To mark the occasion, the folks at Hopmonk hosted a soft opening complete with live music, extensive hors d’oeuvres and an open bar of epic proportions. The space is immense, consisting of two separate bars, a back patio, large open kitchen and a stage for nightly free concerts. Behind the bar there are 15 taps flowing with craft specialties from around the Bay and beyond.

A large cooler stocked with an array of exclusive microbrews is displayed prominently alongside several large plasma screens. The new location–as opposed to the others in Sebastapol and Sonoma–seems more inviting to the casual beer drinker. The layout is perfectly suited to large parties, watching the big game, or just generally lounging around on a lazy Sunday.

An impressive list of cocktails and wines, including local favorites from throughout the Sonoma and Napa region are available for those that aren’t into the whole good beer thing. Free concerts kick-off every evening and have always been a prominent part of the Hopmonk experience. There’s also an open mic on Wednesdays for those that are looking to share their musical talents with an unsuspecting group of strangers.

For more information on upcoming events as well as an up-to-the-minute list of what’s on tap, check out the Hopmonk Novato website.

“I wanted a venue where I could showcase my talents,” Chef Song said. “Hog & Rocks has a strong commitment to Northern California Cuisine.” In addition to impressive, local fare there’s an ‘encyclopedic‘ compendium of bourbon and whiskey behind the bar. This is all the work of Michael Lazar–bar manager, published cocktail author, and, as described by Song, “a mad scientist.” After all, it takes a touch of madness–not to mention a clever pun–to mix Larceny Bourbon with a house-made black mission fig puree into such a pleasant result, as he does with A Figment of My Imagination.

Chef Song has wasted no time incorporating the flavor profile of sophisticated mixology into his composed dishes. “I’ve been using a lot of botanicals, smoke and barley in foods where you wouldn’t normally see them,” he notes, “it’s not as easy as pairing with wine.”

I kicked my meal off with a Black Manhattan, built around Rittenhouse rye. The drink features an unexpected twist courtesy of Nardini amaro, an herbaceous Italian digestif. The complex, aged finish of the cocktail pairs effortlessly with Chef Song’s Sardines a la Plancha–their subdued saltiness and zesty citrus glaze cutting right through the spiciness of the Rye.

Using succulent beef brisket chuck as its base, the burger at Hogs & Rocks might be the best in the city. For such classic, savory fare you need a no-nonsense, heavy-hitting drink to back it up. Their Old Fashioned delivers in spades. Balancing out the gentle, caramel notes of the Old Fitzgerald Bourbon is a surprisingly bitter, orange sugar. Spicy, sweet, savory, salty all meld into a delicate dance alternating between bite and sip.

As Chef Song is quick to point out, “the bar scene is constantly moving forward.” Consequently, he is faced with an unyielding task: deliver the perfect pairings for cocktail-minded clientele whose palates are far from fixed. After an evening with this accomplished maestro, there is zero doubt that he’s up to the challenge.

Check out their website for special events, including occasional Whiskey dinners.

With the 38th anniversary of this holiday release, fans can expect something entirely different. Like on the morning of December 25th when children eagerly storm the tree in anticipation of wrapped gifts at their feet, Anchor Christmas Ale is a surprise that adults can celebrate. That’s because every year since 1975, the brewers have been subtly tweaking the recipe so that no two batches are ever the same. In fact, the bottle itself evolves, with each passing year featuring a distinctive holiday pine tree on its iconic, green, red and white label.

Additionally, the folks at Anchor are notoriously tight-lipped about what goes into each year’s incarnation, refusing to reveal the blend of malt, yeast and hops responsible for the beloved brew. The only consistent thread running throughout is that it’s guaranteed to be a spiced ale with an alcohol content hovering around 5-6%. The ABV on the 2012 vintage is square in the middle at 5.5%. Although even this dependable characteristic is subject to change now that longtime Anchor Brewmaster Mark Carpenter has hinted that next year’s release will mark a radical departure from the past. As for the 2012, it’s a smooth Winter Warmer that pours an exquisite mahogany red. The aroma is entirely evocative of the season, with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. The overall drinking experience just begs for a cozy fire on a snowy, December night.

Somehow, year after year, the wizards of wort over at Anchor manage to encapsulate the myriad wonders of the holiday season, bottling it for all to enjoy. Those bottles are widely available in six packs priced around $10, or in the festive Magnum size–1.5 liters ($16) of liquid Christmas to share with friends and family. Christmas Ale is on the shelves from November until the middle of January every year.

Vic’s Bagel Bar

Beer Pong NYC is an actual league devoted to the game that you probably spent too much time playing in college when you should have been cramming for the big exam.  But now that you’ve graduated, you have no viable excuse not to get out there and get the band back together.  It’s actually a lot like joining an after-work sports league with your friends, only there’s slightly less exercise and less drinking involved than with Softball.

If you live and/or work in Manhattan this is a super entertaining and social way to relieve the stress of a tension-filled work day.  If for some strange reason, you’re not acquainted with the rules of this frat favorite, fret not—that’s what the internet is for: Official Rules of the World Series of Beer Pong (yes, there is such a thing).  Do you have what it takes to sink your way to the top?  Here’s that rare opportunity to prove that an undergraduate education really is worth something in this day and age.

Howdy, folks! Welcome back to Booze In The News, where you’ll find the latest, funniest and most obscure newsworthy, alcohol-related bits all in one place.

1.) A famous Burgundy winery was recently threatened with a poison extortion plot . Don’t worry, their wine and the people who work there were not poisoned. The victims of this plot? Two innocent grapevines. Luckily, the extortionist was caught, and the vines are expected to survive. Phew.

2.) Carlsberg in Denmark has had a rough couple of months. Right on the heels of a strike over on-site employee beer consumption, roughly half of the work force just ended a second strike, this time over wages. As a result, distribution and production has been severely affected.

3.) Who knew that pigs could spark drama worthy of a reality TV show? Cochon 555 is a culinary event in which 5 chefs prepare 5 pigs and then 5 winemakers pair wines with the resulting meal, all for a good cause. It seems like an enjoyable enough event, but in Portland things got nasty in short order. A Portland chef and an event organizer supposedly got into a physical fight involving headbutting and punching, and ending with police using pepper spray and tasers. The reason? The chef, a native of Portland, felt (very strongly!) that the pigs should be local in order to support local farms. One only hopes that San Francisco gets as much excitement when the tour comes through on June 6.

Howdy, folks! Welcome back to Booze In The News, where you’ll find the latest, funniest and most obscure newsworthy, alcohol-related bits all in one place.

1.) If binge drinking were a competition, the UK would be the winner of Europe. A recent survey shows that people in the UK typically consume more alcohol in one sitting than in any other part of the European Union. Looks like they like drinking as much as we do!

2.) Kiwis are increasing alcohol regulation (New Zealanders, not the bird). Whereas before there was no legal drinking age -as long as parents bought the alcohol for their children -now they are attempting to make the drinking age 20. They are also adding a significant tax to alcohol. Apparently the NZ government doesn’t like seeing rum in the schoolyard.

3.) Anchor Brewing company, a historical treasure of San Francisco, has been sold to The Griffin Group of Novato. The local beer community is abuzz with the possible ramifications of this change. Here at Drink Me Magazine, we would love to receive your comments on the issue!

Howdy, folks! Welcome back to Booze In The News, where you’ll find the latest, funniest and most obscure newsworthy, alcohol-related bits all in one place.

1.) Among controversial speculated benefits of moderate wine consumption, such as weight loss in women and prevention of cardiovascular disease,  a doctor at John Hopkins is now saying that tipping back a glass may help prevent brain damage from a stroke. How did they find this out? By feeding Resveratrol found in grapes to mice, of course. The  more important question remains… can you hear a mouse hiccup?

2.) Love 7-Eleven late night Slurpees and Nachos? Well, now 7-Eleven is attempting to brew their own beer, called Game Day. After all, 7-Eleven is the third largest beer retailer in the United States… next on the agenda, beer flavored slurpee?

3.) A St. Helena Winery is in deep trouble with firefighters after having publicly stated their opinion that firefighters have too many benefits and are over paid. Now firefighters are boycotting the winery and encouraging everyone they can to follow suit. Let’s hope that winery doesn’t catch on fire anytime soon…

1.) A man in Germany has set the world record for the largest house made out of beer coasters. Using more than a quarter of a million beer coasters, and spending 42-56 hours per week since January, Sven Goebel secured himself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Someone should also give him an award for being the most unproductive productive person in the world.

2.) Add Salamanders to the list of animals threatening wineries this year, thus far including moths, baboons, and salmon. Proponents of the Tiger Salamander will be happy to know that the state of California has recently passed a law protecting this slimy little critter as an endangered species. Under the new law, wineries will have to have any land not already being used for vineyards to be inspected by a third party to prove that no tiger salamanders will be affected by the development.

3.) Carlsberg beer workers in Denmark have ended their strike, after being promised to have the chance to speak with management. Many workers had refused to work last week after a new alcohol policy was put into place which limited their during work beer consumption to lunch time, whereas previously they were allowed to drink throughout the work day.

4.) Coming on the heels of the Carlsberg strike, workers at Mexico’s Grupo Modelo, maker of Corona, are now striking due to a dispute in contract negotiations. Fortunately or unfortunately, this reason for the strike isn’t as juicy as the one that just ended in Denmark.

]]> http://drinkmemag.com/2010/04/booze-in-the-news-4-15-2010/feed/ 0 http://drinkmemag.com/2010/04/booze-in-the-news-4-8-2010/ http://drinkmemag.com/2010/04/booze-in-the-news-4-8-2010/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:50:13 +0000 Daniel http://drinkmemag.com/?p=1948

Howdy, folks! Welcome back to Booze In The News, where you’ll find the latest, funniest and most obscure newsworthy, alcohol-related bits all in one place.

1. The secret is in the seal; Maker’s Mark has won a lawsuit against Diageo, the parent company of Jose Cuervo, deciding once and for all that the trademark hand-dipped wax seal on the top of the Maker’s Mark bottle is solely theirs.

2. Bad news for big beer companies; good news for microbreweries in Washington state. Legislators are on their way to passing a new law tripling the tax on major brand beer sales, like Budweiser or Pabst Blue Ribbon. Smaller breweries are exempt from the tax, which gives them a fighting chance against the big guys.

3. Forget brushing your teeth, drink some wine instead! New research at the University of Pavia in Italy suggests that drinking wine may help fight cavities. It certainly doesn’t help the color of your teeth though…

4.  Something is rotten in the state of Denmark… workers at Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen are up in arms over the recent negation of their “right” to drink 3 beers a day while on the job.  As many as 800 workers have walked out on strike as a result of this new rule limiting on-site beer consumption. As a result of the strike, shipments have been canceled today from the world’s #4 brewer all over the world. At least it’s for a good cause…?

Howdy, folks! Welcome back to Booze In The News, where you’ll find the latest, funniest and most obscure newsworthy, alcohol-related bits all in one place.

1. Apparently you weren’t the only person disappointed by the U.S.’s loss to Canada in Olympic Hockey. President Barack Obama made a bet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and after losing it had to buy him a case of Molson Canadian beer.

2. The recent Earthquake in Chile’s epicenter was in their biggest wine producing area just south of the capital. The majority of casualties from the earthquake took place in this region. The ensuing tsunami swept away the vineyards, and Chile’s largest wine producer, Concha y Toro, was among those most severely impacted. They have been forced to stop production. Oenophiles should purchase Chilean wine to help support Chile in this difficult time. 3. Don’t be surprised if some of your favorite cocktails are no longer available at your local bars. The Alcoholic Beverage Control bureau warns that infused beverages are now being enforced as illegal in San Francisco. This has caused an uproar in the mixologist community. Feel free to send us your feedback. 4. San Francisco’s own Skyy Vodka is now officially in partnership with Warner Bros. Entertainment for Sex and the City 2, set to release May 28. According to our sources, there will be  related “fashion and cocktail accessories” for sale at various bars across the country. What in the frilly-pink-drink-drinking-cougars world does that mean?

5.Don’t Mess With Malibu. Malibu Rum has sued a competitor, White Rock, for infringing upon their trademark white opaque bottle, and won the case. White Rock’s flavored rums tout such names as Barbarossa, Baroca and Jack – it’s a wonder that Pirates of the Caribbean hasn’t sued them for copyright infringement as well. Or at least strung up the lily-livers by their bootstraps. Yarrr.