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Nowhere else in Boston was suitable to meet head winemaker Georgetta Dane for a luncheon-tasting of her Big House Wines than the Liberty Hotel, a brilliant recasting of the notorious and historic Charles Street Jail which contains a bar called Alibi and an eatery known as Clink. I can attest... Read More

I was at a summertime beer festival, about ten years ago, and I dropped by the back of the booth of a brewer I knew and asked him how things were going. His straight-faced answer: “Well, the lesbians are really liking the blueberry ale.” I must have given him a... Read More

Once upon a time, more than 5O years ago, for those old enough to remember, venerable rye whiskies and almighty gin ruled the waves in the American marketplace. Gin was the predominate white spirit of choice anywhere drinks were being served, although, admittedly, a great deal of it was of... Read More

ALEX OTT • 35 • Master Mixologist/Consultant • New Amsterdam Straight Gin, New York City Take two parts German tradition, add one part each of Aussie dash, Thai spice, Parisian finesse, and top with liberal splashes of Gotham glory, swirl vigorously, and – voila! – you have the aggressively flavorful... Read More

New Zealanders are embracing their own wine industry with passion and pride. Their country’s small population and largely untapped viticultural potential has enabled the industry to rapidly develop its wine export trade, which represents 6O% of wine production. The United States now vies with the United Kingdom as New Zealand’s... Read More

For Charlie Papazian, founder of the Brewers Association, inspiration struck twice in remarkably similar ways. In the late 197Os, Papazian traveled to London to attend the British Beer Festival. While sampling stouts, porters and cask conditioned ales from around the United Kingdom, Papazian, an avid home brewer, started thinking about... Read More

I will soon be putting my money – or my earning of it – where my mouth is. Starting the end of July, I am going back to my roots and picking up my Tastevin with corkscrew in hand again.  An opportunity just too good to pass up has presented... Read More

When a Titan Becomes a Legend.   Mondavi.  The name is to the Napa Valley as Tiffany is to diamonds, Ferrari to cars.  A brand name that for decades was one of the benchmarks for what world class wine was about.   My experience with his wines really began with my first... Read More

But he does like -make that ‘love’-high quality, super-fresh craft brews. That passion has driven him to short-list only what he (and his hand-picked staff) deem the finest and freshest of craft brews. That craving for the fresh taste of hops and malt makes him chuck the contents of any... Read More