a friend that drinks Jagermeister? Well, then you know the importance of the Jager being as cold as possible in order to insure that they can taste it as little as possible.

If only there was some sort of machine that one could put any of their favorite shot drink in to and it would chill it down to Nicole Kidman-like temperatures. Oh wait. THERE IS!

The Chilled Shot Machine gets things down to a frigid 15 degrees Fahrenheit! That's something like...NEGATIVE ONE BILLION in Celsius! Is there anything colder? I don't think we should find out as Absolute Zero scares me.

Chilled Shot Machine - US$149.99

Gravity Shot Glasses
If you're doing shots, then you're going to need to be able to share those shots (taking shots alone is just, sad). But if you're DOING the shots, how can you SHARE the shots with any capability?

These Gravity Shot Glasses are stuck to their plate like Velcro, but with magnets. The glasses won't move, won't fall over when you tip it as you stumble over your sense of purpose, and won't keep the liquid in your glass if you turn it over like in the picture.

Gravity Shot Glasses -US$21.99

One Glass Wine Decanter
If you have any good wine sitting in your cellar, you usually won't open it for yourself but will wait until friends come over to share it with them. Why? Because it's best shared with friends? No! Because you know you can't decant the whole damn thing and drink it yourself and you don't want it to go to waste.

Now you can keep that 1986 Cain V to yourself! Use a good vacuum system and decant one beautiful glass at a time.

Do you need this? NO! But isn't it freakin' awesome?

One Dose Blown Glass Wine Decanter - US$96.00

Wine Preservation System
So, you decanted a single glass, what do you do with the bottle? You need to preserve it so that you can continue to enjoy that bottle alone!

The Skybar Wine Chilling, Pouring, and Preserving system allows you to do just that. It'll store 3 of your favorite bottles and keep them in vacuum sealed freshness for up to 10 days. It even has temperature regulation with 9 presets so you can make sure your white zinfandel is stored juuuuuust right and all for you!

Martini Groove: Allowing you to be selfish since December 5, 2005 at around 6pm.

Skybar WP1000 Wine Chilling, Pouring, and Preserving System - US$999.99

Inflatable Salad Bar That Stores Booze Too
Okay, maybe the high-end wine storage isn't for you. Maybe you want to store something in the much shorter term and without having to look like you're a snob. Then the Inflatable Salad Bar is perfect for your boozing afternoon of lawn darts. Fill it up with the love from your lungs, throw some ice and beers in it, and you're set for an afternoon of sharp points flying around!

Inflatable Salad Bar - US$29.98

Slang Glasses
Have you ever been searching for the perfect words for that special someone but just can't seem to put in to prose what your heart is yearning to say? Then Urban Outfitter is taking the words right out your mouth and putting them where they belong, on a pint glass.

You can choose the print that best fits your feelings from a choice of four: Bitch, Dickweed, Douchebag, and Slut. Tender moments ensue.

Slang Pint Glasses - US$8.00

Zodiac Candles
You can't have a great cocktail if the mood isn't right. It just won't work. You need lighting, music, and the right scent. Just like the ones that Gwen over at Intoxicated Zodiac sent me. (Ha, ha! Homonyms!)

Unlike some of the other insane claptrap you'll see in this guide, I actually OWN this one. Not only does it smell better than just about anything on the planet, but it also emits a pleasing glow from it's center in the form of a flame. The container has little martini glasses, your zodiac sign, and the scent is matched to make sure that you're friends like you. Except you, Aquarius, no one likes you.

Gwen's candles are also being featured at swanky Henri Bendel, 5th Avenues finest purveyor of chic items for the elite.

Celestial Cocktail Candles - US$30

Crazy-Assed Wine Bottle Holder!

Look at this thing! How crazy awesome is that! Seriously, get it!

You can't get it.

Don't Break The Bottle Game
Imagine the joy on your friend's face when they see that you've wrapped their gift of a $700 bottle of Scotch in this clever device that challenges them to get the puzzle off before they can drink any of it! Bonus: They could actually BREAK the bottle! Oh the delight in their hearts! You'll definitely be invited to next year's party!

The device fits most standard liquor bottles (Read: NO Vodka bottles) and comes with instructions.

Dont Break the Liquor Bottle Puzzle Game - US$19.99

A Mini Vacation With A Drink
Island Oasis has come out with a Paradise Party Box which contains strawberry, piña colada, mango and banana; four Poco Grande non-shatter glasses; twenty-five umbrella straws; Island Oasis’ own Steel Band music CD; and a collection of recipes that will allow you to serve 48 people! All for under $60!

They even have the equipment do it like a pro with their $2450 blender or like a once-a-month drinker with their $99 one.

The Paradise Party Box - US$59.99 (Free shipping for the holidays!)

Free Labels! Free Labels!
Whether you want to spruce up a bottle of wine for a friend or use Johnnie Walker's prestigious name to pimp your own, you can get them free and online. Finally, a place to put in to print your unique voice!

Free Wine Labels
Free Johnnie Walker Labels

USB Storage and Bottle Opener
If there's two things you need no matter where you are, it's USB Storage and something to open your beer. Well, hopefully you're a soon-to-be proud owner of the Popdrive Bottle Opener with 1GB of built-in memory so you can keep those important work files on it and close to your thoughts with each opened brew.

Ziotek Popdrive Bottle Opener with 1GB Thumb Drive - US$18.95

Instant Wine Chiller

Sometimes when you decide you want white wine it's usually too late to chill it without putting it in the freezer and forgetting about it until you're about to go to bed. Red wine can be a problem too if it's a bit too warm for it to really bring out the right flavors.

The Ravi Instant Wine Chiller hangs out in your freezer, talking to the baking soda, until you're ready to use it to pour whatever bottle of wine to just the right temperature. It's got a little vent on the side so that you adjust just how cold you want your wine. Adjust it to a chilly white wine temperature or a little higher to keep your red wine tasting perfect. Significant vodka possiblities as well.

Ravi Instant Wine Chiller - US$49.95

Remote Control Drink Delivery
You know she wants you. Of course she wants you. As soon as you drove your remote control car up to her and she noticed there were two drinks in there, you had her. Your wink from across the way signaled to her your savvy and charm. Your winning smile that came with the drink was a bonus.

Of course, your first attempt at a joke and laughing like a donkey put you squarely in to "friend" category for all of eternity, but that's okay. The remote-controlled buggy already sees another potential over by the salad bar trying to nail down a cherry tomato with tongs.

How much more fun could you have with one 9 volt and 4 AA batteries?

Radio Controlled Beverage Buggy - US$49.99
They have a boat too!

Don't like any of this stuff? Well, you could read last year's. Or the year before that!

Happy Holidays!

Fill beer faster

2008-11-20T12:42:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking: "How do I get that delicious beer in that keg in to a cup faster, thus allowing me to fill my belly with it faster?" It's my job to know these things.

The Trufill beverage dispenser is designed just for those moments, especially at a sporting event or concert, where you're waiting in the Longer-Than-Halftime line just to get your beer quota. It can fill a beer in 10 seconds and reduces the dreaded foam by filling from the bottom up. It works with soda too, but we don't really care about that, do we?

Rube Goldberg Cocktails

2008-11-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

I'm all about Rube Goldberg devices in general because I love old cartoons more than just about anything on TV.

Chugalug Drinks Factory is a series of interchangeable tubes (like the Internet) that allow your cocktail to flow through a 10 step process that you can use for your next party. It mixes your drinks and then you open the tap in the bottom and you pop it in your glass.

Just look at the people in the picture! They're having a blast. That's hilarious!

Chugalug Drinks Factory - ~US$37

How to speak Tequila

2008-11-13T12:27:00.000-08:00

Tequila Herradura sent me this e-mail and I thought I'd share it. I used to think that "speaking tequila" meant "Oh my God, I can't do another one. No really, I get really messed up on tequila, it makes me do crazy things. I can't. Well, ok, one more."

I edited out some of the marketing speak:

1. Speak to its origins

2. Choose wisely
If you think all tequilas are the same , you’re wrong. When ordering tequila at a bar, keep the following in mind:

- Stick to 100 percent blue agave tequila . Mexican law only requires that at least 51 percent of the sugars in tequila come from agave; so, many brands will complete their batch with other starches, diluting the authentic flavor of the drink.

- Silver or Añejo? Depending on how long the tequila rests in wood barrels, it will develop a flavor and aroma profile that will evoke a unique sensorial experience. Ideal for margaritas and other cocktails, Silver (aged for 45 days) . On the other hand, Añejo is aged for 25 months

3. Sip it, don’t shoot it!
You know you can’t impress anyone by taking a quick shot of tequila, right? Unless you’re drinking a margarita on the rocks or another cocktail, order it neat in a snifter glass to best enjoy its complexity.

- Before tasting, hold the glass up to a light. Swirl slowly and notice its legs - more rested tequilas show more body.

- Take three small sniffs from the center of the glass to get a sneak preview of the taste – you’ll notice a different bouquet with each expression.

- Take a small sip of the tequila to get used to the alcohol taste. Then take a second sip and keep it in your mouth while exhaling through your nose to distinguish its aroma. Keep the third sip in your mouth for a few seconds to notice the flavor and texture of the spirit. Is it fruity? Spicy? Smooth? Close your eyes and try to pick out the different taste notes.

- Assess the flavor of the tequila that stays in your mouth and describe your experience to those around you.

Facebook Group

2008-10-23T22:02:00.000-07:00

Join our group on Facebook!

The Martini Groove

Blogging is dead! Long live Blogging!

2008-10-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, take a look at the Technorati top 200. Maybe take a look at the new alcohol blogs that are coming out that are popular. These blogs have STAFFS! They have 10 people looking for content and 2 doing layouts. The days of being the citizen blogger are over.

Enter micro-blogging! Twitter, Facebook, etc. They're all the new blog and I'm jumping ship.

This page will still be used for long-form stuff (like when I do reviews), but if you want the regular updates and quick info, then subscribe to the Twitter.

"But I don't want all those links sent to my PHONE!" you say. Subscribe as web only. Subscribe to the RSS of the web only. Use Twhirl!

You may think you're getting less, but you're getting more! That's right! More! More content, more snarky remarks, more links to cool stuff, less me pontificating on the value of pants.

You can still use this page to see the Twitters and I'll link back to it on occassion when something necessary comes up, but otherwise, catch you on the flip side.

Pocket Cocktails

2008-10-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

If you have one of them new-fangled iPhones that all the kids seem to be carrying these days (and not being able to make calls because AT&T's network is so bad), then you're going to love this, except it's not for the kids.

Pocket cocktails has 300+ full color pictures of all the cocktails in it's database and even has a randomizer in case you're bored and you have way too many ingredients in your bar to use. It would be nice if it had a database of drinks that it *didn't* have cocktails for, but hey, at least it gives you something to do during those frequent times that you have no service.

Here's some video:

Wine Spectator Mobile Launches

2008-10-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

If you're one of the snobby members of Wine Spectator.com (like me) then you're going to love their new mobile site.

You get all the access to their content of 200,000 reviews, vintage charts, and your personal wine lists. If you're looking to be the resident genius when you're out on the date and trying to figure out if you should order that bottle of Smoking Loon or Cain V, then this is the site for you.

You will need to be a member, which costs $49.95 a year for online access only, but if you're looking to expand what you know about wine, this one's a good start.

Wine Spectator Mobile

Video Game Bar

2008-10-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Finally, the bar that combines my favorite two things: Booze and video games.

This bar starts off looking like any other oak bar that someone built from a 500 year old oak that they cut down because it ruined their view of the freeway, but this one has something extra special.

Joysticks-that-appear-as-if-from-nowhere come out of this bar and give you access to play your favorite MAME games (these are usually classic games that you found at the old arcades). Can you just imagine the hours and hours of drunken Mortal Kombat or Moon Patrol? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? FREAKIN' MOON PATROL?

You can't have this because someone made it and they won't sell it to you.

Click on the pics for bigger pics.

Tru Organic Gin

2008-10-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

Modern Spirits came out with some pretty funky vodka flavors for a bit and have since backed off to straight, vanilla, and lemon.

Their latest product is Tru Organic Gin. The gin keeps alive their policy of making organic, sustainable spirits and has something else unique, an amber hue that gives the small-batch gin some identity.

Why the crazy color? Well, most gins are re-distilled after jumiper berries are mashed up in the spirit, Tru keeps it real by just straining it and shipping it out. Maybe their cheapskates and just wanted to skip a step.

Tru also puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to sustainability. Every bottle sold gets a tree planted somewhere in the world. Each bottle also uses 25% less glass than other bottles. Labels are printed on corn-fiber rather than paper from trees and they use recyclable corks as well. There are even more cool things they're doing to satisfy hippies (and myself) when it comes to sustainability. Read more on their site.

Tru Organic Gin - US$34.99

Vampyre Vodka

2008-10-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

Vampyre vodka is a bit confused. On the bottle, they spell it "Vampyre" but on their site and their web address, it's "Vampire." A big, fat, Stan Lee style, No-Prize for the marketing guy that explains this one away.

Either way, it's a blood-red vodka that has hints of almond and a slight sweetness that makes it go down easy. It's perfect for having around the house for the month of October then trying to give it away the unused portion to your alcoholic aunt at Christmas. Man, that'll really mess her up.

Drinkhacker has a full review on it if you want to know more.

Vampyre(Vampire?) Vodka - US$23

Pincer Vodka

2008-10-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

The St. Germain's Elderflower Liqueur is pretty much the favorite thing in my bar. It goes in almost any drink and gives it a great flavor profile.

Pincer vodka not only has that same elderflower taste but also milk thistle and is combined with grain vodka to produce, what they claim to be, an almost hangover free vodka. The healing powers of elderflower and milk thistle are two items that are supposed to help you get up a little easier in the morning.

The product is about to launch in the UK with no pricing set as of yet.

Pincer Vodka

Diddy, Sinatra, and Ciroc

2008-10-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm a media whore when it comes to cool commercials. George Clooney's Martini commercials are some of the best out there and this new one from Diddy and Ciroc is damned good.

It's Diddy partying to one of Sinatra's tunes and it was actually filmed in one of Sinatra's previous homes. Kickass.

Vodka from the last two states

2008-10-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

So much vodka, tons of time, but one post on them both. Let's start off with Alaska.

Just the other night, I woke my girlfriend from a sound sleep and practically screamed in her face, "ALASKA HAS NO VODKA TO CALL IT'S OWN!! WHY WOULD SARAH PALIN ALLOW THIS?"

Now I (and my girlfriend) can sleep easy knowing that Permafrost vodka has stepped up to the task. This vodka is made from Matanuska Valley-grown potatoes, known for their high Potassium, vitamin C and B6 content, and water from Alaska glaciers.

The company sources everything from Alaska and also operates as a green distillery. It's made by a former bush pilot and already has the state all aflutter with it's first batch about to be released in 45 days. It will be selling wholesale for US$50.

Now for Hawaii
Hawaii is getting it's first truly Hawaiian vodka. The forgettable Ocean Vodka has it's potatoes sourced from Idaho whereas the new Pau Maui vodka is made right in Hawaii.

The other night, I woke up my girlfriend with a start as I screamed "HOW CAN THEY HAVE POTATOES IN HAWAII? WHY WOULD SARAH PALIN ALLOW THIS?" Fear not, intrepid vodka drinker, Pau Maui vodka is made from pineapples. That's right, the same pineapples that you get inside of your favorite vacation cocktails are now being turned in to a delicious vodka. Though I've been assured that the flavor of the pineapple disappears in the distillation process, I'm a bit skeptical. No word on pricing yet.

Pau Maui Vodka

An Autumn Cocktail

2008-10-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

I don't put a ton of cocktail recipes in here because there are so many that are just variations on a theme that I would get bored of reading my own blog. Yes, I read my own blog, it's mostly for my own entertainment.

I like this one, though. It's timely, well thought-out, and Fall just hit us hard so I'm in the mood. I'll keep the brand name in there because, well, they thought of it.

2oz Imported GranGala Triple Orange Liqueur
1oz Flor de Cana Rum
1oz Cranberry Syrup*
2 Pieces of Fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit (peel, no skin or white)
Dash of Orange Bitters
Drunken cranberries**

In a Boston glass add grapefruit and cranberry syrup. Muddle, add 1 ice scoop then GranGala, rum and bitters. Shake well and pour into a young wine glass. Garnish with drunken cranberries.

*To make the Cranberry Syrup you need 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water and 2 cups of cranberries (rinsed and de-stemmed). Add ingredients to a saucepan, adjust heat to medium-high. Allow to boil and then reduce to a simmer. The mixture is ready once the sugar has dissolved, the syrup is slightly thickened and has taken on the color and aroma of the berries, this should take about 5 minutes.

** To make the Drunken Cranberries you need 2 cups sugar, 1 cup dark rum, 1 cup fresh cranberries (rinsed and de-stemmed). Follow Cranberry Syrup directions, and pull out the cranberries and use for the garnish.

Vodka from The Great Beyond

2008-10-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

Update! Someone did some digging and came up with some pretty compelling evidence that it's the real thing and not a publicity stunt. Read more here.

My BFF Lisa sent me a link to this video that shows Dan Akroyd pimping a vodka that is inside of a crystal head. There's some back story to this that's explained in the video below.

I'm actually kind of at a loss for what to even say about this. Dan Akroyd keeps looking at me like he's channeling P.T. Barnum. However, he's also been involved with the occult for quite some time. Once, he even made the Statue of Liberty walk through New York to a catchy 50's tune.

Here comes Crystal Head Vodka, a diamond-filtered vodka or a very dry infomercial to pimp Ghostbusters 3.

Peter's Planters Punch Mix

2008-10-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

Where the hell was this last May?

Peter's Planters Punch is a delightful mix of all the things that you get to sip when you're hanging out at the island bar. You know, the bar that you worked at right after your stint as a big-time flair bartender in New York but then your best friend betrayed you by sleeping with the girl you were dating and kept walking around spouting off "laws" that he made up but it's okay because you met a really cute, sweet girl who liked you a lot and when you get back to New York you find out that she's rich and having your baby.

Also, you have to add the rum, but it has everything else in it.

Right now, you can only get the stuff in South Florida, which just doesn't make sense to me. The rest of us NEED this stuff for our mental sojourns to the islands. These people have a responsibility to the rest of the world!

via BottleWatch

Best. Commercial. EVER!

2008-09-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with booze or bars or things like that. But it's got more awesome than any post I've ever done.

America's Top Bartender

2008-09-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

Though I have no doubt that bartenders can be just as catty as chef's or models, we put up with it from chef's because the food is so good and we put up with it from models because...wait. Why do we put up with it from models?

If the bartender is making me something completely delish then he or she can give me all the attitude they want, this is the main reason I still tolerate Alembic in SF. However, there's a new show that is being launched to find America's Top Bartender. Absolut and LX.tv are sponsoring.

via Drink of the Week 2.0

Wine Wipes help you not look like a vampire

2008-09-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

There's nothing quite like going to a wine tasting with potential investors or a first date, sucking down loads of red wine and then dropping your pants and telling everyone that it's "Mr. Winky Time!" Also, you might have stained teeth.

Wine Wipes solves the latter problem with their orange blossom flavored wipes that you can use to wipe away wine stains from your teeth. It's kind of like Oxy Clean, except for your mouth. The container even has a little mirror inside the lid so you can see just wear those pesky spots are.

Unfortunately, they haven't developed a product that can wipe away the shame of having Mr. Winky Time.

Wine Wipes - US$6.95 for 20 wipes

Brockman's Gin

2008-09-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

When any alcohol launches you are immediately inundated with a huge amount of PDF's that have recipes in it for the same old drinks you've always made but with the brand name put in to the recipe. Either that or you get a slew of recipes with such obscure ingredients that you'll be traipsing through the Amazon looking for the proper flower to infuse.

Brockman's Gin cuts to the chase. They want you to drink it. Maybe with some ice. Probably in a glass. But whatever works for you, just don't put a bunch of crap in it that kills the taste of the gin.

Am I looking forward to an evening out with this gin? Hell yeah. I'll get it to go home with me, count on it.

Brockman's Gin

Belvedere Intense

2008-09-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

Belvedere is coming incredibly close to moonshine with their latest offering of 100 proof vodka.

The vodka has flavors of crème caramel, dark savoury spice, and rich bitter chocolate. Did I mention it was 50% alcohol?

I bet you want it, don't you? Well, if you're a world traveller then you might have a chance. It's only being sold at International airports like London Heathrow Terminal 5, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Warsaw Frederic Chopin, Hong Kong International, Singapore Changi, Sydney, New York JFK and Buenos Aires Ezeiza.

Belvedere Intense - €45 (US$66.08)
via Luxist

Review: Oval Vodka

2008-09-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Hey! How about them reviews! There is so much booze sitting at my house right now that I could probably go through the rest of the year on nothing but alcohol reviews.

Tell me about it
Oval Vodka's key tag line tells us how their vodka is "structured" through an 11 day process. The process doesn't just combine water and alcohol like traditional vodkas, but actually surrounds the alcohol with water, much like a group of Cougars surround the Sex and the City DVD release.

The process is supposed to create a smoother, easier to drink vodka with a better mouthfeel. No, I don't know if this is all true. Dammit Jim! I'm a blogger! Not a molecular biologist with a minor in fundamental chemistry!

The smell and taste
The best part of Oval Vodka is just how interesting it really is. Aside from your belief in the ability to surround an alcohol molecule with water molecules, Oval has got your attention. The smell fascinated me with it's sharp bite and it made me expect the same as I tasted it, much like a Russian vodka. There was even a bit of white chocolate smell in the initial whiff.

The polar opposite was true though. This stuff catches you off guard with the flavors and the smoothness. You go in expecting a burn and come away feeling quenched.

The flavors I got out of it were a bit of banana, cinnamon, and finished with pepper and fruit. It was nowhere near dry as expected but dry enough to make your mouth water from all the goodness. I tried it at room temperature and neat and was still very impressed with its complexities.

Verdict
If you want to drink vodka in a martini or something where vodka is the main component, Oval is really the vodka for you. Though it mixes just as well as any other vodka, why would you want to do that? It stands alone as a real drink, not just another vodka that's telling us how smooth it is.

Oval Vodka