Layering down the party
Having a product made by Dutch entrepreneurs that’s seemingly named by Spaniards makes almost no sense, but then again, what do you expect when dealing with a machine made explicitly to shock and amaze booze drinkers? The LayerNation El Tirador (Spanish for “the shooter”) is a drink dispenser whose power lies in its ability to [...]
Brooklyn Born
We’re suckers for good gin, so when one pops up in our backyard, we uncap some vermouth and chill our martini glasses. Greenhook Ginsmiths American Dry Gin ($30) is a new product from the Greenhook Ginsmiths Distillery in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Led by ginsmith Steven DeAngelo, the distillery utilizes a vacuum method that lowers the atmospheric [...]
Starting relief pitcher
With spring in the air, the NHL already in playoff mode and the NBA’s second season about to start, there are a number of reasons to have the boys over for a beer. The Ice Core Beer Pitcher ($13) is a simple accessory that ensures your suds will stay ice cold, out on the patio [...]
Jailbreak your beer
Even with the current renaissance of commercial craft brewing, many of us still feel the need to tinker or create our own. Sure this stout is fantastic, but what if I added some espresso beans? Leave it to a Gear Patrol staff and reader favorite, Dogfish Head, to devise an easy and low-cost solution. The [...]
Tanin Toter
Leave it to the French to create a better way to schlep wine from chateau to chateau. Wrapped-up in its hexagon tote form, the Zebag can hold and insulate six bottles securely. When not on the move, the carrier can unroll into “bar mode”, functioning as an 11 bottle rack, or simply hang in a [...]
Booze without borders
The Loll Designs Wallbanger is essentially an outdoor version of the Urbancase Emergency Cocktail Station we highlighted back in August of 2011 — sold for roughly half the price. Urbancase designer Darin Montgomery worked with the modern outdoor furniture manufacturer on the Wallbanger, named after the famous 1950′s mixed drink invented by Duke Antone, to [...]
Mobile Moonshine
For the moonshiner on the go — or if you just happen to recently score a crate of Mason Jars at the local flea — may we introduce to you the Cuppow. A collaborative project from the business incubator, Fringe Union, the Cuppow provides a watertight, BPA free top turning the canning jar of your [...]
Rack Opinion
Can a key rack inspire lust? It might if it comes from the Joshua Tree, CA shop of J.L. Lawson & Co. Applying three generations of machining knowhow, father and son duo Floyd Lawson and son Anthony have created an impressive collection of small steel goods and accessories. Their latest creation, The Rack ($58), might [...]
Shot Class
For some strange reason, bar tools have consistently remained the lone torch carrier for Art Deco styling, long after the movement’s influences faded from architecture, cars, and graphic design. The 18/8 stainless steel Bullet Cocktail Shaker by Metrokane ($20) epitomizes this trend better than most and should up the caliber of your next home soiree, [...]
Receptacles for do-it-yourself aging
Used whiskey barrels are a hot commodity in the spirits market. Reposado and Anejo tequilas and many Scotches age their products in used whiskey barrels, which impart softer flavors and aromas than new casks. But even if you’re not buying barrels for a full-scale spirits operation, don’t let that stop you from procuring one for [...]
Mixology 101
New York’s famed Please Don’t Tell nails the hidden speakeasy vibe like few other establishments in the city. For example, gaining access to the snug cocktail lounge requires patrons to find the hidden entrance located behind the vintage phone booth in the attached hot dog joint Crif Dogs. Jim Meehan’s inventiveness behind the bar, however, [...]
The closest you'll get to drinking with Shackleton
The Alfred Dunhill antarctic whisky cabinet is a soon-to-be heirloom that any fan of fine booze and craftsmanship can appreciate — even if few on this earth could ever afford such an extravagance. The three bottles included in this set are faithful replications of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky from the 1907. In case [...]
Hipster
Scotch must have been invented for autumn. Whether you’re warding off the chill on a Saturday afternoon in the bleachers, recounting adventures around a campfire or rewarding yourself for an afternoon of splitting wood, nothing warms the soul (and the belly) like a good single malt. And there’s no better way to drink it than [...]
Cheers Without Fear
The days of housing tequila on a Friday night may be in your taillights, but these Nesting Steel Shot Cups ($32) are still a great-looking alternative compared to typical jiggers. Sets of four 24 gauge 1008 cold rolled steel cups are available in slate gray teflon or nickel-plated finishes, and all are made in the [...]
Waste Not, Want One
Pistachios, olives… Jolly Ranchers — all three offer great snacks for guests to munch on, but what about those irksome shells, pits and wrappers? Designed by Joseph Joseph, the Double Dish ($18) is a brilliantly simple concept: a normal bowl atop a curved bowl, which offers an out-of-sight repository for snack debris until it’s time [...]
