December 2020

The holidays are almost here, have you picked up something for everyone on your gift list?

If not, never fear, our team at Chilled Media has prepared the ultimate gift list for everyone you need to impress!

Need to find the perfect bottle of wine?

What about bar tools for a product junkie?

Great gins for your juniper loving pal!

Mexican Spirits for the the drinker who’s go-to is a margarita.

The best vodkas for any cocktail.

American Whiskey’s for your patriotic friends.

The post Have You Finished Your Holiday Shopping? appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Craft beer has stepped up their game by making their cans and designs more visually appealing. 

Even non-beer lovers will enjoy seeing these in their fridge. From glitter to abstract images, to colorful backgrounds, each of these beer cans has something that makes them stand out.

With several craft breweries up and coming, it makes sense that they are trying to come up with something different to make them better than the next. Some of these craft cans are too pretty to throw away.

New New by The Rare Barrel

This hazy sour IPA is hopped with Citra and mosaic. The can is decked out in holographic sparkles. The Rare Barrel is located in California and solely makes sour beer. The reason why? Because it’s their favorite style of beer.

New New by The Rare Barrel

Cheddar & Broccoli by Other Half Brewing

This imperial IPA is dressed in a hot pink covering with small broccoli florets wrapped around. Some are covered in a golden cheddar to give off the cheddar and broccoli appearance.

Cheddar & Broccoli by Other Half Brewing

Equinox by Commonwealth Brewing Company

The Equinox can has a sunset like feel with its orange, pink, and purple coloring. This double IPA has a huge melon and berry flavor. Commonwealth Brewing Co is located on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia Beach, where they have a conditioned barrel cellar that houses hundreds of barrels of mixed fermentations.

Equinox by Commonwealth Brewing Company

Lil Buddy by The Hopewell Brewing Co.

The small 8 oz. cans are a delightful little lager and available all year round. The Helles style beer was made small to add to the slow-building shirt in the beer industry packaging. They are offering the consumer a smaller can for every scenario in which people want to drink.

Lil Buddy by The Hopewell Brewing Co.

Vocation Brewery Pure Pilsner

Vocation Brewery has some of the coolest packagings. Each wrapped in bright colors, sayings, and little designs, leaves every single one of them unique. The Pure Pilsner is designed with teal and sea form green colors with the Vocation Brewery logo planted right in the middle.

Vocation Brewery Pure Pilsner

The post Craft Beers Can You Won’t Want to Throw Away appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Looking to spice up your bar collection and give yourself a dose of creativity? Why not upgrade your bottles with some global favorites?

We’ve rounded up nine great bottles from our friends at Niche Import Co. that hail from all over Europe. Each of these bottles feature a unique flavor inspired by their country of origin. Not only are they all fantastic spirits on their own, but they all make for an excellent way to amp up your cocktail game.

Koskenkorva Vodka – Finland

Made using a continuous distillation method, pure unfiltered groundwater, and northernmost grown barley, Koskenkorva is a Vodka worth trying. Deliciously smooth and pure, it’s a cocktail game changer. The distillery prides itself on sustainability and has employed a circular economy, reducing their waste and carbon monoxide output considerably.

Koskenkorva Vodka

Schönauer Apfel – Germany

Made from a base of the best apples and grain spirit, this German specialty is a fantastic way to improve on any drinks that need a touch of apple! Schönauer has no artificial colors or flavors and features a true apple sweet-tart tasting profile.

Schönauer Apfel

Mozart Dark Chocolate – Austria

This classic Austrian chocolate liqueur is bittersweet and full of surprises! West African Cocoa and Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar are macerated in a sugar beet distillate for 30 days before aging in wooden barrels to round out the flavor. Not only can this spirit be served neat, it’s fantastic in cocktails and can be used in dessert recipes!

Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur

Bepi Tosolini Amaro – Italy

This Amaro from Bepi Tosolini is a taste of Italy! Made from a blend of 15 different Mediterranean herbs and roots that have been macerated and infused, the Amaro is then refined in ash barrels stored in a Venice lagoon for several months. Finally, it’s blended with pure Alps water and MOST acquavite. With its excellent digestive properties, it’s a fantastic addition to a menu and an easy upsell.

Bepi Tosolini Amaro

Mossburn Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey – Scotland

This award-winning Scotch Whiskey is a classic expression that’s sure to delight. The unique bottle documents facts about the casks used in the aging process. Mossburn uses three different types of cask woods; Re-used American Whiskey, Oloroso Sherry Butts, and Heavy Char Heads. The result is a nose of clean, light sherry and oak with vanilla and heather.

Mossburn Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey

Schladerer Black Forest Edel-kirsch Cherry Liqueur – Germany

Made using traditional values in Germany’s historic Black Forest region, Schladerer has been distilling fine fruit brandies and liqueurs since 1844. Edel-Kirsch is a blend of cherry brandy and cherry juice are sweetened to perfection with pure crystal sugar.

Schladerer Black Forest Edel-kirsch Cherry Liqueur

Mamont Vodka – Siberia

Inspired by polar exploration and the discovery of the Yukagir Mammoth, Mamont Vodka is made from white winter wheat and distilled six times. Forbes recently awarded Mamont as one of the Top 10 Vodkas in the world, earning it a gold medal and a 98-point rating. The smooth spirit is filtered through silver birch charcoal and has a hint of softness with a dry finish.

Mamont Vodka

Stroh Jagertee – Austria

Perfect for enjoying year-round, but particularly fantastic in winter, Stroh Jagertee is an Austrian tradition! The name Jagertee translates to mean “hunter’s tea” as this spiced herbal blend is a favorite of skiers, hunters, and anyone coming in from cold outdoor activities. Stroh Jagertee is a blended black tea liqueur with herbal flavors and the extraordinary spices of Stroh Rum.

Stroh Jagertee

Verpoorten Egg Liqueur – Finland

With an unparalleled rich, custardy flavor, Verpoorten can transform your milk and cream-based cocktails. As the most popular Advocaat in the world, Verpoorten uses up to 1.3 million fresh Class A eggs a day! It has a ton of unique cocktail uses but also makes for a delightful dessert topper!

Verpoorten Egg Liqueur

This Feature is part of our larger Inside the World of Niche Highlight. To learn more about the global tastes of Niche, head into our hub.

The post 9 Global Bottles To Add To Your Collection appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

The Chilled 100 tour is hitting its final stop in Miami.

Wendy Hodges and the Chilled 100 members enjoyed a brunch sponsored by Cutty Sark and Van Gogh Vodka at the Kimpton Surfcomber.

Wendy Hodges

Chilled 100 member, Shaun Gordon, said, “It is an honor to be included as a Chilled 100 member with such a high esteemed group of professionals around the country. I have been welcomed with open arms upon moving to the Miami market to work at Sweet Liberty. Everyone here is an absolute rockstar and are pushing the creative envelope which makes me even more proud and energized to be included. Big thanks though to Wendy and the whole Chilled Magazine team for being ahead of the curve and building a network of amazing individuals to share their knowledge with the world.

The brunch that was held in Miami was an absolute treat. There were 4 well designed, crafted, and paired cocktails sponsored by Van Gogh Vodka, and Cutty Sark Scotch to go with the dishes presented to us all. If I said I left hungry it would be a complete lie, mouthwatering and absolutely delicious food & drink. Nothing like eating freshly cooked Mahi Mahi with friends enjoying the views of Miami Beach at the same time.”

The Kimpton Surfcomber hosted an intimate brunch in the cabanas that overlooked the pool and Miami Beach.

“That it was a great reminder of camaraderie of friends in the local scene trying to get through a tough time and reconnecting over a great brunch discussing solutions to dealing with COVID in our professional and personal lives,” added Stephan Wheeler, member of Miami Chilled 100 group.

The post Where’s Wendy? Chilled 100 Tour: Miami appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Get into the holiday spirit with this tasty hot brandy cocktail by Chilled 100 member Robin Wolf!

“Here’s something awesome I did recently for a Holiday offering,” said Wolf. “It’s killer as the nights get colder and bar/restaurant seating is outside due to Covid.”

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Bethel Road Distillery Brandy
• 1 oz. Fresh Orange Juice
• 1 bar spoon fig jam
• 5 drops SLO Bitter Co. Charred Cedar Bitters
• 4 oz. Hot Cider or Water
• Rosemary to Garnish

Preparation: Combine ingredients in toddy-style glass and stir gently with bar spoon until fig jam is dissolved. Add rosemary last for garnish.

The post Drink of the week: Harvest Moon by Robin Wolf appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Robust, dark and spiced beers flood the shelves during the holiday and winter seasons.

But, what if one craves beer that’s light, refreshing, flavorful and pairs well with a meal? Look no further than the table beer.

Table beers are not a beer style, per se, but a concept, which is nothing new in the beer world. You’ve probably heard people speak of lawnmower beers or burger beers. Table beers, though, enjoy a bit more clarity. Mainly born of Belgium and French traditions, table beers usually exist as low ABV, gently hopped beers that pair well with a variety of foods and intended to be shared. Even kids drank the low-ABV table beers back in the day. Obviously, things have changed a little since then. Still, the craft beer renaissance has brought attention to this historical, communal beer genre and allowed brewers to put their spins on it.

Rhinegeist Table Beer

Rhinegeist Table Beer, a Grisette, ages for several months in an oak foeder where it acquires mild acidity and funk, along with some subtle notes of stone fruit and vanilla. A Grisette is similar to Belgian and French farmhouse style that utilizes multiple grains, which provides complexity and depth. Still, “everything is restrained and delicate,” said Chris Shields, Advanced Cicerone® & Director of Education for Rhinegeist Brewing in Cincinnati.

“When we set out to design our Table Beer we wanted to offer a beer that embodied our goal of approachable complexity,” said Shields. “To me, that is the definition of a table beer. You want a beer that can stand up to food, but be versatile and adaptable enough for anyone to enjoy” He added, “We were drawn to the story of Grisette as a welcoming beer for the masses served after a long day.”

Feel free to age them, too. “[Rhinegeist] Table Beer is a foeder-aged beer with active cultures of Brettanomyces bruxellensis and our house Lactobacillus blend. That means it will continue to evolve over time.”

Creature Comforts Table Beer

Heading south from Cincinnati to Atlanta, one can find Creature Comforts. Its 2020 Table Beer (Belgian-Style Ale) not only tastes great, but benefits Giving Kitchen, a charity that provides emergency assistance to food service workers. “As we step into a season of gratitude, we want to lend support to those in our industry and community, especially as we consider the additional strain brought on by a global pandemic,” notes Creature Comforts.

“Table Beer has long been a favorite seasonal of mine,” said Matt Stevens, Vice President of Strategic Impact at Creature Comforts. “Given its original concept as a beer designed to pair with food, add to it our longtime partnership with Giving Kitchen, then throw in a global pandemic which has been devastating to the food service industry, it just made sense to integrate this beer with our other community impact programming.”

Just as philanthropy attached to Creature Comfort’s Table Beer honors its communal customs, the beer itself speaks to French and Belgian biere de table traditions. “The light Belgian yeast character of the beer has some historical context,” explained Creature Comforts co-founder and brewmaster, Adam Beauchamp. “The esters and phenols that the yeast contribute are well melded with lightly citrusy American hops, used judiciously and balanced by a backdrop of lightly bready malt. The beer has a nice spritzy carbonation which is amazing for clearing the palate between bites. It is a balancing act that has taken many pilot scale batches to get just right and I believe this year’s Table Beer is the most finely balanced and elegant we’ve ever offered.”

The evolution of table beers includes a few tweaks, too. New York’s Arrowhead Farms Farmhouse Table Beer attains a unique flavor because it is aged in white wine barrels with the brewery’s house-mixed culture. And then, it’s bottle-conditioned with maple syrup. One can also find porters and dark lagers that brewers denote as table beers.

River Trip 12oz. 12 Pack

Meanwhile, Maine’s Allagash Brewing, a brewery integral to re-introducing Belgian-style brewing to the American craft scene decades ago, launched its Hoppy Table Beer a few years ago, which differs from the usual non-hoppy table beer tradition. The Maine brewery has ostensibly replaced it with the very similar River Trip, a beer that reminds one that tables don’t necessarily have to be located in one’s dining room. The brewery notes, “River Trip is a low-ABV, Belgian-style table beer with hop-forward grapefruit and stone fruit notes. It’s brewed with local grains and spiced with coriander for an extra hint of citrus. Dry hopping with Comet and Azacca contributes to the mix of melon and grapefruit notes in the beer’s aroma. Good for any adventure.”

In the end, table beers serve as a terrific alternative to the multitude of strong beers available during the winter season. It’s great for sharing (even on a Zoom call) and excellent with meals. Shields of Rhinegeist commented, “This year, things sure will look a bit different, but I’d say that gives our beer an advantage. Our Table Beer comes in a 500mL bottle, so everyone can have their own, and at 4% [ABV], maybe a couple.”

Beauchamp of Creature Comforts summed it up nicely: “It’s one of those beers that can be closely contemplated for its simple beauty or enjoyed without pretense.”

The post What The Heck Is A Table Beer? appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

We might not be able to travel safely, but at least we can enjoy a vacation in a glass!

Branches of the Loews and Marriott hotels around the country bring us these beautiful cocktails to help you take your tastebuds on a trip.

#NOLA Hurricane

#NOLA Hurricane

Loews New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, LA

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Light Rum
• 1 oz. Dark Rum
• 1 1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 1 1/2 oz. Fresh Orange Juice
• 1 1/2 oz. Passion Fruit Juice
• 1 tsp. Grenadine
• 1 tsp. Simple Syrup
• Garnish with Orange Slice and a Maraschino Cherry

Preparation: Fill a shaker with ice. Add all measured liquids. Shake it up vigorously. Pour the cocktail into a hurricane glass. Use a toothpick to skewer the orange slice and cherry. Place garnish on top of the cocktail. Enjoy! Created in the French Quarter during World War II due to a Whiskey shortage, this classic New Orleans cocktail is refreshing, fun and a burst of flavor. It’s an homage to the cultural crossroads that makes the city of New Orleans unique and a great way to get a true taste of NOLA at home.

Golden Dawn

Golden Dawn

Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando in Orlando, FL

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz.  Bacardi Light Rum
• 3/4 oz.  Plantation Pineapple Rum
• 3/4 oz.  Triple Sec
• 1/2 oz.  Mango Puree
• 1/2 oz.  Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz.  Giffard Orgeat
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake. Strain and serve over fresh ice. Garnish with a Yuzu gummy dipped in togarashi.

Aperol Fresca

Aperol Fresca

Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, FL

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Aperol
• 1 oz. Fresh Local Guava Puree
• 1 oz. Fresh Squeezed Local Grapefruit Juice
• 1/4 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• Prosecco Splash
• Edible orchid and orange peel (for garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, except for the Prosecco. Shake vigorously for 5 seconds. Fill a Dante glass with crushed ice and strain the cocktail into the glass. Add a splash of Prosecco for a floater. Garnish with an edible orchid and Florida orange peel. Salud!

Hollywood Hills

Hollywood Hills

Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, CA

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Pisco
• 3/4 oz. Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz. Matcha Tea
• 1 Egg White
• splashes of bitters

Preparation: Pour all ingredients into a shaker and shake to mix. Pour mixture over ice into a high ball glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

“The Cactus Wren”

“The Cactus Wren”

Westbound in Tucson, AZ

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 oz. Uruapan Charanda
• 1 oz. Whiskey Del Bac Old Pueblo
• 1 oz. Cappelletti
• 3/4 oz. Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz. 1:1 Simple Syrup
• 2 oz. Pineapple Juice

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in shaker full of ice. Shake well for 20 seconds and strain into rocks glass or tiki mug full of ice. Garnish with mint.

Original Mai Tai

The Original Mai Tai

The Royal Hawaiian’s Mai Tai Bar in Honolulu, HI

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Bacardi Rum
• 1 tsp. Cherry Vanilla Puree
• 1/2 oz. Amaretto di Saronno
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau
• 1 oz. Fresh Govinda Orange Juice
• 2 oz. Fresh Govinda Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 oz. Whaler’s Dark Rum Float

Preparation: Roll the shaker, pour in a large “bucket” glass. Float with Whaler’s Dark Rum, garnish with a parasol with cherry, pineapple and lime wedge.

The post 6 Cocktails That Nearly Replace The Vacation You Had To Cancel appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Creating cocktails is one of the many things that makes a bartender a bartender.

Coming up with new creations and concoctions for patrons to rave about is one of the perks. Once you’ve successfully produced a cocktail, the next step is to give it a name. That can be where the difficulty comes in.

The name of a cocktail can truly set it apart from others. People will often choose their drink based off its name on the menu. So how do bartenders go about naming their cocktail names? Adam Way, a Chilled 100 member from Seattle let us in on his tips and tricks.

Adam Way pouring

What is your inspiration behind naming cocktails?

When naming cocktails, I usually research the history of the brand or spirit I’m featuring. I look for any details that are especially unique or coincide well with the season. I also love puns, so those find their way into my cocktail names quite easily. I usually try to keep them short and snappy — one to four words.

Do you create every one of them on your own?

When creating an original cocktail, yes.

Lizardi Mule

Does the type of cocktail play into the name or is it more personal experiences?

The type of cocktail is important to note with a name because you could for example name a drink a “Something Old Fashioned” or a “Something Collins”, depending on what works well and sounds good. This can help guests quickly determine what type of cocktail it is if they are reading a menu. I try to steer away from doing that for the most part.

Does pop culture have any influence on cocktail naming?

It can. If a topic is trending at the time of the cocktail debut, it can be helpful to associate the drink with that topic, depending on your style and what you are trying to portray. I try to focus mostly on names that are timeless, though.

Double Agent

What is your advice for people struggling to name cocktails?

If you’re having trouble naming cocktails, first of all, know you are not alone. It takes time. I rarely come by someone who is fantastic at naming drinks. With that said, it can be fun to think of names. You just need to look for information that provides insight into why you made the drink, or what is included in the ingredients’ history that made them stand out to you as the drink creator.

What is your process?

My typical process for naming a cocktail starts with figuring out what the focused-on ingredient brand is trying to convey the most. I usually search the brand’s website and social media for any buzz words that would efficiently portray the reason for the ingredient even existing — owners’ and head distillers’ names, fun facts, dates of significance, why they began producing, etc. After garnering any buzz words from the brand’s history, I look for puns or words that have to do with the season. I then try to pair words from these different categories into one name that reflects the overall character and style of the drink.

The post How To Name Drinks That Become Legendary appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

To many mixologists, Fruit Brandy and Eau de Vie have been under-utilized as a subtle ingredient to be used in two to three ingredient cocktails.

Both Fruit Brandy and Eau de Vie have not been aged but have been fermented and twice distilled into a clear spirit that faintly resembles its origin. It can be mixed with Sparkling Wines, Club Soda or Tonic and classically has been substituted for Gin or Vodka in Moscow Mules or Gimlets.

Eau de Vie and Fruit Brandy is a lesser-known category that refers specifically to brandies made with fruit and without grapes. If you try the products on their own, serve chilled with a drop or two of water to bring out the fruitiness. Since it has not been aged, water will help remove the nature of the spirit.

Trimbach Liqueur Varieties

There are many brands in the marketplace using orchard fruit. The options are unending, but the most common fruit used are cherries, pears, apples, blueberries, raspberries and plums.

Since Eau de Vie means ‘water of life’ in French, it is obvious to experiment with a well distributed national brand. I chose Alsatian producer, Trimbach. Their products have an unmistakable flavor and aroma because the ripe fruit is fermented, distilled and bottled quickly to preserve the freshness and aroma of the fruit. Since there is no wood aging, bottles appear clear with light fruity colors.

Bartenders, please experiment with eau de vie at room temperature, then chilled to your liking, if necessary, with a drop of water. What you should discover is a mellow and vibrant flavor, one that blends well into cocktails.

Recipes:

Don Poire

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz. Trimbach Liqueur de Poire
• 3/4 oz. Amontillado Sherry
• 1 bar spoon apricot spread
• 2 dash lemon bitters
• 2 oz. Soda water
• 1 1/4 oz. Tequila Blanco

Preparation: Combine, liqueur, sherry, apricot, tequila, bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake to combine flavors. Double strain over fresh ice into highball glass. Top with soda water. Garnish with lemon peel.

Framboise Noel

Ingredients:

• 1 oz.  Trimbach Liqueur de Framboise
• 1 1/2 oz. Botteha Gianduia Liqueur
• 1 oz. Heavy cream
• 2 1/2 oz. Cold brew coffee

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice to chill and combine flavors Strain into coupe glass. Allow to settle. Garnish with cocoa powder and fresh raspberry.

Josephine’s Tonic

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Straight Bourbon Whisky
• 3/4 Trimbach Framboise Grande Reserve Brandy
• 2 rounds blood orange
• 1/4 oz. Simple syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Muddle orange rinds into the liquid. Add ice and stir to chill and combine flavors. Double strain over fresh ice into rocks glass. Garnish with blood orange round.

A Night In Normandy

Ingredients:

• 1 oz.   Calvados VSOP
• 1/2 oz.  Trimbach Liqueur de Poire
• 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters
• Top with sparkling wine

Preparation: Combine calvados, pear liqueur, lemon, bitters and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake to combine flavors and chill. Strain into a coupe glass. Top with sparkling wine.

The post The Cocktail Enhancer Your Drinks Are Missing appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Sake, in English, refers to the alcoholic fermented rice beverage from Japan.

Like wine, sake is a varied category; cheap Futsushu to rich Junmai Daiginjo styles, with different rice variants and water quality. Sake’s method of production aligns closely with beer, though – despite being known as “rice wine.”

Sure, most sake is best sipped chilled; others warm or hot. Every sake is different – it just takes a little experimenting to do depending on its complex flavoring and food pairing. This winter, cozy up at these six sake-centric hotspots for a cup (or carafe) of hot sake and a pairing plate, suggested by top “sake samurais” in New York City.

Mokyo

East Village

Mokyo

Mokyo, meaning a playful way of saying “Thursday” in Korean, is the sister restaurant to nearby Thursday Kitchen from Chef Kyungmin Kay Hyun. The somewhat-new nook with a stretched outdoor area on Saint Marks Place in the East Village offers an array of Asian-inspired tapas that perfectly blends Chef Kay’s Korean bequest and ongoing romance with Spanish flavors. Same holds true to the diverse drink list presenting juicy red wines from Chile and Spain, plus hot sake and soju from East Asia.

Within that matrix menu, the sake section is subdivided four ways: Aromatic, Refreshing, Rich, and Unique, with all offerings available by glass, carafe, and bottle – also, served chilled or not. Under “Unique,” Hakutsuru Organic stands dry and crisp with hints of citrus and clay, and is preferred slightly warm. At Mokyo, this USDA-certified, organic junmai sake must be matched with Chef Kay’s flat noodles weaved in Sichuan mala oil with Brazilian nuts and fresh basil atop.

Brooklyn Kura

Sunset Park

Brooklyn Kura

Brooklyn Kura brews and sells Japanese-style sake made from four deceptively simple ingredients: American-grown rice, filtered Brooklyn tap water (actually akin to Japan’s prime water system), native yeast, and koji, or rice malt.

Brooklyn Kura Tablescape

Headquartered in a 2,500-square-foot space in the center of Industry City in Sunset Park, the first-ever sake brewery and taproom (to hit New York City) was established in March 2018 by Brian Polen and Brandon Doughan. Together, they are dedicated to utilizing time-honored techniques to craft subtle yet complex sake, generally served chilled or at room temperature.

Sake Hot Toddy – Brooklyn Kura

This cold weather season, Brooklyn Kura offers a Sake Hot Toddy carafe, built with amber sake (a unique type brewed using roasted rice), house-made apple cider infused with cinnamon, apple-scented black tea, and fresh makrut lime leaves, and a splash of lemon juice; topped with cinnamon sticks and makrut lime leaves for garnish. The toddy is heated by resistant resident sake sommelier Paulie Nattathan and enjoyed best beside a hearty charcuterie plate in the lush courtyard.

Laut Singapura

Gramercy

Laut Singapora

Barely a year ago did Laut Singapora receive a liquor license. Now, the renowned restaurant is serving Singaporean street food next to wide-ranging rice and plum wines in a polished in- and outdoor setting with splashes of color.

The requested Ryusei Junmai Daiginjo sake supplements the dim sum combo with its delicate flavors. Junmai daiginjo is the highest grade of sake – the finest single malt whisky in Scotland (but in Japan).

Even the house hot sake, Sho Chiku Bai with set junmai character (soft, sweet notes of banana and melon) pairs nicely with mildly-seasoned noodles like the Indonesian-style, mee hoon goreng sautéed with sambal, scallion, and more.

15EAST @ Tocqueville

Union Square

15 EAST @ Tocqueville

Because of Covid-19, we have a merge of two iconic restaurants in Union Square. 15EAST (now) @ Tocqueville displays Japanese omakase and a French-American sensibility, simultaneously. Sashimi introduces Sauternes and foie gras. Magret duck followed by hand-cut soba. Finally, a baked Fuji apple à la mode to end an exhilarating tri-cultural tasting. To accompany? A 23-page-long beverage menu debuting elegant wine offerings of all glass sizes and temperatures checks, such as sake.

“These pages portray the diversity of exotic grape varieties, the gift of nature and the artistry of winemakers [and brewers],” shares Master Sommelier, Roger Dagorn.

On one end, there is Manzairaku Honjozo priced at $36 per carafe, and Ohmine Jun Daiginjo opposite, at $365. Both take well to warming, Manzairaku is a lightly grainy (with little umami) honjozo – that’s sake with a small amount of brewer’s alcohol added to the fermenting sake mash. And, Ohmine is what a “white peach characterizes” as a delightful junmai daiginjo.

Katana Kitten

West Village

Katana Kitten

Recognized as one of the World’s Top 50 Best Bars (again) this year, Katana Kitten lashes out fizzy highballs, souped-up boilermakers, and hot sake specials across two-levels and one outdoor drinking section on West Village’s Hudson Street. All sake is available in 2-ounce or 4-ounce cups, and by bottle.

As for fare, the slim menu marries izakaya and American bar food; for example, a Japanese twist on the greasy grilled cheese with layers of muenster, parmesan dust, nori, sesame, and yuzu kosho. But who said drinking warm sake with slippery ingredients like cheese was wrong? It’s really the best way to enjoy it.

Food (and drink) for thought: You can get your Katana Kitten favorites delivered right to your door, including spirited cocktails and cups of sake.

SakaMai

Lower East Side

SakaMai

Sakamai, 酒米 is the rice material that is used for sake-brewing, or “brewer’s rice.” SakaMai has been a deep-seated sake bar and restaurant on the Lower East Side since 2013, featuring fine rice wines and well-dressed Japanese plates.

Couple the warm Tengumai “Dancing Goblins” sake and hanger steak with fingerling potatoes. The equal-balanced acidity and umami in the junmai sake maximizes the juiciness of the tasty steak. The sake flavor changes when heated, becoming more rich and robust.

“Generally speaking, sake with more umami and texture can have enhanced flavors when warmed,” Karen Lin, beverage director and general manager of SakaMai, told Liquor.com last month. When dining in- or outdoors, ask the on-site sake specialist for perfect pairing suggestions.

The post When temperatures drop low in New York City, sake heats up appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News