Gear Patrol

Need more Dave Matthews in your life? How about on your table, in a carafe or by the bottle? Then you’re in luck, because the jam master himself has teamed up with famed winemaker Steve Reeder to craft a collection of wine designed specifically crafted to be drunk — not just another celebrity collaboration. Named…

Fresh on the heels of your last thought about a reason to imbibe comes

As the first in their upcoming Valhalla Collection, Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled their newest whisky. The name: Thor, and no it’s not a mis-timed marketing ploy starring a well-imbibed Chris Hemsworth. Whether you’re a comic book fan or just love your single malt (better yet, both), Thor packs a powerful punch,…

Beer lovers, we live in fortunate times. The craft brewing revolution is in full swing in America, from Seattle to South Beach. But while most craft beer makers are “micro” in every sense of the word, there’s one with a long history and the capacity to make its beer available coast to coast: Leinenkugel’s. Sure,…

Whether you treat your body like a temple or a trashcan, it never hurts when something you already enjoy gets a little bit better for you. Red Bull Total Zero is the company’s newest addition to their energetic lineup, boasting zero calories, carbs, and sugars, all while still maintaining its wing-bequeathing powers. Meaning that the…

Add kick and a little heat to your dirty vodka martini or bloody mary with a splash of 75 proof Stolichnaya’s “Hot” flavored vodka. Vodka-enthusiasts may be more familiar with this fiery jalapeno-infused liquor back when it was known as Stoli Pertsovka. Pertsovka is actually the general Russian term for pepper-flavored vodka, and all that’s…

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…

There’s nothing like the great outdoors, and for your money, that first cup of coffee on a cool wilderness morning is as good as it gets. But such serenity is easily undermined by a flat, bitter cup of instant coffee. Your delicate French press doesn’t really fit in the woods, but that shouldn’t keep you…

In addition to its flagship offering, the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, KY produces some of our favorite bourbons, including Eagle Rare, Rock Hill Farms and Elmer T. Lee ($28). The latter is a small batch, single barrel bourbon that’s named for the former Master Distiller at Buffalo Trace. Mr. Lee created this bourbon with…

Samuel Adams is best known for its Boston Lager, but with a slew of other great beers – the Boston Ale and Black Lager come to mind – the brand has transitioned from craft brew darling to international powerhouse. That said, they keep the craft and innovation alive with releases like the Single Batch Series….

Europe makes some seriously good gin, but with so many great gins produced stateside these days, why venture outside the cozy confines of America? Hailing from Lake Bluff, Illinois, North Shore Distillery makes a range of products, including a vodka and absinthe. But it’s the Distiller’s Gin No. 6 ($32) that’s really gotten our attention….

In hindsight, it completely makes sense that craft brewers like video games. In fact, what guy doesn’t like beer and video games (you productive types don’t count). To that end, Kansas’ Tallgrass Brewing Company, known for packaging their entire selection of beer in 1 PINT aluminum cans, has released 8-Bit Pale Ale. Based on customer…

After just two years in business, Upslope Brewing Company is releasing the Foreign Style Stout, their first limited release specialty ale. Located and expanding in the North Boulder area, this budding brewery was founded by three outdoor adventure lovers who enjoy chilled, fizzling hops in between camping, rafting, and mountain biking trips. With only 200…

While we appreciate the growing craft beer movement and the art of a perfectly poured pint, we can’t ignore our do-it-yourself instincts. But before we turn the guest room into a rogue brewery, we’ll take some advice from avid home brewer, Matthew Schaefer. His new book, The Illustrated Guide to Brewing Beer ($15), is the…

It’s been 20 years since Knob Creek shipped its first batch of bourbon. Back in 1992, terms like “small batch bourbon” and “super-premium” didn’t exist. Knob Creek was instrumental in creating this category, which has since been embraced by numerous brands and millions of whiskey drinkers. And now, after 20 years of success and last…

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…

Redbreast, makers of our favorite pure pot still Irish whiskey, recently launched Redbreast 12 Cask Strength ($65). The new whiskey begins its life as regular Redbreast 12-Year, but instead of being filtered and diluted with water to bring down the proof, the Cask Strength version goes straight into the bottle at a potent 57.7% alcohol…

While most drinkers look to the islands for their rum fix, good things are coming out of Guatemala, like Ron Zacapa XO ($50), a delicious blend of rums aged six to 25 years old. Most rums are distilled from molasses, but Zacapa is produced from first pressed sugar cane juice at its Guatemalan distillery. Once…

Woodford Reserve has put out a handful of interesting whiskeys of late, including the New and Aged Cask Ryes and, coming this March, its Double Oaked Bourbon ($50). While the former spirits are part of Woodford’s Master’s Collection and therefore available for a limited time, Double Oaked is an extension of the brand’s permanent lineup….

Reading cocktail books and bartender manuals usually does the trick when mixing drinks at home. But nothing beats a step-by-step video from cocktail expert Simon Ford. Simon recently partnered with Liquor.com to create a series of how-to cocktail videos. Click below for a walk-through guide to crafting three time-honored drinks — the classic Martini, James…

Philadelphia-based La Colombe Torrefaction has already captured the hearts of the coffee community and it looks like the charitable clique is next. Their new Lyon coffee ($13) is the result of an alliance with Mr. Amsterdam Vallon himself. 100% of all Lyon sale’s profits will go to the Leonardo DiCaprio foundation, which supports a variety…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

El Tesoro Tequila has been produced for more than 70 years, and the family behind the label has been making our favorite Mexican import for more than 200 years. So it’s safe to assume they know a thing or two about tequila. As the third generation master distiller of El Tesoro, Carlos Camarena is charged…