Sipping

Schmaltz Coney Island Lagers

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:53:02 GMT

Freaking delicious
The latest offerings from New York’s Schmaltz Brewing Co. celebrate — as Elvis Costello once put it — the “other side of summer.”

Tommy's Naked Soda

PHIL AMARA — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:02:37 GMT

Steer clear
Soda ratcheted up a level, while still paying homage to the tonic classics.

St. Bernardus Abt 12 and Satan Red

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:04:02 GMT

The eternal struggle
In beer, as in life, there is good and there is evil.

Samuel Adams American Homebrew Contest winners

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:14:23 GMT

Cheered beers
Ever since Jimmy Carter legalized homebrewing in 1978, Americans have been sterilizing bottles, boiling barley malt, and trying their hands at a galaxy of adventuresome beer styles.

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:46:52 GMT

The gold standard
In 1973, the late, great Mets pitcher Tug McGraw was asked how he’d spend his postseason share.

Carlsberg Jacobsen Dark Lager

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:28:48 GMT

A great Dane
“What is your affair in Elsinore?” Hamlet asks Horatio in Act 1, Scene 2. “We’ll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.”

Scaldis Noël

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:45:22 GMT

A worthy indulgence
It’s the time of year for indulging and imbibing.

Razzy’s infused vodka

RACHEL NOLAN — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 21:30:50 GMT

Defying expectations
To me, non-infused vodka reeks of hairspray, while infused vodka reeks of pretentious cocktails and strained conversation. But...

Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:17:30 GMT

Say what it wants in a big way
“The role of a comedian,” said the late Lenny Bruce, is to make the audience laugh, at a minimum of once every 15 seconds.”

Lagunitas IPA Maximus

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:11:46 GMT

Feed your habit
Even as the son of a dental hygienist, that’s a risk I’m willing to take for IPA Maximus.

Toscanini’s Vietnamese coffee

RACHEL NOLAN — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:52:45 GMT

Who needs half-caff?
As construction workers dismantled the giant metal T that presided over Harvard Square until this past December, my friends and co-workers began to lose weight.

Hitachino Nest Japanese ales

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:21:13 GMT

... (Delicious)
That’s just the kind of pitcher I want on my team.

Sipping style

SARA FAITH ALTERMAN — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:43:02 GMT

Pay tribute to the Fashion Weeks of the world with these chic cocktails
This is the stuff of millionaires and toothpicks, celebutantes and Vogue .

Spring is in the air, and although crocuses are poking through the dirt and birds have begun to stretch their wings, there are much more exciting things in store for the winter-weary. Springtime brings the haute-couture wizardry of Fashion Week, the fashionista’s boutique candy store, during which the fashion capitals of the world allow the most fabulous designers on earth to showcase their latest collections in front of the rich, famous, and trend-savvy. This is the stuff of millionaires and toothpicks (except in Madrid, where the skinny models have been banned!), celebutantes and Vogue.

But even if you can’t jet off to Milan, Paris, or Tokyo, you can still pay tribute to the cities that lead the fashion charge by sipping a cocktail in homage to the world’s couture meccas. While you may never get the chance to sit a Manolo’s throw from the catwalk, you can raise your glass to Milan, Paris, London, New York, Singapore, and a few other Fashion Week hotspots.

Milan’s Fashion Week is a whirlwind of color, couture, and northern-Italian charm. This year’s shows paid tribute to James Bond, with several designers, including Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, playing with the tuxedos and bowties favored by Agent 007 himself. Of course, Boston is chock full of Italian restaurants and lounges, but where else but Croma (269 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.247.3200) can you enjoy a Bond Girl martini ($9), the perfect way to indulge your inner super-spy? Zardetto prosecco, orange juice, and Peachtree Schnapps will leave you shaken and, yes, even stirred, by its fresh, zingy fruitiness.

If your style is more romantic than action/adventure, stop in at Sasso (116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.247.2400) for a Parisian martini ($13), a subtle French kiss. Since designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, and Yves Saint Laurent worked so hard this season, they deserve a toast in their honor, oui? The Parisian, an aperitif of Stoli Razberi, pineapple, raspberries, and Champagne, is light, frothy, and only hints at sweetness, just as the French do. It’s as fresh and inviting as Sasso co-owner Ted Kennedy, who’s a more gracious host than you could ever find in Paris.

Peak Organic Brewing Co.

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 21:38:29 GMT

The natural
It’s natural to want the things you eat and drink to have traveled as short a distance as possible from Mother Nature to your plate or pint glass.

Play, big spender

SARA FAITH ALTERMAN — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 19:12:37 GMT

Why burn money when you can drink it?
Once you’ve sampled premium vodka or the crème-de-la-crème of cognac, you’ll be reluctant to order anything less.

Elit at the Bristol Lounge

How do you define luxury? Is it 1200-thread-count Egyptian-cotton sheets? Evian bubble baths? Remote island vacations spent basking in the toasty sunshine? Such indulgences are definitely divine, but let’s not forget the luxury that can be poured from a bottle, settle smoothly in a glass, and be enjoyed sip by sip. Yes, it can be hard to justify dropping a grand on a bottle of vino, but consider, for a moment, the history and complexity that is corked inside: the lineage of the grapes, the … you don’t care, do you? That’s fine. But trust us: once you’ve sampled premium vodka or the crème-de-la-crème of cognac, you’ll be reluctant to order anything less.

Margaritas don’t have to be frozen, sticky-sweet, candy-colored beach drinks. High-quality tequila deserves better than sour mix and a splash of Rose’s lime. Fortunately, Bonfire (50 Park Plaza, Boston, 617.262.3473) gets it. Although Todd English’s steak house is an unlikely venue for a Mexican cerveza, the Ultimate Margarita ($35) couples divinely with most of Bonfire’s creative cuisine. This margarita is made with Casa Herradura Suprema, a tequila that warms your tongue with hints of rosy cinnamon, and Grand Marnier 150 Year, a limited-edition cognac. Finished with fresh lime juice, the Ultimate Margarita is a far, far cry from those neon sugar fests you’re used to choking down as a tortilla-chip chaser.

Stolichnaya Elit is one of the premier vodkas of the world. Filtered at sub-zero temperatures to eliminate impurities, the premium spirit is smooth, refined, and incredibly easy to drink. Two of Boston’s paramount establishments have created cocktails that showcase Stoli Elit’s velvety, heavenly body. The drink list at the Bristol Lounge (Four Seasons, 200 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.338.4400) boasts a cocktail that epitomizes class: the Elit ($40), a martini made with Stoli Elit and a dollop of caviar. A few limousine lengths down the road at Excelsior (272 Boylston Street, Boston, 617. 426.7878), slip into something a little filthier: the Dirty Elitist ($25). Olive juice and blue-cheese-stuffed olives never had it so good. Of course, if you’re ready to make the move to what the real elitist big boys (and girls) drink, nix the martini and order up a snifter of Hennessy Ellipse ($500), a spectacular vintage cognac that blends seven Hennessy eaux de vie (fruit brandies).

Sonoma Syrup Co.’s lavender-infused simple syrup

GENEVIEVE RAJEWSKI — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:38:21 GMT

Flower power
On a recent vacation to San Francisco, I met up with a close foodie friend for a day trip to Sonoma County.

Dinner redefined

SARA FAITH ALTERMAN — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:07:15 GMT

Food-fused cocktails will leave you sated, not stuffed
When is a drink not just a drink?

When is a drink not just a drink? When it’s a meal in a glass, of course. Some of the hippest places in Boston have cooked up cocktails using ingredients that are usually found on your dinner plate. But rather than being heavy or overwhelming, these beverages are just savory enough to whet your appetite. From appetizer to dessert, from soup to, yes, nuts, these concoctions provide a feast for the senses that won’t leave you uncomfortably full.

Blue-cheese-stuffed olives are the perfect prelude to a savory meal. Bathe them in premium vodka and you’ve got a cocktail that’s both apéritif and amuse-bouche. Sure, these days blue-cheese martinis are a dime (ahem, and an arm and a leg) a dozen, but the appropriatelynamed Vox martini ($10) at Vox Populi (755 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.424.8300) and the Dirty Harry ($12) at Noir (Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett Street, Cambridge, 617.661.8010) are two stellar examples of the tasty cocktail. Be patient, gobbling grasshoppers. The longer the olives steep, the more complex your drink will become. Leave them alone, enjoy your martini, and when you finally chow down on your garnish, you will be rewarded.

The Leaning Mary-tini at Ivy

Speaking of Noir, it also serves the Chartreuse Basil ($12), a mixture of fresh basil, lime, and Green Chartreuse, a complex French liqueur. Infused with more than 100 herbs and flowers, Chartreuse is produced at a monastery by Carthusian monks and gets its natural coloring from chlorophyll. But enough about the details. What matters is that it tastes like a French fairy tale. And how else can you enjoy 100 herbs and flowers crammed into a glass?

A brand-new dinner menu, a swanky basement lounge, and a comprehensive selection of premium vodkas are reason enough to hit the Good Life (28 Kingston Street, Boston, 617.451.2622). Once you’re there, though, check out the cucumber martini ($12), a refreshing blend of gin, cucumber, dry vermouth, and lime juice. It’s crisp and delicate, like a fresh summer salad. Close your eyes and sip one of these during the next nor’easter and, for a moment, enjoy visions of warm-weather English gardens.

The Union Oyster House (41 Union Street, Boston, 617.227.2750) is a good stop for succulent oysters on the half-shell. And you can enjoy these plump, pearly suckers long after dinner time. Order up an oyster shooter ($7.60) from the gorgeous bartending staff; they’ll scrape a single oyster into a shot glass and cover it with cocktail sauce, horseradish, Tabasco, and a shot of chilled citrus vodka. It’s a taste of spicy, slippery heaven.

Virgil’s Root Beer, Reed’s Original Ginger Brew, and China Cola

MARLISSA BRIGGETT — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 22:44:14 GMT

Microbrews for the underage (and non-alcohol-drinking) crowd
Put down that Pepsi for a minute; Virgil’s Root Beer, Reed’s Original Ginger Brew, and China Cola offer quirky takes on traditional sodas.

Hit us with your best shot

HEATHER BOUZAN — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:32:40 GMT

Sometimes we don't need a full-size cocktail
Shots are like candy bars: you’re worked up and craving one by the end of a stressful day, but once you’ve downed 12 in a row, you begin to feel a bit queasy.

Shots at 33 lounge and bar

Shots are like candy bars: you’re worked up and craving one by the end of a stressful day, but once you’ve downed 12 in a row, you begin to feel a bit queasy. While it’s obvious that we love sipping a good cocktai, we turn our attention now to the martini’s smaller, quickly slurped little brother. A really good shot, after all, takes as much ingenuity and skill to create — and as discerning a palate to enjoy — as the most complex of cocktails.

“Does anyone over the age of 21 still do shots these days?” you might wonder. Why, yes — and they’re giving them more thought than ever. “[Shots have] crossed the line into the restaurant/martini-lounge environment more in the past, I would say, maybe five years. They’ve become more creative. They’ve become fresher; they’ve become more like the cocktails,” says Clif Travers, mixologist/bar manager at OM (92 Winthrop Street, Cambridge, 617.576.2800). “Since the cocktail’s grown in its complexity and its originality, I think it was just natural for the shot to do the same thing. Any place that has a martini list has to have some mature shots to offer as well.” To that end, Travers has created a few shots — including the Clifhanger ($9), with Maker’s Mark, simple syrup, and muddled lime — with the same care and creativity that he gives to his full-size cocktails.

Of course, the shot’s place in the drinking world often falls in the realm of celebration. “Some people are looking for a little lift-up, a little extra kick, but even for people who are [just] trying to catch a buzz, shots are something that are ordered to celebrate,” says Jackson Cannon, bar manager at Eastern Standard (528 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.9100). “By their very nature, [the people who drink shots are] people who are coming together, be it around some time off to go to a ballgame, or around the holiday time, just getting together with friends and family, with work colleagues.” For his celebratory crowds, Cannon delves into his cocktail archives. “I go between different things,” he says. “One that I have on our menu that I like a lot is a coopted classic cocktail, the Stardust — that’s rum with Parfait Amore, which is a beautiful French orange liqueur with kind of a vanilla overtone and a deep violet color.”

Eastern Standard’s beer ice cream floats

MIKE MILIARD — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:19:10 GMT

Have a cold one
Root-beer floats are kids’ stuff.