(This image is an original woodcut by L.A. artist Loren Kantor, inspired by this film from 1913. So cool.)
Some things that have crossed my path on the Internets lately:
- I neglected to link to my Eatocracy writeup on National Punch Day/National Rum Punch Day earlier, so here you go;
- Modern Drunkard has a nice interview with David Wondrich;
- Drink Spirits covers Bar Convent Berlin;
- the elusive Nick & Nora cocktail glass…found! Very very tempted to get a slew of these. If I only had the space;
- As the title notes, fall has fallen indeed, and Imbibe offers up a delicious-looking, appropriately autumnal drink in the Maple Sangaree;
- and the NYT alerts us to a pumpkin-chai drink that sounds good too;
- and Serious Drinks preps for Halloween by pairing booze with candy;
- also over at Serious Drinks, Michael Dietsch gives us a superlative guide to rye. Pay special attention to his descriptions of the various LDI/MGP ryes made in Lawrenceburg, Indiana — an undercovered bit of information that most consumers don't know about;
- Rosie Schaap gives her list of the ten now-closed bars in Manhattan she misses the most;
- and says there are no rules for the Manhattan (yes, variations are fun. But I will insist on the presence of bitters, with ironclad inflexibility);
- the Daily News gives us an interesting, well-thought-out list of the best reading bars in New York;
- CLASS Magazine alerts us to the new distillery opening in the City of London!;
- Go see your favorite booze-book authors at Amor Y Amargo;
- Both Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's have recently released white whiskeys, or rather spirits…and Chuck Cowdery is on the case, noting that the Jack Daniel's Tennessee Rye calls itself a "neutral spirit" despite not meeting the TTB's definition (which requires distillation at > 190° proof/95% abv.) But because it hasn't touched wood, it can't be called a "whiskey", also per the TTB. He hears from Jack Daniel's — which doesn't shed much light on it; why would you want to sell something as "neutral spirit" if you're not forced to label it as such? — and from the Feds, who point out that it's properly classified as "a distilled spirits specialty product" or "spirits distilled from grain." Will the Not-So-Old No. 7 have to change its label? Stay tuned;
- Bosom-aged whiskey?
- On drinking like a Kingsley Amis character (see also the links to "poems for the cocktail hour");
- Staying literary: in search of the Auden Martini;
- Video-game-inspired cocktails?
- and as long as we're talking stunts, a London bartender makes what he says is the world's most expensive cocktail. Or you could use regular ingredients and spend $3 instead of $8,000;
- Zagat has released the results of their "Mixology Survey", crowdsourcing how people drink. (I was enthused to see gin enshrined as the #1 spirit…);
- Zagat also runs down the 10 Most Annoying Cocktail Trends, only some of which I agree with. What in the world's wrong with coupes? Or classic drinks? Or bars in expensive cities charging enough to pay the rent and their staff?;
- Did you know that there are bars in Brooklyn? With lady bartenders, even?;
- eBay has cracked down on alcohol sales, reportedly. Drink Spirits tells you how else you can get booze online. (The Masters of Malt Drinks by the Dram program is fascinating: you can get 30ml bottles of whiskies you'd like to try.)
- Chicagoist describes the Bittercube bitters-making workshop at Tales this year;
- The NYT, on mixing drinking with chemo;
- Grub Street reports that David Kaplan and Alex Day have backed out of Demi Monde;
- Have you made or drunk a Last Word? Do you read cocktail blogs or participate in the cocktail renaissance? (Rhetorical question, that.) What you enjoy now is in no small part due to the efforts of Seattle's Murray Stenson, and he needs your help. Do help him out — I want him well and back behind the stick, so I can visit him in Seattle.
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