5 Rules for Drinking Mezcal

Contributed by Kara Newman - liquor.com

So you’re a tequila drinker—a sipper, a snob, a stasher of rare earthen bottles. You spend 20 minutes poring over the spirit list at a divey Mexican restaurant while your friends mindlessly plow through pitchers of Margaritas. You use words like mouthfeel and terroir unselfconsciously. You know your stuff.

Now all of a sudden here comes mezcal, a new (to you) agave spirit that’s bolder, wilder, more unpredictable, with a wide range of varieties that are downright mystifying. Quite frankly, you’re intimidated. That’s OK, we’re here to help. We tapped Chris Reyes of NYC’s agave-obsessed Temerario to walk through you some basic rules. Click Here To Read More!

Lucas Bols: a brand history

22nd May, 2017 by Annie Hayes - The Spirits Business

*This feature was initially published in the February 2017 issue of The Spirits Business magazine

“Bring back the forgotten spirit! That’s what I always say,” quips Huub van Doorne, CEO of Lucas Bols, in a meeting room above the company’s cocktail and genever experience in Amsterdam. Since 2008, van Doorne has been on a mission to revive ‘the grandfather of gin’. “The Dutch, we have a beautiful product, genever, but we tend to like what is coming from the rest of the world a little bit more,” he chuckles.

The family-run company that later became known as Lucas Bols was founded in 1575 at Het Lootsje, ‘The Little Shed’ distillery, just outside the capital city. Distillation took place outside using water from a stream.

The family developed a close relationship with the Dutch East India Trading Company, or Vereenigde Oost-indish Compagnie (VOC), crafting luxe liqueurs for its high- ranking officers and directors. Click Here To Read More!

Beyond Zero Debuts Liquor Freezing Technology At The 2017 National Restaurant Association Show

CHICAGO, May 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond Zero, Inc. announces the debut of the industry's first frozen liquor ice system at the 2017 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, Illinois May 20-23. Comprised of an ice maker capable of freezing liquor into ice cubes and a specialized freezer to store them, the Beyond Zero Ice System aims to innovate beverage service by enabling the creation of an entirely new category of premium cocktails.

"We're putting the liquor "in the rocks" rather than "on the rocks," said Beyond Zero founder and inventor Jason Sherman. "Our breakthrough technology now makes it possible to freeze liquor into solid ice so instead of watered down drinks, consumers can now enjoy chilled drinks with the full intensity of flavor intact." Click Here To Read More!

Could you be the 2017 Bartender of the Year?

australianbartender.com

Bacardi & De Kuyper partner with Australian Bartender to bring you the 2017 Bartender of the Year That’s right folks, it’s time to start turning your mind to preparation for Australia’s toughest test of bartending ability: the Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year sponsored by BACARDÍ & De Kuyper.

The team here at Australian Bartender is delighted to once again be working with the crew at BACARDÍ and De Kuyper on this prestigious event on the bartending calendar. Click Here To Read More!

Maker's Mark exec says trip to Kentucky changed her life

Melissa Wylie - Bizwomen Reporter - bizjournals.com

Victoria MacRae-Samuels knows every step in the bourbon-making process.

As vice president of operations at Maker’s Mark, MacRae-Samuels oversees all aspects of bourbon, including grain selection, fermentation and distillation, barrel warehousing, bottling and shipping, and taste testing. She manages a staff of 174 men and women who keep operations running.

MacRae-Samuels is the first woman to hold the position of vice president of operations at a bourbon distillery and Whisky Magazine recently named her Distillery Manager of the Year for 2017. Click Here To Read More!

Patrón Tequila Announces the Global 2017 'Margarita of the Year,' Just in Time for Cinco de Mayo

After Almost a Half Million Votes Cast, the Coralina Margarita is Crowned as Favorite

prnewswire.com - News provided by Patron Tequila

ATOTONILCO EL ALTO, Jalisco, Mexico, April 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With Cinco de Mayo just weeks away, Patrón Tequila announced today that the Coralina Margarita has been chosen as the 2017 Patrón "Margarita of the Year."

The search for this year's Patrón "Margarita of the Year" began on International Margarita Day (February 22) when Patrón selected seven top bartenders from around the world to create their own unique interpretations of a perfect margarita, drawing from local ingredients and cultural inspiration. Those seven recipes were then sampled at bars, restaurants, and Patrón events across the globe, demonstrated on weekly Facebook Live broadcasts, available for home delivery via online cocktail delivery service Cocktail Courier, and promoted on MargaritaOfTheYear.com, where consumers were invited to cast a vote for their favorite. Then on April 10, three margaritas with the most votes were selected as finalist contenders Click Here To Read More!

1800 Tequila Launches “Just Refined Enough” Ad Campaign

bevnet.com

NEW YORK, NY (March 20, 2017) – 1800 Tequila, the 100% agave premium tequila, is launching a new ad campaign that highlights both the refinement and raw personality at the heart of the modern male, and the drink itself. The “Just Refined Enough” campaign celebrates this duality with a new TV spot launching today, and continues throughout the year in a series of collaborations with cultural creators in the worlds of style, music and art who embody this persona.

The campaign launches with a 60-second TV spot – created by the advertising agency of record, CP+B LA – that captures the juxtaposition of toughness and refinement through the hero story on screen and through the music of Octave Minds featuring Chance the Rapper. The song, “Tap Dance,” mixes passionate lyrics by Chance the Rapper, the sophisticated piano work of Chilly Gonzales and production by Boys Noize. Click Here To Read More!