Drinks

Kona Brewing Koko Brown - Beer of the Week

by Joshua M. Bernstein, Posted Mar 14th 2011 @ 5:00PM

Kona Brewing's Koko Brown Photo: Kona Brewing

When I was a kid, I had a very curious sweet tooth. Sure, I adored a cold Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, but I mainly took my sugary pleasure from offbeat, second-tier candy bars such as the nut-stuffed Mr. Goodbar, crunchy Krackel and those twin coconut treats, Mounds and Almond Joy.

Yet my sweet tooth has waned over the years, replaced by a yen for scrumptious suds. These days, I get my kicks from inky stouts and bitter IPAs, leaving candy bars to kids -- and my girlfriend. But last week, one sip of Hawaii-based Kona Brewing's Koko Brown took me back to eating an Almond Joy in third grade. The brown ale's roasty, biscuit-like flavors were complemented by a tidal wave of nutty toasted coconut. Instead of overwhelming the tongue, Koko drank featherlight. What a delight.

Filed under: Drinks

Bison Brewing Organic Chocolate Stout: Beer of the Week

COMMENTS 1

by Joshua M. Bernstein, Posted Mar 8th 2011 @ 5:00PM

Bison Brewing Organic Chocolate Stout Photo: john holzer, Flickr

Each year, right around Valentine's Day, my friends Emily and Matt host an aphrodisiac dinner party. I know what you're thinking. Heck, I did too. However, instead of beneath-the-table hanky-panky, the dinner focuses squarely on sensual foods such as avocados, bananas and chocolate.

Thus, my contribution to this year's feast was a no-brainer: a couple bottles of chocolate stout, courtesy of California's circa-1989 Bison Brewing. Since going organic in the early 2000s, Berkeley-based Bison has turned out some of the nation's tastiest all-natural brews. The brewery's hits include the Honey Basil Ale (a tasty mate for Thai curries); the nutmeg- and cinnamon-spiked Gingerbread porter; and the charged-up Imperial Brown Ale.

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Nutritional Labels for Booze?

COMMENTS 11

by Clare Leschin-Hoar, Posted Mar 7th 2011 @ 4:00PM

Nutrition label on a beer bottle Photo: reivax, Flickr

Some chatter over at The Soapbox caught our eye. Should boozy beverages sport nutritional labeling? It's a topic federal regulators have been reviewing and one that's been brewing since 2003.

Current labeling regulations are complex. Wine, beer and liquor producers are not required to list actual ingredients on the label, but must list items like sulfites or FD&C Yellow No. 5 for consumers who are sensitive. Whether or not nutritional information like calories, carbohydrates and serving size should be added to labels is up for discussion, but Tom Hogue, spokesman for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) told USA Today that it's unclear when federal officials might make a decision.

"I hear echos of the topic, but I don't think it will become a government mandate," says Rob Cooper, president and founder of St-Germain/Cooper Spirits Company. "There are already a lot of regulations surrounding alcohol. You have to go through the TTB formal approval process to ensure consumers are getting a safe product. It's not the Wild West. You can't just do what you want. They're strict about the ingredients."

And besides, adds Cooper, "Alcohol is not a critical component of ones sustenance. It's for recreational use. Who cares if it's good for you?"

He's got a point.

Filed under: Food Politics, Drinks

The 10 Worst Bartending Mistakes

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Mar 5th 2011 @ 12:00PM

at home bar Photo: ImipolexG, Flickr

Be honest: How long has that bottle of vermouth been in your cupboard? If it's more than 30 days, that's a big bartending fail. And -- surprise -- so is keeping limes in the fridge. What else are you doing wrong when you're making cocktails at home? YumSugar's Susannah Chen asked legendary bartender Tony Abou-Ganim for the 10 most common at-home bartending mistakes. How many are you guilty of?

Get the whole list at YumSugar.com

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Torrontes - Wine of the Week

COMMENTS 1

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Mar 3rd 2011 @ 5:00PM

Torrontes white wine grapes in Argentina Photo: Alamy

Torrontés is Argentina's most well-known white-wine grape. But its status among most Americans is still relatively obscure. Which is too bad because not only is it affordable but the wine offers fresh and aromatic notes, and an approchable body with ripe citrus flavors.

The majority of Torrontés wines come from six provinces in Argentina (including Mendoza) but you may also find a Chilean bottle, as the grapes are also grown in Chile, although in smaller quantities and mostly for producing Pisco. As the wine is youthful and fresh, ideal food pairings include seafood or chicken dishes, and cheeses that are categorized as mild or medium (hold the sharp Cheddar or blue cheese). Spicy foods with Thai roots would be a smart match too.

We recently sipped through a flight of Torrontés. We've got our four favorites after the jump.

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Target's Surprising Commitment to High-End Coffee

COMMENTS 13

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Mar 2nd 2011 @ 4:00PM

coffee beans Photo: Getty Images

Everyone knows that Target is ground zero for everyday sundries like laundry soap, cat food, and hairspray. But did you know that the mammoth Minneapolis-based retailer stocks some of the best coffee in the world?

In 2006, Target -- which has 1,752 locations in 49 states (Vermont is the only state without a Target store) -- began buying up coffee from micro-batches with Cup of Excellence designation.

What's "Cup of Excellence?" It's the top award given to coffee beans -- the equivalent of a Grammy or an Oscar for the coffee industry. A panel of judges conduct cuppings (coffee-speak for tasting) a total of five times during the competition, which is hosted in the country of origin.

Coffee farms in nine different countries participate: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Rwanda. The winner's coffee is then sold to the highest bidder during an online auction -- and ultimately brought to coffee drinkers in the United States.

Last year Target bought beans from five Cup of Excellence winners, including the winner from Colombia. Currently Target is selling coffee from the Cup of Excellence 2009 winner (Flor de Mayo) in Bolivia, with farmer Pedro Castro Conurana at the helm. But you might never notice, because it's packaged under the store's in-house label, Archer Farms. To find it, search for the 10-ounce bags (or tins) of Archer Farm coffee beans marked "Cup of Excellence." The best part? The price: Only $15 for a 10-ounce tin of whole beans. You'll have to shop in person, though -- the coffee isn't available online.

Get great coffee recipes from our sister site, Kitchen Daily.

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Can a Jug Wine Be Any Good?

COMMENTS 2

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Mar 2nd 2011 @ 3:00PM

Photo: K&L Wines

Many of us first encountered jug wine in college -- the cheap, headache-inducing stuff was to quality wine what PBR is to beer. But things have changed.

A new jug wine has surfaced, and it's legit. Sherman and Hooker's Shebang! red-wine blend is the brainchild of Morgan Twain-Peterson (founder/owner of Bedrock Wine Co. and son of Joel Peterson, who is the founder of Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma, which makes killer Zins). Now in its third release, the grape varietals used, and the composition of each, changes with each vintage.

At $16 for a 1-liter bottle -- the relatively high price tag speaks for its quality -- the screw-top wine is a blend of red-wine grapes (Syrah, Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel) as well as small splashes of white-wine grapes (Roussanne, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc), sourced from esteemed Sonoma regions like Rockpile and Bradford Mountain. So go ahead and drink it with your old college buddies. They won't laugh -- we promise.

Are you handy? The minds over at Engadget will show you how to transform old wine jugs into a surround-sound system.

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Soda Raises Blood Pressure: New Study

COMMENTS 1

by Jason Best, Posted Mar 1st 2011 @ 4:00PM

soda bottles Photo: Julep67, Flickr

Will there come a time when buying a case of soda will inspire the same nagging sense of guilt that skulking into your local c-store for a pack of cigarettes causes today?

It may sounds farfetched, but a strangely familiar script seems to be playing itself out as a multibillion-dollar American industry (soda makers) finds itself put on the defensive by a barrage of disquieting health news.

The latest story? As NPR reports, a new study conducted by researchers in Britain finds that drinking more than one soda or other sugar-sweetened beverage per day increases your blood pressure, and the more you drink, the higher it goes.

Filed under: Health & Medical, Drinks

Red Wines for Winter - Wine of the Week

COMMENTS 1

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Feb 25th 2011 @ 4:00PM

red wine choices for winter Photo: Mike Johnson, TheBusyBrain.com

It's been said time and time again that red wines are appropriate for the cooler months. I agree with this statement, so I'll take it one step further and point out that fruit-forward, oaky and full-bodied reds are also the perfect match for winter stews and soups; braised meats; curries and winter's comfort foods (hello, mac and cheese and sweet-potato casserole!).

Here are six red wines to look for the next time conditions drop below freezing.

Clautiere Vineyard 2004 "Mon Beau Rouge," Paso Robles, California ($29)
There's an incredible amount of richness and complexity in this wine, containing soft notes of blackberries and raspberries, with some cherries thrown in too. The jammy and fruit-forward wine is a blend of 50% Syrah, 20% Counoise, 20% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache. Traces of coffee and cocoa introduce a bit of sweetness; if you have a slice of cheesecake lying around, or are itching to bake one, this would be the wine to drink it with.

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Classic Hollywood Cocktails

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by the Editors at Liquor.com, Posted Feb 25th 2011 @ 1:00PM

Photo Courtesy of Liquor.com

Care for a Black Swan Cosmo or a True Grit Martini? Umm....we'll pass. Around this time every year, bars and restaurants create some pretty corny Oscar-inspired cocktails. Rather than trying to invent a drink based -- we shudder to think -- on 127 Hours, we've come up with a list of classics and modern classics that honor Hollywood's golden age. Mix one up this Sunday during the Academy Awards ceremony and you'll have fun no matter who wins.

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