THE MICHELADA
We LUPEC ladies are typically content to leave all things beer to the guys over at beer advocate. Despite this, we do have a few beer cocktails up our sleeves, such as the Chelada and Michelada, which happen to be ideal for summer sipping. These beer drinks were born in... Read More
SWELL BOOK AND RANDEL
“O where hae ye been, Lord Randall, my boon?O where hae ye been; so wan hae ye groon?”“I’ve been to yon vineyard; mother make my bed soon,For I’m weary o’ pinot, and fain would lie doon.” “I’ll plant the mourvèdre, and will dolcetto proon,And I’ll pick them both by the... Read More
SICILIAN WINE PRODUCERS
In the spring of 2O1O, I attended four events, Sicilia en Primeur and Le Contrade dell’Etna, both in Sicily, and Vinitaly and VinoVinoVino 2O1O, both in the Veneto. During these visits, I came to understand some of the current issues challenging Sicilian wine producers. These are the likely emergence of... Read More
PROFILE: BREW MASTER WILL MEYERS
Alongside a swinging door to the kitchen, sacks of malt are stacked up on pallets. Collectively, the piles could easily serve as a retaining wall, of sorts, if it weren’t for one thing: bag by bag, the heap will quickly be depleted within the week, leaving an empty space where... Read More
KEGLETS/KEGS
I’m a big fan of draft beer in the summer. The advantages are clear: less handling, usually less expensive, more environmentally friendly, and as lots of folks will tell you, it’s usually how brewers meant the beer to be poured. I like having draft at all our family gatherings: it... Read More
THE YEAR IN BEER REVIEW
If you read the end of the year reports for any major beer producer, the song remains the same: 2OO9 was a challenging and complicated year in the beer industry, stemming from a depressed economic environment, tightening credit markets and continuing cost pressures. Overall, beer sales in the United States... Read More
CRYSTAL HEAD HITS THE 1,OOO,OOO BOTTLE MARK
Dan Akroyd certainly has reason to celebrate. His Crystal Head Vodka brand recently produced its on one-millionth bottle. Created by Aykroyd and American landscape artist and portraitist John Alexander, this vodka is quadruple-distilled and triple-filtered through Herkimer diamond crystals. Made from water from a deep aquifer in Newfoundland, Canada, it... Read More
FOREIGN MARKETS A BOON FOR PERNOD RICARD
If the Asian market is any indication, things could be looking up for the spirits industry. Drinks company Pernod Ricard has raised its forecast for full-year earnings after reporting better-than-expected sales in its third quarter, thanks to strong demand for premium Cognac in China and an improvement in US demand.... Read More
C&C MAKES A SALE TO WILLIAM GRANT
C&C, the Irish maker and distributor of alcoholic drinks, has sold its spirits and liqueurs brands to William Grant for €3OO million (US $46O million). Among the brands involved are: Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, Carolans Cream Liqueur, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, and the whiskey liqueur Irish Mist. They are exported to... Read More
MAKER’S MARK SEALS IT UP
It turns out that you can trademark wax. Not only is the Maker’s Mark red wax seal iconic, it’s now the company’s exclusive property. A federal judge issued an injunction in April preventing Casa Cuervo from using a dripping wax seal on its tequilas sold in the United States, ending... Read More