Anchor’s Christmas Ale released and annual guessing game begins
Take a whiff of Anchor Brewing Co.'s Christmas Ale and you might detect ginger notes. Or perhaps cinnamon. Or a hint of nutmeg. Or, if you're anything like me, some...
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Unaged Armagnac catching on as sipper and cocktail ingredient
It's rather surprising that unaged whiskey is as popular as it is. Having tasted more than my fair share of white whiskeys, white dogs and moonshines, all too often I...
Even pumpkin beer holdouts jump into the game
As a brewer steeped in traditional English brewing techniques, Dan Kopman, co-founder of Schlafly Beer, understands why there are plenty of people who hate pumpkin beers. They're often too sweet,...
Sweet, tangy, bitter grapefruit becoming a go-to beer ingredient
Grapefruit is having a moment. While Chinook, Cascade and Summit hops have long given beers distinct grapefruit notes, suddenly breweries ranging from macros like Coors and macro-owned Leinenkugel to craft...
CH Distillery rides its minimalist bent to success
"Vodka doesn't get much respect, but I don't care," says Tremaine Atkinson, co-founder, distiller and managing director of operations at Chicago's CH Distillery. And perhaps he shouldn't, at least not...
Checking in with Tad Seestedt, one of America’s most fascinating distillers
Tad Seestedt does things differently. Whether the Ransom Spirits owner and distiller is resurrecting obscure, long-forgotten spirits — he was one of the first distillers to produce an Old Tom...
Complex, smooth: Single pot still is the latest whiskey to watch
Robust, grain-forward and creamy — meet the spirits that are reshaping Ireland's whiskey landscape, and the single distillery behind them. No, the distillery isn't some startup or craft producer. Instead,...
Fresh beers take inspiration from root beer
I disagree with Tim Kovac. Kovac, brewmaster at Small Town Brewery, believes root beer is the next big thing in craft beer. Granted, I can see where he's coming from....
Berries to barrels, when Journeyman says local, it means local
Drink local. That's the motto you often hear when talking about craft spirits. But the odd thing about craft spirits is, they often have little connection to the place where...
How breweries work to stand out in crowded market
It's obnoxious, challenging and, frankly, a bit exhausting, but Off Color brewer John Laffler can't help spending his waking hours thinking about the number of breweries that are out there:...