The Lauer household has been decked out for Christmas and logs are busy crackling away in the fireplace (or rather, they will be, if the temperature drops to the 40s during the day...not likely). There also happen to be a fair number of drinks being made to stave off the cold weather. While we won't be mixing any hot drinks... Continue Reading →
Happy Repeal Day, folks! That's right, 78 years ago Prohibition officially ended, and booze flowed freely again in the U.S. Of course, it hadn't particularly stopped flowing during America's "Noble Experiment," and in some cases consumption actually increased, but hey, it was back to being legal. Well -- and here's one more caveat -- it was legal... Continue Reading →
Time for the third cocktail night! This time around we'll be mixing up rum drinks, most of them on the lighter side. Yes, I know it's November, but down here in Georgia, the weather's still in the 60s or lower 70s, and who doesn't love one last taste of summer? Our three drinks can also... Continue Reading →
*Yawwwwnnn* It's 9 am on a lazy Sunday morning...time for a drink! At least, that's what Cocktail Enthusiast's Kevin Gray would like us to say this weekend, since Mixology Monday is just around the corner, and the theme is "Morning Drinks." Provided that you're wide awake, be sure to check the MxMo website, and stay... Continue Reading →
Yes, the time has finally come to make some homemade spirituous infusions! I've been lagging behind in this area quite a bit, though I have a number of recipes and experiments I'd like to try (Amer Boudreau, anybody?). First up in the infusion category, however, will be spiced rum. Why, you may ask? Well, the fifth meeting... Continue Reading →
At the beginning and end of our recent Tour de Southwest, Matt, Jack, and I spent some time in Las Vegas, the City of Kitsch. Well, maybe it deserves a little bit more credit than that. Regardless of your opinion of Vegas, it's unique. Nobody can deny that. It also happens to be home to... Continue Reading →
This one comes directly from Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails, accompanied by the maxim, "Recipes are not sacred." Indeed. Everybody from David Embury on down has realized this fact at one point or another. Mix a drink to your taste. In fact, mix this drink to your taste, though it's already an excellent one: Millionaire (#4,... Continue Reading →
Yes, I know this post is a long way behind the actual visit, but traveling takes up a lot of time. Besides, I haven't had a chance to sit down and really taste their booze until now. So here it is, a post on our second distillery visit in the Upper Midwest! On our second-to-last... Continue Reading →
While recovering from the Wisconsin trip, I have neglected the blog for about a week. What that means, of course, is that we're behind on our cocktail cataloging! Wednesday night's dinner? Shrimp scampi. The pre-dinner cocktail solution? Something semi-tropical, certainly with lime, but something different. Oh, and if it could use my new batch of... Continue Reading →
"There comes a time when all the cosmic tumblers have clicked into place, and the universe opens itself up for a few seconds to show you what's possible." - Field of Dreams, 1989 OK, so that might be a bit of over-enthusiastic hyperbole, but I can't help but praise Leon's Full Service in downtown Decatur.... Continue Reading →
Tempered Spirits 