Beer Alcohol Cocktails cocktail recipe Beer Festivals Restaurant Review

If you're a tequila enthusiast looking to broaden your horizons, sotol should be on your radar. As you know, I'm absolutely enamored by Mexican food and drink. While I've had Sotol, in the past - I didn't get a chance to truly explore it until Sotol Hacienda de Chihuahua sent me a few bottles to try. Now I'm hooked. This lesser-known Mexican spirit offers a unique flavor profile that is distinctly different from tequila, yet is equally captivating. Derived from the Dasylirion Wheeleri plant, sotol boasts a complex blend of herbaceous, fruity, and resinous notes that will intrigue your palate when paired with fresh Mexican seafood and grilled meats. But there's more to this spirit than just its taste. From its rich history and production methods to its regional variations, sotol has a story to tell. Are you ready to explore what makes this spirit a worthy addition to your collection?

International Scotch Day was a few weeks ago but do you really need an excuse to enjoy Scotch? While I enjoy Scotch neat or on the rocks, I'm impressed with the trend of Scotch cocktails that has been emerging recently. Some good stuff can be made with a well-done little goldie, and the Johnnie Walker brand has both a red and a black label that’ll do the trick. Here’s some mixes you should try to celebrate the fact that there’s an International Scotch Day.

In honor of National Cocktail Day on March 24th, HAVANA CLUB and BACARDÍ are celebrating with two specialty rum cocktails sure to keep you coming back for more!

Whether celebrating St. Patrick's Day or simply enjoying a nice creamy cocktail, Irish Cream Liqueur has always been a favorite of mine. To be honest, I'm a fan of cream spirits in general but while there are big names on the market, few folks manage to bring forth a small batch experience the same way you can find with traditionally distilled spirits. That's why I was excited to come across Five Farms and their collection of family-owned farms in Ireland.

There's two things that all guys love - whisky and beef. Chef Perry Lang showed Jimmy Kimmel Live! how to make these things even better... by combining them :) 

Aside from our time spent on cruise ships recently, it's been a while since we've had the opportunity to attend tasting events at local bars and restaurants here in San Diego. However, if there's one thing that can compel me to get off my seat and venture back into a bar it's a great rum paired with fantastic bartenders and that's just what we had this week when we met with Diplomatico's California Ambassador to talk a bit about two of their newer expressions: Mantuano and Planas.

 When it comes to Vodka, for many brands marketing is even more important than the actual quality but Crystal Head has been delivering quality and innovation for almost as as this site has been around. In fact, they were one of the first brands to send us a sample to try more than 10 years ago. Today I continue to applaud their innovation as they push what vodka can be by introducing one of the first commercially available agave vodkas, Crystal head Onyx.

The martini is simultaneously one of the easiest and most well know vodka cocktails. It is immortalized in popular culture as the preferred drink of James Bond who's impact singlehandedly changed martini cocktails from a gin base to vodka. Despite the fact that it is generally a pretty easy drink to make, there are some tips that you must follow if you want to create the absolutely perfect martini. Here's what Bob Nolet, Master Distiller at Nolet Spirits, producers of Ketel One Vodka.

I have been a BIG fan of Jack Daniel's since my early 20's. The first time I drank it, it was almost as if I had reunited with an old friend. Jack on the rocks quickly became one of my favorite drinks and it has stayed one of my go to adult beverages for many years. I've been desperately wanting to visit the Jack Daniel's distillery ever since that first sip. So, you can imagine my excitement when I was invited to spend two days there and soak up (you see what I did there) the history and culture of this American institution. What I found was a company that has an intense pride and attention to detail that can be found in every aspect of their product. Here are a few things that make Jack Daniel's a little different.

With cold weather and holiday season upon us, certain drinks such as "cream" spirits are back in stock and that warms my heart. While nobody that I know has managed to create an authentic packaged coquito, I am thrilled to see that Cutwater Spirits is continuing to innovate when it comes to rum cream. 

If you think that Tequila, Rum, and Cacasa are the only spirits from South America then you need to bring a chair up to the bar and try some Pisco. This is a colorless to amber spirit made from grapes and can be compared to a grape brandy. 

This spirit has been distilled in the winemaknig regions of Peru for hundreds of years and is now making its way to the United States!

Right now is a great time to be a fan of cocktails and spirits. It seems like virtually every day I hear about something new that piques my interest but only a handful have I had a chance to actually sit down and create cocktails for. Recently I was invited to test out TUACA, a fantastic vanilla citrus liqueur that is said to trace its roots all the way back to Lorenzo de Medici and later became popular in the United States after servicemen brought it home from Italy during WII. In the classic pattern we've seen with cocktails in general, TUACA is starting to become popular again with a whole new generation. 

Johnnie Walker is the most popular brand of whisky today... and apparently that's true in 2049 too since they've partnered with the new movie, Blade Runner 2049. To celebrate their inclusion in the movie, the brand has released a limited edition "Johnnie Walker Black Label The Director's Cut" bottle and sent in these fun futuristic cocktails as well.

When I was a young man and just starting to enter the world of spirits, the only game in town was Cuervo Gold and tequila was something forbidden, cheap, and dangerous. Today... thankfully... we have access to a wide selection of fine mezcals and the American thirst for agave has risen to the point where it's not enough to simply drink tequila. Just like how whiskey has Scotch, Bourbon, Rye etc., agave spirits come in many different expressions too. One of the most exciting is raicilla but most people don't fully understand how it differs from tequila, bacanora, mezcal.

Templeton has a limited-release Stout Cask Finish for their world-famous rye whiskey. It’s a completely different feel for an American whiskey. And I like it. 

San Diego has tons of craft beer bars and great wine is in no shortage either but the craft spirits industry is also growing rapidly here as well. One of the shining stars there is El Agave Artesanal tequila and so I was thrilled that the folks at El Agave Restaurant invited us back to try some additional menu items as well as a tequila tasting led by one of their experts.

It's whale season here in California and that means it is time to celebrate the opportunity to watch these majestic animals. For me, this is an annual tradition. On the East Coast, to see whales you usually have to head far out to sea in a boat, but here - especially in Southern California, you can see them simply by standing on a bluff overlooking the ocean. There is a sense of thrill at seeing their tails and spouts since these are not just huge animals but a part of California's culture, a merging of natural wonder, joy, and science as we monitor the annual migration to ensure that it isn't negatively impacted by human action. Now there's a new element to celebrate here... Grey Whale Gin.

For some, staying at an all-inclusive resort is about rest and relaxation in some exotic location far from home. For me, one thing I love about traveling is discovering new and exciting cocktails - or familiar ones in new locations. That's why I love staying at all inclusive resorts like Villa Del Palmar in Loreto Mexico. Even though my stay was covered by the resort, having access to an open bar means you can try new things without the fear of wasting money. You've already paid for it... so let's enjoy it!

You might not think that there's a science to pairing your shot of whiskey with a beer but there is. It honestly makes sense that you wouldn't want to have whatever the bar manager has picked for their happy hour special and that's why Bulleit Whiskey and Stone Brewing have kicked off a partnership to help educate whiskey - and beer drinkers across the country on the proper pairing.

The classic Caipirinha is considered the national cocktail of Brazil and I can see why. It's cool, crisp and refreshing with that laid back tropical feel but still refined enough to be enjoyed at the fanciest of occasions. I don't see it served that often outside of Brazilian restaurants though, which is a shame since it is so tasty. I suppose that's just one more reason I love going to Fogo de Chao...