As the craft distilling movement continues to grow, it's important to decipher the real deal from the big brands in sheep's clothing. Hangar 1® Vodka is the real deal, based in Alameda, CA and housed in an old World War II aircraft hangar where they distill their spirits, one batch at a time using hand-operated pot stills. Their Straight vodka is a unique blend of grapes and grains, giving it just the right balance of flavors.
Presented by Hangar 1 Vodka.
These days, it's hard to go into a bar without seeing a long list of IPAs vying for your attention. But one that has been around for a while, and continues to be one of the best, is Dreadnaught IPA from Three Floyds Brewing. Dreadnaught is a huge double IPA that clocks in at 9.5 ABV with 100 IBUs, but despite those impressive and possibly intimidating numbers, it somehow manages to stay balanced, thanks to a huge malt body. It's a double IPA that is still a leader in its class despite more and more intense, hoppy competition.
Do you take your coffee with a little sugar? Or maybe your rum with a little coffee infusion? Either way, Different Drum Rum is breaking the mold. It certainly isn't anything like most liqueurs with coffee, that are so sticky sweet they taste candy. Instead, Different Drum uses a pressurized gas that disrupts the coffee-bean cells, releasing the intended flavors of the beans rather than a sugar overload. It's a smooth sipping rum unlike any you've tried before.
If you've kept abreast of cannabis culture lately, you know well that smoking isn't the only way to catch a buzz — there's a whole array of edibles, extracts, and drinkables out that are just as effective (if not more so). And with Mirth Legal Beverages, you get all the benefits in the form of several tasty drinks. Choose from cold brew coffee, cold brew with milk and sugar, sparkling cherry, sparkling lemon ginger, and sparkling pomegranate — all infused with Washington-grown cannabis extract. They promise a powerful body buzz, uplifting euphoria, and head highs that will get you through the day. And while it might not be legal yet in your state, it may just be the best reason to take a trip Northeast.
It's not as easy as you think for a brewer to pack a ton of flavor into a lower alcohol beer. But Daisy Cutter Pale Ale from Half Acre Beer Company in Chicago does just that. Daisy Cutter is a pale ale in IPA clothing — with a bitter but pleasing hop bite jammed into a 5.2% ABV package. This aggressively hopped Pale Ale manages to give off the grapefruit and floral hop notes of a double IPA, but somehow pulls off a light, easy to drink pale ale. A confoundingly complex beer that is a true craft classic.
What are you eating for dinner tonight? If that question stumps you each night because you don't have time to stock your fridge or need some coaching in the kitchen, give Blue Apron a try. This handy service ships you all the fresh ingredients you need for three delicious meals for two people, per week. Ingredients are perfectly portioned for each recipe, take about 35 minutes to prepare, and come with step-by-step recipe cards to make cooking gourmet meals at home a cinch. There are options for most dietary preferences, so whether you're a carnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, etc - there's an option to match.![](https://blueapron.sp1.convertro.com/view/vt/v1/blueapron/1/cvo.gif?cvosrc=content-paid.uncrate.july14"width=1){kind=small}
When it comes to rum, there isn't a brand as well known as Bacardi, so when they decided to release a special line of aged sipping rums, it rose to the top of our want list. Exquisito is one of the best in the collection and is a blend of rums aged between 7 and 23 years and finished for at least a month in sherry casks. The blend of ages provides an ideal balance and the finish gives Exquisito a mellow profile, perfect for a sweet sip served neat or with a little ice.
The warmer it gets outside, the more active many of us are. And the more active many of us are, the bigger thirst we work up. Fat Head's Trail Head Pale Ale — already a silver medal winner at Great American Beer Festival — is ready and waiting for you after your trail ride, or if you are just sitting on the porch waiting for the riders to return home. Brewed with whole flower Simcoe and Citra hops, Trail Head is a hoppy pale ale, but won't dominate your palette with bitterness. Available for the first time in cans, a portion of the proceeds from every pint go directly to supporting the rehab of trails in Cleveland, Ohio parks.
Even with bourbon in high demand across the US, it's not typical outside of Pappy Van Winkle releases to see the kind of frenzy that Orphan Barrel have stirred up in their short time on the market. After two successful releases earlier this year, Rhetoric Bourbon is the third Orphan Barrel bottle to hit shelves, and it's sure to cause a stir as well. Rhetoric is a 20 year old bourbon that was distilled in both the new and old Bernheim distilleries in Kentucky. It's 90 proof with lots of character and flavor — with oak being the dominant taste. So if rare, old, and oaky are up your alley, Rhetoric certainly fits the bill.
With the large amounts of new breweries opening across the US these days, it's tough to keep tabs on which ones are worth your time. Crooked Stave in Denver, Colorado is more than worthy, and beers like Surette Saison are part of the reason. Surette is a provision saison, meaning that the style of beer was historically brewed with higher alcohol content for longer storage and aging. Surette carries a slightly higher 6.2% ABV, but with the perfect mix of mild herbal spice, tartness and refreshing impact on your palette, you'll hardly notice the alcohol. A ideal treat as the temperature rises outdoors.
Middle West Spirits in Columbus, Ohio is known for their excellent vodkas and whiskeys, but rarely do the two spirits mingle with each other — until now. Bourbon Barrel Honey Vanilla Vodka is a unique creation distilled from red winter wheat and local wildflower honey with hints of fresh vanilla bean. The honey vanilla vodka then rests in OYO bourbon barrels for between 9 and 12 months. The result is a sweet, creamy liqueur that not only tastes good neat, but is a fantastic cocktail ingredient.
If you aren't a regular vodka drinker, it can be tough to distinguish between quality stuff and bottom shelf vodka that is prepared with the sole intent of self obliteration. Our / Vodka is one that certainly falls into the quality category, produced by local experts in Berlin, Germany in a specially built urban micro-distillery and sold exclusively in local bars. The good news for us is, it's done so well on the local market that the market is expanding, as the brand is opening up in eleven cities across the US, Europe and Australia, starting in Detroit, Michigan. Each batch will be made with the same recipe, but every distillery will use locally sourced ingredients, giving each run some hometown character.
When we think about classic Midwestern IPAs, the first thing that comes to mind is the always incredible Two Hearted Ale from Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This fragrant, delicious IPA is a must have for all hop lovers — and now for the first time is available in 16 oz. cans. The can design features a local artist's illustration from a label that was previously retired when Two Hearted was just a young, wide eyed beer in the late 90's. Who says you can't teach an old beer new tricks?
We've got scores of electronic gadgets and apps to help us keep track of our fitness — but there's few things you can do as beneficial to your health as quitting smoking. So where's the app for that? The Quitbit Lighter has your answer. This rechargeable lighter uses a heating element to light up your smoke, keeping track of every time you do, and displaying that information on the built-in display and in the companion app that syncs over Bluetooth and can let you see when you smoke, how much you smoke, and lets you view trends over time. It might be the smartest purchase you make all year.
It's one of the newest trends in the distilling industry, craft beer brewers are beginning to distill spirits like whiskey in addition to brewing the beers that put them on the map. Rogue Brewing isn't following a trend, instead they helped start it with their award winning Dead Guy Whiskey. Made using the same three malts that are used in the legendary Dead Guy Ale, Dead Guy Whiskey is distilled twice through copper pot stills and then aged in American oak barrels for three months before bottling.
USA-Made Goods presented by our friends at Shinola.
Make yourself an excellent cup of coffee wherever you go with these Grower's Cup Coffeebrewers. Filled with freshly ground single estate specialty coffees — that isn't Maxwell House in there — these smart pouches let you pour hot water into the pouch, then wait for 2-4 minutes as the pouch uses the pour-over method to brew up a great cup of joe with the rich taste of a French press. When it's ready, simply take the cap off the spout, grab your favorite mug, and pour — and you can even put the cap back on to keep the rest of it warm. Combining on the go convenience and terrific quality, they're the best of both worlds.
When the folks at Rhinegeist Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio set out to make a traditional West Coast IPA, they didn't want to just create a beer that locals would love, but one that everyone who got their hands on would appreciate. Truth IPA isn't available all over the country just yet, but is now available in cans and is exceeding expectations with every sip. The clean, crisp IPA takes things next level with it's resiny hop bite and balanced finish. Truth is, one of the best West Coast IPAs is now brewed in Cincinnati, Ohio.
After a long night of drinking, it's hard to top a great Bloody Mary the next day to help balance things out. UV Sriracha Vodka might be the most unique Bloody Mary ingredient on the market, combining all the things you love about Sriracha with a classic cocktail. It's peppery, savory and of course spicy. But don't worry, it won't set your mouth ablaze — but instead provides a remarkable balance for Bloody Marys or any cocktail in need of a little kick.
If you hear good things about the craft beer boom in Chicago, it's hard to have the conversation without mentioning Pipeworks Brewing. Citra Ninja is a standout amongst a full slate of great options that Pipeworks offers, and it stands out for a reason. Bursting from the bottle with citrusy hop aromas, Citra Ninja is aggressive yet subtle, swiftly attacking your palate like, well, a ninja. The Citra hop strain might be the trendiest hop on the market right now, but not everyone wields it as well as Pipeworks with Citra Ninja.
As far as Kentucky Bourbon distiller's are concerned, it's hard to go wrong with the juice that the good folks at Wild Turkey churn out. That's why Russell's Reserve Single Barrel should be high on your radar, even before you take a sip. Of course, once you do have a taste you'll be treated to a bold, spicy, non-chill filtered dram of bourbon that Master Distiller Jimmy Russell is proud to lend his name to. It makes no apologies at 110 proof — but still manages to maintain an impressive balance between the sugar and barrel notes.
