Stranded on a Desert Island? This Well-Traveled Bartender Thinks These Are the 5 Bottles You Need.

"You’re trapped on a desert island, but the good news is that you can bring five bottles of booze with you to pass the time. Look, there’s even ice and bar tools—you’re all set. What would you choose?

Rob Mariani is a world-traveling cocktail enthusiast currently behind the stick at Alley Twenty Six in Durham, North Carolina. Under the name Behind the Stick Provisions, he recently launched Alley Twenty Six Tonic Syrup. The versatile reddish-hued syrup is a flavorful and potent concoction made with cinchona bark, lemongrass, lime and sugar. While he threatens to sneak a bottle of his own tonic syrup with him onto the island, these are his top five picks..."

Check them out:

https://www.liquor.com/slideshows/desert-island-bottles-rob-mariani/#gs.cz1OinQ

 

10 Things Noone Told You About Alcohol

A group of young women toast the end of Prohibition in the luxury liner SS Manhattan, off New York, 1933. Before its repeal, the ship's bar was required to close 12 miles out from the U.S. coast.FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

"Drinking has been so widespread throughout history that Patrick McGovern, an archaeological chemist at the University of Pennsylvania, called it "a universal language" in an Economist article. Indeed, you're hard-pressed to find a culture or event in history that alcohol (or lack of it) didn't feature in some way.

In a sense, alcoholic beverages are just a simple matter of chemistry and physiology. When yeast cells consume carbohydrates in grains, vegetables or fruits, they produce a fluid called ethyl alcohol. The latter, when ingested by humans, is converted into a chemical called acetaldehyde, and then eventually broken down into carbon dioxide and water. While ethyl alcohol is toxic in large enough doses, in more moderate quantities it merely relaxes the muscles and stimulates the brain by depressing inhibitions [source: Encyclopaedia Britannica].

But that explanation hardly does justice to a substance that people have been eagerly producing and consuming since the dawn of human civilization. The ancient Sumerians, who lived 4,500 years ago, even worshipped a goddess, Ninkasi, who ruled over the brewing and distributing of beer to the populace. In a royal tomb, we find figures sucking brew with straws out of what resembles a modern beer keg [source: Gately]. Who knew?.."

Learn more:

https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-alcohol-facts.htm

 

11 Essential Cocktails for Your October Parties

From pumpkins and cinnamon to pears and apples, the flavors of fall touch down in October. This month, let your home bartending skills blossom with everything from a pumpkin-carved punch to a tequila cocktail for the Star Wars–obsessed. These are the 11 drinks to make this October:

5 Star Wars Cocktails from a Galaxy Far, Far Away

"It has been 40 years since the world first laid eyes on Luke, Leia, Solo, Chewie and their merry droid friends. (OK, maybe C3PO is a bit more maudlin than merry, but can you blame his fretful nature with so much unrest in the galaxy?) And it appears our fascination with them, and every teased out branch of the Star Wars franchise since, hasn’t waned since the release of the first film back in 1977.

Is Vodka Healthier than Wine?

"Since the beginning of time, humankind has experimented with elixirs to treat a variety of ailments. We’ve all heard that a glass of red wine a day if allegedly good for cardiovascular health, but what about vodka?

Do You Know The Differences Between Tequila and Mezcal?

via thechive.com

Agave is a magical plant. 

With over 200 known species, many of which can be made into myriad byproducts, it is a diverse, multifaceted entity. Perhaps the best-known (and most loved) uses for agave are tequila and mezcal.

Whether sipped neat or served in a Margarita, tequila is one of America’s favorite spirits — and it’s on the rise. Last year, tequila consumption grew 7.4 percent.

Mezcal is relatively new to the States, but it is picking up steam as unique bottles with innovative flavors and strong tradition are increasingly available. Both are staples for any good bar or beverage program.

via dailymail.co.uk

The basics

To fully appreciate both spirits, you first have to understand the agave plant.

Indigenous to Mexico and the southern United States, agave thrives in arid desert environments. But don’t assume it’s part of the cactus family just because they share a homeland. Agave is actually in the same family as asparagus..." ~ Read more: https://vinepair.com/articles/difference-agave-tequila-mezcal/

6 Ways to Help You Be a Better Bourbon Hunter

"It’s hard to believe that not long ago—2008, 2009—you could stroll into your neighborhood liquor store and walk out with a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15-year-old bourbon. No special order, secret handshake or stratospheric markup. You could just buy some top-shelf whiskey on your way home from work.

What do master distillers drink when they drink cocktails?

 

"If you regard straight spirit sipper superior to a finely crafted cocktail, you’re hardly alone. But consider this: Even the precise palates of the world’s great master distillers are open to a few modifiers every now and then. In fact, many of them proudly label themselves cocktail enthusiasts.

And why shouldn’t they? Proper mixology is about enhancing rather than diminishing the essence of any base spirit. In other words, the more you appreciate a liquor, the more you should appreciate a well-engineered drink built around it. Supporting evidence comes in the form of testimony from the following liquor makers, as they reveal their favorite ways to mix things up.