Hunt & Alpine has landed on the Liquor.com list of the Best Bars in America.
Portland’s first craft-cocktail bar continues to shine with a deep cocktail list that spans from approachable to geeky. There’s a smoky spin on a Negroni made with Cynar, tequila, mezcal and Fernet Branca and the simple Green Eyes: a gin sour sharpened to a keen edge with a healthy splash of green Chartreuse.
Squirrel Farts has posted an article about and tasting notes on Aguardiente de Agave, the newest spirit from Liquid Riot Bottling Co.
Aguardiente de Agave is Liquid Riot Bottling Company’s latest spirit offering, releasing this Friday, November 20th, 2015 at the brewery/distillery/restaurant on Commercial Street in Portland. Roughly translated as “Agave Firewater,” this is an 80 proof spirit made from 100% organic blue agave syrup. So, it’s pretty much tequila.
Except you can’t call it tequila.
I’ll explain.
Aguardiente de Agave is being released noon tomorrow.
Imbibe magazine has published a feature article on Portland in the November/December issue of the magazine. The article addresses Portland evolving cocktail scene, distilleries and breweries as well as touches on coffee roasters, retail shops and restaurants.
Mentioned in the article are: Allagash, Austin Street, Bissell Brothers, Bunker, Central Provisions, Cold River, Eventide, Foundation, Geary’s, Gritty McDuff’s, Hunt & Alpine, Liquid Riot, Maine Maine Craft Distilling, Mead Works, New England Distilling, Novare Res, Rising Tide, Shipyard, Sur Lie, Tandem Coffee, The Bearded Lady, Three Dollar Deweys, Urban Farm Fermentory and Vena’s Fizz House.
Vena’s Fizz House has a small stack of the new issue on sale at their Fore Street store.
This week’s Phoenix includes a set of articles on non-alcoholic drinking options including a report on the “peaceful coexistence” of mocktails and cocktails in Portland.
Punch has published an article about Allen’s Coffee Brandy.
To call the stuff a cultural phenomenon in Maine is an understatement. Statistically, one in eight bottles of alcohol purchased in Maine is Allen’s. The top-selling spirit in the state is the Allen’s 1.75-liter bottle, and its sales dwarf those of the number-two contender, Orloff Vodka. Overall, the coffee brandy occupies four out of the ten top-selling SKUs in the state, with popularity decreasing by the size of the bottle. On YouTube, you’ll find songs detailing nicknames for the product: The Champagne of Maine, Bitch Whiskey, the Trailer Park Toddy.
The March issue of Maine magazine includes a feature on the state’s growing craft spirits industry.
The forerunner of the temperance movement is now home to some of the most exciting names in craft distilling. With source ingredients from the humble potato to the wild blueberry, these forward-thinking companies are bringing locally grown products off the farm and into your flask.
Maine Today has published an article about the Portland Spirits Society.
But with the formation of Portland Spirits Society (and the not-so-tough work of distillery visits and repeated sampling) McCarty aims to turn that ignorance into educated appreciation for herself and any other Portland-area women interested in learning more about their booze.
Judging by the early enthusiasm for Portland Spirits Society, there are a lot of women who are interested.
Women aren’t happy to just drink Stoli any more, she joked. Instead, women are saying, “I’d be interested to know how (liquor) is made and who’s making it,” just like so many locals already do with their food.
Andrew Volk, co-owner of the Hunt and Alpine Club, appeared on WCSH’s show 207 earlier this week along with Jim Britt from Eat Drink Lucky to demonstrate how to make an Old Fashioned and talk about the increasing popularity of whiskey.
Maine Craft Distilling has announced the upcoming launch of two new products:
Both will available for sale starting this Saturday at Maine Craft Distilling’s tasting room on Fox Street and in Freeport.
New England Distilling has produced their first batch of Bourbon. It’s now aging in American white oak barrels and will be on store shelves sometime in early 2016.