Liquor and Spirits

Hell's Kitchen introduces Craft Cocktail Wednesdays

If you're looking for a new way to get over the midweek hump, Hell's Kitchen has recently created a new option. Hopping on the same bandwagon as other major Twin Cities restaurants, Hell's Kitchen is invading the craft cocktail scene: From 9 p.m. until close every Wednesday night, you can head down ... More >>

Meritage's New Year's Day plans feature new brunch menu, drink specials

​Chef Russell Klein is hitting the refresh button on brunch just in time for 2012. With classic favorites and a few surprises, the revamped menu will be on full display at Meritage's New Year's Day Brunch--complete with2-for-1 drink specials to cure any excess Auld Lang Syne-ing.

Bittercube celebrates Prohibition repeal in style

​Monday night marked the 78th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition in the United States, and to celebrate, the creative minds of Bittercube Bitters (Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz) crafted six cocktails based on Prohibition-era recipes. Each drink was given the Bittercube treatmen ... More >>

Halloween vintage cocktails: Blood red, boozy, and scary good [RECIPE]

The Jack Rose, and the Rose​It's Halloween weekend, and many a cauldron will be smoking with witches' brew. While most Halloween cocktail recipes are quite grotesque in a not-good way (think Bailey's Irish Cream with strawberry schnapps floating on top), we have an entirely different set of ... More >>

Zombie Pub Crawl cocktail recipe: The Zombie

​Whether you're a hippie, bridesmaid, or random wild-eyed zombie for the pub crawl, there is one thing all zombies agree on: The only thing better than brains is rum drinks made wicked strong. To celebrate the day the zombies roam the streets, we wanted to share one of our favorite drink recipes, ... More >>

Red Stag's Sazerac: A New Orleans-inspired drink of the week

Michelle LeonRed Stag's amber glow.​Sazerac$9Red Stag Supperclub509 First Avenue NE., Minneapolis, 612.767.7766website Like the martini, Manhattan, or old-fashioned, the sazerac is another pre-Prohibition cocktail, this one originating in New Orleans, that everyone claims as having the "orig ... More >>

The Macallan 55 at St. Paul Grill: a super fancy drink of the week

Fifty-five years old and $750 a glass.​The Macallan 55$750 a glassThis Drink of the Week should probably be described in the voice of Robin Leach from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, so image that. The Macallan 55 is a Highland single-malt scotch whisky, meaning this little sip has been aged i ... More >>

St. Paul Grill Scotch Club offers prix-fixe pairing dinner

Pair scotch with food at the St. Paul Grill. ​The St. Paul Grill's celebrates the first anniversary of its Scotch Club by offering a prix-fixe dinner menu from May 16-26. The four-course dinner is available to Scotch Club members for $49.95, plus tax and gratuity--if you're not yet a member yo ... More >>

Bawdy Blue: A Burlesque Revue

Faces Mears Park has your Christmas dinner covered, this Week in Food.

Some brandy with your Alexander? ​The Twin Cities are alive with holiday festivities. Learn the ABCs of beer, trade in the roast beast for General Tao's tofu, and sip on brandy and cognac this Week in Food. Monday 12/20 You drink enough of it--you should try to get to know it. Learn the ABCs of ... More >>

Four spooky vintage cocktails for Halloween!

Corpse Reviver #2​As Halloween approaches, we want to make sure you have the proper cocktails to party down, spooky-style. Just because it's Halloween doesn't mean you have to drink some nasty concoction like the Floating Eyeball or Bloody Brain. These vintage recipes are quite delicious and styli ... More >>

Pink Lady-- vintage cocktail recipe

Much more than a girly drink. ​While the name Pink Lady implies a drink that is delicate and sweet, this lady kicks ass. With a shell-pink hue and rich scents of apple and pomegranate, this vintage cocktail is potent but deceptively balanced. We recommend using only fresh lemon juice and homemade ... More >>

Salut's Summit Hill Sidecar, an autumn drink of the week

Summit Hill Sidecar​ Summit Hill Sidecar $8Salut Bar Americain917 Grand Ave., St Paul651.917.2345Since we are easing into the chillier days, we naturally seek warmer drinks, leading to many of the amber spirits that often get ignored in the summer. This take on the vintage sidecar cocktail has man ... More >>

Strip Club's curried pisco: drink of the week

Curried pisco​Curried Pisco$8.50The Strip Club Meat & Fish378 Maria Ave., St. Paul651.793.6247Always on top of the latest drink trends, Dan Oskey of  the Strip Club has taken on the flavors of the Far East with this new creation. Pisco, a centuries-old Peruvian grape liquor is the base, w ... More >>

Tequila cocktails to celebrate Mexico's 200th birthday

Chili Margarita​Today, September 15, is Mexican Independence Day and Mexico's 200th birthday--that's right, their bicentennial--giving us an ideal opportunity to raise a glass to our friends south of the border. Here are a few tasty recipes for your toast.

Rye whiskey makes the endangered food list

Helga's lobster stew/flickrRye whiskey, an endangered spirit.​In tandem with National Bourbon Month, bourbon's best friend, rye whiskey, has fallen on hard times. According to Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste list--a compilation of 200 plus food items designed to alert communities to endangered c ... More >>

Top 5: bourbon cocktail recipes for National Bourbon Month

bhamsandwich/flickrThe mint julep is our friend.​Yes siree, September is National Bourbon Month, and we are here to celebrate our favorite amber fluid--the only one native to the USA-- with you.Made with corn, and named for a county in Kentucky, bourbon making is no free-for-all, there are very sp ... More >>

Wondrous Azian Kitchen's Brazerac--a dreamy drink of the week

A cocktail born in a dream.​Brazerac$8 Thom Pham's Wondrous Azian Kitchen 533 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 612.338.1479 It's not everyday that someone gets to live one of their dreams. But that's just what happened to bartender Brad Smith, the mastermind behind the cocktail menu at Wondrous Azian K ... More >>

Remodeler uncovers vintage booze stash in Minneapolis home

Darin BackHow long does liquor last, anyway?​An air-conditioning installer recently uncovered an interesting stash amid the third-story duct work of a 110-year-old Lowry Hill home: four cases of pre-Prohibition booze. The Star Tribune reported that the cases contained 15 jugs and 30 bottles ... More >>

DIY cocktail ingredients: homemade cherries, orgeat syrup, and grenadine

The cherry on top. ​It's the newest trend in high-end bars around town: artisan cocktails made with house-made ingredients, which can add a whole new level of flavor and sophistication to drinks. So why not adopt that trend for your own homemade cocktails? Since some fancy syr ... More >>

Whiskey sour recipes to celebrate National Whiskey Sour Day

A 150-year-old classic​Like an easy lady, the whiskey sour has a tarnished reputation, similar to the tequila sunrise's. Being made for years with sour mix that tastes like bathroom cleaner will do that to a drink. Since today is National Whiskey Sour Day, it's a perfect opportunity to make th ... More >>

Top 5 rum cocktail recipes

Rum infusing in Madagascar​We are feeling just terrible about missing National Rum Day last Monday (we were a little distracted by it also being National Bratwurst Day, and we don't recommend mixing the two) but you don't really need an excuse to drink a beautiful cocktail. With the summer winding ... More >>

Ginger Cucumber Amore--a drink recipe from the garden

Michelle LeonAn experiment with the flavors found in Thai cooking.​Using the freshest of the season's ingredients--this time, cucumber--we continue to share drink recipes that make the most of the harvest. We named this cocktail Ginger Cucumber Amore because the flavors blended in such a heav ... More >>

Top 5 tequilas for National Tequila Day tomorrow

So many tequilas, so little time...​Tomorrow is National Tequila Day! There is so much to celebrate, from the Eagle's "Tequila Sunrise" to belly shots to lost weekends. To help you celebrate, we asked a bartender at the tequila bar Barrio about the Top 5 bottles the restaurant serves most, alo ... More >>

Classic cocktail recipes--drink like Mad Men do

Michelle LeonClassic Martini​Want to learn how to make classic cocktails like those that the philandering, cigarette smoking, deceptive characters on Mad Men swill? As the AMC series starts its fourth season Sunday, the period piece set in the '60s reflects a time when it was okay to have a bar in ... More >>

Ginger cayenne margarita--a killer cocktail recipe

Michelle Leonginger cayenne margarita​ Our search for the ultimate summer cocktail continues with this selection that is simultaneously spicy, sweet, and tart. With just a dash of cayenne, this take on a classic margarita captures all the traditional notes, but the ginger and cayenne give the dr ... More >>

Top 5 vodkas--chosen by a Russian guy

Our Russian guy: Jacob Tselniker of Continental Liquors​ It is said that the Russian word for water--voda--is the root of the word vodka, so this tells you a little about how Russians feel about the stuff. Russia vodka production is said to date back to somewhere between the 9th and 12th cent ... More >>

Mint Julep Day is Sunday!

​Mark your calendars, an important event is taking place this Sunday: it's Mint Julep Day! Since 1938, the drink has been served on the first Saturday in May for Kentucky Derby Day. However, the official day to sip this bourbon and mint creation is this weekend. 

Drink of the week: Rouge John-John Dead Guy Ale at The Bulldog Northeast

The Bulldog NE beer aged in a whiskey barrel = love

Drink of the week: La Belle Vie's 12 Drinks Before Christmas

12 cocktails from La Belle Vie sure to warm even the most holiday-hatin' heart.

St. Paul Whiskey Fest

Today is National Liqueur Day

Celebrate National Liqueur Day with St. Germain, creme de violette, and cointreau for starters.

Two local bars make Food & Wine's top 100

Drumroll, please...

Rum a good winter warmer

It's a rum resurrection, with books and now a movie romanticizing the Caribbean specialty.

La Belle Vie Lounge shares home liquor advice

Honey Liqueur? Stir things up with these new drink ideas.

Drink of the Week: Lauria Alpine Cream Liqueur

Politics with a Twist

Order one of these drinks and get this Grand Old Party started

Liquor titan Phillips Distilling aims top shelf with organic vodka

The Minnesota company wants you to think globally, drink locally

Drink of the Week: Mexican 3-Way

Sex and the City drinks

This Ain't No Party

The tequila you knew and loved as a social drunk has caught a serious case of respectability

Mugs of Good Cheer

If winter has finally started to seem unjust, it's time for a hot toddy

Rum's the Word

High-quality sipping rum is coming soon to a glass near you

Single Malt: Innumerable Bottles

The rarest single malt scotches in all the world can be found in Minnesota, if you only know where to look

Southwestern Comfort

A Lone Star in a Minnesota Mall

Pop Szechuan