Eve's Wine 101

GRAND RAPIDS DISTILLER AWARDED TOP HONORS for WHISKEYS, MOONSHINES

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids-based distiller Sip Shine, LLC, which produces Sip Shine Moonshine, Kyodie Whiskey and Gannett Peak Whiskey, is the winner of twelve 2022 PR%F Magazine Awards for best brand cocktails.

The Fourth Annual PR%F (pronounced “proof”) Awards Spirits, Wine & Beverage competition winners were recently announced in the January edition of PR%F the Magazine. The judging, by beverage buyers from 18 different states, was held in November at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The judges work as buyers for all types of outlets, including restaurants, bars, casinos, grocery stores, resorts, cruise ships and more.

Out of hundreds of competition entries, Sip Shine products earned four gold and two silver medals in the “Masked” competition and six silver medals in the “Unmasked” competition. The “Masked” designation was a double-blind tasting competition, that focused simply on the taste of the beverage and was based on a 100-point system. Gold medals were given to beverages that scored between 91-95 points. Silver awards were given to beverages scoring between 85-90 points.

The “Unmasked” competition was not only based on taste, but the total package of the product, including art design, theme, marketing, logo, look and feel, and price point.

The Sip Shine beverages that were recognized are:

Masked

• Kyodie Whiskey – Peach – Gold Award

• Kyodie Whiskey – Ravin’ Apple – Gold Award

• Sip Shine – Razz-Berry Shineade – Gold Award

• Sip Shine – Shine Berry Sweet Tea – Gold Award

• Sip Shine – Arnold Shiner – Silver Award

• Sip Shine – Watermelon Chillade – Silver Award

Unmasked

• Kyodie Whiskey – Peach – Silver Award

• Kyodie Whiskey – Ravin’ Apple – Silver Award

• Sip Shine – Arnold Shiner – Silver Award

• Sip Shine – Razz-Berry Shineade – Silver Award

• Sip Shine – Shine Berry Sweet Tea – Silver Award

• Sip Shine – Watermelon Chillade – Silver Award

Late last year, Sip Shine relocated its distilling for all brands from Iowa to Michigan. Sip Shine products can be found at many area retailers and restaurants, and the company plans to open a restaurant on the west side of Grand Rapids this summer. Sip Shine Moonshine Slushie machines can also be found at various venues including VanAndel Arena and LoanDepot Park, home of the Florida Marlins.

Sip Shine is readily available for consumers in over 30 states and nationally through online purchase on the website www.sipshine.com.

Masters of Taste Returns Uniting L.A.’s Top Tastemakers Together to Sip, Savor & Celebrate On The Field of the Rose Bowl Stadium Sunday, April 2nd, 2023! (Update: use promo code EVESWINE FOR $10 OFF!)

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Los Angeles, CA –  Come celebrate and be part of the sixth annual Masters of Taste, as L.A.’s premier outdoor, luxury food and beverage festival returns and will be taking place on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the Iconic Pasadena Rose Bowl. 100% of the proceeds will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a non-profit organization celebrating 50 years of providing homeless services and housing for thousands of neighbors.

Masters of Taste is introducing Chef Michael Reed and Kwini Reed as Hosts of Masters of Taste 2023 which also marks the 6th Anniversary of this celebrated event. Masters of Taste 2023 Culinary Master and Host Chef Michael Reed is a classically trained chef and restaurateur, who has spent 19 years as a chef for restaurants across New York and Los Angeles. Today, Chef Reed is the co-owner and Executive Chef behind two Los Angeles restaurants, Poppy + Rose of Downtown Los Angeles, and Anaheim’s Poppy & Seed. In addition to the two concepts, Chef Reed and his wife and co-owner, Kiini Reed also run an upscale catering company, Root of All Food. 

Born and raised in Oxnard, California, Chef Michael Reed comes from a family with a passion for food. Thanks to his parents, Michael grew up around the barbeque and the smell of fresh, home-made pies. His family cooked every day, pulling ingredients straight from the garden which went on to inspire Michael’s passion for food and hospitality. After starting down a collegiate path that was separated from the food industry at University of Santa Barbara, a track injury prompted Michael’s decision to make a change. Months later, Michael was enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in New York. While in culinary school, Michael Reed cooked at The Modern, the acclaimed restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. After graduating in 2008, Reed returned to Southern California and worked at David Myer’s Michelin-star rated Sona, as well Xiomara per a recommendation from Nancy Silverton at the age of 26. In 2011, Chef Reed and Kwini Reed jointly created high-end catering company, Root of All Food which specializes in high-end boutique catering, in-home cooking and events, and catering to Southern California. Some of Root to All Food’s previous clients have included Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, The W Hotel, and Sugar Ray Leonard. During the summer of 2014, Reed opened DTLA brunch darling, Poppy + Rose, a restaurant that specializes in classic American diner-fare made from scratch with a seasonal menu. He owns the restaurant alongside his wife, Kwini Reed. In 2021, Poppy & Seed opened, branching more upscale service and cuisine in a modern greenhouse setting. Located in the Anaheim Packing District, Poppy & Seed totes a menu of refined American fare.

Host Kwini Reed is a Southern California native, wife, mother, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of brunch restaurant, Poppy + Rose in Downtown, Los Angeles, Anaheim dining destination, Poppy & Seed, and upscale catering company, Root of All Foods with husband and chef of these concepts, Michael Reed. Kwini Reed comes from a large family that values community, generosity, and a strong work ethic – traits that have helped her succeed in her career and personal endeavors. A graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, she now has over a decade of experience in business, finance, and human resource management, having worked at companies throughout LA, including The Standard Hotel, Band of Gypsies, and Brandy Melville USA. In her current day-to-day, she oversees operations of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Food managing finances, strategizing new concepts for the restaurant, spearheading collaborations, and more. She and Michael Reed have received numerous accolades for these concepts, including Orange Coast Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” (Poppy & Seed); and CBS Los Angeles’ “Best All-Day Breakfast Restaurants in LA” (Poppy + Rose) – among others. She pioneers Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed’s giving back initiatives as well, coordinating meal donations to organizations across LA, supporting first responders, social justice causes, youth development programs, and more. She is active with local nonprofits, such as Brown Bag Lady, which provides meals to people experiencing homelessness in LA. In addition, she participated in the James Beard Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program in 2021, which is focused on empowering women food industry entrepreneurs and restaurant owners and is a member of Re:Her a non-profit with a mission to empower and advance all women identifying food and drink entrepreneurs by way of innovative platforms. In October 2022, Kwini Reed participated in the LA Chef Conference as a co-moderator of a panel on the future of restaurants and in 2023, Kwini and Michael Reed will open Poppy + Rose in San Pedro, offering casual brunch and a refined dinner menu.

Masters of Taste 2022 was a sold-out event that attracted over 3,000 guests and garnered media attention all throughout Southern California and beyond. The sixth annual Masters of Taste 2023 is also expected to bring over 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon to celebrate this exhilarating festival, which will include the finest fare from over 100 Culinary Masters and restaurants, delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters, top Beverage Masters who will be featuring signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and top cocktail bars, a premier 50-Yard-Line Cocktail Bar, select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment and much, much more. 

Some of this year’s Masters of Taste 2023 participating Culinary Masters and Restaurants include:

Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed 2023 Hosts Chef Michael Reed & Kwini Reed – Downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim

Angelenos’ Wood Fired Pizza Chef Carmen Samaniego – Los Angeles

Arth Bar + Kitchen Chef Mihir Lad – Culver City

Ayara Thai Chef Vanda Asapahu – Westchester

1212 Santa Monica Chef Luca Maita – Santa Monica

Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery Chef Thomas Kalb – Pasadena

Alexander’s Steakhouse Chef Richard Archuleta – Pasadena

Casa Cordoba Chef Rebelino Villalta – Montrose

Celestino Ristorante Chef Calogero Drago – Pasadena

Champion’s CURRY Chef Yoya Takahashi – Downtown Los Angeles

Chili John’s Chef Stephen Hager – Burbank

City Club Los Angeles Chef Victor Munoz – Downtown Los Angeles

Fat Boys Chef Michael Gray – Pasadena, Los Angeles

Gabi James Sarah Gabriele & Adam Aro – Redondo Beach

Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Machado – Anaheim, Long Beach

Great Maple Chef Scott Floyd – Pasadena, Anaheim, Newport Beach, San Diego

Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken – Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles

Hank’s Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades

Interstellar Chef Angie Kim – Santa Monica

La Bohéme Chef Atsushi Kenjo – West Hollywood

Lunasia Chef Lee Han Fu – Pasadena, Alhambra, Cerritos

Marlou Chef Louis Huh & Chef Marcos Spaziani – Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown

Mercado Chef Jose Acevedo – Hollywood, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica

Per L’Ora Chef Courtney Van Dyke – Downtown Los Angeles

Pez Cantina Chef Bret Thompson – Downtown Los Angeles

Ramen Tatsunoya Chef Ryuta Kajiwara – Pasadena, Silver Lake

Santuari Restaurant Chef Seth Greenburg – Toluca Lake

Smoke City Char Bar Chef George Huynh – Downtown Los Angeles

Soulmate Chef David Joyce – West Hollywood

Taishi Hainan Chicken Chef Theo Shio – Redondo Beach, Long Beach

The Green Room Chef Czarina Sico – Burbank

The Peppered Goat Chef JohnPaul Arabome – Van Nuys, Las Vegas

VCHOS Wendy Centeno – Los Angeles

West Side Bahn Mi/Street Kitchen Chef Jack Ourfalian – Los Angeles

World Empanadas Chef Matthew Hirtz – Burbank

Yardbird Chef Eduardo Osorio – Los Angeles

Yuca’s Restaurant Socorro “Mama Yuca’s” Herrera– Pasadena

Sweet Masters: A select group of Los Angeles Top Sweet Masters will showcase an assortment of delectable desserts such as Bertha Mae’s Brownies, handcrafted pudding from Better Together Sweets, Creamy Boys Ice Cream, plain funnel cake from Drizzle, custom cakes and desserts from Butter Cake Shoppe, French macarons and gourmet cookies from Etoile Filante Patisserie, I Like Pie Bakeshop, Läderach Chocolatier Suisse, deliciously scrumptious scratch baked custom cakes and cupcakes from Lark Cake Shop and Nothing Bundt Cakes, Nomad Ice Pops, Pazzo Gelato, Porto’s Bakery & Café, and more.

Some of this year’s participating Beverage Masters include:

Bars & Spirits: Some of L.A.’s top bartenders and cocktail bars will be creating first-rate craft cocktails and top brands showcasing their finest spirits at Masters of Taste will include Amaro Angeleno, Beam Suntory, Dulce Vida Tequila, Empress 1908 Gin, Knox & Dobson, Krafted Spirits, Maker’s Mark, Maple Block Liquor Bar, Mario’s Hard Espresso, Mezcal 33, Mi Piace, Neft Vodka, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, Qué Padre, Raicilla La Reina, Smoke Lab Vodka, Tequila Juegos Mexicanos, The Raymond 1886, Xoloitzcuintle Tequila, and  Woodford Reserve.

Brewmasters: Beverage Masters who specialize in barley and hops will be presenting top-notch ales, lagers, pilsners and more for guests to sample, sip and savor all throughout the event, including Southern California favorites 14 Cannons Brewing Co., L.A.’s All Season Brewing, Arrow Lodge Brewing, Arts District Brewing Company, Pasadena’s Cerveceria Del Pueblo, Downtown’s Homebound Brew Haus, Juneshine, Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Beer, LFG Seltzer, MacLeod Ale Brewing Co., Arcadia’s first Microbrewery Mt. Lowe Brewing Co.,Native Son LA, Over Town Brewing Co., San Fernando Brewing Co., andTarantula Hill Brewing Co.

Wineries and Sake: A specially curated collection of Wine and Sake Masters will be showcasing their finest varietals including Akagisan Sake, premium boutique winery Ascension Cellars, Bodegas de Santo Tomas, CRŪ Winery, Golden Star Vineyards, Hitching Post Wines, I Love Wine Collections, Moraga Bel Air Vineyards, Anderson Valley’s Navarro Vineyards, Sake High!, Tercero Wines, Veso Aperitifs, Vincola Casta de Vinos, Warson Wine Company, and more.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages: A variety of premium non-alcoholic Beverage Masters will also be on hand for those who wish to hydrate, caffeinate or regenerate with All Phenoms, Yerba Mate from Erva Brew Co., Humm Kombucha, fresh juices from Summit Juice Co., and boba milk tea from Sunright Tea Studio and Bearology, and more.

100% of the proceeds from Masters of Taste 2023 will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is celebrating its 50th anniversary of bringing neighbors home. Committed to providing permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives, Union Station works with unsheltered and very low-income adults and families across the San Gabriel Valley. Recently expanding  into El Sereno and Eagle Rock, Union Station Homeless Services is the lead County agency for Service Planning Area 3 (SPA 3), coordinating homeless services in 36 communities spanning from Pasadena to Pomona. Union Station Homeless Services’ mission is guided by the belief that everyone deserves a life of dignity and a place to call home. In the last five years Masters of Taste has raised over $2.7 Million in support of Union Station Homeless Services life-saving programs.

Masters of Taste 2023 is a 100% outdoor event. Additionally, all guests will be receiving their very own utensils and hand sanitizer to use throughout the event.

Mark your calendars and see you at the sixth annual Masters of Taste 2023!

Ticket Information: Masters of Taste 2023 will take place on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, and this is a 21+ event. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. For more information on Masters of Taste 2023, please visit www.MastersofTasteLA.com.

Transportation and Parking: Guests are encouraged to utilize car services – Lyft, Uber, Taxi, etc. – since this event does serve alcoholic beverages and is a 21+ and over event. Complimentary parking is also available at the Rose Bowl.

Follow Masters of Taste for the latest updates:

Facebook:   @MastersofTaste

Instagram:  @mastersoftaste

BAR AND RESTAURANT EXPO 2023 ANNOUNCES EXPO HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY SPONSORS

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LAS VEGAS– Bar & Restaurant Expo, the nation’s largest and most influential gathering of bar and restaurant owners and operators, is excited to announce its key sponsors and expo highlights for the 2023 show. Returning to the Las Vegas Convention Center March 27-29, 2023, new expo hall features, including the Non Alc Chill Zone, will join highly popular interactive experiences including NxT, the Restaurant Zone, The Bistro, Tea Bar, and more.

2023 Bar & Restaurant Expo Hall Floor Highlights Include:

The Bar- Hosted by beverage and operations professional, Chris Hopkins, The Barisan immersive experience, diving deep into the future of all things cocktails. Guests will have the opportunity to meet with mixologists, industry suppliers and leaders who will demonstrate ways for beverage professionals to achieve growth behind the bar. Guests can also sample inspirational new beverage recipes and test new products and equipment. 

NxT- NxT, pronounced “next”, is an experience at the forefront of innovation for the hospitality industry and showcases the very latest food and drink trends. Featured experiences include the new Non Alc Chill Zone, Power Talks addressing current industry challenges, live music, food and beverage sampling, plus the coveted Industry Excellence Awards ceremony.

Non Alc Chill Zone- New for 2023, attendees can experience the fastest growing trend in the beverage industry at the Non Alc Chill Zone.  As non-alcoholic beverages become increasingly popular, the Non Alc Chill Zone is an educational and interactive experience where attendees can sample the latest and most innovative zero proof beverages on the market. All beverages are complimentary and included with any registration pass.

Restaurant Zone– TheRestaurant Zoneis 15,000 square feet of space comprised of several distinct activations includingthe new Kitchen Equipment Showcase, powered by Middleby; The Food & Beverage Innovation Center and The Bistro. The Restaurant Zone also boasts a dedicated floor featuring the latest products and innovations.

  • The Kitchen Equipment Showcase, powered by Middleby, will bring together a wide variety of the newest, in-demand electric technology and ventless equipment for your kitchens.
  • The Food & Beverage Innovation Center will feature live, dynamic cooking demonstrations led by a team of top chefs. There will be 10 educational sessions over two days demonstrating the latest culinary techniques, and sampling of each dish to 500 attendees per session.
  • The Bistro invites VIP Pass attendees to dine at the 50-seat restaurant to gain a full-service experience of new food menu items, drinks and test drive the latest technology solutions.

Tea Bar- Bar & Restaurant Expo attendees also have access to the World Tea Expo floor, which will feature Tea Bar. Tea Bar is a dynamic experience showcasing the versatility and value of tea in multiple different products including cocktails, RTDs, plus new innovations within the tea industry.

Featured key sponsors of this year’s Bar & Restaurant Expo include:

  • Constellation Brands
  • Carlsberg
  • Heineken
  • Diageo
  • White Claw
  • Uber Eats
  • Middleby
  • True Manufacturing
  • Perlick
  • Savi Controls
  • Rocavaka Vodka
  • SpotOn
  • QubicaAMF Worldwide LLC

A full list of sponsors for the 2023 Bar & Restaurant Expo can be found here.

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About Bar & Restaurant Expo

Bar & Restaurant Expo, formerly known as Nightclub & Bar Show, has continued to evolve to mirror the fast-paced, trend-setting nature of the hospitality industry. The event has been providing the specific tools that bar and restaurant owners, operators, and managers need to grow their businesses, compete, and succeed in this hyper-competitive and dynamic industry. The Bar & Restaurant Group is a division of the Questex Hospitality Group which also produces Vibe Conference, World Tea Conference & Expo, and daily content on barandrestaurant.com.

About Questex
Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here.

My Fave Wines + Spirits of 2022

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Every year I reflect back on the best wines I’ve enjoyed the past year, and since I’ve had so many I often Google my name on the Internet to remind myself of it all. Of huge note was our trip to the Lake Garda, Italy DOC, and Chateauneuf du Pape…but there were many, many other wines – and spirits –  I’ve enjoyed. Here they are, pretty much in order from January through December 2022:

Lodi

I only had one day in Lodi to taste wines, and for this section I will focus on just one as it was so remarkable we became club members. Winemaker and owner Susan Tipton of Acquiesce Winery, aka the White Wine Winery, has been making award-winning Rhone wines that many other people have discovered long before we found them. There wasn’t a single wine that we didn’t love, from that first tasting and since with our club shipments.

Napa

As a wine journalist I try very hard to visit new wineries to write about when I visit California wine country. This past year the wineries of note that I loved in Napa include Myriad Cellars (winemaker Mike Smith makes an amazing number of 100-point wines), Hall Wines, Cakebread Cellars, Ladera Vineyard, Stag’s Leap Cellars, Titus Vineyards and Honig Vineyard and Cellars.

The Garda DOC

Lake Garda is the biggest lake in Italy, not as famous as Lake Como – I’m told that’s only because George Clooney made Como more popular when he set up residence there – and a large winemaking AVA. Prosecco is king, but I also enjoyed many red wine varieties while there. It’s also a beautiful lake dotted with amazing coastal towns that each offer something interesting for travelers and wine lovers. Read more about it in my article in Elite Magazine.

Chateauneuf du Pape

Eddie and I jumped at the chance to visit this amazing wine area – and this is how our adventure was titled for the online magazine Daily Ovation: A Wine Lover’s Bucket List: Eve Bushman Spends a Week Touring and Tasting in Chateauneuf du Pape. (Bite-sized articles on the area can also be found on this blog.) Besides all of the amazing Rhone wines we got to taste in several wineries, and sharing the experience with seasoned writers, my most vivid memory was seeing the amazing large quartz stones, that went two meters down before hitting any earth, that many of the vineyards were covered in. I’d heard it described many times, “rocky soil”, but seeing it was believing it. Wineries we visited included Domaine Du Pegau, Domaine Roger Sabon, Domaine de la Mordoree, Domaine Andre Brunel, le Clos du Caillou, Domaine la Barroche, Chateau Mont-Redon, Domaine du Grand Tinel, Domaine Saint Prefert et Domaine Isabel Ferrando and Vieux Telegraphe.

Single Bottle Posts and Events

When I have a remarkable bottle I do single-bottle blog posts on them in this blog. My thinking is that a winemaker has spent so much time creating that one wine, let me try and do it justice by devoting an article to it. I also receive bottles for review, dedicating the same space on the blog for them as well, and attended some remarkable events. In 2022 I truly loved a 2008 Robert Mondavi To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon from our cellar, Vinos Zanzonico 2020 Reserva Chardonnay and 2019 Reserva Syrah, Middle West Pumpernickel Rye whiskey, Corvezzo wines from Italy, the 2022 Bar and Restaurant Expo, 2021 Alavida Kosher Malbec, wines from Portugal’s Herdade do Esporao, Masters of Taste 2022, PureCru Brut Rose Sparkling wine, 2019 Chateau du Moulin-a-vent Beaujolais, many discoveries at the Universal Whisky Experience, Greek wines, 2019 Catena Malbec from Argentina, Knox and Dobson ready-to-drink cocktails, Valdobbiadene Prosecco and others. (If any of these interest you feel free to email me for the hyperlinks, or search this blog for more details.)

Now I can only ask, what exciting wines and spirits will 2023 have for us?

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Reviewing Coppa Cocktails Cosmopolitan and a Trip to the 1980s

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When I see a Cosmopolitan cocktail offered on a bar menu I’m immediately swept into the 1980s and an episode of Sex in the City. This is a good thing, as I loved the 80s and that show! So when offered a bottle of a pre-mixed “Coppa Cosmo” that’s “a blend of Dutch vodka with triple sec, cranberry, and lime juices” I said heck ya!

Come to find that the brand, Coppa Cocktails, also makes a Pina Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri, Mojito, Mai Tai, Sex on the Beach and a Margarita. That covers a lot of favorites! But let’s get back to the Coppa Cosmopolitan for now, and my review below.

I poured three shots (it’s a low ABV) of this premade Cosmo into my Martini shaker, filled with ice, shook like mad and then strained it into an iced coupe glass. Noting a very pretty color, like the watermelon or peach flavored Jolly Rancher hard candy. Aromas included the cranberry (juice) and orange (from the triple sec), lime soda as well as memories of a sweet fruit cocktail in syrup. The flavor mirrored the aromas, and if you like your cocktails on the sweeter side, without too much alcohol, this one fits the bill perfectly!

I’ll be keeping an eye out for the other flavors come summer as they all sound perfect to have by the pool, beach, picnic and to share with other gal pals!

From Coppa Cocktails

Coppa Cocktails are ready-to-serve, bartender quality cocktails, and their Cosmo in particular blends premium Dutch vodka with triple sec, cranberry, and lime juices. Convenience and quality are hand-in-hand with Coppa Cocktails!

https://www.coppacocktails.com/en-us/our-cocktails

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Shop like a Pro with the Tastings.com 2022 Holiday Gift Guide

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CHICAGO, /PRNewswire/ — Tastings.com, the official review site of the Beverage Testing Institute, is gifting savvy holiday revelers with their Holiday Gift Guide that features hundreds of award-winning adult beverages to help them better plan their parties and upgrade their gift giving, all while impressing their friends, family, and co-workers with tasty drink discoveries.

The Tastings.com Holiday Gift Guide is a colorful, eye-catching flip book that features top-rated and perfect-for-presents spirits, wines, beers, ready-to-drink cocktails, sakes, ciders, and mixers from BTI’s expert reviews in 2022. The guide also serves up some delicious holiday-inspired drinks that are perfect for around the house and a few personal holiday stories from their expert panelists.

Considered the nation’s leading adult beverage testing and review organization, BTI taste tests thousands of beverages annually, is accredited by the American Society for Testing and Materials for its scientifically based blind tasting standards, and is universally recognized for independence, integrity, and consistency. Ratings and reviews from BTI have catapulted brands like Grey Goose and Pappy Van Winkle into the pantheon of the world’s most successful brands. Julian P. Van Winkle has said of BTI, “Every time we received a high rating from BTI over the years, interest increased for our brand. We owe a lot to Beverage Testing Institute for our success.”

Their Tastings.com Holiday Gift Guide makes finding and purchasing unique wines, beers and spirits super simple and virtually foolproof. With just a click on a product from the guide you go to the full review page on Tastings.com where their “Buy-It-Now” button allows consumers to buy any item featured in the guide via links to retailer sites. Throughout the guide you will find “Best Buy” beverages that offer exceptional score to price ratios, so that you can drink like a connoisseur without spending a ton of coin.

According to Andrew Moldenhauer, BTI’s Director of Content & Education, “Because BTI assembles dozens of leading experts to assess products based on consumer appeal, quality, and typicity, you know that the Tastings.com Holiday Gift Guide is a great way to elevate your home tastings and discover many of the best and most interesting products in their categories without having to sift through advertising spin or just rely on one writer’s sense of taste.”

Items featured in the Holiday Gift Guide were blindly judged and scientifically vetted based on merit alone by BTI’s panels of beverage industry experts. The guide features many of BTI’s recently announced “Best of Year Awards” like Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2022 Best Straight Bourbon Whiskey), Evan Williams Egg Nog Cream Liqueur (2022 Top 2 Cream Liqueurs), and Le Chemin Du Roi NV Brut Rosé (2022 Best Champagne Brut Rose), Grand Marnier (France) Cuvée Du Centenaire Liqueur (2022 Best Flavored Brandy Liqueur ), Philip Mead Traditional Sweet Mead (2022 Top 2 Traditional Meads) and the Midleton Dair Ghaelach Kylebeg Wood Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (2022 Best Whiskey of the Year).

Put a bow on it and call it a wrap with Tastings.com’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide.

Renegade Rum Launches New Terroir-Driven Pre-Cask Collection

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NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Renegade Rum Distillery, the game-changing terroir-driven rum project based in Grenada, announces the August launch of a diverse new selection of four flavorsome Pre-Cask white rums in the United States. An industry-challenging enterprise from Mark Reynier, the man behind the renaissance of Islay’s Bruichladdich single malt whisky and multi-award winning Waterford Whisky, Renegade Rum seeks to explore the effect terroir, cane variety and distillation style has on the flavor of rum.

The cane plant, rum’s primary raw ingredient, is the natural source of its flavor. Thus the land on which it grows and its microclimate determines its character. With these details in mind, Renegade Rum chose to explore the terroirs of Grenada one place, one farm, at a time – to be shared initially as these fresh, vibrant spirits before cask ageing.

Pure and intense building blocks of flavor, the Renegade Rum Pre-Cask Collection of rums are for spirits connoisseurs to compare and contrast original nuances, but they will also have appeal to those searching for inherently and authentically flavorsome white spirits to create cocktails rooted in real provenance. So distinct are these cane-derived spirits that the first Pre-Cask Collection of white rums that were available in late 2021 in Europe, have already sold out with the trade and won notable awards, including Best New Rum at Vinexpo, Paris.

Renegade Rum CEO Mark Reynier says, “We are delighted to share more Pre-Cask bottlings for the curious, to explore with us these new realms of natural flavor derived from sugar cane. They are for spirits connoisseurs searching for authenticity and transparency. And as the building blocks of our Renegade Rum, we have discovered they also make for intensely flavored, ultra high-provenance ingredients for the most discerning cocktail enthusiasts.”

“Even though these are among our first distillates, we have been delighted with their award-winning reception and the fact that we have commenced serious discussions around terroir, traceability and transparency in rum, adds Mark. This is a prelude, of course, to our aged rum – and we look forward to sharing our first serious studies with the world this autumn.”

The four Single Farm Origin white rums to be released in the United States within the Pre-Cask Collection are as follows:

Single Farm Origin: Nursery – The genesis of our pioneering project to propagate entirely clean & healthy heritage cane varieties began at our nursery farm. Nestled in La Calome Valley, with its almost terraced valley floor, it is made up of Hartman & Woburn clay loam soils & a profusion of volcanic boulders. For this rum we harvested the sucrose-rich variety we call Yellow Lady from “big pumps” field, which stands on the terroir known as Upper La Calome.

  • Terroir: Upper La Calome
  • Cane Variety: Yellow Lady
  • Pot Still

Single Farm Origin: Hope – On the island’s south-eastern flank, sheltered from the Atlantic Trade Winds by a narrow mangrove belt, stands this distinctive terroir. Bright, iron-red clay & pyroclastic boulders & rich, alluvial soil & its cool, high water table ensures a humid microclimate with lush cane in the driest season. For this rum we harvested the oldest of our varieties, Cain, from Mamo Field, which stands on the terroir known as Boulders.

  • Terroir: Boulders
  • Variety: Cain
  • Pot Still

Single Farm Origin: Lake Antoine – Lower Crater Lake South and Upper Crater Lake South – At Lake Antoine, intriguing terroirs wrap around the steep, seaward-facing slopes of a volcanic crater lake, where cane grows on granular Woburn clay loam – sparse & dry at the summit, deep & rich at the foot – fully exposed to the desiccating salt-laden Atlantic trade Winds. For these two rums we harvested the sucrose-rich variety we call Purple Tallboy from two fields, one from Ball Pasture Field, which stands on the terroir known as Lower Crater Lake South and the second from More Field, which stands on the terroir known as Upper Crater Lake South.

  • Terroirs: Lower Crater and Upper Crater Lake South
  • Variety: Purple Tallboy
  • Pot Still

The Renegade Rum Pre-Cask Collection of Single Farm Origin: Nursery, Hope and Lake Antoine Lower Crater & Upper Crater Lake South are each 50% ABV and are available in 700ml bottles for $65 in fine retail stores. Renegade Rum is imported by Glass Revolution Imports.

Situated on the mountainous, volcanic, Caribbean island of Grenada, the modern marvel that is the Renegade Rum Distillery was designed precisely to extol individuality, with extended temperature-controlled fermentation for purity, and considered distillation for gravitas. The purpose-built, state-of-the-art distillery is the first of its scale to have been designed from the ground up for terroir-bred sugarcane. As well as cutting-edge still design and digital logistics, the Renegade Rum Distillery uses sophisticated technology for air filtration and water purification of waste streams, thus ensuring distilling systems run in rhythm with natural systems.

Each bottle of Renegade Rum will feature an innovative CaneCode which includes all the information about the farm, cane variety and terroir showcasing total transparency for spirits enthusiasts. More information can be found at: https://renegaderum.com/canecode/

In addition, Renegade Rum has also recently launched its cask offering. This is a unique opportunity for anyone to acquire a cask of their own super-premium quality rum – distilled from pure cane juice derived from an individual Single Farm Origin – to be bottled with a personalized label. There are options for French Oak hogsheads matured in the Caribbean, and “Early Landed” American oak barrels, which will be aged in Europe. More information can be found at: https://renegaderum.com/renegade-cask-offer/

About Renegade Rum: Renegade Rum is a game-changing rum distillery located in Grenada, using fresh sugar cane juice rather than generic molasses (a by-product of sugar production), grown on the diverse terroirs of Grenada in the Caribbean. We began producing our first spirit in the autumn of 2020. The cane plant, rum’s primary raw ingredient, is the natural source of its flavor. Thus, the land on which it grows & its microclimate determines its character. Therefore, we choose to explore the terroirs of Grenada – one place, one farm, at a time. For more information, please visit https://renegaderum.com/

IRON CHEF MASAHARU MORIMOTO’S MORIMOTO ASIA NAPA NOW OPEN

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Napa, CA (Nov. 7, 2022) – Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, has officially opened Morimoto Asia Napa on Sunday, Nov. 6, offering Far East tastes and textures to the Napa region. Located at 790 Main Street in Napa, Calif., guests can experience an eclectic take on some of Chef Morimoto’s favorite Asian flavors, plus a diverse selection of beer, wine, whiskey, and sake. 


The menu showcases a vast variety of hot and cold appetizers, salads, soups, dim sum, and signature dishes, including Szechuan mapo tofu, orange chicken, and black pepper steak. The beverage menu offers signature cocktails, sake flights, wine, and draft beer. The 170-seat restaurant provides an intimate dining experience, with Chinese flavors highlighted throughout the location.


Upon arrival, guests will be immersed in an upscale ambiance and cultural tastes throughout their dining experience. The restaurant features elaborate designs by BLANK Design, boasting two 9-foot terracotta warriors and dragons wrapped around the dining room pillars, tea drawer cabinets, and hints of Asian gate accents. 


Morimoto Asia Napa is open for dinner service nightly from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant will also offer Dim Sum brunch soon. Reservations are suggested via OpenTable.


This restaurant marks Chef Morimoto’s third restaurant in California, including Morimoto Napa, Chef’s contemporary Japanese and sushi concept down the street from Morimoto Asia, and the recently opened Momosan Santana Row. His first Morimoto Asia concept opened in Orlando in 2015, followed by Waikiki in 2018. 


For more information on Chef Morimoto, visit www.ironchefmorimoto.com. To learn more about Morimoto Asia Napa, visit www.morimotoasianapa.com.


About Iron Chef Masaharu MorimotoChef Masaharu Morimoto — known to millions as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America — has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients.  In 2001, Chef Morimoto opened his first restaurant in Philadelphia, which was later followed by restaurants in New York, Napa, Honolulu, Mumbai, Mexico City, Tokyo, and Maui.  Morimoto Asia Orlando at Disney Springs opened in 2015, followed by Momosan NYC and Morimoto Las Vegas at MGM Grand in 2016.  Morimoto Asia Waikiki, Momosan Waikiki, and Morimoto Doha opened in 2018.  Next came Momosan Seattle (2019), Momosan Wynwood (2020), Morimoto Taghazout Bay (2021), Sa’Moto Manhattan West NYC (2021), Momosan at Hub Hall in Boston (2021) and Momosan Santana Row (2022); bringing Chef Morimoto’s global restaurant count to 19. His first cookbook, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking (2007), won two IACP awards (in the “Chef’s and Restaurants” category and the “First Book: The Julia Child Award”) and it was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award. His second cookbook, Mastering The Art of Japanese Cooking (2017), introduces readers to the healthy, flavorful, surprisingly simple dishes favored by Japanese home cooks. Chef Morimoto has a range of exclusive partnerships with renowned brands such as Global Grub, creating first-of-its-kind DIY cooking kits and The Spice House offering a line of curated spice blends into home kitchens nationwide as well as all of Chef’s famed Momosan restaurants. Follow Chef Morimoto via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or www.ironchefmorimoto.com.

Ten cocktail and wine trends in the US unveiled by Southern Glazer’s

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MIAMI and DALLAS —Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer’s) — the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol — has unveiled the results of its 2022 Liquid Insights Tour, a coast-to-coast educational initiative designed to explore and identify the latest trends in cocktails and wine. The Liquid Insights Tour kicked off in Houston in February, and included stops in Kansas City, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago and Los Angeles. Over the course of 111 days, Brian Masilionis, Director, On-Premise Commercial Strategy & National Accounts for Southern Glazer’s, led a team of its industry-leading mixologists to sample more than 400 drinks in 83 of the hottest restaurants, bars and hotels, compiling their insights to discover emerging cocktail and wine trends across the U.S.

Analyzing industry data and gathering insights within the beverage industry has long been a practice of Southern Glazer’s, where it is used for internal education and training of the company’s sales force and its accounts. Now, through the Liquid Insights Tour, Southern Glazer’s is sharing its findings more broadly to help a hospitality industry still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, and to excite consumers about wine and cocktail innovation being driven by a new generation of diverse bartenders, sommeliers and beverage professionals. 

“Our driving purpose for conducting the Liquid Insights Tour was to uncover innovative beverage trends and experiences across the country to ensure Southern Glazer’s continues to have the most knowledgeable sales consultants in the industry,” said Masilionis. “Throughout the tour, we evaluated the complete on-premise experience by examining product offerings, pricing, promotional approach, people, service and process.” 

The conclusions from this tour, coupled with Southern Glazer’s world-class wine and spirits portfolio, creates a leading wine and cocktail experience, with best-in-class customer service from coast to coast, for restaurants, bars, hotels and other on-premise venues. 

Top 10 Trends Revealed

Analysis of the findings of the Liquid Insights Tour revealed that top trends fell into three distinct categories: cocktail trends, wine trends, and presentation/execution trends.

Top cocktail insights:

  1. Uncommon Combinations: Bartenders were mixing spirits not commonly used together to create new and interesting cocktail flavor profiles such as Scotch and corn liqueur, rum and cognac, and gin and mezcal.
  2. Beyond Basic Balancers: The team found many cocktails that were made using an innovative variety of methods or modifiers to balance the drink or add layers of flavor. These included the use of acids; sugars and syrups; salt; herbs and spices; coffee and tea; and the use of fats beyond animal fats. Adding ice or heat, like with stamped ice or smoked ice, was also common.
  3. Caffeinated Comeback: Once the darling of the 90s bar scene, the Espresso Martini took center stage as the standout cocktail of the tour. Around the country, mixologists are giving new life into this classic, incorporating a variety of creative ingredients such as amaro and coffee liqueurs or brandy with espresso or cold brew.
  4. Sophisticated and Spirit-Free: Non-alcoholic offerings at the country’s top bars, restaurants and hotels are now just as elevated, delicious, and pricey as their alcoholic counterparts, featuring similar ingredients, flavors and presentations just without alcohol.

Top wine insights:

  1. Bubbly Is Popping: Champagne and sparkling wines continue to climb in popularity on drink menus. Throughout the tour, more sparkling options were available by-the-glass and had a more prominent presence on top wine lists. In addition, bartenders are mixing sparkling wine of all styles and prices into their cocktails to add effervescence, crispness or sweetness to the experience.
  2. Wines Chill Out: Chilled selections of red and sweet wines appeared on menus across the U.S. Orange wines also appeared more frequently than ever before, often presented on menus in a combined rosé and orange section. 
  3. Tempting Trial With By-The-Glass & Premium Half-Bottles: Curated by-the-glass (BTG) options are becoming more diverse and more balanced between domestic and international offerings than in the past. There is also a growing trend in wines priced to sell with good value in either BTG or by-the-bottle formats to drive more orders and not just high margins.

Top execution and presentation insights:

  1. Batching for Speed and Service: Top bartenders continue to innovate around batching their cocktails, including both partial (batching only non-perishable items) and full batching, driven by the need for speed and to improve quality and consistency in cocktail preparation, which allows for more time to connect with guests.
  2. Entertaining Experience Enhancements: Adding “flair” to the cocktail experience with the use of vapors, “air,” smoke or torch; the use of unique glassware; or the return of communal drinks to be shared; all are creating memorable moments for consumers.
  3. Meaningful Menu Innovations: Restaurants and bars are evolving their menus beyond being a functional tool to improve the consumer experience. The team saw great storytelling, unique categorizations and humorous names paired with detailed drink descriptions. QR codes, which rose in popularity due to COVID-19, are now being used to deliver broader offerings and information – from curated, account-specific Spotify playlists to ever-changing allocated spirit offerings, all of which can be updated easily without needing to reprint menus.

Factors Influencing Trends

Backed by industry data and Southern Glazer’s internal insights, Masilionis and his team identified several key factors that are influencing these trends. These include an aging population, demographic and ethnic diversification of the U.S., a preference for health and wellness among consumers, and ongoing ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting the hospitality industry.

“These unique insights can be incorporated into any on-premise business to build greater success through strategic and innovative beverage programs,” said Masilionis. “Identifying which insights are relevant to your business and how to incorporate them using creative themes, highlighting seasonal ingredients, and tailoring cocktail and wine offerings to the demographics of your guests are all strong strategies. We continue to see the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout this industry segment, in terms of effects on the work force and on the consumers returning for the on-premise experience. We’re excited to offer these insights to help speed the recovery from the pandemic and make this segment stronger and more consumer-focused than ever.”

For more information, visit the Liquid Insights Tour resource page at  www.southernglazers.com/Liquid-Insights.

What is Amaro, And Why You Should Try It

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Amaro is traditionally made by infusing grape brandy with a (usually secret) mix of herbs, flowers, aromatic bark, citrus peel and spices—a blend that can include anything from cardamom to elderberry flowers. Then it’s sweetened with sugar syrup and aged, sometimes for years. – Wikipedia.

I have a fondness for bitters, all things Italian, dark flavors and aromas – so it’s no surprise that I have a fondness for Amaro. Over the years I’ve had it on the rocks after dinner – called a digestif – as well as alone to sample during classes and in icy cocktails. Let me share some of my favorites with you – not my absolute favorite brand of Amaro – I’m still exploring the differences, but what I’ve learned about Amaro that I hope will make you want to learn about it and try it as well.

The first that I mentioned was having Amaro as a digestif. I’ve been told that drinking bitters messages your stomach to fight whatever may be disturbing your stomach, so having bitters after a meal settles the stomach. I’ve often added bitters to a cocktail or had an Amaro after a large meal and did have positive results. Doesn’t hurt that I also love the flavor. My favorite is simply on the rocks with a lemon peel.

In a class organized by Fernet-Branca a few years back we examined seven different expressions from the Fratelli-Branca portfolio. (I have seven photos of our day here.) I learned a few things you may find interesting:

  • The herbs and roots, 27 of them, used in the liqueurs come from four continents. So whatever they add, it’s been done in-house and from scratch.
  • The recipe for each liqueur is a secret, even the order of when each ingredient is added matters and is also a secret.
  • The flavors come from the ingredients: Monday the distillery smells of chamomile, Tuesday it’s espresso beans, and so on.
  • Just some of the roots, spices and herbs include saffron, ginger, bitter orange, sweet orange, aloe, chamomile, Chinese rhubarb, peppermint, Myrrh…
  • When we were told that Fernet-Branca cured cholera I had to Google that. “Bernardino Branca dreamed up (Fernet-Branca) in 1845 as a cure-all to treat cholera and spleen pain, among other conditions. For decades, it was even sold in American pharmacies…” (Read more here.)

I’ve had three of reputedly the most popular: Montengro, Averna and Fernet-Branca. This article on Liquor.com shares a few of the brands, and the differences: https://www.liquor.com/italian-amari-5079342

There are dedicated Amaro bars in Italy, and there is one Italian restaurant in Las Vegas that I’ve discovered so far, Monzu Italian Oven and Bar, that has a huge selection that I’m dying to explore. I want to sample them on their own, and in whatever cocktails the Amaro lends itself well to. So far at home I enjoy Amaro on the rocks, or replacing sweet Vermouth in a Manhattan.

Home

https://www.fernetbranca.com/en

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.