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by KIRSTEN AMANN Today, the spritz is one of Italy’s greatest exports, an iconic drink in its homeland and one of the ten most ordered drinks in the United States. How did we get here, and more importantly, what can it do for us in Massachusetts? WATER INTO WINE In... Read More

by ANDY CROUCH As the United States begins to emerge from quarantine related to the coronavirus, beer industry stalwarts are busy discussing what the future will hold for the category. From board rooms to bar rooms across the country, everyone from chief executive officers to bar backs is wondering how... Read More

by PINK LADY Spring tends to come in fits and starts here in New England, but the best way to show mother nature we are ready for her is to get into the spirit with what’s in your cocktail glass. I am pleased to introduce one of the simplest ways... Read More

by HARVEY FINKEL During the forthcoming summer we shall be seeking wines that are white and light in body and alcohol, that evoke citrus, and that have preserved enlivening acidity, perhaps a bit of an added tingle too. In the last issue in this space we sampled Txakoli, which fulfilled... Read More

by KIRSTEN AMANN Nothing could have prepared restaurateurs and retailers across the state for the disruption the COVID19 pandemic would cause to their businesses. “I had 2O years of knowledge and experience in this industry rendered more or less useless literally overnight,” says owner-operator Lauren Friel of Rebel Rebel wine... Read More

by HARVEY FINKEL Grapes grown cool make wines for the hot days of summer. We want to drink dry wines light in body and alcohol that have retained lively acidity with our summer seafood and other dishes that lie lightly. Such wines are hard to grow in Basque Country (Pais... Read More

by PINK LADY Sweet-toothed tipplers have no shortage of options in today’s beverage world. From candy-flavored vodkas to cinnamon and peanut butter “whiskies” to creamy liqueurs, the list goes on. To try a silky sweet dessert drink from a bygone era, we suggest reviving the Alexander Cocktail. You’ve probably heard... Read More

by ANDY CCROUCH Craft beer fans, myself included, have long been heralding a new era of lager. We have preached the gospel of quality lager. We have proselytized the charms and character of pilsners, bocks, and dunkels. We have through sheer force of will tried to make lager a thing.... Read More

by HARVEY FINKEL, MD Tales have long been told of creatures of the wild encountering alcohol, with varying consequences. Perhaps most evocative is the apparently authentic story of the herd of wild elephants that crashed a brewery, consumed its great-tasting, less-filling product, and went on a rampage. African elephants have... Read More