Essential Glassware – Champagne Flute

Generally, I feel that you can serve spirits and wine from whatever glass you want. However, there are benefits to using the traditional glassware choices for your beverage. A perfect example is the champagne flute.

Bubbles are (of course) part of the essential champagne or sparkling wine experience. The shape of the champagne flute keeps the carbonation going longer, since the smaller surface area exposed to air means the effervescence dissipates more slowly and the … Read more

St. Patrick’s Day Links & Drinks

St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t always a day of drinking but has now become one of the top holidays for imbibing. So, what to drink? Cocktails, duh. Green beer is fine, but green cocktails are finer. Enjoy our collection of green and Irish-themed cocktails.

Best Irish Pubs in San Francisco (7×7)
The History of Corned Beef & Cabbage (Foodista)
St. Patrick’s Day Toasts
And just for kicks, learn how to fold a dollar bill into a

… Read more

Happy Pi Day! (A Mathematical Reason to Drink)

Today is Pi Day! (March 14 is 3/14 … pi’s first digits are 3.14 … get it?) Even if the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter isn’t the type of thing you’d normally celebrate, Pi Day is another great reason to mix a cocktail.

The fun folks at ThinkGeek came up with this cocktail:

The ThinkGeek Pi-Tini

~ 3.14 ounces of blueberry vodka

~ “Measure the diameter of the glass in centimeters, then … Read more

How To Pour A Perfect Guinness

First, you have to use the traditional tulip shaped British pint glass (about 20 oz). Hold the glass at a 45 degree angle to the tap and fill until the glass is about 2/3 full.

Next, let the Guinness settle for at least 3 minutes. Don’t forget about it though; nothing is worse than making a customer stare at their not-yet-served Guinness for too long.

Finally, top of the pint and let it settle once … Read more

DIY Irish Cream

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, so whip out the Baileys Irish cream … or don’t!

I saw this recipe for homemade Irish cream that sounds like a winner.

As the authors of DIY Cocktails, we’re always on the lookout for ways to add more homemade ingredients to cocktails.

From 52 Kitchen Adventures:

This is a ridiculously easy recipe that makes me question buying Bailey’s ever again. It tastes better, you can make as

… Read more

Cucumber Mint

We’re gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day, so green drinks are theme of the day. Moon Mountain created this light refreshing cocktail as a classy alternative to traditional green beer. This one is easy to make at home and has plenty of green to keep you from getting a pinch.… Read more

Essential Glassware – Snifter

If you enjoy drinking brandy or whiskey neat, then a snifter is essential glassware for your home bar.

This type of stemware is wide at the bottom with a narrower top. The shape allows you to swirl the spirit to coat the glass and directs the spirit’s aroma to your nose, heightening the aromatic experience of sipping cognac, scotch, bourbon or another aged, brown liquor you like.

Though they hold about six ounces, it’s best … Read more

The 1820

Founder of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) Boston, Misty Kalkofen, created the 1820 to toast strong women who drink strong spirits in honor of International Women’s Day.

While women and men weren’t permitted to mingle in the bar until after prohibition, women like Texas Guinan have owned and operated taverns and been a part of cocktail culture for generations. Ada Coleman, for example, was the first head bartender at the esteemed … Read more

Pimm’s Cup

Mardi Gras is next week and here’s a refreshing and light cocktail to get you ready for what lies ahead! The Pimm’s Cup was created in London by James Pimm in the 1840s but was adopted (and adapted) by the city of New Orleans! Here’s the Napoleon House version, which is now a New Orleans classic.

Pimm’s No. 1 is a tea-colored liqueur made with gin. Its said that the traditional version is made with … Read more

Cocktails for Mardi Gras Anyone?

Q: What’s the deal with Mardi Gras?

A: Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday” is the day before Ash Wednesday. It is the final day of Carnival, but incorrectly Mardi Gras has come to include the weeks proceeding Fat Tuesday as well. The most famous US Mardi Gras celebration is held in New Orleans with many others held around Louisiana, the Gulf States, Europe and Latin America with huge celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and … Read more