Booze
What exactly is brennivín? This Icelandic spirit is full of history
The waitress comes up to the table, looks at my friends and me, and said, “you need a shot.” Without really giving us an option, she asks if we want to see the bottle before or after. I know myself; if I know what I’m about to drink, I’
Why makgeolli will be your new favorite drink
A few weekends ago, some friends and I decided to make some Korean BBQ. To be honest, I haven’t made a ton of Korean BBQ in my life, but my friends were well versed in the art, so I was handing over the cooking reigns to them (which is
How to stock your bar cart for the holidays
Oh, the Holidays, there’s nothing quite like getting hammered and pretending to enjoy your family’s company. I jest…kind of. But with the weather starting to get precarious and the daylight virtually gone, drinking indoors becomes the de facto activity. And if you’re looking for a way
What is Amaro? Demystifying the Italian Herbal Liqueur
You walk into that new, hipster-looking bar that just opened up in your neighborhood. The bartenders are carefully grinding fresh nutmeg over their cocktails, looking dapper as hell in their waxed canvas aprons. Behind them, an impressive wall of backlit bottles. Some look familiar, others more exotic. If you look
Recipe: Ginger Simple Syrup
Sure, you can buy simple syrup at the store for a few bucks. But all you need is sugar and water and you can make your own right at home. It takes about 10 minutes to make and another 20 minutes or so to cool down. That’s it. Better
The Official Taxonomy of Drinking Beer
The Local Beer When you’re in a new place, you gotta try the local brew, no? Drinking local is a small window into the soul of people. Maybe growing up in Portland, where I could try a new brewery every weekend, and it would probably take me a few
Rakia Is The Best Drink You’ve Never Heard Of
Arguably the drink that started it all for me, rakia is a sneaky good liquor that you’ve probably never heard of until now. My first trip abroad, ever, was to Switzerland and Serbia. Yes, those are two random-ass countries to pair together on your first international trip. So how
Travel and the Stages of Gentrification
Disclaimer, this is an utterly non-scientific, liquid-centric, take on the phases of the gentrification of a neighborhood. I am the problem. Without a doubt, I’m contributing to one of the most potent forces in nature. I’m talking about gentrification, of course. Whenever I’m planning a trip, I’
What is Grog? A Story of Drunk British Sailors
I think it’s only fitting to do a post on the namesake of the blog, grog. You may have heard of the drink before, but the meaning has morphed across time and peoples. As with all good stories, this is one filled with politics, war, and necessity. As far
Ginjinha: The History of this Delightful Portuguese Liqueur
Whenever I check out a new city, I’m always on the hunt for booze that is rooted in history. We know Portugal has fantastic wine, and you’ve likely heard of Port, but what about ginjinha? Me neither, so on my last trip to Lisbon, of course, I had
