The second annual SIP awards took place a couple of weeks ago in San Diego. The event brings in a 50 person consumer panel to do a blind tasting and judge a slew of some new and some accomplished spirits. The competition seems to be an extremely eclectic and bizarrely diverse selection of spirits. They’ve announced the winners of the competition, and here are some of them (congrats!):
Platinum – “Best of Class”
New Amsterdam Gin, Shakers Original American Vodka, 360 Double Chocolate Vodka, Antiguo Blanco Tequila, Ambhar Reposado Tequila, El Jimador Anejo Tequila, Semillero Joven Mezcal, Don Q Anejo Rum, Deadman’s Mango Rum, A.de Fussigny XO Fine Champagne, Nature’s Own Strawberry Delight, Don Q Mojito, Bong Spirit Vodka
Distinguished Platinum Winners
Crater Lake Vodka, Dolce Touch Hybrid Luxury Vodka, Smooth Vodka, Binboa Satsuma Vodka, Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion, Vodka Rose by Dragon Bleu Vodka, UV Sweet Green Tea Vodka, The Balvenie Doublewood Autentico Tequila, Alacran Familia Camarena Silver Tequila, Herradura Anejo Tequila, Tequila 1519 Reposado, Zignum Mezcal Anejo, IS vodka, Sipping Spirits Resolute Pink Vodka, U’Luvka Gift Box (more…)
Posted on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
Filed under: Culture, Spirits by Daniel
By Carolyn Gerin
( from issue 8 )
What was stirred up in San Francisco through the middle of this century (in and out of the cocktail shaker) had profound effects on every facet of queer life across the globe. Fear of being “found out” in the early days helped create a close-knit community — many times forged in bars and taverns. San Francisco ‘safe houses’ were birthplace to a legendary drinking culture that extended far beyond the barstool, and, over time, formed into a cultural and political zeitgeist that tattooed the city of San Francisco into a colorful leader in gay lifestyle. The next time someone tells you that hanging out in bars won’t get you anywhere, think again.
The Beginning
Some of the earliest roots of lesbian and gay bar culture can be traced to New York City during the Harlem Renaissance in the ’20s — home of the Cotton Club, the Drool Inn, and Hot Feet, where people could embrace rebel-sexuality, gender identification and refuge. Carefree flapper and “new woman” culture (ebullient having won the right to vote) also gave straight and bisexual women license to enjoy the fruits of the permissive attitudes of the time. Middle-class malaise gave way to free sexual expression and permission to explore downtown, counter-cultural adventures. (more…)
Posted on Monday, June 28th, 2010
Filed under: Issue 8 by Daniel
by Lou Bustamante
There’s been a lot of rumors and commotion lately about the new relationship between Proximo and St. George Spirits, specifically in regards the Hangar One Vodka line. To get the scoop, I got a chance to sit down and talk to St. George Spirits master distiller Lance Winters and distiller Dave Smith.
According to Lance, “neither the Hangar One brand nor the distillery have been sold,” and that the only thing that has changed is that marketing and distribution rights for Hangar One vodka have moved from Craft Distillers to Proximo. Craft Distillers is best known as the folks behind the Germain-Robin brandy and Danzantes (recently changed to Los Nahuales) mescal brands, and Poximo are the marketers and importers of the 1800 Tequila and Three Olives vodka brands. (more…)
Posted on Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Filed under: Spirits, news by Daniel
Imagine getting a huge discount on wine next week when Spencer and Daniels Wine outlet, a hidden gem of a wine shop on Polk St., does their first ever 20% off case sale (June 28th-July 5th) . This eclectic Wine Shop is notorious for getting rock bottom wine prices. They once sold two buck chuck at 99 cents and a week later brought in a truck load of rare Chilean and Argentinean wines at 40% off. And, Starting next week, their craziness continues when they will be giving 20% off any mix and match 12 bottle cases just in time for your July 4th weekend. Keep in mind that SnD carries several bottles of $1.99 wine. So, 20% off of 12 bottles of $1.99 wine makes your $20 spot go really far. Stock your wine racks full for once! Oh, and did I mention their wine is really delicious? www.spenceranddaniels.com
Spencer and Daniels Wine Outlet
1541 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-345-1637
www.spenceranddaniels.com
Posted on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Filed under: Wine by Daniel
by Chris from WhiskyWall
We traditionally think whisky (or whiskey) comes from Scotland, Ireland or the United States. OK, maybe from our neighbors to the north too – Canada. However, June saw another entry into the single malt whisky world from of all places…India. Yes, that is right India. Amrut distillery based in Bangalore India released 5 new expressions here in the United States. The whisky nerds here in the U.S. were clamoring for it prior to the release date, including me. I ended up preordering a bottle just in case.
(more…)
Posted on Friday, June 18th, 2010
Filed under: Spirits by Daniel
By Brian Yaeger
( article from issue 8 )
First and foremost, there is one primary way to discuss and grade a beer and that’s by how much you like it or don’t. Seriously, it’s either thumbs up, thumbs down, or if you’re wishy-washy, thumbs sideways.
But to really get down to the multifaceted ways of appreciating a beer, you can begin to smell for aromas ranging from earthy to spicy to toasty. You can size up its body based on a billowy head or the web-like lacing it leaves on the glass. You can turn into a math nerd and quantify numbers such as original or final gravity, which dictate its percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV) or how hoppy it is based on its international bitter units (IBU). But whereas all those factors build up to the beer’s overall character and, essentially, flavor, one characterization gets paid the shortest shrift. Color. (more…)
Aging beer in a barrel is by no stretch of the imagination a new idea. In the history of beer making, beer has certainly spent a lot more time in wooden barrels than any other container. But not most of the beers we grew up with. More often then not, the beer you saw your dad drinking, that you pilfered from you dad’s stash, or that you actually shared with your dad depending upon your particular situation, was born in a metal receptacle and served in a can. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of quality brews currently out there that have never known the caress of a plank of wood. And cans are on the comeback with good reason. Whether for traditional reasons or wild-eyed experimentation, a large selection of barrel aged beers are increasingly available to those seeking an old/new twist. While Belgian brews have been a reliable source for seekers of barrel aged flavors, an increasing variety of stouts, IPAs, and barley wines continue to find their way into barrels. The flavor combinations may not be infinite, but they are far beyond my lackluster mathematical skills. The variety of beer, the type of wood, the previous contents of the barrel, and anything you might choose to dump in the barrel with the beer create seemingly endless possibilities. This fact would have been a great excuse for sampling every barrel aged concoction I could lay my hands on for the purposes of this article but reason and budgetary constraints prevailed. (more…)
