Drake’s Organic Spirits Plans to Donate Up to One Million Ounces of Hand Sanitizer

April 16, 2020 by evebushman

MINNEAPOLIS (PRWEB) – Drake’s Organic Spirits announced today that it anticipates donating up to one million ounces of hand sanitizer to medical facilities, law enforcement personnel, EMTs and other first responders who answer emergency calls and place themselves in harm’s way. The sanitizer will help provide critical protection against the coronavirus crisis that has crippled the country and the world.

The ONLY certified vegan vodka and rum in the world.

Consumers and other businesses are encouraged to purchase Drake’s Organic Hand Sanitizer by visiting eachouncecounts.com. For every ounce purchased, Drake’s will make a donation of an ounce to frontline workers fighting COVID-19.

“This is the time to step up as businesses, as neighbors and as citizens to fight COVID-19,” said Mark Anderson, founder/CEO of Drake’s Organic Spirits. “That’s why we have converted our entire Drake’s Organic Spiked Ice capacity to the production of hand sanitizer. We’ll focus on our spirits when this is over. Right now, we’re focused on doing our part to save lives.”

The conversion also allows Drake’s to continue to provide jobs during the economic downturn.

First responders, medical facilities, managed care facilities and other organizations on the front lines of the crisis can visit eachouncecounts.com for details on how to apply for a donation of Drake’s hand sanitizer.

Drake’s has the ability to produce up to 20 million 2 oz. packets per month in their Las Vegas and New Orleans facilities. The Minnesota-based manufacturer of premium organic vodka and organic rum converted packaging for its Spiked Ice freeze-and-eat adult treats into convenient individual use pouches of hand sanitizer.

Drake’s is following the guidelines provided by the US Food & Drug Administration and World Health Organization for the production of hand sanitizers. Each pack includes six (6) 2 oz. eco pouches designed to be easily opened and used to refill an existing hand sanitizer dispenser, soap pump, or spray bottle. A single eco pouch contains enough product to sanitize hands on average 59 times. Other pack sizes include 300 count cases and 4,000 count bulk bins.

About Drake’s Organic Spirits
Launched in 2017, Minneapolis, MN-based Drake’s Organic Spirits is the first and only spirit line in the world to be certified USDA organic, non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, vegan and kosher. The five certifications ensure a cleaner drinking option that comes only from the highest quality organic ingredients. Drake’s continues to be among the most environmentally conscious brands in the spirits industry and deeply committed to using ingredients and processes that lead to a healthier, more sustainable planet. A portion of proceeds from the sale of all Drake’s products benefit Long Lake Animal Rescue, which provides animals in need with a second chance at life.

For more information, please visit http://www.drakesorganicspirits.com, facebook: http://www.facebook.com/drakesorganic/, Instagram: @, or contact email sales: info@drakesorganicspirits.com

Vintage Eve 9/2013: The Old Days and Trader Vic’s Cocktails

June 27, 2017 by evebushman

There has been a heyday of late in reviving cocktails from our parents’ day, some with the newfound skill of bartenders (some now calling themselves mixologists) muddling fruits or concocting their own syrups. The possibilities are now endless. For me, my toe went further into the icy cocktail waters when I found an old book at a rummage sale, Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink, with this note from the publisher:

This book was originally published in 1946. Some of the brand names that Trader Vic’s refers to no longer exist. We suggest you substitute your own favorite brands.

Photo Credit – Off the Presses

Undaunted I purchased the book and started making some of the recipes, choosing ones where I had most, if not all, of the ingredients already in my bar. Below are the easiest I made. I hope you can find something memorable here to make for yourself.

Tall Ones

Planter’s Punch – Cuban

3 ounces Cuban rum

1 ounce lime juice

1 tsp. sugar

Orange juice

Shake rum, lime and sugar with cracked ice; and pour over cracked ice in 12-ounce glass and fill rest of glass with orange juice; stir and serve.

Rum Float

1 tsp. sugar

5 sprigs fresh mint

3 ounces light rum (Ton Merito or Brugal)

Half fill a 12-ounce glass with shaved ice; add sugar, mint, and rum; muddle to thoroughly mix mint with rum; add shaved ice and stir up and down to frost glass and thoroughly mix. Decorate with a sprig of mint, a slice of lemon, and serve with straws.

Cocktails and Short Hoists

Plantation

½ ounce orange juice

½ once lemon juice

1 ounce Jamaican rum (Red Heart or Myer’s)

Shake well with ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Rum Martini

Dash of orange bitters

One ounce French vermouth (dry)

1 ½ ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica or Brugal)

Stir Ingredients in mixing glass with cracked ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass and serve with stuffed olive (washed to remove salt) or cocktail onion on toothpick. Twist lemon peel over drink but do not drop.

Tahitian Honey Bee

1 tsp. honey

½ ounce lemon juice

1 ½ ounce Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica or Brugal)

Mix honey and lemon juice in shaker, add rum, and shake with ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass and serve with twist of lemon peel.

Gimlet

1 ounce Rose’s lime juice

1 scant tsp. sugar

1 ¼ ounce gin

Shake with ice, strain, and pour into chilled Daiquiri glass.

Note on the photo: This is an old West Bend penguin hot and cold serving bowl/ice bucket in an art deco style. (Photo is borrowed.) It belonged to my mother in law. Recently I pulled it out of our cabinet, washed it, and, served to hold ice during a large party. Six hours later the ice was still solid. It made me wonder about the cocktails this was used for, and how many, if any, Trader Vic’s styled drinks my husband’s parents may have enjoyed at home.

Getting Our Cocktail Glass Filled by Brady Weise

May 26, 2017 by evebushman

This week we learn all about veteran “Barman” Brady Weise, followed by a 5-question interview that should interest those that want a rewarding bar career and those of us that just like spending time in a bar.

Brady Weise, Barman

With a flare for the flavorfully dramatic and the keen instincts that gift top‐notch bartenders, Brady Weise has carved the perfect spot for himself among L.A.’s cocktail elite by creating memorable cocktails, many of which find their base in beer.

It’s no surprise, considering Weise started brewing his own beer at 15 and won his first award for it at 16. The journey to becoming a professional bartender started in Chicago, where a marketing company hired Weise to launch Yellowtail Wines in Japan. When that venture was a success, Weise moved on to creating his own alcohol import/export business, which inspired him to step behind the bar and that is when he realized there was much for him to learn.

He moonlighted at a few spots in Chicago and San Francisco, and then moved back to Los Angeles, where he split his time between building cocktail programs in Hollywood and working the bar at the famed Library Bar at The Roosevelt Hotel. After the Roosevelt, Weise moved to Pasadena where he was a lynchpin of the 1886 bar at the Raymond. Staying loyal to his roots and his market, Weise was one of the principal architects of the cocktail program at the Rathskeller. Still creating and always challenging conceptions with his work, Brady has moved into the event area where he spends his hours educating consumers and restaurant staff alike about new products and their space in the marketplace.

And as Weise shares his unique cocktails with his dedicated clientele, his passion for liquid creations continues. Says Weise, “One of my favorite things is stepping behind the bar. It’s always changing, it’s always interesting and there’s never a dull moment. It’s such an interesting place to be!”

Q and A With Brady

Where do you see the future of spirits leading?

The spirits industry is going through an unprecedented shift with massive consolidation of brand portfolios, huge multi-billion dollar mergers, and a marketing storm that we have never seen before. Part of this change is due to a failure of the current distribution model, and part of this is a function of attempting to broaden choice through the opportunities created by that system failure. In California for example, we have three major distributors; one of whom controls close to 80% of all major brands. This has allowed smaller labels to take advantage of holes in the market that large producers can’t fulfill.

A great example of this would be the explosion of whiskey, gin, tequila, and rum brands. While vodka is still the most popular spirit, consumers these days are interested in well-balanced drinks that include ingredients that are unique with a range of flavor profiles. This has given rise to the bartender asking for more ingredients from producers that meet these taste requirements; whether it be bitters, unique syrups, or exotic herbs and spices, the bartender of today is a much different craftsperson from the bartender 20 years ago.

What is your biggest challenge?

I’d say one of the biggest challenges today is keeping up with trends and demand. It used to be even 10 years ago that one new restaurant a month had a cocktail program. Now it seems like there’s one a week! Bartenders have been really pushing new trends and keeping up with them has been part of the everyday challenge of the business.

It used to be that a well-made Old Fashioned was enough to keep people excited. Now you have to have infusions, house syrups and tinctures, large block ice, etc. to get people to come and see your bar.

I think this is great for the industry as a whole, but keeping up with all the changes can be exhausting sometimes. I find that it’s best to look at what changes are coming down the pipeline and to examine the trends as a whole rather than what’s hot and new this week.

How were you trained?

I was trained by some of the best in the business. Marcos Tello is a great teacher, and gave me a lot of the tools I still use when creating cocktails. Part of the reason his program is so successful is that he has templates and formulas for everything; you don’t need to guess at what you’re doing. This helps you to focus your energies on working within the formula, and not trying to reinvent it. The other training I’ve had comes from some of the best minds in the Los Angeles restaurant scene. Working with talented and determined people is always a joy; especially if it’s with the kitchen AND the bar. I think any bartender that refuses to work with their kitchen in menu creation is missing out on a huge chance to succeed.

Part of my training also comes from the guests themselves; as you become successful their expectations of you changes. This forces you to keep evaluating your decisions when creating a menu. I think that is one of the most important lessons for me in recent memory.

What advice do you have for a budding mixologist?

Read a lot. A LOT. There are so many books out there that have technique and tips from some of the top talent around; they are basically giving you their bar programs for the cost of the book. Don’t watch YouTube unless it’s for fun; most of the information out there is incorrect and won’t explain execution to you like a book will.

Another thing to learn about is the financials of a bar program. This is one of the points I can’t stress enough. If you can’t understand how the money is being spent, then you can’t be an effective asset to the business. Anyone can make an amazing cocktail with a $100 bottle of liquor and expensive produce. The trick is to make it taste expensive even though what’s in it is not.

What events can drinkers find you next?

I’m usually at events all over Los Angeles lately. I work with the MYM agency and they are great! I’m currently not behind any bar at the moment, but I’m always pouring something people enjoy. If you catch me at a bar, it’s usually in Pasadena. I live there and have great relationships with most of the restaurant staff around town. There are some great gems in Pasadena if you know where to look.

Contact Brady: bradyweise@gmail.com

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, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Getting My Minerals From Leaf Vodka

March 24, 2017 by evebushman

Two different expressions of vodka made by the same brand, the difference only based on the location of the water each was distilled from, awaited for me in sampling LEAF^®Vodka. One is made from Alaskan Glacial water and the other is made from Rocky Mountain Mineral water. The Alaskan version has a green colored leaf label on the back of the bottle, and the Leaf title is in gold; the Rocky Mountain version has a blue colored leaf label and the Leaf title is blue.

You may have heard this from me before: the best way to educate your palate is in side-by-side tastings of the same spirit or the same wine varietal. Here I had two vodkas, a spirit known for being flavorless and colorless, that I had a chance to sit down and get to know. And I found it remarkable that these two had their own unique qualities.

A cocktail recipe and tasting notes from Leaf are just beneath my tasting notes:

Leaf Alaskan Glacial

Clean aromas that included biscuit, lime and orange twist, fresh Japanese ginger; with slightly sweet flavors of that same orange and lime, the ginger again, with a medium burn and long finish. 90 Eve pts.

Leaf Rocky Mountain Mineral

Pale mint, pear, hay, grass and wet gravel on the nose; in the mouth I got citrus, black licorice, mint and that gravel again. Long finish. 91 Eve pts.

From Leaf

Had enough of winter? Ring in the spring with a new cocktail from LEAF^®Vodka called the Lychee Lake. With a refreshing blend of fruit, combined with a lovely spring color and a floral garnish, it is the perfect antidote to the winter blues!

The combination of lychee and grapefruit bring out the crisp smoothness of the Alaskan Glacial water used to make LEAF Vodka, and the effervescence of the sparkling wine adds a refreshing quality that makes this cocktail a delightful escape.

The Lychee Lake

Ingredients:

2 oz. LEAF Vodka made with Rocky Mountain Mineral Water

1.5 oz. lychee puree (perfect puree)

0.5 oz. grapefruit juice

0.5 oz. lemon juice

1 oz. sparking rosé wine

Tools: Mixing shaker, jigger, strainer, and muddler.

Method: Shake all ingredients except rosé wine, add ice and shake vigorously

Strain into a martini glass, top off with sparkling rosé, garnish and serve.

Glassware: Martini, Garnish: Orchid

LEAF believes vodka’s main ingredient, water, is what truly defines the spirit. LEAF Vodka is sourced from unique waters here in the USA. One variety is made from Alaskan Glacial water, which lends a pure, smooth taste with a hint of sweetness. The other, made from Rocky Mountain mineral water, provides richness and complexity, offering a warm and savory impression. The water sources give LEAF Vodkas their signature tastes.

“LEAF Vodka’s naturally-sourced waters are fundamental to its taste and quality,” say Maxim Dubossarsky, CEO of Global Spirits, owners of LEAF Vodka. “These taste attributes, and the fact that the vodka is USDA Certified Organic, are being embraced by some of the nation’s leading mixologists.”

For more recipes and information, visit www.leafvodka.com or follow the brand on Twitter and Instagram @LEAFVodka.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Santa Clarita Valley’s Own Vanessa Braxton and Her Line of Black Momma Vodkas

December 30, 2016 by evebushman

I think I first met Vanessa Braxton at one of the two Santa Clarita Valley Wine Fests, undoubtedly one of the big players organizer Joel Fisher recruited from his uber popular LA Wine Fest.

At the time Vanessa had a uniquely named vodka, Black Momma, and only one. Fast forward just a few years and come to find she just finished building her own distillery and tea facility in Long Island, has a warehouse in Rancho Dominguez, CA, just gained a contract with Carnival Cruises, has a line of organic mixers, and is selling these new flavors – along with the original – locally and nationwide:

Pomegranate Tea

Peach Tea

Chai Tea

Green Tea

Sour Sop Tea

Each is distilled five times and filtered five times as “superior handcrafted” vodkas. They are distilled from corn, bottled (for the time being) in Bend, Oregon by Bend Spirits and are 40% alcohol with an 80% proof.

Vanessa recently dropped off a bottle for me to review, with a promise of sending out samples of all the flavors soon. The woman is so busy growing I’m not holding my breath. But for now, I will share my tongue:

Black Momma Straight Vodka (Eve’s Tasting Notes)

Vodka is a neutral spirit. Which means aromas and flavors can be neutral as well, and balance (burn in this case) might be the only recognizable factor. In my experience tasting other neutral spirits/vodkas at the same time, the differences can be detected. I pulled up that memory/knowledge when I tasted the Black Momma Straight Vodka.

Aroma: vanilla bean, mineral water and a very mild burn.

Flavor: Some of the vanilla bean carried through, which was very cool, and a bit of the burn. Over ice (like adding water to single malt) I got less burn and more balance, easily lending itself to a cocktail, or an easy sipper with just ice and a wedge of lemon.

About Vanessa Braxton

Vanessa Braxton is the first African-American woman owner and operator of a Nationally Distributed Vodka in the United States as known in the Trade. Black Momma Vodka was in 32 States by 2015.

Black Momma Awards

90 point rating from Tasting Panel Magazine, Ultimate Beverage Challenge 84 point rating out of 100 points, rated good and recommended by Industry Experts: F. Paul Pacult, Sean Ludford, Christy Canterbur, John McClement and more! Listed among the 10 U.S. Vodkas.

https://www.facebook.com/BlackMommaVodka/

http://www.blackmommavodka.com/

Eve’s Wine 101 Event Picks: NY in Napa 12/29-1/1, Paso’s Blendfest 1/13-15, Sonoma Winter Wineland 25th Anniversary 1/14-15, STARS of Santa Barbara 1/18, Palate Builder 1/21, What You Need to Know About Wine 1/23, Cambria Art/Wine Fest 1/27-29, Rhone Tasting 1/28, Wine, Cheese and Chocolate 2/11, 2/12 and 2/14, Lodi in LA 2/15. Ongoing: Events locally at Reyes Winery, Wine House events in WLA, LA Wine Tasting, Monopole Wine events in Pasadena and Eve does Wine Themed Parties.

Liking all of the “GOOD THINGS TO DRINK WITH MR. LYAN AND FRIENDS”

November 13, 2015 by evebushman

Wow, just wow. If the cocktail recipes alone don’t do it in the book “Good Things to Drink with Mr. Lyan and Friends” any cocktail fan will also appreciate Lyan’s sage advice on cocktails, like wine, bringing people together. He makes you feel that the drinks are right there in front of you with an abundance of mouth-watering crisp colorful photographs and drawings, descriptions that include both his “Method” and “Magic”, equipment and techniques.

As jaded/experienced that I am I did learn:

Smaller and finer are better as glass choices.

You can scissor-snip a plastic ice cube tray’s dividers to make long columns of ice.

The proper way to shake, stir or muddle.

How to (successfully and easily) make different flavors of simple syrup.

Different cocktails for different occasions; the book is divided up with chapters on “Brunch”, “Friday Nights”, “Winter Feasting” and “The Perfect G & T.” (Note for newbies: a G & T is a gin and tonic, Lyan serves up a few different options to the traditional recipe.)

The chapter on Infusions really appealed to me as I also love putting things in a crock pot to enjoy later. There are 4 recipes, at least, in that section that I want to try: Grapefruit and Rosemary Gin with Ginger Ale, Peach and Sage Bourbon, Elderflower and Chocolate Scotch with Soda, Rhubarb, Pear and Cardamom Vodka with Fresh Lemonade.

A chapter on Juleps? Yes, much to my husband’s thrill, there is.

There are plenty of cocktails in the “Alfresco Days” chapter that also appealed. Lyan writes, “Summer days in the sun are near heaven. To make them better, a balance of bittersweet drinks (great before food) following up with spirited and zesty numbers is ideal…”

For my wine 101ers…yes, there is a recipe to make your own Chocolate Wine!

Lyan says that the warm drinks in the “Fireside Serves” chapter “provide a similar comforting warmth” to days gone by spent by a “crackling fire.” I agree.

As I read through the book the recipes didn’t seem as hard to understand as I did when I started the book. Clearly, I was picking up knowledge and, a little more gumption to try new things.

And if I forget which chapter a fave recipe is in there is, thankfully, an index.

From the Press Release

Words and illustrations by Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr. Lyan, with photographs by Kim Lightbody.

(October 2015) — Cocktails aren’t just for fancy nights out and snobby home mixologists. In Good Things to Drink with Mr. Lyan and Friends, Mr. Lyan (the man behind the award-winning White Lyan and Dandelyan bars in London) shows you how 60 innovative and exciting cocktails can be part of your everyday life. Easy to make and beautifully photographed, the cocktails cover every mood and occasion, from sunny day drinks and winter warmers to Friday night cocktails and morning revivers. Mr. Lyan perfects classics such as the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan, and experiments with new intriguing combinations and ingredients. *Gift Guide Consideration for on-trend foodies, lovers of a great drink! **Ryan was recently featured in W Magazine.

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Barrel-Aged Cocktails: Mixology’s Hottest New Trend Comes To Paso Robles

June 15, 2015 by evebushman

La Cosecha Bar + Restaurant adds barrel-aged cocktails, unique drinks and wines to its trend-setting menu

May 12, 2015 (Paso Robles, CA) The already-progressive menu, wine list and craft cocktail programs at Paso Robles’ La Cosecha Bar + Restaurant recently kicked up a notch with the addition of several new items including barrel-aged cocktails designed by Mixologist Andrew Brune.

“I follow tastemakers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York to try new ideas here,” said Brune, whose barrel-aged cocktails include a Boulevardier (whiskey, sweet vermouth, Campari) that mellows and melds in a five-liter barrel behind the bar for two months. “Barrel-aged cocktails are so smooth. After a while in barrel, some of the oxygen evaporates, kills the burn, and makes the drink darker and more viscous.” The resulting Boulevardier shows seamless toasty, earthy, and nutty notes from time in barrel, served in a lowball glass over one block of ice and garnished with a ribbon of orange peel.

Eventually, Brune also hopes to carve his own ice (currently the blocks are frozen in molds) and even smoke the barrels. While La Cosecha’s international signature cocktails cover favorites like the Seasonal Caipirinha and Pisco Sour, recent additions include Brune’s of-the-moment drinks like Kaled By Love (Ixa Reposado Tequila, Bauchant liqueur, kale, pineapple, lime, and turbinado sugar) and the LD2 (El Agave Reposado tequila, Strega liqueur, lime, bell pepper, agave and soda).

“I call him the mad scientist,” said Managing Partner Carole MacDonal, who launched La Cosecha with her husband and Executive Chef, Santos MacDonal. “Andrew has a passion for developing new cocktails and a sixth sense about what goes with what. Everything he does is always in balance – and he loves working with customers to devise just the right drink to their taste.”

Brune also makes a point of stocking the bar with products most establishments in the area don’t, such as Samaroli “Evolution,” the rare Italian-bottled Scotch whiskey blended from single malts from countless distilleries that span from 10 to over 40 years aged. “I try to target smaller, family-owned distilleries instead of the mainstream ones,” he said. His interest in small family producers extends to local distillery, RE:FIND, with whom he will team up to create a barrel-aged cocktail to be bottled and sold under the RE:FIND label, released later this summer.

La Cosecha’s menu continues to lean Latin, but dishes are continually subject to Chef Santos’ inspiration and whims. New dishes include Seco de pato (duck confit over herbed rice), Ecuadorian shrimp with linguiça over white polenta, and braised pork cheeks over celery root. Additionally, Carole MacDonal recently updated the wine list with a variety of selections from Spain, Chile and Argentina, as well as several sought-after bottles from local producers.

For more information on the barrel-aged cocktail program, Mixologist Andrew Brune, or Chef Santos’ eclectic menu, please visit www.LaCosechaBR.com or call 805.237.0019.

About La Cosecha Bar + Restaurant

Centering on the flavors of Spain and Latin America, La Cosecha Bar + Restaurant in Paso Robles is the bold creation of celebrated chef, Santos MacDonal. After establishing Paso Robles Italian favorite, Il Cortile Ristorante, Chef Santos was inspired by his own Honduran heritage and the abundance of fresh Central Coast ingredients to bring La Cosecha to life. Along with his brother and longtime collaborator, Jorge MacDonal, and wife and Managing Partner, Carole MacDonal, Chef Santos developed La Cosecha’s menu to be fiercely local while also making use of specialty herbs and spices specific to regional Latin cuisine for a taste that’s both completely authentic and totally unique. Open late, La Cosecha also features a craft cocktail menu designed to make use of garden-fresh ingredients and artisanal spirits. La Cosecha is located at 835 12th Street, Suite A, on Paso Robles’ famed City Park. Please visit www.LaCosechaBR.com or call 805.237.0019 for more information.

Newhall Refinery Brings Craft Cocktails to SCV in a Big Way – Starting March 31!

March 31, 2015 by evebushman

Overdue. That’s what we are here in SCV, overdue for the craft cocktail invasion. Mixers, Roman Holiday and SAKE all had some great versions of old cocktails revived with top shelf spirits combined with muddled fruit and spices, fresh fruit purees, garnish, the correct glassware and captivating presentations.

The new Copper Moscow Mule mug at Newhall Refinery

But with all of them now closed I longed for a craft cocktail bar to open – and then I learned that Newhall Refinery, an already popular spot in downtown Newhall that recently expanded, had obtained a spirits license with the intention of creating a craft cocktail menu…and a whisky list as well! I quickly emailed the owners, Shannon and Simon Mee, for more information.

The new additions will first be offered on Tuesday, March 31, with eight signature cocktails – see the full menu below. “They all taste amazing – we’re really excited and think they will be a hit,” Shannon Mee said. “I’m not aware of anywhere else out here that’s doing this and in addition we will have a big emphases on whisky. As you know bourbon and other whisky are really hot right now – and we will have at least 20 whiskys served with the proper large sphere ice cubes.”

The Initial Whisky List.

Angels Envy

Calumet

Clyde Mays

Elijah Craig

Evan Williams

Four Roses

Glengoyne 10 year

Glengoyne 21 year

Green Spot Irish

Hibiki 12 year (Japanese)

Hudson

Laphroaig 18 year

Makers 46

Old Forester

Rittenhouse Rye

Speyside 18 year

Teelings

Whistle Pig

Craft Liquor List

“Initially there will be a small selection available on request, and we will be sticking to our current craft concept whereby we do not serve the generic brands,” Shannon added. “That means no Grey Goose, no Ketel One, no Bombay Sapphire etc. For mixers we are using the small bottles of Fever Tree which is a exceptional brand that helps create a quality beverage.”

Hanson of Sonoma Organic Vodka

Bummer and Lazarus Gin

Barr Hill Gin

Angostura Rum

Suerte Blanco

Fortaleza Reposado

Ugly Monkey Moonshine

Fernet Branca

Camus Cognac

Craft Cocktails List

Moscow Mule (Copper Mug pictured above)

Blackberry Fence Hopper

Bloody Brilliant

The L Train

Raspberry Suerte

Classic Daiquiri

Rye (or Bourbon) Manhattan

Old Fashioned

Newhall Refinery is located at 24258 Main Street, Newhall, CA 91321

Telephone: 661-388-4477

Email: info@newhallrefinery.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newhallrefinery

Website: http://www.newhallrefinery.com

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Eve Wine 101: Bar Supplies

March 27, 2015 by evebushman

Everyone that drinks spirits at home has some sort of home bar. Whether it’s an old fashioned wheeling cart or a locked cabinet in their kitchen, it’s a necessity. So the question is, what do you put in your home bar? I’ve covered some of my favorites below; maybe I can make some of these your new favorites as well:

Martini Shaker

Lots of cocktails, including an actual Martini, require a shaker to make. The motion causes the ice to melt a little and the ingredients to fully mix. Bartenders sometimes choose long bar spoons and mixing glasses to lessen the “bruising” of the spirit. It’s your personal choice which to use and when, in my opinion, but either or both are necessities for blending.

Shot glass

Photo from Cocktail Kingdom

Please don’t make the mistake of collecting them as you will never finish – you just need one! Either a jigger (with a different measurement on each end) or a shot glass will work when you need to measure out the proper number of ounces for your cocktail. The easiest for me is the metal shot glass used as a stopper on my martini shaker. Unless you are an experienced bartender and can gauge an ounce, you’ll need the proper device.

Bitters and Simple Syrup

I was intimidated about using bitters and syrup until two things happened: They were in many cocktails I wanted to try, and they were easily found in either my own grocery store or online via Cocktail Kingdom. I was amazed by the flavor such a small “dash” could make.

Ice Ball Maker or Large Trays

I covered the need for an Ice Ball Maker in this previous article: (http://evewine101.com/2015/02/20/wine-101-ice-ball-maker) and different types of large ice cube trays here: http://evewine101.com/2014/02/07/eve-discusses-rock. I use both, but it’s really just your own personal preference what to choose based on your own aesthetics, and how much you want your cocktail diluted.

Old Fashioned, High Ball, Nosing Glass and Martini Glasses

An Old Fashioned glass, aka a Low Ball or Rocks Glass, is best suited for cocktails that will be served on the rocks. The “nosing glass” is for sipping single malt scotch without ice, but maybe a splash of water. The Martini glass (or rounded “Coupe” glass) suits any spirit, clear to brown, that is served without ice.

Cocktail Recipe Book

I found an old Trader Vic’s Cocktail book at a sale, and I have the standard Bartender’s Guide. Get one, or be satisfied looking your drink recipes up online and bookmarking them for further use. You can certainly wing it and experiment, but unless you are planning a career in mixology, don’t waste your spirits by sending them down the drain.

Photo from Cocktail Kingdom

Juicer

There is a HUGE difference using fresh juice in a craft cocktail over bottled juice. If you happen to have one already, use that. If not look at the heavy metal press juicers that are meant to squeeze (and filter out pulp and seeds) one half of a lemon or lime at a time. They are very quick and efficient.

Muddler

For fruit that can’t be juiced such as apples, raspberries and strawberries, as well as leaves, whole nutmeg, cloves or cinnamon sticks, you must muddle. I prefer a wooden muddle but there are metal spoons with muddlers affixed to them as well you can try. It’s one more piece of equipment you can incorporate to make your cocktail with fresh ingredients stand out.

Rum Runners

I couldn’t help but mention these handy plastic pouches for the bar on-the-go:

http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com/flasks.aspx Pack them in your luggage when traveling on cruise ships if you like, filled with your favorite spirit, as that is their intention.

The Booze Staples List

Vodka (I’m on a Tito’s kick at the moment.)

Gin (Hendricks, found at the supermarket, is infused with juniper, cucumber and rose petals among other things.)

Bourbon (Buffalo Trace, again found at the supermarket)

Blended Scotch (Dewars, for cocktails not for sipping, in my opinion.)

Single Malt Scotch (Our every day choice is either Balvenie and Aberlour, not for cocktails.)

Rye (I personally like Templeton and you can purchase that at the supermarket.)

Aperol and Campari (Both have bitter orange flavors that lends to many cocktails including the Aperol Spritz and the Negroni, Campari is the stronger flavored of the two)

Lillet (An apéritif wine used instead of vermouth in a Martini. The “blanc” is slightly orange flavored while the “rouge” is a stronger flavor of both orange and berry.)

Vermouth (Get both sweet and dry, I’ve not a noticed a difference among brands.)

Check out www.CocktailKingdom.com for more ideas for your home bar. (Disclosure: I was not paid by, nor do I have any affiliation to, Cocktail Kingdom.)

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Eve Wine 101: The Ice Ball Maker

February 20, 2015 by evebushman

What we are talking about here, specifically, is a really cool 55mm ice ball maker that Eddie got me for Christmas, among other bar essentials, from the Cocktail Kingdom website. This source for bar supplies was highly recommended by Master Mixologist William Perbellini of Bar Toscana during a mixology class we took with him last year. So here is my own 5-question interview – to myself – of the process:

1. What exactly is an ice ball maker?

It is a bar tool sometimes seen in use in upscale bars, usually one with a good single malt selection. It is two weighted pieces with a cut out between them of a sphere. When put together, with a hunk of ice between them, they slowly meet to create the perfect sphere.

2. Why do you need one?

If you like to have your single malt or cocktail with less dilution but kept cold, it’s an aesthetically pleasing option. The larger the cube the slower the ice will melt. We’ve tried the small square “rocks” that look like real rocks, the ice kept in a separate section of the glass and the plastic cubes that light up – the cool ratio, literally and figuratively of the Ice Ball Maker, takes it up a notch.

3. What is the process for getting the clear ice?

The second key for an aesthetically pleasing drink is to start with clear ice. It not only looks clean, there are less impurities in a clear ball of ice than a regular cube so it may taste cleaner to you on the palate. We made the clear ice with Perbellini’s method: Starting with a gallon of purified bottled water and a small ice chest, fill the chest up about four inches from the bottom with the water and freeze. Once frozen pick off the top clear layer. The impurities, and cloudy portion, will be at the bottom of the ice block.

4. What is the process on working the ice ball maker?

A chunk goes in and a ball comes out. It’s pretty simple and once you have the device, self-explanatory. From creating the clear ice, working the Ice Ball Maker and making a cocktail we have 8 or so step-by-step photos here in a Facebook photo album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204574827118068.1073741892.1455706632&type=1&l=dc1915a04e and a less than 1-minute YouTube showing me and my hubby Eddie watching the ball making process for the first time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxBYui_6jvM

5. What are the details of ours?

From the Cocktail Kingdom website: Produces 55mm ice balls which fit a single rocks glass. Made of anodized aluminum with silver finish. Comes with 2.5in Ice Cube Tray. (We haven’t used the tray as we are doing the clear ice method as explained in question #4.) Uses gravity and the thermal conductivity of aluminum to quickly shape a perfect sphere of ice.

http://www.cocktailkingdom.com/all-barware/ice-accessories/55mm-ice-ball-maker-475.html

From www.CocktailKingdom.com

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com