We've seen plenty of trends, styles, and drinks reemerge years after they were first popular, but none quite as old as mead. A modern take on the ancient drink, HoneyMaker Mead ($TBA) is still made from honey, clear, pure water and a proprietary yeast strain, but is available in a variety of flavors, including Lavender, Blueberry, Semi Sweet, Dry Hopped, and the ever popular Elderberry. Gold chalice not included, but highly recommended.
Feeling a little less than chipper after last night's drinking escapades? Start your recovery off right with some Charleston Bloody Mary Mix ($10). Available in Original and Bold & Spicy varieties, these tasty mixes include a number of premium Lowcountry ingredients, including Worcestershire, sea salt, ground peppercorn, tarragon, thyme, rice vinegar, habanero mash, and celery seed. Just add vodka.
What's the easiest way to trick someone into eating something that's ridiculously hot? Disguise it as candy, of course! These Ghost Pepper Candy Balls ($7) do exactly that, packing a heat rating of over one million SHU into an only mildly-hot looking candy ball that you really shouldn't try to pick up with your bare hands. So yeah, maybe that trick isn't such a hot idea after all.
Yes, it's from Jack in the Box. But it's also a Bacon Milkshake ($4). Made with bacon-flavored syrup — instead of the blended bacon you might have been hoping for — this gloriously thick pig-shake is totally "not revolting," according to a review. Available for a limited time only, so hit the drive-thru immediately.
Behold the awesome old school goodness of these vintage-printed, buttery-soft Homage T-Shirts. They turn back the clock with shout outs to eclectic moments and personalities in sports, music, politics and popular culture. From Bruce Lee to Larry Bird, the tees tell stories of triumph, individualism and hustle. Pay Homage.
While we'd rather skip the massive gut, everything else about Homer Simpson's lifestyle — compulsive eating, guzzling beer, and watching TV — seems a-ok. Now you can take one step in that direction by ordering up a case of Duff Beer (£25; roughly $40). Brewed in Germany, this surprisingly smooth 4.7 percent lager is the perfect way to pick up a dull barbecue or tackle a tough Thursday afternoon. Woo-hoo!
If the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup, consider spoiling yourself with a Wrecking Ball Coffee Subscription ($115). This high-end, six-month subscription provides you with a new 12 oz. bag of freshly-roasted beans each month, letting you savor whatever flavor the merry band of coffee-roasting geeks at Wrecking Ball are most enjoying at the moment.
Tired of paying premium prices for your favorite ghost chili-based, blow-your-taste-buds-off treats? Grow your own with some Ghost Pepper Seeds ($10-$30). Each of these packets includes 10 Bhut Jolokia (the Ghost Pepper's real name) seeds, as well as growing instructions. Skin-protecting gloves? Not included.
Worried about trying to actually bake with bacon? Wait until your cupcakes, cookies, or cakes are out of the oven and then amp them up with Bacon Frosting ($7). True to its name, this dark-red bacon-flavored frosting will add a blast of smoky sweet flavor to any culinary delight — just be careful, lest you be tempted to eat it all by itself like the weird bacon man is doing on the tube.
It's not hard to find a place to get a bloody mary, but finding a good one? A far more difficult task. Apparently, so did the guys at Stu's, who you might know from their Spicy Garlic Pickles. The result is Stu's This Is Bloody Mary ($8). This powerful seasoning is designed to be used in concert with tomato juice and vodka to create a bold, flavorful drink that will send your celery stalk running for cover.
Not all tequila is made to shoot — instead, it's made to sip like a fine scotch. Peligroso Anejo Tequila ($60) falls into the latter category. Aged for 12-18 months, it's exceptionally smooth, with flavors of nut, pumpkin, oak, and spice, and is bottled at 84 proof instead of 80 for an extra boost of flavor. Arrives in a satin black glass bottle that's corked and numbered by hand before it's individually boxed, just another sign that it's not your average worm juice.
The soda aisle at the local grocery store can seem overwhelming, until you realize that it's basically just a bunch of variations on the same themes. UFlavor ($TBA) is out to change all that. This upstart Indiana-based company lets you pick the ingredients to create your very own soda, complete with a custom label that you upload yourself. Whether you want flavored water, an energy drink, a soda, or a tea, they have you covered — no word yet on a "create your own beer" option.
Unless you sip on single malts exclusively, odds are you've run into a blended whiskey somewhere along the way. Whisky Blender (£35 and up; roughly $55+) lets you create your own specialized blend from a selection of seven different whiskys, each available for adding in amounts as small as 10ml. Once you're done, you can give the blend its own name, which will be handwritten on the label that adorns the 70cl corked decanter bottle, and save the mixture for future refills should the mixture be to your liking. While the wisdom of order booze you've never tasted before is always questionable, there's no doubt that it'll be far more interesting than your average bottle of Old Crow. [Scouted by Andrew]