Category: drinks

Fame un Spritz

The iconic Italian aperitif reconsidered.

Saint George’s Distillery, Alameda

Lemon water for a hot day.

Neap Tide (cocktail)

Today’s fluid delight is something I’m calling a Neap Tide. Neap tides are when the difference between high and low is the least. Steady as she goes. (And…

Old Tom’s Aromatic Bitters

“All bitters are aromatic,” according to Mark Bitterman in his Field Guide to Bitters and Amari, “but the ones that are called aromatic are so jam-packed with aromas, bitterness,…

How to Make Vermouth, Part 1: Curated Resources

The first question about making vermouth, I suppose, is why?* It’s a two-part question, really. Why vermouth? And why homemade? Vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with fruits…

Ginger Beer Taste-Off: Bug v. Yeast

I love ginger beer — “vigorous reviving stuff with an edge to it,” in the judgment of Kingsley Amis. But the commercial kinds can be expensive. What’s more, home-made…

Old Tom’s Maximon Mole Bitters

These turned out great. Most of the mole bitters recipes I could find (there aren’t a lot) were, I felt, too simple. That goes against the spirit of…

Fame un spritz!

It’s summertime, which means it’s time for a refreshing spritz, the signature drink of northern Italy. And while we’re at it, let’s repost this fun video, Fame un…

Bitters and health

While we’re on the subject of bitters, it’s worth taking note of their health benefits, which include moderating blood sugar, improving digestion, and I think immortality–though I understand…

Herbal Bitters Recipes

For my next two batches of bitters I followed a base herbal bitters recipe from Mark Bitterman. He uses three bittering agents in his herbal bitters: I tsp…

The Bitter Gardener

Bitters are handy in cocktails and cooking — or even to just flavor water for drinking. This is my first batch of bitters, and the result is satisfying.

Making your own bitters means you have control over the ingredients. Most of mine come from the garden and are organic.

Frisco Pisco

I once lived for a time in Guapalo, Ecuador, and later traveled around Peru. So I know from pisco. Pisco is a brandy-like drink that Peru claims as…