Two At The Most

This week’s Thursday Drink Night promises to be a lot fun.

It’s sponsored by Crystal Head Vodka. Vodka may get a lot of derision from cocktail geeks, but it can present a true challenge when trying to create a well balanced cocktail. And, just in time for Halloween, it comes in a gorgeous bottle in the shape of a crystal skull!

Here in Seattle, we’ll … Continue Reading

It’s hard to believe, but Thursday Drink Night (TDN) has been around for a whole year.

An entire year of cocktail enthusiasts getting together once a week to invent new drinks on the fly. Dozens of themes have been tested. Hundreds of recipes have been tried1. Thousands of Your Mom jokes have been told.

To celebrate, this week the Mixoloseum Bar is … Continue Reading

In the Seattle Metro area? Looking for a chance to try some great cocktails featuring Voyager Gin and Pacifique Absinthe? Want to eat some great gourmet Southern cuisine? Want to meet Chef Rocky of Prohibition Grille and Pacific Distillery’s Master Distiller Marc Bernhard?

You’re in luck! Because on Tuesday, June 16, 2009, at 6 pm, Pacific Distillery will be hosting its first ever Distiller’s Dinner at Prohibition Grille, in Everett, WA!

For $50 (plus tax and gratuity), you’ll receive a five … Continue Reading

I love to ride, and I love to taste wine, so it will be no surprise one of my favorite activities is a winery ride.

Essential Extra Tack

This was the first time I made it to the Northwest Peruvian Horse Club’s wine ride. This year we toured five wineries in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. We were led by Linda Spurlock of Severino Cellars and Shannon Bird, Executive Director of the Rattlesnake … Continue Reading

This month is the 60th anniversary of the Hotel Monteleone, a venerable French Quarter institution and Headquarters Hotel for Tales of the Cocktail 2009.

In reviewing their history, they discovered that starting in 1949, there was a specialty Monteleone Cocktail. It was on the menu until the late 60’s or 70’s, but then was lost to mists of time, including any details on what was in it.

To celebrate their 60th anniversary, they are holding … Continue Reading

It’s Mixology Monday again, and this month’s host is the inimitable Matthew Rowley. This month’s theme is mighty timely: Hard Drinks for Hard Times. Our task this month is to:
[M]ix, consume, and write about an alcoholic drink you’ve made that resonates with the current economic turndown and explain how it addresses the theme.
One of the things I have discovered as I delve deeper into mixology is that the really expensive … Continue Reading

My passion for cocktails and mixology was in part inspired by From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to “Professor” Jerry Thomas by David Wondrich. In discussing Jerry Thomas, America’s first celebrity bartender, Wondrich also covers some of the most important basics in creating great cocktails.

Jerry Thomas makes a Blue Blazer

I’m not alone in my admiration for Mr. Thomas. Vessel, one of Seattle’s top cocktail bars, is trying … Continue Reading

I can trace my love of mixology through the evolution of my standards for homemade pisco sours.

Like many Americans, I first discovered this delicious quaff on a trip to Peru. I had one every chance I could get, and picked up a bottle of acholado pisco at the duty free, along with some packets of pisco sour mix. I was told this was a way to make a decent pisco sour, especially since we can’t get the right citrus here in the US, and for a while, I believed that.

Then I decided to try to … Continue Reading

I’ve mentioned Thursday Drink Night at the Mixoloseum Bar a few times. But what really goes on?

Now you have a chance to see! Our recent TDN sponsored by Mata Hari absinthe had a special live event. Several folks, including Rick from Kaiser Penguin, SeanMike and Marshall from Scofflaw’s Den, and Samantha from the Brand Action Team, showed up to the Tabard Inn, Washington, D.C. There bartender Chantal … Continue Reading

Here in Western Washington, we’re getting a new layer of crisp white snow, making for a rare white Christmas.

I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season, however you celebrate it!

And if you are looking for a festive drink, I highly recommend Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s egg nog recipe. It takes less than 10 minutes to make (although the hour rest to let the flavors blend is highly recommended), no egg seperating required, and has earned rave reviews from my family this holiday. Cheers!