Articles & Recipes
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Bottle Speculating in the World of American Whiskey
Bottle Speculating in the World of American Whiskey In the early 2000s, I read an article claiming that wine was outperforming the stock market for a niche group of bottle collectors. At the time, investing in wine was a fringe…
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Cocktails and the AI-Revolution
Like many people, I’ve watched the capabilities of AI unfold with wonderment. I’ve been a fan but only to the point of amusement. Chat GPT can write a long epic poem in perfect iambic pentameter, it can write up legal…
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The Whiskey Cobbler: What Is It?
Unless you’re a cocktail aficionado with a penchant for history, chances are you’ve never heard of the cobbler. Cobblers were among the most popular mixed drink categories in the nineteenth century. Cobblers were made with numerous wines and spirits with…
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Bawon’s Benediction
The ingredients for this cocktail are inspired by the lore of Baron Samedi, loa of the dead in Haitian Vodou.
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Kapuhona: Turning Sex on the Beach into a Craft Cocktail
Kapuhona: Turning Sex on the Beach into a Craft Cocktail Sex on the Beach is one of those cocktails that everybody knows. Yet, it’s hard to imagine a craft bartender or discerning drinker treating it as a serious culinary cocktail.…
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Why Do We Call it Bourbon?
Why We Call it Bourbon: In my last article, I proposed that no individual invented bourbon whiskey but rather that a confluence of factors led to its natural development. Even though I advocated that bourbon whiskey evolved across the Western…
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Who Invented Bourbon?
Who invented bourbon? Was It even invented in Kentucky?” The history of bourbon is shrouded in mystery. There are many myths and educated theories regarding its origin. Authoritative bourbon historians tend to agree that Elijah Craig didn’t invent it. But…
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The Origin of Cocktails and the Glorious Medicine Show!
We are deceived if we believe the cocktail is no longer medicinal. It might not cure typhoid, rheumatism, or nervous fever, but it’s a potion for the mind. Alcohol, when given the right environment, blurs the boundaries of imagination, and…
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How to Become a Bartender!
There is no one route to becoming a bartender. I can tell you what I look for and appreciate in a prospective hire, but it’s not universal among bar managers. If you approach me for a job while claiming prior…
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Spook
To be clear, Spook is an old-fashioned and it’s quite traditional (well because we’re using simple syrup we might as well just call it a brandy cocktail). While typically associated with bourbon or rye, brandy has been used in old-fashioneds…