The indispensable tool for the Massachusetts adult beverage trade.
Day

June 30, 2016

SOUR BEERS

by Andy Crouch THE RISING popularity of sour beer both exemplifies the strength of the craft beer industry and signals how far the United States has come since the time of light lager’s dominance. Aromas of earthy farmhouse funk, acrid smoked ham and sausage, or spicy rye bread are not...
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THE GYPSY QUEEN

by Pink Lady VODKA COCKTAILS are so ubiquitous on modern drink lists, it’s nearly impossible to imagine a time when you couldn’t have ordered one from your favorite barkeep. Pre-Prohibition, an era we often reference as the Golden Age of Cocktails, was that time. The spirit was available in the...
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BRAVO SPUMANTE!

by Harvey Finkel THERE IS NO GAINSAYING the nearly unrivaled keen elegant edge of Champagne, though some seek other vinous pleasures and less fiscal challenge in their sparkling wines. Fruitiness, floweriness, softness, and aromaticity are not characteristic of Champagne, but may be found elsewhere. The risk is the cheap shot...
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HOMEMADE BEER SYSTEM

AT-HOME SODA KIT maker Sodastream announced the launch of its inevitable line-extension, the “Beer Bar”. Known for its home beverage carbonation system – which enables consumers to “transform” ordinary tap water into flavored creations with the help of a range flavored concentrates – Sodastream’s latest innovation will give drinkers a...
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HIGH HOPES FOR HOPS

CRAFT BEER LOVERS can take a deep breath and relax. After a few years of short supply, the 2O16 harvest for hops is forecast to be at a seven-year high, thanks to increased planting areas, plentiful rains and favorable temperatures in key growing regions. Although demand for aroma-heavy specialty hops...
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THE ORIGINAL MICRO BREW

CALL THEM the ancient brew masters. It appears the Chinese have been making beer for about 5OOO years, much longer than previously thought. Archaeologists recently uncovered ancient beer-making “tool kits” in underground rooms built between 34OO and 29OO BC. Discovered at a dig site in the Central Plain of China,...
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THE ULTIMATE HANGOVER CURE?

FROM THE “hair of the dog” to Gatorade to greasy food, there have long been many remedies to the dreaded hangover. Unfortunately, none of them really work. But there’s a company out there claiming to have invented a true cure. A convenience store chain in South Korea has launched an...
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SLAINTE TO SAZERAC

SAZERAC is broadening its portfolio with a new addition from Ireland. The Kentucky-based distiller has purchased Paddy Irish Whiskey from Irish Distillers, an affiliate of Pernod Ricard. It is the 4th largest Irish whiskey brand in the world selling 2OO,OOO 9-litre cases in 28 countries annually. Irish Distillers will continue...
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LOOK GOOD WHILE SIPPING A COCKTAIL

A VODKA that will help you look younger? This one seems likely to fall into the category of “too good to be true”. A new so-called beauty drink made by combining vodka with “super anti-ageing, natural ingredients” – including caviar collagen – has launched in Europe and the US. Anti...
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Brown-Forman

The board of directors has elected Campbell Brown, Laura Frazier and Marshall Farrer to become directors of the company. All three are fifth-generation descendants of George Garvin Brown, who founded Brown-Forman in 187O. This election continues a multi-year evolution of Brown family representation on the board.