Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Proof yourself worthy

Think you know a thing or two about malted barley mash, pot-distilled in Scotland? Well, the Proof Whiskey Tasting Game is the perfect social arena for strutting your palette skills against other Single Malt connoisseurs (or newbies). Accessing the free game simply involves pointing a web browser to the Proof Web App. While it’s been [...]

West Meets East

After 25 years as one of the world’s leading gin brands, Bombay Sapphire has finally introduced a new extension to the line, dubbed Bombay Sapphire East ($32) (42% ABV). Adding “East” to the name may seem a bit redundant given the Bombay branding, but the spirit has always been officially classified as a London Dry [...]

Get it before it’s gone

Always advocates for more beer, we’re happy to welcome Newcastle Founders’ Ale to the U.S. market. The new brew – which pays homage to Newcastle’s five founding breweries – is part of Newcastle’s Limited Edition series, which also includes Summer Ale, Werewolf and Winter IPA. Newcastle Founders’ Ale ($9) is a full-bodied, easy-drinking beer with [...]

Help bring this Irish spirit upstart, stateside

Poitín is essentially the traditional Irish equivalent to moonshine and holds a reputation for being one of the strongest spirits in the world, thanks to its 60%-95% ABV. Its Gaelic name references the small copper pots used in its distillation and the booze is commonly found throughout homes on the Emerald Isle. Poitín is in [...]

Whiskey fit for a president

Maybe it’s just our nature to root for the little guy, but man, we sure love small batch bourbons. The industry giants put out some fine products, but it’s the smaller players that take up most of the space on our home bars. Like Jefferson’s ($30), a very small batch, hand-crafted and Kentucky-bred bourbon. Jefferson’s [...]

A better brew from Brooklyn

Kickstand started back in 2010 out of a shared passion for sustainably grown coffee and cycling. Founders Neal Olson, Aaron Davis, Peter Castelein and Benjamin Schleif mixed the two loves by biking their cold brew serving “mobile coffee stand” to various NYC outdoor markets, and they haven’t looked back since. The group’s success stems from [...]

The second coming

The Glenrothes Whisky’s vintage release program brings some very interesting drams to market, including the 1985 Vintage ($110). This whisky was laid down in barrels in 1985 and first bottled in 1997 as a 12-year old expression. It was a hit, so the company decided to age those original whisky stocks even longer and bottle [...]

Im-press-ive

Compared to standard drip methods, the French Press (or cafetiére as it’s known in the rest of the world) does an excellent job of brewing a great tasting cup of coffee. But it isn’t perfect. In fact, many java-elitest feel the process results in overextraction and dislike that used grounds often wind up thwarting the [...]

Compare and Contrast

Winter is a harbinger of many things to many people. For bourbon fans, the coming of the cold signifies a time when some of the most respected brands in the industry release rare and specialized spirits to delight the booze-enthusiast. This year’s Master’s Collection from Woodford reserve is a curve ball of sorts, since it [...]

Give the gift of drink

The holidays are quickly approaching, which means you probably haven’t started shopping yet. No worries. At least one of your friends is likely a heavy drinker libations connoisseur, so we rounded up some of our favorite products sure to satisfy even the most discerning drinker. Check below for gift ideas, and remember –- it’s best [...]

Getting in the holiday spirits

The holidays, scenario one: a time for feasting, enjoying the company of family and friends and exchanging gifts. That’s reason enough to clink glasses. The holidays, scenario two: a time for stress, empty wallets and judgmental in-laws. That’s even more reason to knock back a few drinks. Whichever circumstances best describe your impending holidays, we’ve [...]

Canned craftsmanship

These days, craft beer is all the rage. And gaining more momentum seemingly every day is the canned beer revolution, in which many craft beers are eschewing bottles for cans. One of our favorite in-can libations is Bengali Tiger IPA from Brooklyn-based Sixpoint Craft Ales. Unlike some overly-hopped, bitingly bitter India Pale Ales, Sixpoint’s Bengali [...]

The morning after

Despite what folks in LA and NYC may feel about owning the brunch scene when it comes to celebrity and style, the South created the blueprint for leisurely booze-fueld Sundays since long before the days of Mark Twain. Charleston Bloody Mary Mix ($10) captures that time honored tradition in a convenient bottle. Born out of [...]

It's not your grandfather's gin

One of the most exciting product categories of recent years is New American gin. Eschewing the juniper-driven backbones of London Dry style gins like Seagrams and Beefeater, New American gins encompass a broader range of botanicals, which leads to unique combinations of flavors and aromas. One such gin is No. 209 ($35), distilled at San [...]

A whisky-soaked punch in the mouth

Compass Box Whisky Company is a specialty Scotch whisky maker that, since forming in 2000, has made a big splash in the boutique whisky market. American John Glaser is the man behind the label, and his experimentation with unconventional malt combinations and oak maturation have resulted in some very interesting drams. From its core range, [...]