Booze Muse

The new cocktail menu at Sepia, curated by Joshua Pearson & Peter Vestinos Read the rest of this entry »

Of all the celebrities who endorse a premium line of liquor, Dan Aykroyd isn’t usually the first that comes to mind. Yet that doesn’t keep a few hundred of his fans from zigzagging through the wine section at the South Loop Binny’s. The SNL alum is promoting his new premium vodka Crystal Head, which comes in a skull-shaped bottle.

“There he is!” someone at the end of the line shouts as the crowd bursts into applause. Aykroyd smiles and waves at nobody in particular as he is escorted through the crowd.

While one fan dresses like Aykroyd’s iconic Elwood character from “The Blues Brothers,” other fans best remember him from his “Ghostbusters” days. Bridget Barnett is so enamored by Aykroyd that she kisses his hand when she gets to the front of the line. He returns the favor while he autographs a photo from the film. Read the rest of this entry »

By Ernest Barteldes

While I was living in Brazil as an adult in the 1990s, the liquor known as cachaça was regarded as a poor man’s drink found only in corner botecos (dive bars) where a shot could be purchased for as little as fifty cents. Broke youngsters and college students would buy a cheap bottle in order to make homemade caipirinhas in spite of the horrible hangovers that would follow.

I remember that quite well—as a perennially broke student in my college years, I often found myself with an empty pocket. But only a few bucks were enough for the cheapest of poisons.

Today, however, cachaça is reaching a more refined audience thanks to the efforts of a handful of dedicated companies that have done a lot to bring the spirit to a higher level. “Cachaça is today in the same position that vodka, chianti and tequila were about fifteen years ago,” explains Steve Luttman, producer of Leblon, one of the more recent brands specially created for the international market. Read the rest of this entry »

The Product: Cointreau Noir

The Premise: A “society marriage:” Cointreau blended with Remy Martin cognac

The Tasters and their Qualifications: Erica, Debbie, Brent, Brian and Jan, the self-anointed “drinking lightweight who never gives up.” Total years of legal drinking experience: 101

The Packaging: A bright copper metallic bottle announces the product with stylish elegance. Read the rest of this entry »

The Product: Rubi Rey Reserve Rum

The Premise: A single barrel finished white rum that’s aged on the coast of northern Puerto Rico and then later filtered for “clarity.”

The Tasters and Their Qualifications: Emily (works at a nursing home, so drinks a lot), Megan (can’t stop drinking), Marcus (“I don’t drink swill, even if it’s free”), Lenny (“I don’t like being sober, I don’t like my life”), Phil (almost finished the “Century Club” once), Tom (“Booze has no memory, and neither do I”)
Total years of legal drinking: 30

The Packaging: An arresting red bottle invokes summertime recollection, but also that creepy kid from “The Shining” running around the hotel yelling “Red Rum!” over and over. Drink at your own risk!

Tasters rated the following on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “I wouldn’t take it if it was free” and 10 being “I’m heading to the liquor store right now to get my own!” Read the rest of this entry »

The Product: 1800 Select Silver Tequila

The Premise: A double-distilled 100 Proof, one hundred percent Agave tequilla, blended with a bit of aged tequila to give a “velvety, smooth taste.”

The Tasters and Their Qualifications: Emily (works at a nursing home, so drinks a lot), Megan (can’t stop drinking), Marcus (“I don’t drink swill, even if it’s free”), Lenny (“I don’t like being sober, I don’t like my life”), Phil (almost finished the “Century Club” once), Tom (“Booze has no memory, and neither do I”)
Total years of legal drinking: 30

The Packaging: A sleek and, some could say, sexily silver take on a liquor that doesn’t immediately conjure images of sipping at rooftop club (more swigging while hitchhiking through Mexico) Read the rest of this entry »

The Product: Three Olives Triple Shot Espresso Vodka

The Premise: Apparently, people really like caffeinated cocktails

The Tasters and their Qualifications: Brent, Erica, Brian and Jan: 88 years of legal drinking

The Packaging: While we’re not fans of Three Olives’ typography, soft brown illustrations of three cups of espresso set against the dark coffee color of the vodka inside make this one an attractive package.

Tasters rated the following on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “I wouldn’t take it if it was free” and 10 being “I’m heading to the liquor store right now to get my own!”

The Nose: 7.25, “smells like espresso but cleaner (no crema)”

The Taste: 8.75, “espresso with a kick” Read the rest of this entry »

That we’ve become big fans of the mixological mysticism of Adam Seger is no secret. So though we normally file cocktaily gimmicks in our perpetual maybe file, the notion that Seger has concocted a diet-friendly potion caught our eye. And his publicist has been so kind to forward the recipe for the LookBetterNaked martini, along with this description of its, um, benefits:

“The LookBetterNaked margarita is made from all-natural ingredients, including Partida Reposado tequila, Sambazon Organic Acai, organic agave nectar, rosemary, egg white and fresh squeezed lime juice. Using a Sambazon Pure Organic Acai smoothie pack and Partida Organic Agave Nectar, the margarita is filled  with antioxidants, amino acids, dietary fiber, iron, calcium, cholesterol-reducing fructans and Vitamins A and C. The rosemary is rich in vitamin E, preventing cancer and skin damage. An egg white provides a lean source of protein, while the fresh lime juice prevents heart disease and gives an extra dose of Vitamin C. TheLookBetterNaked margarita is this year’s answer to those countless toasts of the season. Read the rest of this entry »

The Product: Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva

The Premise: Originating in Cuba 130 years ago, now aged 15 years in the Dominican Republic, Gran Reserva calls itself the “cognac of rum.”

The Tasters and their Qualifications: Jason, Tara (has drank on four out of seven continents), Brian and Jan (self-proclaimed “shots champion”). Total years of legal drinking: 79

The Packaging: Classic look befitting the high-falutin’ aspirations of this venerable product

Tasters rated the following on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “I wouldn’t take it if it was free” and 10 being “I’m heading to the liquor store right now to get my own!”

The Nose: 9. Smooth, with hints of caramel

The Taste: 8.5 Rich smooth taste, with notes of vanilla. Good finish.

The Recipe (wherein we mix up a drink from the company’s Web site, when relevant):

The Cuban Special
1 1/2 oz. Matusalem Gran Riserva
Juice from half a lime
1 1/2 oz. Cointreau (we used Triple Sec)
1 1/4 oz. Pineapple juice
Ice cubes
Shake all ingredients over ice in a shaker; strain into chilled cocktail glass, garnish with a lime twist

This was a very popular and refreshing summer drink. Some tasted a bit too much lime, some too much pineapple, but over all, the verdict was refreshing.

The Overall Verdict: 8.5 A great rum, on the rocks or in a Cuban Special

It’s Friday after the first night of Pitchfork fest. West Loop bar and music venue Bottom Lounge is suddenly swarmed with Pitchforkians creating a long wait at the upstairs Volcano Room Rum Bar. The bartenders run around trying to accommodate the demanding rush of people. Downstairs, the bar is slightly less chaotic. Comprised of two bars, a music room and an outdoor patio, the place is vast enough that even during this busy night, there’s still enough space to easily move around and not bump into anyone. Formerly a taxi-cab repair shop, the darkly lit loft space is barely illuminated by candles on tables and the bar. Tables and booths are scattered throughout the levels as loud rock music blasts through the PA system. Although downstairs is fairly chill, the real attraction of Bottom is the Volcano Room and deck: The tiki-themed bar boosts more than fifty brands of rum alone. Bottles of liquor are aligned on the shelves waiting to be poured as a life-sized totem pole glares at the bargoers. Outside, the spacious wooden deck, one of the biggest in town, unravels before the city. The Sears Tower gleams in the distance as people imbibe and, gasp, smoke through the muggy night. Besides the rum, a bevy of beers are on tap from Beamish and Radeberger (served in a giant glass) to the old standby, PBR. A mixed clientele down reasonably priced beers and munch on Bottom’s tasty food such as wraps, chicken tenders, burgers and salads served late into the night.

After closing its original Lakeview location in 2005 to accommodate the Brown Line El reconstruction, the old Bottom Lounge was demolished and the owners settled on this new location. Plagued by several delays­­—mainly due to construction and waiting on city approvals—the rejuvenated Bottom officially reopened its doors in June. The new space is in the same ilk as the old one: two floors combined with a music venue. Original Bottom owners Brian Elmiger and Dan Miskowicz added third partner Mike Miller of Delilah’s to help with liquor promotions like the rum festival held last month. “It’s so early, so it’s a little hard to gauge what’s going to happen,” says Miskowicz. “People are still coming in for the first time.” Miskowicz says so far the place has garnered a positive reaction but is still trying to establish an identity. Whereas the former Bottom was more of a music draw, the new place is more of a late-night drinking and dining hangout. “A lot of people tell us that it reminds them of the old Bottom Lounge,” states Miskowicz. “It’s a rock club, but since it’s at night, everyone hangs out here. At the old Bottom Lounge, we never got people just hanging out there.” (Garin Pirnia)

Bottom Lounge, 1375 West Lake, (312)929-2022