Stranahan's tripling whiskey production

DENVER, CO -- Many whiskey aficionadoes have heard of Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey but found that acquiring it outside Colorado is problematic.

The supply-and-demand may be taken care of under Proximo Spirits, the New York company that bought the seven-year-old micro-distillery less than a year ago.

The company is in the midst of a major expansion, tripling the size of its production capacity. Stranahan's, which two years ago moved from its original tiny location to a former brewery and added the Rackhouse Pub in the front of the facility, has purchased three copper pot stills. Once they are operational which should happen by November, Stranahan's will move from selling 99% of its product in-state to national distribution.

The company plans to continue making its original Colorado Whiskey as well as its one-barrel, one-off Snowflake series, available only at the distillery. The current expression of Snowflake was aged in new American white oak for 3½ years then transferred into a French White Oak barrel that housed a Colorado port for six months, then transferred in to a Hungarian white oak barrel that has housed a Chardonnay from Sonoma California for 2½ months.

The facility is located at 200 South Kalamath Street. Phone: (303) 296-7440.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Study: Binge drinking harms young brains

New research says young binge drinkers may be seriously damaging their brains.

Researcher Tim McQueeny, a doctoral student in the University of Cincinnati Department of Psychology, will present his findings in Atlanta this week at the 34th annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism.

In his study, high-resolution brain scans on a sample of 29 weekend binge drinkers aged 18 to 25 found that binge-drinking –- defined as consuming four or more drinks in one incident for females and five or more drinks for males -– was linked to cortical-thinning of the pre-frontal cortex, the section of the brain related to such "executive functions" as paying attention, planning and making decisions, processing emotions and controlling impulses leading to irrational behavior. McQueeny examined the gray matter -- parts of brain cells that do the thinking, receiving and transmitting of messages.

“We have seen evidence that binge drinking is associated with reduced integrity in the white matter, the brain’s highways that communicate neuron messaging, but alcohol may affect the gray matter differently than the white matter,” he says.

Researchers could see a relationship between gray matter thickness and binge drinking among college-aged young adults. They found that greater number of drinks per binge is associated with cortical thinning. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says 42% of young Americans ages 18 to 25 have engaged in binge drinking.

“Alcohol might be neurotoxic to the neuron cells, or, since the brain is developing in one’s 20s, it could be interacting with developmental factors and possibly altering the ways in which the brain is still growing,” he says.

The research was supported by a $300,000 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Warm weather/holiday cocktail suggestions

'Tis the summer, a time when the sun shines -- in between torrential downpours, birds making their seasonal visits flit among the trees, backyard chefs break out the grills, and PR people send out cocktail recipes featuring their clients' products.

Here is just a tiny sampling of suggestions I've received in the past few days, some aimed at the Fourth of July gatherings sure to be held, some just taking advantage of the quest for zippy, breezy warm-weather drinks. It should be obvious who sent what.

CAMARENA SPARKLER

¾ ounce Familia Camarena  Silver Tequila

2½ ounces Champagne or other sparkling wine

Fresh strawberry chunks

½ ounce agave nectar

Serve in a champagne flute. Pour in the agave nectar first, followed by the tequila. Top off with sparkling wine and garnish with fresh strawberries.

THE FIRECRACKER

1 part Hornitos Plata Tequila
¾ part blueberry syrup
½ part DeKuyper Pucker Raspberry Schnapps Imitation Liqueur
¼ part Campari
Dash of lime juice

Layer ingredients, as listed above, in shot glass. Drink and enjoy.

HELLFIRE

1 part Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
¼ of a fresh lime
1 part ginger beer
Pilsner beer or favorite lager

Squeeze quarter lime into beer glass. Fill with ice, then add Tabasco, rum and ginger beer. Top with beer.

LIBERTY SUMMER PUNCH

10 ounces Belvedere Vodka

15 ounces cranberry juice

2½ ounces lemon juice

3½ ounces Aperol

5 ounces orange juice

Dash of bitters

Dash of simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a jug and stir.
Garnish with slices of orange and lemon.

PINEAPPLE MARY

1½ ounces Belvedere Bloody Mary

3 ounces fres pineapple juice

¾ ounce fresh lime juice

2 bar spoon simple syrup

2 dashes orange bitters

1/8 bar spoon smoked paprika (hot)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake briskly, pour over fresh ice and garnish with a pineapple chunk.

CHANDON SPARKLING WINE GRANITE

1 750ml bottle of Chandon Brut Classic
1¾ cups simple syrup
1 cup sparkling water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl of plastic container, combine the sparkling wine, simple syrup, sparkling water and lemon juice. Stir thoroughly. Cover and place in freezer until solid, approximately 5 or 6 hours. To serve, simply use a spoon or fork to scrape the ice into a martini glass or any other small stemware or amuse bouche spoon.

THE BETSY ROSS

2 parts UV Cherry
1 part ginger ale

Serve on the rocks in a highball glass.

THE PATRIOT

3 parts UV Coconut

Serve on the rocks in a highball glass.

THE BOTTLE ROCKET

1 part UV Blue
2 parts lemon-lime soda

Serve on the rocks in a highball glass.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Limited-edition Laphroaig making U.S. debut

A coveted limited-edition, single-malt Scotch from Laphroaig is being introduced to the U.S. markets for the first time.

About 3,750 bottles of Càirdeas-Ileach Edition have been produced for select markets in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Washington, Minnesota and Texas as well as through the whiskymaker's Friends of Laphroaig website.

This year's expression is an eight-year-old matured in former Maker's Mark Bourbon barrels in the sea-level Dunnage Warehouse No. 1 on the Scottish island of Islay. All the barley in the whisky comes from floor maltings done at Laphroaig's distillery, one of only a few in Scotland to use the traditional method of spreading the grain on a floor to sprout and receive peat smoke.

Laphroaig Càirdeas-Ileach Edition, named for the annual Islay festival and bottled at 50.5% abv (101 proof), will sell for an estimated retail price of $60.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Reason 2,384 for having a drink after work

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

PA rejects alcohol price hikes

HARRISBURG, PA -- While neighboring Maryland just recently increased taxes on alcoholic beverages, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has extended a moratorium on retail price increases on wine and liquor.

The three-member regulatory panel voted unanimously to reject suppliers' requests for increases on about 400 of the more than 10,000 products sold in State Stores. 

Board Chairman P.J. Stapleton said retail prices have remained stable for more than a year.

Governor Gov. Tom Corbett, who is opposed to continued state monopoly on sales, has ordered  a study to determine the value of store licenses that would be auctioned off as part of the process of opening the field to commercial ventures.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Michigan legislature considers alcohol tax cut

LANSING, MI -- While legislatures in a number of states are looking for increased alcohol taxes to plug budget gaps, a bill is making its way through the Michigan legislative process to do just the opposite.

The bill would eliminate a 1.85% tax on sales of distilled spirits at off-site premises -- grocery stores and liquor stores -- and would result in a $14 million annual reduction in state revenue.

The state Senate passed the legislation without dissent on June 1. It now is being considered by the House. The bill would preserve a 12% tax surcharge already imposed on liquor sales.

A spokesman for Speaker of the House Jase Bolger said Bolger supports the bill "in concept," although "there are still questions about the budget impact."

Supporters describe the bill as a way to boost Michigan retailers and eliminate an extra tax on liquor sales that does not apply to sales at restaurants.

The bill does not specify how the lost revenue would be made up. The Legislature in May approved a balanced state budget for 2011-12.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Dry Fly offers new online-only spirits

SPOKANE, WA -- Dry Fly Distilling, a small-batch producer of vodka, gin and whiskey, has broadened its line by unveiling two more spirits, both available for online sale only.

The new Dry Fly Gin is infused with juniper, coriander, and local aromatics such as dried Fuji apple, lavender, mint and hops.

The new Dry Fly Washington Wheat Whiskey's 100% soft Washington winter wheat base softens the bite since it is aged for only two years in the wood.

Ordering details are available on the Dry Fly website.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

New beefeater gin a limited treat

Pernod Ricard UK has launched a limited edition expression of its famous Beefeater gin. But, you'd better have a UK conenction if you want to snare a bottle.

Beefeater London Market Gin was created by master distiller Desmond Payne, who says he was inspired by the original Beefeater London Gin recipe from the 1860s created by company founder James Burrough, who experimented with the exotic produce he found in London markets such as Covent Garden.

Payne took the same path by searching for new ingredients available in today's market stalls. The new recipe is lighter and fruitier than the standard Beefeater gin with the inclusion of pomegranate seeds, kaffir lime leaves and cardamom pods.

With over 40 years in the industry, Desmond Payne, says: "By using these exotic botanicals, I wanted to create a gin that captures the drinker's imagination, reminding them of all the colourful aromas, tastes and charm of London's bustling markets in the summertime," Payne said.

Beefeater London Market Gin now is available for a limited, yet unspecified, period for £17.99 (US$29).

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Wild Turkey latest to spread its wings

Visitors check out new distillery.

LAWRENCEBURG, KY -- If you've heard about the periodic, albeit brief, shortages of bourbon in some markets, you know the demand for the iconic American spirit continues to grow.

The latest expansion in the production process went on line this week with the dedication of the expanded distillery that  produces Wild Turkey. The new $50 million distillery will be able to produce twice as much bourbon as the old one.

Eddie Russell

Kentucky produces 95% of the world's bourbon and the spirit has become globally in demand.

"The export market is so great for us," said Associate Distiller Eddie Russell, "and bourbon has had a resurgence in the U.S., so it lets us be prepared for the next 20 to 30 years."

Maker's Mark is working on a $50 million expansion that will boost production by about 50% and expand bottling capacity at its operations near Loretto, KY. It plans to build 20-25 new warehouses needed for storing barrels of whiskey that will age at least six years.

Heaven Hill Distilleries Inc., whose brands include Evan Williams bourbon, added two storage warehouses earlier this year, boosting its capacity by about 40,000 barrels at a cost of about $5 million.

Also, several bourbon makers have expanded, or are expanding, visitors facilities as whiskey tourism continues to grow.

There now are more than 4.7 million barels of bourbon aging in warehouses across the state, the highest inventory since the early 1980s.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

It's official: Times pronounces pisco big stuff

It may not always be ahead of the curve when it comes to spotting drinking trends, but The New York Times always catches up. Its latest coverage of a delightful South American spirit, in today's edition, begins this way:

Pisco, the clear grape spirit of South America, is emerging from the mist of history and bringing rich freshness to cocktails. In New York and other cities, liquor stores and bars that carried no pisco a few years ago have several now and are adding more, making it the fastest-growing spirit in the country, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

The new piscos are a far cry from the famously rustic, hangover-inducing stuff that was previously available. Top-shelf piscos are being made for Peruvian connoisseurs, and these newer entries are feeding the growing export market, often with an assist from American expertise, passion and money.

"Pisco is not quite mainstream yet," said Julie Reiner, an owner of Lani Kai in Manhattan and Clover Club in Brooklyn, "but it is gaining traction as the public learns about it."

Peru leads the surge, with pisco exports to the United States having nearly doubled last year, according to Veritrade, an import consultancy.

The full NYT story is available here. And, to read my report posted last summer on the status of pisco and the famous Pisco Sour cocktail, go here.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

First 100% Islay whisky produced

William M. Dowd photo illustration

• This is part of "Gotta Have ...", a series of occasional postings on unusual spirits products.

The Kilchoman distillery, located on Scotland's Islay, on Thursday launched the first-ever 100% Islay-produced whisky. That means it was produced from barley grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled on-site.

The six-year-old Kilchoman likes "firsts." It is the first distillery to be built on Islay for 120 years.

"I set this project up because I wanted to do things slightly differently, and show the world we could produce a single malt where all the ingredients were produced locally," said Anthony Wills, founder and managing director.

The farm distillery produces about 100,000 liters (about 26,417 gallons) of alcohol annually. The Kilchoman 100% Islay spirit is matured in a combination of bourbon barrels from Buffalo Disttillery in Kentucky and Oloroso sherry butts from Miguel Martin in Jerez, Spain.

This will be a tough find. The limited edition release, at 50% abv (100 proof), is priced at £69 (US$112). A special edition, of which only 1,060 bottles are available, is presented in a hand-crafted American white oak presentation box at cask strength of 61.3% (122.6 proof). It is available only from the distillery, priced at £149 (US$241).

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Hip young drinkers rediscovering pulque

Pouring the pulque.

• From The Washington Post

MEXICO CITY -- The ancient booze of the Aztecs has been losing its buzz over the past century, the victim of changing tastes, slander — and beer.

But salvation may yet come for the slightly viscous, naturally fizzy fermented juice of the maguey cactus, still peddled over the counter from big glass jars in the mega-metropolis of Mexico City, where on a warm Saturday afternoon, hazy old-timers can be found slurping down plastic buckets of the brew in a place where you urinate down a hole in the corner.

Yes, what might still save pulque (pronounced pull-kay) from the cultural rubbish heap are not its traditional consumers — the poor, the old, the rural — but young urban hipsters who have taken to the antique drink as a kind of retro, subversive return to their pre-Colombian roots.

At the Pulqueria Las Duelistas in the shadow of the San Juan food market here -- where butchers skin pigs and where sweet baby goats lay on the tile in their pre-taco state -- a young crowd was packed inside, getting its Azteca on.

[Go here for the full story.]

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Sending a message in/on a bottle

If someone says "It's the liquor talking," they may be closer to the truth than they know when it comes to Medea brand vodka.

The company is peddling a $40 bottle of vodka containing an LED display activated by a four-button array that allows the consumer to program up to six messages of up to 255 characters each.

Medea says it's a conversation piece that will help you "unleash your inner poet, your inner philosopher, your inner flirt."

It's available at various spots around the country. A locater is available here.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Tennessee OKs spirits sampling

NASHVILLE, TN -- Tennessee has joined 42 other states in allowing the sampling of distilled spirits at restaurants, bars and liquor stores.

Governor Bill Haslam signed into law an amendment to state law that allows retail licensees to offer complimentary samples of the products it sells for tasting events held on their premises. It stipulates that such sampling is for sales, education and promotional purposes.

Tennessee is the eighth state to pass such legislation allowing liquor tastings since 2009.

According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS), in 2010, four states passed liquor sampling bills: Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia and California.

Earlier this year, the state of Washington established a pilot project for 30 state liquor stores to hold at least six tastings events throughout the year. Vermont and Maine passed spirits tasting legislation in 2009.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

QEII enjoys a casual cocktail

Queen Elizabeth II at her ease

Most people are used to seeing Queen Elizabeth II dressed to the nines in matching hat, coat and dress, clutching a coordinating purse and giving the Royal Wave to her subjects.

So, it's interesting to seeing her enjoying a casual lunch -- accompanied by a Dubonnet-and-gin -- while clad in casual attire during an outing on the royal family's Balmoral estate in Scotland.

For those unenlightened commoners unfamiliar with Dubonnet, it is a wine-based aperitif popular in Europe and with steady sales in the U.S.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Russia's White Gold Vodka turning black

Travelers who like hitting the duty free shops for some last-second alcohol buys will be getting another choice. White Gold Company, a Russian producer of alcoholic beverages, is moving its lineup of products into shops worldwide.

The company plans to export its main brands such as White Gold, White Gold Black Edition, Russian Gold and Gzhelka. The Black Edition in particular has stirred interest among nightclubd and trend-conscious bar owners.

Like the White Gold Premium, it contains an extract of a ginseng root, and comes in a bottle with an elongated neck and a poly-laminate cap to protect products from being counterfeited. (Crimestopper's Big Hint: It says 'White Gold" in English.)

The Black Edition comes in a matte black, limited edition bottle designed mainly for sales in the aforementioned business. Of course, duty free shops aren't the only places to get the White Gold line. It already is being exported to the U.S. and 17 other countries, most of them in the former USSR.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

HPNOTIQ's new offshoot no shy violet

Chalk up another entry in the "Why Do They Spell It That Way?" column.

HPNOTIQ, the liqueur from Heaven Hill Distilleries, is in the midst of a nationwide launch of a new version, called Harmonie. It is a mixture of French vodka, natural fruits, flowers, and Cognac, which results in a violet color compared to HPNOTIQ's vivid blue hue. The distiller recommends it as a cocktail ingredient, although it's not bad straight on the rocks.

Suggested retail price: $22.99 for the 750ml size. Also available in 1 Liter, 375ml, and 50ml sizes.

Heaven Hill Distilleries knows a thing or two about liquers/apertitifs. Included in its portolio are PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur and Dubonnet.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

2 new blends from Famous Grouse

The Famous Grouse has introduced two new whisky blends -- one a rare bird, the other a plucked version.

The first is The Snow Grouse, being marketed as the first Scotch whisky specially created to be served straight from the freezer. It is a blended grain whisky matured in oak casks before being chill filtered. The suggested UK retail price is £17.49, which translates into about US$28.

The second new blend, The Naked Grouse, is a blend matured in first-fill sweet sherry casks. Suggested UK retail price is £27.69, or about US$45.

No word yet on when the new blends will be released to the U.S. market.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Tullamore building new visitor center

Manager D.E. Williams' name was the basis for the "dew" in the brand.

TULLAMORE, Ireland -- Since new owner William Grant and Sons took over Tullamore Dew, not all the changes are behind the scenes.

The decade-old Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre is to be upgraded as part of the company's aim of making it a major tourist attraction in the Midlands.

The original center was opened in the old bonded distillery warehouse in 2000 as a joint venture between C&C -- which then owned the brand, and the tourism support service Fáilte Ireland.

The new center will include an interactive Tullamore Dew history, a whiskey tour and expert tasting sessions. The company hopes it will be completed in time for peak tourist season in 2012 and attract 40,000 visitors annually.

Tullamore Dew is the second largest selling Irish whiskey in the world, behind Jameson's. It was purchased by William Grant and Sons last year. The distillery was founded in 1829 by Michael Molloy in County Offaly.

Contrary to popular belief, the "dew" in Tullamore Dew isn't totally an homage to Irish moisture. The initials of Daniel E. Williams, the distillery's general manager in the late 1800s, were used as the brand of whiskey he created.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Celebri-quote: Barbara Marx Sinatra

Barbara and Frank

• Frank Sinatra was known for his non-stop partying and legendary drinking bouts. However. some of that was a faced, according to his last wife, Barbara Marx Sinatra. This is excerpted from her new book, "Lady Blue Eyes: My Life With Frank Sinatra," published by Hutchinson.

"Those who drank and stayed up till the early hours -- Bill Holden, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Glenn Ford and Orson Welles -- were part of his in-crowd. Those who preferred a more staid lifestyle -- such as Tony Bennett, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby and Henry Fonda -- were seldom invited, though Frank would often turn up at their places for breakfast at sunrise.

"When we went out, Frank almost always picked up the tab. He couldn't have cared less about money, and spent cash like a drunken sailor, giving $100 tips to busboys and waitresses.

"He was rarely drunk, and would order a Jack Daniel's on the rocks, take a sip or two, abandon it, then call the waiter to 'Bring another round.'

"He carried on like that all evening, completely in charge of his faculties while everyone else got smashed. Meanwhile, he was flirting with every female, but so discreetly that only the women noticed."


[Go here for more Celebri-quotes.]

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Aperitifs making impact in U.S.

A popular aperitif label.

• From The New York Times

NEW YORK --  Northern Spy Food Co. had a drinking problem. The farm-to-table restaurant in the East Village had a beer and wine license but wanted to serve cocktails. An additional license for spirits was needed, but Community Board 3 refused the request.

Then a friend, the mixologist Erick Castro, spied a creative opening, right between wine and spirits: aperitifs.

Because many of these classic, bitter before-dinner drinks are wine-based, they could be poured legally. Mr. Castro stocked the drink menu with a selection of Italian and French aperitifs, as well as a few sherry-, vermouth- and apertif-based cocktails, including the Spy Cup, a bracing blend of Dubonnet, ginger wine and two kinds of vermouth.

Mr. Castro had plenty of material to work with. Not in years has such a rich selection of classic aperitifs been available in the United States. Thanks to the work of a few adventurous importers, a slew of little-known European aperitifs has recently reached these shores.

[Go here for the full story.]

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.