We're not exactly sure what's in this, but it came with a lead apron (Photo by François Rejeté) The Kentucky Derby is still a few weeks away, but the party has already begun in Louisville. Hats (some madder than others) are being created, bets are being placed, and gallons of bourbon are being guzzled stockpiled for the race's signature cocktail, the mint julep. What's the big deal about the mint julep, anyway? Well, there are conflicting accounts of just who invented it (and how to make one), but it's been the Derby's official drink since 1938, and plenty of Derby fans swear by it. But some Louisville locals have their doubts about the syrupy libation, and prefer other cocktails on Derby Day -- even non-julep variants on the traditional bourbon-sugar-mint-ice concoction. If mint juleps aren't your cup of sweet tea, you're in luck. Not only can you find recipes online for just about any drink ever drunk, but the web is overflowing with beverage mavens eager to share their expertise and thoughts on current trends in cocktail technology. According to the aficionados, the days of cosmopolitans, (everything)-tinis, and super-sweet drinks in oversized glasses are over. Some recent cocktail trends are still going strong, though, from the "craft cocktail" movement to the widespread interest in carefully-constructed classic cocktails -- pre-Prohibition drinks like the "Sazerac" and the "Aviation" -- recreated with the help of recently-rediscovered recipes and ingredients. Savory, exotic, and spicy flavors continue to be popular, and drinkers can't get enough of absinthe, rum, or tequila. Vodka is polarizing, though: it seems that equal numbers of observers are predicting the death of vodka and declaring it the next big ingredient. And opinionated drinkers seem likewise split on whether the resurgence of speakeasies will (or should) last. What's next? Cocktail connoisseurs point to increased interest in some previously-underappreciated spirits: gin, cachaça, mezcal, rye whiskey, and shochu. Flower-based liqueurs like St. Germain and creme de violette, and specialty bitters are suddenly trendy, and hand-carved gourmet ice -- yes, ice -- is all the rage. If that seems a little hoity-toity and highfalutin, you may be happy to hear that experts are also predicting the return of a slightly less refined retro trend: the tiki bar. We can definitely raise a (umbrella-adorned) glass to that. Suggested Sites... Dizzy Days Ahead: Trendcasting 2010 - ten cocktail trends... including moonshine! DrinkBoy: Adventures in Cocktails - includes tons of articles and drink recipes. Art of Drink - with a great section on making your own bitters and other cocktail ingredients. cocktailnerd: Cocktail Apps - reviews of lots of cocktail-related iPhone apps. Esquire: Drinks Database - a stylish collection of stylish potables.

Directory categories: Cocktails, Cocktail Recipes, Mint Julep Recipes, Alcohol and Spirits, Bars, Pubs, and Clubs

Archived under: Alcohol, Cocktails, Drinking, Fanatics, Food and Drink, Kentucky Derby, Recipes, Speakeasies

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Sugar cube dissolving into a glass of absinthe (Photo by spark_editor) Many of us have experienced absinthe and its rituals only vicariously through art, movies, and literature. The infamous anise-flavored liquor is named for its key ingredient: Artemesia absinthium, better known as wormwood. Wormwood is supposed to cause the notorious hallucinations much beloved of 19th century artists, writers, and philosophers. And wormwood is the reason why the liquor is still banned in some countries, including the U.S. Wormwood has been used medicinally for millennia, and it contains thujone, which is poisonous in large doses. Thujone levels in absinthe were probably completely harmless (unlike the 80% alcohol levels in some recipes), but it was a handy scapegoat for a prohibition-hungry society and a wine industry with a grudge. Their smear campaign essentially killed the absinthe business for a century, but a revival in interest (and the removal of European bans) led to a second boom in the 1990s and 2000s. Today, Europe produces both traditional absinthe and Czech-style "absinth," which contains wormwood but not the anise flavor. Meanwhile, Americans are stuck with varieties containing wormwood relatives or true wormwood without the thujone, though some more determined enthusiasts have been known to take such drastic steps as homebrewing or international travel in their quest to meet the "green fairy." Suggested Sites... Absinthe Buyers Guide - barrels of information on types of absinthe, its history, how to drink it, and where to get it. Erowid Absinthe Vault - lots of technical information on the effects of wormwood and thujone. La Fée Verte - surprisingly detailed reviews and information from avid absinthe drinkers. The Wormwood Society - these absinthe enthusiasts argue that it's not all about the thujone. Mansinthe - signature brand of absinthe from (who else?) Marilyn Manson.

Directory categories: Absinthe, Absinthe Makers and Retailers, Alcohol and Spirits, Prohibition, Bars, Puvs, and Clubs

Archived under: Absinthe, Alcohol, Artists, Drinking, Drugs, Europe, Fairies, Food and Drink, France, Health, Homebrewing, Mythology and Folklore, Prohibition, Society and Culture

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(Photo by Rick Audet) Seeing as how 2009 is supposed to be a year of change and all, I decided to try something new to ring in the new year, and went to a speakeasy. A speakeasy? For those of you have heard of them, you’re probably asking, "Didn't those go away when Prohibition ended?" And for those of you who haven't heard of them, you're probably asking yourself, "What in the world is a speakeasy?" The answer to the first question is, "Yeah. For the most part, they did." But in the mid-90s (thanks in part to the movie "Swingers"), there was a resurgence of "cocktail culture" in America. While the martini lead the way, other, more sophisticated libations like the old fashioned, the Sazerac, and (my personal favorite) the Manhattan soon returned to the prominence they had enjoyed in the '30s, '40s, and '50s. And while any city of size will have at least a few bars that mix a mean drink, there's something about sipping a cocktail in a darkened room while listening to the jazz of the 1920s that can't be beat. But I realize that I've left some of you behind in describing what a speakeasy was -- or is -- at all. Even before Prohibition, the country was divided into "wet" and "dry" states and counties; that is, areas where alcoholic beverages could and could not be sold or consumed. But even in those areas, there were always places where the savvy imbiber could return to a world where the gin and whiskey ran as freely as water -- for a price, of course. On January 16, 1920, Prohibition began. Only four days after, the 50-50 Club opened in New York City, becoming the first of some 30,000-100,000 speakeasies to operate in that city alone during the "Great Experiment." The protocol was simple: Knock on a friendly (anonymous) door, give a pre-arranged password, and be permitted to enter. To order, one would "speak easily" (that is, in a quiet tone), and then be served a teacup of gin or whiskey that would either be the "real McCoy" or had just been mixed in someone’s bathtub, depending on the connection and the reliability of the bar owner. While most of the "speaks" nowadays are open to anyone (some even have websites), there are still a few that cater only a select clientele of insiders -- although with the right password, anyone can get in. Suggested Sites... Bourbon and Branch - my personal speak. "Don't even think of asking for a 'Cosmo.'" In San Francisco, a Cocktail Is Not Just a Drink - the New York Times goes bar-hopping in San Francisco. Yelp: New York Speakeasies - ranking and rating the Big Apple's best. Chicago Bar Project: Speakeasies - they're not all gone. Party Like It's 1929: Prohibition-Era Nightlife - even in a town like Los Angeles that disrespects its past, there are civilized cocktail joints.

Directory categories: Cocktails, Cocktail Recipes, Bars, Pubs, and Clubs, Alcohol and Spirits, Bartending

Archived under: 1920s, 1930s, Alcohol, American History, Anniversaries, Cocktails, Cultures, Drinking, Food and Drink, Hangovers, In Character, New York, Prohibition, Restaurants, San Francisco, Secrets, Speakeasies, United States

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