July 2020

So, it all began with Peter Cottontail…

Asking a musician when they “made it” is a loaded question. Kurt Cobain famously noted that Nirvana must have broken through if their seminal Smells Like Teen Spirit was parodied by Weird Al Yankovic, but other artists see THE BIG TIME as a point permanently in the future. It is something to always chase, always strive towards, but not necessarily reach. Even those artists whose careers are a virtual mountain range of all peaks and no valleys.

“There was never a moment when I sat back and said, ‘Well, I’ve hit it big. Now all my dreams will come true!’” says John Oates, whose pairing with Daryl Hall is considered the most successful musical duo of all time (Note: don’t call them “Hall & Oates,” a term invented by lazy DJs; they are “Daryl Hall & John Oates”).

“It has always been a challenge trying to achieve something, whether it’s to write a better song, to go on tour for the first time, make a better record, play a better guitar part. It’s a moving target, and I don’t think you ever really reach that ultimate satisfaction.”

He will, however, concede that hitting a clear F-chord for the first time as a child was a paradigm shift, as was a particularly moving rendition of “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” at age four (caught on film at Coney Island!). But Oates, born into a family with a love of big band music and witness to rock n’ roll’s first frenetic salvo into popular culture on the shoulders of Little Richard and the hips of Elvis is not one to sit back and stop creating. In fact, even when COVID-19 put the hard kibosh on the entertainment industry, Oates, not missing a beat, simply turned to that part of music you don’t see.

“I’ve tried to use this downtime in a creative way: I’ve been on a pretty amazing songwriting ride, and I’m also producing. And I have Internet projects, something I have never done before. So, in a way, it’s opened up a whole new venue to create on a different level.”

Oates credits his current home of Nashville for keeping the iron hot. Though synonymous with country, “Smashville” is hardly a one-note town; it is also a hotbed of Americana music, an amalgamation of folk, country, blues, R&B, rock, gospel, roots, and other quintessentially American sounds put to electric instruments. Already a dabbler when it comes to instruments, it was only natural for Oates, now 73, to experiment with different genres. In fact, he credits Americana with a reawakening of his first musical stirrings as a young man in the Philadelphia R&B scene in the 1960s.

“It gave me the opportunity to go back to my earliest influences and use them as a springboard to go forward. My current music is a reflection of my earliest music but seen through the prism of who I am today and the experiences I’ve had professionally and personally.

There was also a realignment of priorities; Oates admits that his party animal days are long gone and that family and quality take precedence over late nights and groupies. But if he had to choose a highlight?

“That I’m alive right now and I am doing what I want to do. I have this incredible foundation of success created with Daryl Hall and individually. I’m doing what I was born to do. That’s my highlight.”

Chillin’ with John Oates

What are the projects you are working on?

Lots. I have a live album coming out on September 18 called “John Oates and the Good Road Band Live in Nashville.” We recorded it right before the coronavirus shut everything down in January. The Good Road Band I put together here in Nashville of all-star studio musicians, and they are the guys who played on my Arkansas album two years ago. I’m getting prepared to release that new album, doing videos. I’m also working on a really cool project, a movie, called Gringa. It’s about a young girl who goes to find her father in Mexico. I wrote three songs for that. On one song I am collaborating with a young Mexican female artist because it will partly be in Spanish. The second song I wrote with two very good friends, Daphne Willis and Aron Wright here in Nashville. And the last I wrote with a brand-new South Carolina artist named CerVon Campbell. He’s a progressive R&B artist.

What do you do in your downtime?

I do yoga and a lot of trail runs in the woods. I love driving; I am an avid car enthusiast. I have sports cars I like to drive and attend a lot of car events. I’ve built some custom cars.

Chillin’ with John Oates

Where do you like to dine?

At home!

What dishes or cuisines do you order when you do go out?

My mother’s side is Italian, so that’s the soft spot. It’s the ultimate food; you could eat it every day and never have the same thing twice. But I also like burgers, ribs and steaks all the way to Japanese and Thai.

Chillin’ with John Oates

What are your favorite bars?

I don’t drink!

Do you have a favorite mocktail?

My favorite is an Arnold Palmer, lemonade and iced tea.

Chillin’ with John Oates

Have you ever been a bartender?

Nope.

The post Chillin’ with John Oates appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Music’s most-loved statesman isn’t about to let the pandemic slow him down.

So, in what may or may not have been a bit of a fanboy moment, Chilled asked Daryl Hall what goes through his head at the end of a show, when the arena is ablaze with applause. His answer?

“Getting back to the dressing room and having a drink!”

Never before has there been a person so made for an interview with this magazine!

True fact: “Hall & Oates” doesn’t exist, never did. There is “Daryl Hall & John Oates,” the bluesy-soulsy twosome that ascended to musical stardom with hits like “Maneater” and “Private Eyes,” but never once were the two billed by just their last names. Not on their albums, their posters, their playbills, their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Consider yourself schooled.

And speaking of getting an education, Hall got his head for harmonies thanks to having two very music-minded parents. As he recounts the story, it was perhaps predictable early on that Hall was going to go down in history as a melodic wunderkind.

“My mother and father were both musicians, my mother particularly,” he recalls. “She had a band. My earliest memories are her singing with the band and hanging out with them; I was two, three years old. She was a vocal teacher and taught me how to sing. I started piano at five; I learned other instruments when I was around 10, 11. I went on to study music at Temple University.”

It was not predictable at all how Hall met Oates. In a true case of “you can’t make this $#!+ up,” in 1967, Hall, then with a soul group called the Temptones, shared the bill with Oates, a fellow Temple student who moonlighted with The Masters. The two groups were playing at Philadelphia’s Adelphi Ballroom when a gunfight erupted between two rival gangs, forcing Hall and Oates (sorry) to flee into the same service elevator. Cue some awkward chit-chat and voilà! A musical supergroup was born.

The duo became a thing in 1970, but it was not until the 80s their distinctive blend of soul, gospel, and bluegrass found an audience. And while heavy metal and new wave remained confined to the decade, the spunky sound of Daryl Hall & John Oates would find longevity, plus a heapin’ helpin’ of respect. The pair were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003, Billboard lists them at No. 15 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time and the No. 1 duo, and in 2014 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

But nothing wilts faster than the laurels one rests upon, and the musical landscape of 2020 is a far cry from 40 years ago. Way too Type A to kick back and coast on nostalgia, Hall, now 73, kicked off a webcast, Live From Daryl’s House, in 2007 from his namesake club in Pawling, NY. Featuring fellow musicians ranging from Smokey Robinson to Ceelo Green to Darius Rucker, Hall simply cannot stop making music, all while remaining true to his roots in the City of Brotherly Love.

“At my base, I’m a Philadelphia soul singer,” he says. “A gospel soul singer. I speak a lot of ‘languages;’ I can sing in a rock band, a country band, I can do all those things. But leave me to my own devices and I’m a soul singer.”

And let’s be clear: it’s been working for him so far.

Chillin’ with Daryl Hall

Tell us what projects you are working on right now.

Thanks to the coronavirus, I’m not doing much of anything because I am in my house. I was in the midst of doing a record, not yet with John. He has started to contribute some ideas, and I’m working with another guy, a singer-songwriter-producer. We were working together, but it got truncated because of this current situation. That’s my long term project before I get back out on the road again.

What do you do in your downtime?

I usually don’t have any downtime! Now, all I do is have downtime. I used to, and still do, do house restoration. That’s my other evocation, historic architecture.

Where do you like to dine?

I have a club that has really good food. I like my own food. But I travel all over the world! I eat at a lot of different places.

What are your favorite cuisines?

All kinds of things. I have very eclectic tastes, but I like really traditional foods.

Chillin’ with Daryl Hall

Which are your favorite bars?

I’m too old to go to bars!

What are your favorite drinks?

I like Old Fashioneds. I’m a bourbon drinker. I’m fluent in wine! Red wines, at the moment. It depends on what mood I’m in.

Do you prepare drinks at home?

Yeah, sure! I have a well-stocked bar!

What is in your home bar?

Mostly brown liquor. A lot of ryes, bourbons, scotches, calvados. All the normal stuff, just good versions of it.

Have you ever been a bartender?

I’ve been known to get behind the bar in certain circumstances. I haven’t done it in a while, but I’m a good bartender! I can pour a shot that is exactly a shot. I make a good Old Fashioned.

The post Chillin’ with Daryl Hall appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Phoebe Snow. Heard of her? If you lived in the turn of the 20th century, you would.

She was the first fictional character in advertising history created to promote a way of traveling that was associated with an alcoholic beverage. Think of her like the ‘most interesting’ Dos Equis guy, OG style.

In the early 1900s, train travel was dirty—literally. Due to coal-fueled trains you’d just expect to arrive at your destination covered in soot. One particular railroad company began to use clean-burning anthracite. Riding the train was no longer a detriment to your wardrobe or your social life. And they wanted to get the word out.

Hello, Phoebe Snow. Dressed in all-white from head to toe, she was the ambassador of this new ‘clean’ way of train travel. What would the lady be drinking? An Alexander, naturally, due to its white-as-snow appearance.

Made of equal parts gin, cream and creme de cacao, shaken and served in coupe glass, the Alexander was credited to bartender Troy Alexander. He created it for a dinner to celebrate the railroad company’s successful Phoebe Snow marketing campaign at Rector’s, a fancy lobster joint in New York City. Another theory behind Alexander’s creation is to honor Grover Cleveland Alexander, the Philadelphia team pitcher playing in the 1915 World Series.

However, the most popular version of the Alexander cocktail today, the Brandy Alexander, didn’t arrive on the scene until a few decades later.

Argonaut family of brandy

First appearing in print in 1937, in William J Tarling’s Cafe Royal Cocktail Book, the Brandy Alexander has all the goodness of the original, but swaps gin for brandy. Around the same time, egg was introduced for a flip style Alexander. Ice and coffee were added to the recipe in the 1960s—an early boozy frappuccino, no doubt.

And its relevance in pop culture prevails today, too. In the 1962 film, The Days of Wine and Roses, the cocktail plays the catalyst of love and sadly, disastrous despair. In the Mary Tyler Moore pilot episode, Mary requests, inappropriately so, a Brandy Alexander during a job interview. To signify his identity to an informant he was meeting, James Bond slides up to the bar and asks for a Brandy Alexander in the short story, Risico. And there’s even a recent song tribute: In the 2007 song titled, Brandy Alexander, Evan Feist croons, “He’s my Brandy Alexander, always gets me into trouble, but that’s another matter, Brandy Alexander.”

Obviously, this Pre-Prohibition cocktail has stood the test of time for a reason. For your next fete where white, beige or ecru is the theme color or you’re just looking for an elegant post-dinner drink to serve, try the Alexander.

Argonaut Brandy Alexander

Argonaut Brandy Alexander

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz. Argonaut Brandy of Choice
• 1 oz. Crème de Cacao
• 3/4 oz.  heavy cream
• Fresh grated nutmeg

Preparation:  Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled coupe, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

The post Drink in History: The Brandy Alexander appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Walk into a distillery, even a micro-distillery, and you do expect to see a still.

A small still, at the very least. That’s not the case in the micro-distillery in a small basement room beneath the award-winning Orchid Bar in Aberdeen, Scotland, where they make Porter’s Gin. Instead, there are several rotary evaporators (rotavaps), which are more normally found in laboratories.

Porter’s Gin Distillery, Aberdeen Scotland

Rotavaps work by lowering the pressure inside a flask, which means that whatever is in the flask will boil at a lower temperature. The people behind the Orchid Bar thought this might make for more intense flavors in some distillates for their cocktails, and this proved to be the case. Then when they decided to make their own gin, they experimented to see if it worked equally well on potential botanicals, and it did.

Porter’s Gin Micro Distillery

The result is a unique way of making gin, in collaboration with G&J Distillers, who make such well-known gins as Greenall’s, Opihr, Bloom, and Thomas Dakin. G&J make the base spirit in its pot still, and then Porter’s add the rotavapped botanicals.

Porter’s Gin

“But why is it called Porter’s?” we ask Martin Farmer, the director of operations. “It’s named after Andrew Porter,” he says. ‘Andrew was one of our earliest supporters and was a biology professor at the university. Somehow one of his rotavaps ended up in our basement, but we won’t go into that.”

Porter’s Gin Team

The founders of the Orchid Bar in 2009 were Ben Iravani, Josh Rennie, and Alex Lawrence, who honed his bartending skills here in Aberdeen before moving on to become head bartender at London’s Dandelyan when it was voted Best Bar in the World in 2018. It’s one reason that it says on every bottle of Porter’s: ‘Made in a bar, not in a boardroom.’

Martin Farmer Makes Porter’s Gin Cocktail

“We renovated the bar for more of a Prohibition/Speakeasy feel. Four years ago, we decided to launch Porter’s Gin. We had the ambition to be the best cocktail bar in the world, but Aberdeen doesn’t get the tourists that Glasgow and Edinburgh do, so we thought we’d get into making spirits.”

Two of the botanicals that go into Porter’s Gin are very unusual—the leek and Buddha’s hand.

“Leek does sound odd,” Martin agrees, “but it gives the gin a scent of citrus. There’s pink peppercorn in there as well, and another unusual botanical is called Buddha’s hand, which we macerate for two days. It’s also a citrus fruit that comes from Asia and helps give us that very citrus-led profile that we wanted. It took us nine months to perfect the recipe.”

Porter’s Gin Classic

Porter’s second product is different yet again: Porter’s Tropical Old Tom Gin. This is the same base gin but with passion fruit, guava, and white tea, plus 2% sugar to add even more tropical sweetness. On both the nose and palate it’s definitely tropical, with the passion fruit dominant.

“There’s nothing much like this on the market,” Martin says, “and sales are rising. We’re now working on a third gin, an over-proofed gin, which is nice and spicy. And we’re working on a canned cocktail.”

One other advantage the rotavaps give them is the ability to have fun and experiment in small batches. Martin fetches from the shelves some samples of gins they’ve produced which haven’t made it to the market, including a tomato gin and a strawberry gin, both very different and both very delicious.

“One of our cocktails was called a Battered Mars Bar. We macerated a Mars Bar and I can tell you that it makes for a banging cocktail!”

PortersGin.co.uk / OrchidAberdeen.com

The post On Location: The Distillery without a Still in Sight appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

When we go above and beyond in hospitality, we not only make guests happy, we build relationships and create bonds.

But we can only do this if we provide an environment where guests feel safe, special, and good about themselves.

Among the rules I live by as a bartender, these two rules rank first and second:

• Zero pretentiousness.
• Nobody just does anything.

Bartender mixes drinks at New York’s Death & Co

Zero Pretentiousness

You can lead your guests to water. And you can make them drink.

However, bartenders should never scoff at a guest’s order. Nobody makes fun of you for liking Wonder Bread or macaroni and cheese. Channel your penchant for pretentiousness towards making guests feel comfortable enough to put their taste in your hands.

Even bartenders leading the New York City craft cocktail revolution at the turn of the century admit they were wrong to tell guests what they should be drinking. They looked down on Cosmos when they should have viewed the Cosmopolitan as a gateway cocktail. You’ll have less luck advancing craft cocktails if you refuse to make certain drinks or, even worse, ridicule someone for their order.

View every guest interaction as an opportunity. Nothing’s basic or beneath you.

Nobody just does anything

It happens countless times every shift. A guest at the bar looks at the menu or brain scans, only to say, “I’ll just have a vodka soda.” I never let that way of ordering pass without finding a way to lift the guest up. Here are my go-to moves.

I establish eye contact with the guest and tell say “I’m going to make you the best vodka soda you have ever had in your life.” From there I take time to ensure the Kold-Draft ice looks sexy and the garnish actually complements the drink.

After having done this countless times, I was happy to discover that a bartender, who is much more famous than me, does the same thing. (Instagram me @rocco_pendola for the answer!). Great minds. Synchronicity. Whatever you want to call it.

I sometimes try to subtly elevate mixed drink orders. For example, “I’ll just have a Gin and Tonic.”

Serve it in a wine glass. Garnish it with a flower. Even better, suggest one of the ingredients from the cocktail menu. Mention that it makes a great addition to a Gin and Tonic. Most recently, I did this when I had a housemade melon syrup behind the bar.

A quarter to half ounce of this melon syrup absolutely does make a killer Gin and Tonic. Beyond that, it sets the stage to make the Gin and Tonic or vodka-soda drinker more open to trying a craft cocktail. For many bars and bartenders, that’s the goal. And it’s a fine goal. But remember, you’ll have an easier time getting there with honey (or sugar) than you will vinegar (unless it’s a shrub).

The post Ask a Bartender: Two Golden Rules of Hospitality appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Atlanta native Blue Kimble is a fresh face to the entertainment industry who has undoubtedly become a rising star.

Believe it or not, before he was deemed a celebrity actor, Blue was a professional athlete (football). However, he struck success rapidly after only investing a few years into his newfound interest as an actor. He’s been cast in many major productions including Hunger Games Catching Fire, Fast and Furious 5, BETs The Game, Devious Maids, and BET’s Being Mary Jane to name a few. Blue is now in the process of helping produce his first film The Wish.

Blue plays Andrew on the hit BET+ series RUTHLESS, which is written and directed by Tyler Perry. He is also recurring on Starz’s Katori Hall drama, P-Valley. Kimble plays Rome, a slick-talking music executive in town from the big city and looking to make some dreams come true. Blue also stars on Craig Ross Jr.’s Monogamy for UMC and is a producer on the series, which is going into its third season. Earlier this year, he starred as Tommy DeBarge in the TV movie The Bobby DeBarge Story on TV One.

Chilled chats with Blue to learn about his bartending past and go-to drinks and his love of a well-made Moscow Mule!

Chillin’ with Blue Kimble

Tell us about the projects you are working on.

I am currently starring on Tyler Perry’s new hit show Ruthless on BET and BET+, The new drama P-valley on STARZ and The Oval on BET. I am in preproduction for season three of Monogamy on UMC and Netflix.

With your busy schedule, what do you like to do with your downtime?

I have a very active lifestyle, so I definitely like to take advantage of my free time. I always like to get a good workout in when I can and spend as much time as I can relaxing with family and friends.

When you go out to eat, where do you like to dine?

I love to eat. I like to try out different types of foods from different cultures. Any nice restaurant, with a well-stocked bar, along with a good vibe will always be a good place to dine.

Chillin’ with Blue Kimble

What types of dishes do you typically order?

I like to mix it up. I might go vegetarian for a week and then the next day, go full carnivore at the best barbecue joint in town. Being from Atlanta, there’s plenty of great BBQ around. I am an equal opportunist for good food.

Any Favorite Bars?

I love a good bar, Especially, a sports bar with a good vibe and too many TVs to count. I am wherever the beers are cold, and the food is banging, but Twin Peaks in ATL is my spot!

What drinks do you order when out?

From an Old Fashioned to a Guinness, I will be completely satisfied. But I’m always partial to a well-mixed Moscow Mule. The ginger beer is always key. Bundaberg or Fever-Tree are my top choice for sure. When you can feel the bite of the ginger while you drink, you know you have a good one.

Chillin’ with Blue Kimble

Do you prepare drinks at home?

I am not a bartender, but I still feel like I make pretty good drinks! I host my friends often, and I do not get any complaints lol.

Tell us about your home bar. What is it stocked with?

My bar stock is simple. Quality over quantity. Got to keep a good tequila, Tito’s vodka usually does me justice. Uncle Nearest is my new favorite whiskey. Hennessy white is a fan favorite. And cold beers always keep the party going.

Have you ever been a bartender?

One of my first jobs I was a bar-back! Although I was not officially a bartender, I learned a lot in a short amount of time. I was mixing all kinds of drinks behind the bar. I can’t say all the measurements were right, but It was a fun job for the moment.

Chillin’ with Blue Kimble

If you could choose someone to share a drink with, who would it be?

Oh man definitely Deion Sanders. Me being a former football player and growing up a Falcons fan, I gotta choose him. I know his stories would be priceless.

What dishes/drinks are you making at home right now during “stay-at-home?”

I have been eating everything I can get my hands on! The stay-home has had me in the kitchen. From tacos to quick salads with roast chicken or salmon. I have my home bar but at the end of the day, I usually finish off with a beer. It always does the trick.

How are you coping?

I’ve actually been coping well. 2020 Has shocked us all that’s for sure but I always keep a positive perspective and energy around me. It keeps me sane and I like to spread that to my family and all my supporters. We will get through this. Stay strong everyone!

The post Chillin’ With Blue Kimble: From NFL to Hollywood appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Laws Whiskey House in Colorado has demonstrated how unique terroir, and patience, can allow for the development of excellent bourbon and rye in a state far removed from traditional America’s typical whiskey regions.

“Our lineage starts [in Kentucky]. We are a product of the history there, and we admire what goes on in that region. But we don’t want to make that. They already make that. We want to make something in the same family, but we are not making Kentucky Bourbon. Yes, our history starts there, but we come from here (Colorado),” says Alan Laws, founder of Laws Whiskey House.

“It’s an obsession, honestly. We are so far above passion. Whiskey means a lot to me.” Alan Laws

On February 11, at the World Whiskies Awards in New York City Laws Whiskey House 6-Year-Old Bottled in Bond San Luis Valley Rye was the category winner for American Rye Whiskey (12 years and under). In addition to this prestigious award, Laws Whiskey House also received a bronze medal in the non-Kentucky category for their 6-Year Bottled in Bond Straight Four Grain Bourbon.

The 4-grain-whiskey distillery has developed relationships with family farmers in Colorado that grow select grains for Laws. And then, the grains grow out of the Colorado soil, enriched by mountain water amidst the high-altitude air and weather.

Alan Laws – Founder Laws Whiskey House

“As an American whiskey focused distillery, producing an unapologetic straight rye whiskey has been an obsession here at Laws Whiskey House from the beginning,” says Laws. “Being at the top of this rye category in the World Whiskies Awards three out of the last four years is pretty great and humbling—a testament to the flavorful heirloom variety of rye we use from the San Luis Valley in Colorado, grown by the Cody family.”

“The San Luis Valley Rye we grow for Laws is lovingly attended to by our multi-generational family farm,” says Josh Cody of Colorado Malting Company. “The rye is part of our family. It is at our table when we gather, in our field, through the San Luis Valley winter and finished properly by our family at Laws Whiskey.”

An intimate relationship with farmers, and the soil from which the grain grows, benefits the whiskey distillery.

“Before we ever distill, we know exactly what we will receive from the farms. There’s no guessing or surprises,” notes Laws. The four-grain whiskey distillery then employs a traditional method of open-air, on-grain fermentation to develop its whiskey.

Laws Whiskey House, which opened in 2011, does not distill gin or vodka. It’s all about the whiskey. And, nothing is sourced; it’s 100% made in Denver.

“We get better at it every day. I believe that, said Laws. “Today, we are making the best whiskey we ever made. We don’t intend to put out anything that’s not extraordinary.”

The driving force behind the Laws distillation process involves one word: patience.

“It takes time to develop the perfect grains, and it takes time to grow them. Whiskey must be aged. And whiskey is ideal when sipped with friends.”

And Laws has a habit of waiting a little longer than most distilleries.

“You can’t speed it up,” Alan says. “We are not looking at now, or two years from now. We are looking at five or seven years down the line all the time.”

Laws Whiskey House Varieties

Laws Whiskey House recently released its 6-Year Bottled in Bond Four Grain Bourbon expression of its award-winning Four Grain Bourbon, which exceeds the minimum four-year standards of the 1897 Bottled in Bond Act. (To be bottled in bond, a whiskey must be made by a single distiller at one location and rely on grain grown during one specific season, either January – June or July – December.)

“I think the extra two years allows us to achieve a much smoother vanilla character, along with some wonderful caramel notes and noticeable black cherry that you just don’t find without the extra aging.”

Each whiskey produced at Laws appeals to both those new to the world of whiskey and the aficionado.

Laws explained: “Our two flagships, rye batch and bourbon batch, are meant to capture not just the novice — to make it very approachable. But they also have layers of complexity so that if you are not a novice, you are still going to appreciate them. And beyond that, we have Bonded, Straight Wheat Whiskey in Curacao Casks and things that speak to a broader audience and passionate whiskey fans.”

“When you look at the world of whiskey, there are a lot of standards and similarities. But what really matters is the complexities. Where is it grown? How is it finished? For me, and for everyone here, whiskey is a labor of love. We are driven to make sure everything from what is grown to how it is barreled results in a whiskey product that make us proud to bottle and share.”

The post On Location: Laws Whiskey House, Denver appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Here are some easy and refreshing cocktails to create at home this National Tequila day!

Frozen Batanga

Frozen Batanga

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. PATRÓN Silver
• 4 oz. Mexican Cola
• 3/4 oz. lime juice

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a blender with salt and ice; blend thoroughly. Pour into highball and garnish with lime wedge.

Banana Boat

Banana Boat

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. PATRÓN Reposado
• 1 oz. PATRÓN Citronge Mango
• 3/4 oz. lime juice
• 3/4 oz. honey
• One whole banana
• 2 cups of ice

Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a blender with ice. Blend until smooth. Garnish with banana dolphin. 

AVOrita

AVOrita

Created by barman Geoffrey Liebert for Casa Del Toro

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. plata tequila
• 1 oz. Cointreau
• 1 tbsp. Agave nectar
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 avocado
• 1 tbsp. cilantro

Preparation: In a cocktail shaker, muddle avocado, cilantro and lime juice until avocado is thoroughly mashed. Add tequila, Cointreau, agave nectar and ice; shake until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Salt rim and garnish.

Leche Mexicana

Leche Mexicana

Created by Dustin Parres, Luxco Cocktail Specialist

Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz. Exotico Reposado Tequila
• 1 oz. Arrow White Crème De Cocoa
• 1/2 oz. Café Lolita
• 1 oz. cream
• Nutmeg (for garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients to a blender with a cup of ice. Blend until smooth. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

The post 4 Easy-to-Mix Cocktails for National Tequila Day appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

It doesn’t take much effort to picture an NHL hockey player enjoying a few drinks.

But, vodka with pink lemonade? You better believe it. Retired NHL Defenseman Ryan Whitney admitted to enjoying the combination on the popular Barstool Sports podcast, Spittin’ Chiclets. He explained that he routinely mixed E&J Gallo New Amsterdam Vodka with Pink Lemonade, which spurred a social media phenomenon that led to the creation of one of the most popular flavored vodkas on the market.

Before dabbling in mixology, Ryan D. Whitney started a professional hockey career when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the 2002 NHL Draft. After three years in the minor leagues, he debuted with the Penguins and went on to help the team reach the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. He also played for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. Whitney also won a silver medal as a member of Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

These days, Whitney spends his time as an NHL Network analyst, a frequent guest on ESPN’s Pardon My Take, and on the previously mentioned Barstool Sports’ Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. When Whitney told the world about his simple mixology on the podcast, it gave birth to a popular #PinkWhitney social-media hashtag. New Amsterdam promptly turned that trend into a bottled, 70-proof flavored vodka.

“We thought it would be fun to introduce it as a limited, one-time offer. We started with 70,000 cases, and it sold out in one month,” says Britt West, general manager E & J Gallo.

Pink Whitney

As a result of its success, Pink Whitney evolved into a permanent fixture alongside a dozen other flavored New Amsterdam vodkas. “We are finding that it is predominantly used as a shot or taken neat, or maybe mixed with something like club soda,” says West. “[The Pink Whitney] is now the fastest-growing flavor vodka in the industry. Born of social media, it has become the brand that has taken on a life of its own.”

The flavored vodka has its own social media accounts, including the @pinkwhitney Twitter and Instagram handles. Whitney, himself, now includes the drink as part of his Twitter bio: “One-fourth of the @spittinchiclets podcast team presented by @barstoolsport and the first person to ever mix pink lemonade with vodka @pinkwhitney…golf nut.”

The additional “golf nut” comment at the end speaks to Whitney’s passion for golf, so it is no surprise that one can now purchase Pink Whitney Golf Gear on the @barstoolsports store. Of course, Whitney’s fame grew not on green grass, but ice; at least one dozen NHL Stadiums served Barstool Sports & New Amsterdam Pink Whitney before the COVID-19 virus interrupted the NHL season.

The status of the NHL season, like many drinking establishments in the U.S., remains in limbo. Regardless, the already-popular Pink Whitney suits a drinking culture where the pandemic has made Ready-To-Drink cocktails and flavored spirits exceptionally appealing. And this one appeals to college crowds, hockey fans and any adult that enjoys a flavorful drink.

The post Vodka Inspired by Ryan Whitney of the Spittin’ Chiclets Hockey Podcast appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

With temperature gages across the nation reaching their max, a total reliance on sunscreen a must, and everyone keen on safe, outdoor activities to prevent the spread of Covid-19, summer 2020 has officially become the ultimate barbecue season.

As a result, let CHILLED guide you through some of the most fantastic libations you can show up with at your next barbeque bash. From emerging liquors from small batch distilleries and cans-a-plenty, here’s your cheat-sheet of the best, most refreshing beverages for an absolutely splendid socially distant summer pow-wow. Cheers!

For calorie counters by the pool: Volley

Impress your guests with an inspired hard seltzer thanks to Volley, which boasts flavors ranging from Zesty Lime, Spicy Ginger, Sharp Grapefruit and Tropical Mango all made with just three ingredients: 100 percent Blue Agave Tequila, organic juice and sparkling water. As a result of the simplicity, each can clocks in at a respectable 100 calories each making the refreshing sipper the perfect addition for a pool day. All the more joy-inducing is the fact that the company’s core mission is outdoor sustainability, proudly partnering with Leave No Trace: “a non-profit that provides resources so every person can protect and enjoy our natural world.”

DrinkVolley.com

Volley

For party guests who want to bring something special: Saint Liberty Whisky

Take a trip to the mountains of Montana with Saint Liberty, a distillery whose mission is to honor unsung female heroes of prohibition. Each scrumptious blend of their whisky honoring a different heroine bootlegger who defied the odds and became the earliest women pioneers in the spirits industry, including Bertie Brown. Famous for her moonshine, Brown holds the distinction of being one of the few African American women to homestead alone in 20s-era Montana: a rich legacy honored by Saint Liberty’s Bertie’s Bear Gulch Bourbon.

SaintLibertyWhiskey.com

Saint Liberty Whisky

For health conscious sunbathers: Pulp Culture

Hailing from sunny Los Angeles is Pulp Culture who is set to “disrupt the definition of alcohol consumption as we know it.” While that’s up for you to decide, they do indeed hawk an impressive line of unique canned libations, each one named for what they’re proposed to help you do, depending on your goal for a hot day whether Think, Hustle, Restore and Relax. Each flavor proudly displays its wellness-focused ingredients in can’t-miss-it font right on the can (including ginger, turmeric, reishi and lion’s mane) and tastes like a spiked-up kombucha- but way more delicious. Not only that, Pulp’s lines are populated with 6 billion CFUs probiotics and (just in time for the Pandemic!) promises to both boost immunity and zap stress (thanks to its botanical adaptogens).

PulpCulture.LA

Pulp Culture

For liquor lovers to pair with food: Spirits Lab Vodka and Bourbon

Just north of New York City, in the city of Newburgh, lies The Spirits Lab which proudly hawks small batch spirits produced utilizing New York-grown grains and botanicals. The resulting liquors are luscious quality whether their own or sharing a glass with a mixer. If you’re the kind of sipper who pairs burgers with vodka sodas, their gluten-free Spirits Lab Vodka is the perfect companion. Not only is it distilled seven times, but the vodka is triple filtered with local diamonds. And for a nightcap, a bourbon using their Bull’s Head Bourbon (aged for four years and made from corn, wheat and malted barley) is so silky smooth and bursting with flavor, you’ll want to enjoy it neat.

TheSpiritsLab.com

Spirits Lab Vodka and Bourbon

For cider sippers who want to chill: 101 Cider

Named after the famed west coast roadway, 101 Cider is craft cider reimagined. Hawking a host of delectable all-natural flavors (including cactus rose, guava and a blend of passion fruit, dandelion and yerba mate), the Los Angeles-based company also locally sources all of their herbs. In other words, it’s like a refreshing drive down the 101… in a can.

101Cider.com

101 Cider House

For barbequing campers who love G&Ts: Gray Whale Gin

Packaged in a smooth baby blue bottle, the idea to launch Gray Whale Gin was first hatched during a camping trip to California’s famed Big Sur when its founders spotted an actual whale in the midst of a majestic journey by the shore. The resulting gin was cooked up in honor of a typical Gray Whale’s 12,000 mile Pacific Ocean migration path, using everything from limes hailing from Baja California to the south to sea kelp to Mendocino to the north.

GrayWhaleGin.com

Gray Whale Gin

For wine lovers looking to cool down with a chilled glass: Good Clean Wine

Whether sipped on its own or in a cocktail (Negroni Sbagliato, anyone?), Good Clean Wine is here to help save summer 2020 with their refreshing line of wines which promises nary a hangover thanks to their minimal-to-none additives and sulfites. To top it off, each ‘good, clean’ bottle (they produce red, white, rose’ and spumante varieties) are made using European grapes grown sans pesticides… as if you needed another reason to knock one back.

GoodClean.Wine

Good Clean Wine

The post Summer BBQ Gift Guide appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News