"idaho" news and stories

A weekly look at the draft selections in beer-friendly bars across the country.

The website for Boise, Idaho's Bittercreek Alehouse is JustEatLocal.com, and it's not just a catchy URL. The bar has been around since 1995 and has always striven to offer the best craft beers, but about two years ago, it underwent some even bigger changes.

Bittercreek not only cut out wine, but all of their domestic bottled beers as well. "We've been really trying to cut down our waste," says bartender and 7-year Alehouse vet, Tate McCullough. "We had so many bottles, recyclers couldn't keep up." The owners realized that by only offering beers on tap, they could cut their glass waste dramatically.

One of the primary themes of the craft beer scene is keeping an eye towards conservation and local consumption, a lesson this establishment has focused on for years now. Of their 39 draft lines, all of them are regional, and outsiders might be surprised to learn that 12 of those brews are from right inside the Idaho state borders. "Our primary goal was to pump all of our money back into the Northwestern economy," McCullough explained.

Read on about Bittercreek Alehouse and find its recent draft list, after the jump.

I never knew that fifteen states still charge tax on groceries. No wonder the piggy banks of Americans are getting so skinny. Here in NY there has been no tax on most groceries as far back as I can remember. Well it looks like that is finally starting to change. Tennessee, Mississippi and a few other states want to drop the grocery sales tax after three other states did so last year.

Some states say they can't drop the tax at this time but are looking at other options. Wyoming recently put a temporary 2-year hold on its grocery tax in 2006 after the state experienced a $1 billion budget surplus. Their lawmakers are now considering making this permanent.

Idaho Governor Otter said that his state cannot afford to do away with the 5 percent food sales tax, (which brings the state $180 million in revenue each year) but he plans to introduce a program to allow low-income families to deduct $90 from their state income taxes as compensation. that's not a fortune, but it still helps. Working on the situation are Utah and South Carolina which lowered their food sales taxes to one point less than the state taxes on other items.

Now it's time for the rest of the states to jump on board and start dropping the grocery sales tax. That way Americans can try to make their poor, skinny, piggy banks plump up a bit.

Source

44°North Vodka ($29) is an ultra-premium vodka made in Idaho using - what else - Idaho potatoes as part of its distillation process. The 70-proof spirit is flavored with huckleberries, which give the vodka a grapey, blueberry flavor that is quite addictive, though the thing that sets it apart (aside from the sexy bottle) from other vodkas is its quality. It is incredibly smooth and well-balanced, a perfect sipping vodka when chilled.

Of course, a vodka that is good on its own is also good in drinks. And, all things considered, it might be for the best that not too many bars in my area stock this. 

My general philosophy on drinks is that simpler is better. Hence, this drink is a slightly more precise version of one of the vodka-maker's standard recipes and really only requires two ingredients, though it can be tarted up with a twist of lime, if so desired. I've noticed that my martini glasses are on the large side, so this drink is formulated to make a 5-ounce drink. If, for some reason, your martini glass can't handle it than you'll have to treat the bartender to the leftovers before you serve the drink.

44°North Boise Metropolitan
2 ounces 44°North vodka
3 ounces cranberry juice
twist of lime (optional)

Combine vodka and cranberry juice in a shaker filled with ice, shake and strain into a martini glass. Add a twist of lime for extra punch.

Why this story hasn't gotten more coverage is beyond me. Global produce news site FreshPlaza recently reported on the incarceration of Spuddy Buddy, the official mascot of Idaho potatoes, during a trade mission to Mexico. "His paperwork was not complete," the article says. Discussions between Mexican officials and the Idaho governor and trade officials ensued and Spuddy was eventually released from prison and granted a 48-hour pass of some sort. The newly-liberated tuber then joined up with his cohorts, including Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, for cooking demonstrations and a visit to one of Mexico's most popular supermarkets. Strangely enough, The Spuddy Buddy Fan Club says nothing of this incident.

[Photo: Idaho Governor's Missions]