"In the U.S., they're mixing drinks with herbs and other weird ingredients, but in Ginza the best guys just polish their cocktails like jewels." And perhaps no Japanese mixology master has contributed more than Kauzo Ueda, who has perfected the art of the hard shake, a refinement over more traditional shake styles. He has a disciple in NYC's Eben Freeman, who now imparts the secrets of the hard shake via a video tutorial. [more inside]
posted by madamjujujive on Feb 1, 2008 - 49 comments

Meet St. George Absinthe Verte, "the first American-made absinthe on the market in almost a century." Since Absinthe was legalized earlier this year, various brewers have moved into the market--but is is really the same thujone-enhanced drink that drove many-an-artist to madness?
posted by dead_ on Dec 5, 2007 - 65 comments

What is the best tasting Jell-O shot?
posted by nervousfritz on Oct 21, 2007 - 23 comments

The Dittohead Guide To Adult Beverages can be read in its entirety (abt. 250Kb) on the Web. (For those of you in Rio Linda, a dittohead is a Rush Limbaugh fan.) But Britt Gillette has also self-published his book and wants you to make his dreams come true by buying it on Amazon. It's got hilarious drink names in it, like "Caller Abortion" (a stunt Limbaugh used on his show -- complete with the sound of a vacuum cleaner), "Feminazi Frazzle," and "John F-ing Kerry." The recipes look like they'd make tasty drinks, but I think I'll pass on the purchase. Who really needs a novelty, right-wing drink recipe book?
posted by tbc on Aug 13, 2004 - 12 comments

How much alcohol have YOU consumed in your life? Take the "drink-o-meter" test. (Flash) I rated a "Homer Simpson", which means I could fill a few bathtubs, but haven't quite spent the Ferrari money. Something tells me that many of MeFi's finest will bury my score...via the Sporting Press.
posted by vito90 on Dec 11, 2003 - 7 comments

Of All The Gin Joints In All The Towns In All The World, (You) Walk Into Mine: In Lisbon, it would have to be Lux for fun or The Ritz for serious drinking. But in all the towns in all the world, only Harry's Bar in Venice, despite the carping, would do. Listen to Hemingway! (More inside.)
posted by MiguelCardoso on Oct 26, 2003 - 12 comments

You are fat because there is too much corn. [NYT, forfeit of first-born son required] I love good old-fashioned materialism, and Michael Pollan (author of The Botany of Desire) scores one for the team with this article on the economics of corn production. Are we fat because New Deal agricultural policy was overturned in the 70s by Rusty Butz? Now there's a trailing question we can all enjoy.
posted by condour75 on Oct 11, 2003 - 31 comments

Peter's Rum Pages: Rum Labels, and more.
posted by hama7 on Oct 5, 2003 - 2 comments

The Amazon.com Of Spirits is getting closer and closer, with California's BevMo now giving Internet Wines and Sam's a good run for their money. If you cunningly use Wine Enthusiast and the Chicago Institute for your tasting notes (I don't much like the gushing, amateurish drivel on Epinions, but some reviews are surprisingly good) you're away and ready to say: "Wake up Mr. Bezos - your time may be almost up. What are you waiting for, kind sir?" [I linked to vodka selections for comparison purposes, but here are the main links to BevMo , Internet Wines and Sam's. Unfortunately, I failed to find a good price comparison guide to complete the package. As for European online spirits retailers, I found none with the kind of range a discerning drinker will countenance.]
posted by MiguelCardoso on Mar 2, 2003 - 10 comments

The Philadelphia Daily News has recently covered a series of articles on "Malternatives," those hard liquor laced beverages like hard lemonades and vodka based alterna-beers that have sprung up in the last year. Even though they contain 100% distilled alcohol, they are taxed as beer, saving Smirnoff over $80 million in taxes last year alone. Among their other advantages for manufacturers, they get to advertise on TV and be placed for sale next to milder forms of alcohol, dodging laws against hard liquor. Is this a boon for the industry or deceptive practices?
posted by mathowie on Mar 29, 2002 - 27 comments

What's your favorite type of liquor? After the success of the beer thread, I figured some people might want to talk about their favorite scotches, bourbons, rums, tequilas, vodkas, and gins.
posted by rorycberger on Sep 20, 2001 - 136 comments