Humboldt Distillery, the Northern California distillery best known for its organic and hemp-infused vodkas, recently announced the launch of its latest offering: Organic Apple Brandy. The new spirit is a small-batch release, with only a limited number of cases produced.
“There’s no single reason we decided to produce our Organic Apple Brandy, but rather a few reasons — one being it’s a tasty spirit that I really enjoy myself,” says Abe Stevens, Humboldt Distillery founder and head distiller. “It’s made with familiar ingredients that are grown locally. Apple brandy has a long, storied history in the U.S., and it’s currently not produced in any significant quantity by any of the big liquor brands, so for us it was the perfect spirit to add to our portfolio.”
It takes more than 20 pounds of apples to make each bottle of Humboldt Distillery’s Organic Apple Brandy, and includes fruit from local orchards like the College of the Redwoods’ Sustainable Agriculture Farm in Shively, California. The brandy is made from a blend of barrels of different ages, with the majority of casks originating as ex-bourbon barrels from Sonoma Distilling Company and aged from 2-5 years. These once-used barrels are made of American white oak, and give the spirit mild oaky tasting notes and a golden color. The spirit is certified organic and contains zero artificial colors or flavors. It is non-GMO as well as gluten-free.
GSN’s Remarks: A lovely apple nose reminscent of fresh pressed cider. The flavor is warm, with a mellow sweetness that retains the flavor of the fruit, while adding a round and smooth body. The finish is medium long, with a dry and semi-tannic ending. This is a great spirit for sipping neat while enjoying creamy cheeses such as Brie or Tallegio, with roasted pork loin, or alongside an apple tart for dessert. A wonderful addition to the Humboldt portfolio, and one which we would welcome year round. GSN Rating: A-
For more information go to: Humboldt Distillery
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Detroit Tiki: A History of Polynesian Palaces & Tropical Cocktails by Renee Tadey (Author), Dave Chow (Foreword) The History Press (January 31, 2022) When the South Sea craze swept over the nation in the mid-twentieth century, the wave of island-themed décor and tropical cocktails did not pass by Detroit. The Tropics and Club Bali offered a warming escape from dreary Midwest winters. At its completion in 1967, the Mauna Loa was the most expensive restaurant built east of the Mississippi. With its lush interior and celebrity patrons, it did not disappoint. The Chin Tiki, with its exquisitely handcrafted features, was no less an exceptional destination. Even today, long after the Polynesian craze has faded, a new generation has taken up the tiki torch and brought island flavor and flair back to the city. Join author Renee Tadey on a sweeping journey through the tiki destinations of Detroit.
Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth by Nancy Matsumoto (Author), Michael Tremblay (Author), John Gauntner (Foreword) Tuttle Publishing (March 8, 2022) This stunning guide invites you into the story of sake—an ancient beverage finding its way in a modern world. Whether you’re a sake novice or an experienced connoisseur, Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake offers fascinating insights, practical tips, and rich stories about this popular beverage. Authors and experts Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay personally undertook the challenge of visiting 33 artisanal sake breweries in Japan, the US, and Canada to interview makers and document every stage of the sake brewing process. Nancy’s celebrated journalistic background combined with Michael’s sake sommelier experience have led to an engaging and informative look at the world of sake. With over 300 color photos and a lively narrative, this fascinating book provides: A comprehensive introduction to the science and history of sake brewing in Japan. A look at how fine craft sakes are brewed today using traditional methods and no additives—only rice, water, koji, and yeast. Histories of Japan’s venerable breweries, some of them over 300 years old! An answer to why some breweries are able to turn out a superior quality of sake. A discussion of rice varieties and “terroirs” where exceptional sakes are produced. Current trends in the world of sake, including the fine sakes now brewed outside Japan. Tasting notes and recommendations for top craft sakes you have not heard about yet. This book also includes personal recipes from several top Japanese brew masters along with food-pairing tips and the authors’ own personal recommendations for the best sake bars in Japan and overseas!
Booze & Vinyl Vol. 2: 70 More Albums + 140 New Recipes by André Darlington (Author), Tenaya Darlington (Author) Running Press Adult (April 19, 2022) A follow-up to the bestselling listening party guide, Booze & Vinyl, this is an all-new collection of groundbreaking music paired with mood-setting cocktails. Get set to party with 70 great records—organized by theme, from Rockin’ to Beats, Mellow to Jazzy & Bluesy—spanning the 1950s to today. Each entry features liner notes on the album and two accompanying boozy beverage recipes that complement the music. Among the featured albums are: Are You Experienced? (The Jimi Hendrix Experience), Toys in the Attic (Aerosmith), Synchronicity (The Police), Jagged Little Pill (Alanis Morisette), The B52s (The B52s ), Gipsy Kings (The Gipsy Kings), Violator (Depeche Mode), Ready to Die (The Notorious B.I.G.), Play (Moby), Lemonade (Beyoncé), Coat of Many Colors (Dolly Parton), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John), So (Peter Gabriel), Whitney Houston (Whitney Houston), Oops!…I Did it Again (Britney Spears), Getz/Gilberto (Stan Getz and João Gilberto), A Love Supreme (John Coltrane).
Wild Drinks: The new old world of small-batch brews, ferments and infusions by Sharon Flynn Hardie Grant (June 7, 2022) Wild Drinks is the definitive book on infusing, brewing and fermenting delicious and often nutritious things to drink, from mead to kombucha to cider to kvass. With the entertaining and assuring voice of fermentation expert Sharon Flynn, it is a perfect jumping off point for anyone who is curious to learn more about this magical and witchy world. Across six chapters, Wild Drinks features more than 60 recipes. Learn the basics of wild fermentation and read about the equipment you need to start your fermentation journey. Discover drinks made from grain, including doburoku (farmhouse sake), wild beer and kvass; explore recipes for wild apple cider, country wine and wild soda; try water kefir, kombucha, ginger beer and fruit vinegars, and come to understand the art of imparting flavor, from shrubs to flavored waters to syrups and liqueurs. And in the spirit of reducing waste, the final chapter shows how to use fermentation byproducts – ranging from crackers made from sake lees to kimchi pancakes, nettle risotto and Basque cider chicken. Recipes include fascinating historical context and quick tips, and Sharon considers the traditions associated with these ancient fermentation practices too.
Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology by Tamika Hall (Author), Colin Asare-Appiah (Author) Kingston Imperial (June 7, 2022) Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology is a tribute to the contributions of Black and Brown mixologists to the spirits and mixology industries. Many pivotal events in the history of mixology have been ushered in by the contributions of African-American men and women. These moments have opened doors and laid the foundation for brands and companies to flourish. This book features stories about some of the industry’s most notable trailblazers. Whether it was entrepreneurship, education or a “famous first,” the featured mixologists have all contributed to the industry to make an impact in their own ways. This collective of mixologists and their signature cocktails represent different parts of the globe. There will be connections to important inventions and milestone moments by African Americans in the bartending industry weaved in between their stories.
Dicktales or Thankyous and Sluggings by Dick Bradsell (Author), Anistatia R Miller (Editor), Jared M Brown (Editor) Jared Brown (June 30, 2022) THIS IS THE LONG-AWAITED BOOK written by Mr. Dick Bradsell. AKA Soho Cocktail Legend, Father of the London Cocktail revival, The Bartenders’ Bartender, Cocktail King, Creative Genius, are some of the titles attributed to him-though he would have introduced himself as Dick or perhaps Rosie Smudge or Cassandra the Wizard or Dungeon Master or…. This is not a cocktail book or a bar manual. Dick believed that others were better at writing those than him. Although incomplete and missing his final signature of approval, this book of thoughts, soundbites and (many) cocktails is part of his legacy. Compiled and carefully reconstructed from his own writings, his words (and his opinions) from his incalculable notebooks, personal letters, and scraps of paper span almost four decades are reproduced in the raw so all the feeling and emotion of his thoughts are left in their finest unedited, unpolished form. Photos from private collections and his own artwork are sprinkled throughout as playful as they appeared in his notebooks. A tribute to his family and many friends who shaped his tread in life and supported him for better and for worse, in mind, spirit, and body. Ultimately, it is a celebration of the life and work of a proud British bartender, named Richard Arthur Bradsell.
Kokuteeru by Yonekichi Maeda (Author), Kagumi Otani (Translator), Eiji Arakawa (Introduction) Jared Brown (June 30, 2022) Finding and translating Kokuteeru (1924) was a year long journey that helps to answer the question “who wrote the first Japanese cocktail book?” Whilst this honour goes to Tokuzo Akiyama’s book Cocktails: How To Mix Drinks, Yonekichi Maeda’s Kokuteeru is considered to be the more systematic and practical text which was published a month later. Western style spirits and bartending made their way into Japanese culture as early as 1872. And by the early 1900s Japanese bartenders ran their own Western style establishments. Kokuteeru gives us a fascinating glimpse as to how 1920s Japanese bartenders began to define themselves and their profession. The entirety of the net profits-100%- from the publication of this English translation of Kokuteeru will fund the Yonekichi Maeda Scholarship: an internship program that will send Australian bartenders to Japan to learn about Japanese bartending. This scholarship will allow the next generation of Australian bartenders to learn the art of Japanese cocktail bartending and will promote a return of the ‘journeyman bartender’ to the education scheme of the bartending profession.
Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails by Camper English Penguin Books (July 19, 2022) Alcohol and Medicine have an inextricably intertwined history, with innovations in each altering the path of the other. The story stretches back to ancient times, when beer and wine were used to provide nutrition and hydration, and were employed as solvents for healing botanicals. Over time, alchemists distilled elixirs designed to cure all diseases, monastic apothecaries developed mystical botanical liqueurs, traveling physicians concocted dubious intoxicating nostrums, and the drinks we’re familiar with today began to take form. In turn, scientists studied fermentation and formed the germ theory of disease, and developed an understanding of elemental gases and anesthetics. Modern cocktails like the Old-Fashioned, Gimlet, and Gin and Tonic were born as delicious remedies for diseases and discomforts. In Doctors and Distillers, cocktails and spirits expert Camper English reveals how and why the contents of our medicine and liquor cabinets were, until surprisingly recently, one and the same.
The Botany of Beer: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 Plants Used in Brewing (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History) by Giuseppe Caruso (Author), Kosmos SRL (Translator), Marika Josephson (Foreword) Columbia University Press (July 26, 2022) From mass-produced lagers to craft-brewery IPAs, from beers made in Trappist monasteries according to traditional techniques to those created by innovative local brewers seeking to capture regional terroir, the world of beer boasts endless varieties. The diversity of beer does not only reflect the differences among the people and cultures who brew this beverage. It also testifies to the vast range of plants that help give different styles of beer their distinguishing flavor profiles. This book is a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated compendium of the characteristics and properties of the plants used in making beer around the world. The botanical expert Giuseppe Caruso presents scientifically rigorous descriptions, accompanied by his own hand-drawn ink images, of more than 500 species. For each one, he gives the scientific classification, common names, and information about morphology, geographical distribution and habitat, and cultivation range. Caruso provides detailed information about each plant’s applications in beer making, including which of its parts are employed, as well as its chemical composition, its potential toxicity, and examples of beers and styles in which it is typically used. The book also considers historical uses, aiding brewers who seek to rediscover ancient and early modern concoctions. This book will appeal to a wide audience, from beer aficionados to botany enthusiasts, providing valuable information for homebrewers and professional beer makers alike. It reveals how botanical knowledge can open new possibilities for today’s and tomorrow’s brewers.
The Tea Cyclopedia: All You Ever Wanted to Know about the World’s Favorite Drink by Dr. Keith Souter Skyhorse (September 6, 2022) Tea drinking has become a way of life. To put it frankly, it is a love, an addiction, and some would even go as far as to say a philosophy. Dr. Keith Souter examines the perpetual impact that this adored beverage has bestowed upon the world for centuries, from its mystical origins in the East to its inevitable influence on the West. The Tea Cyclopedia is an indispensable reference for anyone interested in all things tea. Commencing each chapter with insightful quotes, it not only captures the historical beginnings of this beloved drink, but also explores tea’s involvement in politics, health, the economy, and even fortune-telling. This unprecedented beverage has united people in times of adversity; it has also divided nations, causing volatile revolutions, such as the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Boston Tea Party. But today you will most likely find that various cultures have developed their own unique style of enjoying tea, and the ritual of tea drinking itself is not only intriguing, but also highly rewarding. In this meticulously detailed guide, readers will rediscover tea, its cultivation, and all of its richness and intricacy as a worldwide beverage. The Tea Cyclopedia is an enthralling tribute to the illustrious, invigorating, and elusive leaf that has vehemently continued to inspire people for more than two thousand years.
Cider Planet: Exploring the Producers, Practices, and Unique Traditions of Craft Cider and Perry from Around the World by Claude Jolicoeur Chelsea Green Publishing (September 23, 2022) From internationally-acclaimed author and fermented beverage expert Claude Jolicoeur comes a globe-trotting, full-color cultural history and guide celebrating the methods, terroir, and traditions of world-class cider. In Cider Planet, Claude Jolicoeur―a longtime, passionate cider maker and author of the international bestseller New Cider Maker’s Handbook―takes readers with him to the world’s greatest cider regions, providing an expertly guided tour laced with his deep understanding and appreciation for how this “Prince of Beverages” is made. Cider, long perceived as a European country drink, is now truly a worldwide culinary delight. Jolicoeur talks about new and emergent regions that have contributed to this growing appreciation, and how they are building upon the old traditions while creating their own new ones. He explores, for example, the most revered areas for making perry, a delightful but little-known drink that, like cider, is starting to gain fans young and old. And he even transports readers to Kazakhstan in central Asia, famous as the “birthplace of the domestic apple.”
American Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s Original Spirit by Clay Risen Scott & Nix, Inc. (October 3, 2022) What is going on with rye whiskey? Suddenly both experienced and new whiskey lovers are turning to rye as their primary object of interest. And just as suddenly the market is flooded with new offerings of this “old fashioned” spirit—the growth from just a dozen brands 15 years ago to more than 225 today is unprecedented. Author and spirits expert Clay Risen now offers a road map to the phenomena of rye. A detailed introduction includes a history of rye, how it’s distilled, aged, and earns its distinguishing qualities. Sections include info on how to start collecting rye, read a whiskey label, and how to have a whiskey tasting. Extensive rye whiskey accounts are organized alphabetically by distillery and brand and each of more than 225 expressions include a color photo of the bottle, info on proof, age, average price, tasting notes (nose, palate, finish), and is rated on a four-star scale. The author with a group of expert tasters “blind tasted” each and every one—a first for a spirits book of this scale. The result is a groundbreakingly innovative and invaluable asset for the whiskey lover navigating the world of American rye.
Modern Classic Cocktails: 60+ Stories and Recipes from the New Golden Age in Drinks by Robert Simonson Ten Speed Press (October 4, 2022) One of the greatest dividends of the revival in cocktail culture that began in the 1990s has been the relentless innovation. More new cocktails—and good ones—have been invented in the past thirty years than during any period since the first golden age of cocktails, which lasted from roughly the 1870s until the arrival of Prohibition in 1920 and included the birth of the Martini, Manhattan, Daiquiri, and Tom Collins. Just as that first bar-world zenith produced a half-century of classic recipes before Prohibition, the eruption of talent over the past three decades has handily delivered its share of drinks that have found favor with arbiters on both sides of the bar. Among them are the Espresso Martini, White Negroni, Death Flip, Old Cuban, Paper Plane, Siesta, and many more, all included here along with each drink’s recipe origin story. What elevates a modern cocktail into the echelon of a modern classic? A host of reasons, all delineated by Simonson in these pages. But, above all, a modern classic cocktail must be popular. People have to order it, not just during its initial heyday, but for years afterward. Tommy’s Margarita, invented in the 1990s, is still beloved, and the Porn Star Martini is the most popular cocktail in the United Kingdom, twenty years after its creation.
A Sense of Place: A journey around Scotland’s whisky by Dave Broom Mitchell Beazley (October 11, 2022) A personal journey exploring Scotch whisky through its terroir, including the land, weather, history, craft and culture that feeds and enhances the whisky itself. In this beautifully crafted narrative, award-winning writer Dave Broom examines Scotch whisky from the point of view of its terroir – the land, weather, history, craft and culture that feed and enhance the whisky itself. Travelling around his native Scotland and visiting distilleries from Islay and Harris to Orkney and Speyside, Dave explores the whiskies made there and the elements in their distilling, and locality, which make them what they are. Along the way he tells the story of whisky’s history and considers what whisky is now, and where it is going. With stunning specially commissioned photography by Christina Kernohan, A Sense of Place will enhance and deepen every whisky drinker’s understanding of just what is in their glass, as well as open their eyes to where whisky can go.
Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em from the Award-Winning Bar by Neal Bodenheimer (Author), Emily Timberlake (Author), Denny Culbert (Photographer) Harry N. Abrams (October 25, 2022) New Orleans is known for its spirit(s)-driven festivities. Neal Bodenheimer and coauthor Emily Timberlake tell the city’s story through 100 cocktails, each chosen to represent New Orleans’ past, present, and future. A love letter to New Orleans and the cast of characters that have had a hand in making the city so singular, Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em features interviews with local figures such as Ian Neville, musician and New Orleans funk royalty, plus a few tips on how to survive your first Mardi Gras. Along the way, the reader is taken on a journey that highlights the rich history and complexity of the city and the drinks it inspired, as well as the techniques and practices that Cure has perfected in their mission to build forward rather than just looking back. Of course, this includes the classics every self-respecting drinker should know, especially if you’re a New Orleanian: the Sazerac, Julep, Vieux Carré, Ramos Gin Fizz, Cocktail à la Louisiane, and French 75. Famous local chefs have contributed easy recipes for snacks with local flavor, perfect for pairing with these libations. Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em is a beautiful keepsake for anyone who has fallen under New Orleans’s spell and a must-have souvenir for the millions of people who visit the city each year.
Beer A Tasting Course: A Flavor-Focused Approach to the World of Beer by Mark Dredge DK (November 8, 2022) Beer is now brewed in a dizzying variety of styles, available to enjoy like never before. Let’s drink to this diversity with a new appreciation of just how complex and mind-expanding beer can be. Crack open this book and enjoy a series of guided tastings of more than 50 different beer styles—from smoked black lager to sour-fermented wild ales, triple green-hopped IPAs and cask-matured barley wines. With each tasting, you will learn to identify how aroma, taste, texture, and finish all combine to create the distinctive flavor profile of the particular beer style. You will discover which unique ingredients and aspects of the brewing process combine to produce each style, while quick reviews of the best examples from around the world will lead you to explore further. To help establish your beer palate, the course starts with a solid grounding in the range of flavors found in beer and the art of detecting them—opening your nose, mind, and throat to the complete sensory experience of flavor and pouring the perfect glass! Travel through time and across the globe to grasp the ongoing story of beer, its heritage, and its innovation. Also learn how to pair beer with food and to cook with beer. In the end, you always return to what really matters: that miraculous glass of cold, liquid joy.
Raising the Bar: A Bottle-by-Bottle Guide to Mixing Masterful Cocktails at Home by Brett Adams & Jacob Grier Chronicle Books (November 29, 2022) Instead of drawing on esoteric bottles of liquor, complicated syrups, and obscure sodas, this book takes readers through the home bar bottle by bottle, ensuring that every ingredient is versatile enough to be used to the last drop. Building on a very basic cocktail pantry, each chapter thoughtfully introduces a new bottle and explains how it opens new possibilities for cocktails. Each chapter builds on the one before, so readers never encounter recipes calling for unfamiliar spirits or ingredients. RAISING THE BAR allows readers to set their own pace and maximize the usefulness of the spirits they bring home. This book will be a go-to reference for the home bartender that is practical enough for the day-to-day and special enough for a party. With handsome graphics and a smart focus on what’s already in stock, it’s what home mixologists can turn to when they want creative and delightful drinks without a bar cart full of single-use bottles.
Decanter: The World’s Wine Legends: Over 100 of the World’s legendary bottles of wine by Stephen Brook Sona Books (December 1, 2022) For many years the world’s most successful wine magazine published on their last page a monthly Wine Legend. These were and, in some cases, still are the most sought after wines around the world from specific vineyards and vintages. Names that can bring a shiver to the back of a wine lover’s neck and be spoken about in hushed tones. Chateau Palmer ’61, Ridge, Monto Bello 1970, Biondi-Santi, Tenuto il Greppo 1975 to name but a few. This book brings these wines together for the first time, over 100 absolutely legendary wines. With an introduction by Stephen Brook who pulled together the information and the photographs, this is a beautiful gift for anyone who enjoys wine.
Cheers!: Cocktails & Toasts to Celebrate Every Day of the Year – A Cocktail Book by Philip Greene Union Square & Co. (December 6, 2022) Philip Greene, winner of the 13th Annual Spirited Award for Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History or Spirits, pairs each day of the year with a cocktail recipe that represents it, along with a toast in celebration! For every day of the year, Cheers! offers delicious cocktail recipes along with a backstory connecting the recipe to a particular day and a toast to raise in celebration. Greene draws on a range of interesting and (usually) fun events, some significant and some trivial, from the pages of history, literature, sports, entertainment, and more. Many of the toasts are classics culled from cocktail and bartending books dating to the nineteenth century, the works of Shakespeare, and other timeless sources. While the book undoubtedly acknowledges the usual noteworthy dates from around the world (New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, etc.), it also features a new twist on standard observances, offering a fresh story, angle, and drink.
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