Mixmaster
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Orange Liqueur: Mixology's X-Factor
Curaçao and triple sec, understated but key to some of the world's great cocktails, can be game-changers.read more
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Scotch and Cacao, Love Potion No. 1
This Sunday, look to the Highlands instead of the vineyard, and try a cocktail with chocolate bitters.read more
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Bartending Lore: A Reading List
For mixologists, the world of cocktails is about so much more than recipes, as these four books show.read more
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You Too Can Be a Terrible Bartender
Do you have what it takes to join the lowest of the low? Rule number one: ignore your customers.read more
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You Say "Mo-Jai-Toe," I Say Mojito
Pronouncing exotic drinks is tough, but bartenders insist that getting tongue-tied is the key to adventure.read more
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Portland, Maine: Craft Beer Heaven
As if lobster and ocean views weren't enough, the city is home to a top American microbrew scene.read more
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The Robert Frost: An Intro to Sherry
This sweet wine isn't just for old ladies and cooking. Try it with bourbon in an aromatic cocktail.read more
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No Lazy Garnishes
It may be only a twist of lemon or a single olive, but it has to do more than just sit there.read more
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5 Cocktail Trends for a New Decade
From artisan ice to monk-made liqueurs, predictions for what will be big in craft bartending in the near future.read more
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Nashville Takes on Bacon Bourbon
The Tennessee capital didn't invent the salty, meaty liquor, but it has a noteworthy spin on it.read more
Photo by Peter Elton
The Forgotten Christmas Cocktail
Every year, the author and her family mix the Tom and Jerry, a once-popular drink that's been all but abandoned.read more
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Bartender's Plea: Lay Off the Garnish
Patrons love to snack on the olives and orange wedges that go with cocktails. Why they should stop.read more
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American Beer the Belgian Way
Allagash is the first brewery in the U.S. to use traditional wild-yeast fermentation methods to make a lambic.read more
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Top Chef For Bartenders?
With the cooking show over for the season, the author ponders the future for mixologists on television.read moreHoliday Tip: Beware the Mulled Wine
The classic Scandinavian Christmas drink is warm and spicy, but be careful--it's very, very strong.read more
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When Two Beer Legends Collaborate
The brewmasters of Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head create brew that's a hybrid of their unique styles.read more
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Toasting the End of Prohibition
Repeal Day celebrates the overturning of the amendment that made drinking illegal in America. This year is a special anniversary.read more
Photo Courtesy of Canlis
Out of the Bar, Into the Kitchen
A restaurant uses a gourmet cooking technique to infuse alcohol with strawberries, lavender, and more.read more
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Did Gossip Girl Kill The Speakeasy?
One of the show's characters opened a bar that serves Prohibition-era drinks. Does that kill upscale cocktail places for everyone? read more
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5 German Beers Worth Trying
The author offers his list of favorite brews from the legendary country--and asks readers for theirs.read more
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Halloween Drinks With Good Taste
Holday-themed cocktails are of ten corny but if you really want one, the author has some advice.read more
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A Surprisingly Versatile Distillery
Buffalo Trace is known for making one kind of whiskey, but it has several noteworthy ones.read more
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Japan's Bartending Debate
Two cocktail-making methods battle for dominance: one traditional, the other innovative. Which is superior?read more
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German Beer As It's Meant to Be
Andechs Brewery outside Munich offers the ultimate drinking experience--with a side of pigs' knuckles.read more
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Battle of the Bars: Japan vs. America
After meeting a talented mixologist in Japan, the author reflects on which country does it better.read more
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In Japan, Drinks and Hospitality Mix
The author visits a bartending mecca in Tokyo where there are cool cocktails and warm service.read more
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Oktoberfest: It's Not About the Beer
It's about the party that goes with it. Finding a table is a hassle, but when the first beer arrives it's worth it.read more
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Wedding Cocktails: Too Much Work?
Signature cocktails can be more trouble than they're worth. But if necessary, the author has some advice.read more
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Craft Bartending, Japanese-Style
United States bartenders borrow from what might be the best cocktail city in the world: Tokyo.read more
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Adventures with German Schnapps
Germany's obsession with distillation produces surprising hits--and serious misses. Asparagus schnapps, anyone?read more
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From Brazil, a Versatile Liquor
Cachaça is the base of the country's signature caipirinha, but it can be used to make many other cocktails.read more
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Beer Battle: America vs. Germany
The author fails to convince Germans to respect American beer. Is there any way to bridge the divide?read more
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Bad News For Scotch Fans?
Americans angered by the release of the Lockerbie bomber are calling for a boycott of Scottish products.read more
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Slovenia: A Food-Lover's Paradise
Most people know Slovenia for its socialist past, but the tiny country has food and wines worth a trip.read more
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When Is a Cocktail Worth $1,000?
Two cocktails that earned their creators $1,000--and one that changed how Americans felt about vodka.read more
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Goodbye to '80s Bartending Trends
A list of five drinking trends from the 1980s that the author never wants to see again.read more
Photo by Clay Risen
Beer in the Ruins of Communism
A festival in a symbol of Berlin's Communist past celebrates a brighter part of German culture: beer.read more
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The Two Extremes of German Beer
Germany has a reputation for producing the world's greatest beer. But it also makes some of the worst.read more
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The Rise of BYOB
As they try to attract the budget-conscious, more restaurants let customers bring wine from the outside. Will it last past the recession?read more
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Rewriting the Rules of Brewing Beer
For decades, American brewers have followed strict rules set by German aristocrats in the 1500's. read more
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Shaken, Stirred...Or Swizzled?
Bartenders use a variety of tools and techniques to make sure their drinks are mixed right.read more
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Morning Cocktails Beyond Mimosas
Mimosas and Bloody Marys aren't the only cocktails to drink before noon. A list of five other options.read more
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Six American Gins Worth Tasting
Britain doesn't have a monopoly on gin: American distillers are catching up with refreshing, affordable varieties.read more
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Summer's Signature Cocktail
The Rickey is light, refreshing, and has roots in the author's hometown: Washington, D.C.read more
Photo Courtesy of The Water Club
Looking for a Good Cocktail? Try a Hotel
Hotel bars have improved so much in the past few years that even locals are stopping by for a drink.read more
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Unearthing Forgotten Cocktails
"Cocktail archeologists" have helped uncover old recipes and revive neglected types of alcohol.read more
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In Praise of Champagne
The author explains why he could drink champagne all day--and offers a recipe for a favorite cocktail.read more
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Why Bartenders Shouldn't Be Rude
The author takes his fellow mixologists to task for being rude, offering tips for how to be a little nicer.read more
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Bringing Bourbon to Capitol Hill
Two Kentucky Congressmen just started the Bourbon Caucus, to promote America's indigenous drink.read more
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Preparing for the Rye Revolution
After years in the shadow of Scotch and Bourbon, rye's moment has come. 12 versions worth trying.read more
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Bartending With a Splash of Star Trek
The annual Tales of the Cocktail conference has more in common with a Star Trek convention than you might think.read more
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The Story of a Legendary Bartender
Prohibition ended the career of mixologist Henry William Thomas. Fortunately, his legacy lives on.read more
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American Whiskey's Next Big Thing?
Critics have long been skeptical of Rick Wasmund's tiny distillery. He's finally proving them wrong.read more
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Easy Mixing: 5 Cocktails for the Lazy
Summer is the season for cocktails that emphasize ease over complexity. Here, a list of drinks that are meant to be made quickly and enjoyed slowly, with origins from Spain to Bermuda to Washington, D.C.read more
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The Beer World's Unlikely Alliance
Craft brewers have one thing in common with Coors, Anheuser-Busch, and Miller: they don't want Congress to raise beer taxes. The story of how the Davids of the beer world decided to fight on the same side as the Goliaths.read more
Photo by Matt Dick
Dark Beer With Discipline
Duck-Rabbit Brewery avoids the gimmicks of other craft brewers--no bubblegum ale here--and focuses on doing one thing very well: dark beers with high alcohol content. The brewery once only distributed within North Carolina, but its reach is finally starting to spread to other parts of the country.read more
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Crazy and Collectible Cocktails
Spurred by a resurgence in interest in making cocktails from scratch, demand for vintage cocktail books is higher than ever--even though they can sell for thousands of dollars. A first-edition of a book that published the original recipe of a now-legendary cocktail is coveted by collectors.read more
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Last Call: When a Favorite Bar Closes
On par with breaking up with a long-time love is the feeling of losing a cherished drinking hole. The author mourns the loss of two of his favorite places to have a drink with friends and comes to terms with the fact that he will never find an exact replacement for either of them.read more
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How to Sweeten a Cocktail
Bartenders professional and amateur have a wide range of options if they want to add some sweetness to their drinks. The author offers a list of the best ways to make a cocktail sweeter, from plain sugar to maple syrup, along with tips on how to use each ingredient.read more
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Why Your Bartender Hates You
OK, bartenders don't really hate you. But sometimes customers forget to be polite--and so do bartenders. These are the stories of what can happen when that relationship gets strained, and how to fix it.read more
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Goldilocks: Dread of Mixologists
What happens when a customer turns up his nose at a drink the bartender thinks is perfect? It's not always pretty. A description of how mixologists react when they think their customers are wrong.read more
Photo by Heather Sperling
A Classic Cocktail, Without a Glass
A night out in London offers the ultimate in avant-garde drinking: a cocktail you inhale instead of imbibe. This boozy, sticky, and silly art installation, which required wearing thin, hooded jumpsuits, was run on industrial humidifiers.read more
Photo Courtesy of Four Roses Distillery
Domestic Whiskey's Best Kept Secret
For decades, some of the finest bourbon produced in America was only available overseas. But, finally, legendary Four Roses is appearing on shelves in the U.S. The author offers descriptions of all the varieties of whiskey created by this Kentucky distillery.read more
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Happy Birthday, Dear Cocktail
The cocktail, one of America's most beloved food creations, just turned 103 years old. Celebrate World Cocktail Week by learning about the drink's history--and mixing up this old fashioned recipe for Old Fashioneds, considered to be the first cocktail ever.read more
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A Bartender's Defense of Blenders
Blenders are messy, noisy, and they make a few bartenders mad. But they also make enticing drinks. The author explains why, despite all the criticisms of this kitchen tool, it's worth giving blenders a chance while mixing cocktails.read more
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Whiskey-Aged Beers, Craft Brew's Newest
Beer aged in barrels is the latest trend from the craft movement. The result is a brew that starts like Scotch and ends like beer. A test reveals which microbreweries do it best. But don't get to attached to this new variation--you never know when brewers will move onto the next big thing.read more
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Dry Martini: The King of Cocktails
It's everywhere and yet nowhere made with the proper sacrament. But when it's done right, that first sip will be of a cold, taut surface with a bracing chill, punctuated by pockets of bright citrus oils that cause the mouth to water profusely. Here's how to do the king justice.read more
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What Makes a Great Bartender?
It's more than just combining ingredients from a recipe. Here, ten tips for any home or pro bartender, from a master of the craft.read more
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Is This the Best-Selling Liquor in the World?
According to Chinese media, baijiu is the best-selling liquor in the world, and Maotai is the most famous brand of baiju--and one of the few available in the United States. In production for over 200 years, China's award-winning and expensive baiju isn't what you might expect.read more
Photo by Saquan Stimpson/monstersh aq2000/ Flickr CC
Where Do Crazy Drink Names Come From?
Negroni? Corpse Reviver #2? Sloe Comfortable Screw on the Beach? We don't just throw "tini" on the end. Strangely named cocktails have strange stories behind them, some dating back generations.read more
Photo by savvyhousekeeping.com
What Makes a Cocktail Snob so Obnoxious?
Sometimes those with the most distinctive tastes--and the most abrasive attitudes--make us better bartenders. Take the example of the recipe for the Sidecar. Once dictated by a famous beverage snob, is it much improved with a fresh attitude.read more
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Bavaria's World-Class Smoked Beer
Schlenkerla, one of the world's best beers, is made using a rare technique of drying malt over an open flame. The result is the deep and truly unique flavor of smoked sausage. Some U.S. breweries are starting to learn, trying out the style for themselves.read more
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Margaritas to Martinis, the Magic Ingredient
Salt can vastly improve a cocktail, especially one with sweet flavors. Innovations like salt-air and salt mixed with citrus zest have made this crucial little spice more prevalent than ever. Done right, you won't even know it's there.read more
Photo courtesy of the New York Public Library
The Story of the American Mixologist
It's more than just a bartender, but no one's quite sure how to define mixologist -- much less "bar chef" of "mixicologist." This question, far from new, has been around for 150 years. As long as there have been mixologists in America, there has been confusion about what makes one.read more
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Loving and Not Loving Schnapps
Schnapps are available the world over, of course. But only in Europe can you regularly find a range of inexpensive aperitifs and digestifs on almost every menu. And creativity in Schnapps has risks. One company distilled Schnapps from beer -- with disastrous results.read more
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Food Pairings Beyond Wine
Food goes with more than just wine. Beer, cocktails, and tea can make a great partner for many dishes. If a sommelier expands his or her horizons beyond simple red-or-white, food pairing options -- and the dining experience itself -- profit enormously.read more
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