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Unveiling the World’s Best Vodka as Judged at the 2023 USA Spirits Ratings
GO3 Vodka takes the top spot at this year’s USA Spirits Ratings
Vodka, despite being the most consumed spirit category in the United States, often suffers from misconceptions. Many casual drinkers believe it’s produced from potatoes, when in fact it can be distilled from any base ingredient that can ferment. Many aficionados argue that it’s devoid of any flavor due to its nature as a neutral grain spirit. Yet, in 2021, the federal labeling authority removed the restriction stating that it must be distilled “without distinctive taste”.
In truth, there are interesting trends happening in the craft vodka sector. However, not all craft vodka is created equally. This is evident from the results of various judgings throughout the year. Certain brands and variations consistently do well, appearing on shortlists time and time again, thus distinguishing themselves in a significantly crowded field. These brands must be doing something different and of course, doing it well.
The brand GO3, a craft vodka produced in the heart of Houston, Texas is testament to this. Barely a year old, this brand has already clinched the title for Vodka of the Year at the 2023 USA Spirits Ratings. With a score of 98 out of 100 points, there was only one other product across all categories with a higher score.
How did this $30 premium product achieve such a stunning accolade? Well, in vodka production, one of the easiest ways to find greatness is to start with great ingredients. In the case of GO3, this list includes a proprietary mix of Texas sweet corn, sweet potatoes, and russet potatoes. The finished distillate is proofed down with pure glacial melt from the Teton Mountains.
Then there are the essential elements of distillation, rectification, and resting the liquor to come away with crisp flavor characteristics and pleasing mouthfeels. GO3 attains a full body, brimming with butteriness and even a hint of butterscotch in its lengthy finish. For anyone out there still pigeonholing vodka as a flavorless, odorless offering, a compelling counterpoint is served in each pour of this 80-proof sipping spirit. And yes, you can enjoy it solo—neat, or on the rocks.
There’s also an inspirational story beyond the liquid, itself. It was started by a group of friends and entrepreneurs who wanted to use the spirit as a means to enhance their community. The name “GO3” refers to General Orders Number 3, the declaration read in Texas on June 19, 1865, formally ending the institution of slavery—a historic moment now commemorated by the Juneteenth national holiday. In service of such, the founders of the brand have committed to donating a percentage of all sales to historically Black colleges and universities. Their stated mission is to support freedom, equality, education and economic freedom.
GO3 even sports the tagline, “Independence never tasted so good.” Now the brand is amassing the medals to prove it.
TOPSHOT – A man sleds down a snow covered hill in Houston, Texas on February 15, 2021. – Much of the United States was in the icy grip of an “unprecedented” winter storm on February 15 as frigid Arctic air sent temperatures plunging, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations, making driving hazardous and leaving millions without power in Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the White House has issued a Federal Emergency Declaration for Texas in response to severe winter weather across the state. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images)
Turning Leftover Wine Into Homemade Vinegar: Myth or Reality?
If you’ve ever tasted wine that was left in an open bottle overnight from a dinner party or event, you’ve probably experienced the unpleasantly sour surprise. The wine has started to go bad, however, it’s transitioning into another culinary treat: vinegar.
With some patience, it’s entirely possible to produce vinegar from leftover wine at home, which makes sense when you consider that the term “vinaigre” in French translates to “sour wine”. The simplest way to do this is leaving an opened bottle of wine alone, allowing nature and oxygen to do their thing. All you need to do is maintain a moderately warm temperature – optimally between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, cover the top of the bottle with cheesecloth or muslin to keep insects out while allowing oxygen in, and the wine will start to ferment.
The transformation is due to acetobacter aceti, a naturally present bacteria that changes alcohol into acetic acid. But as fermentation scientist Dr. Johnny Drain suggests in his interview with Liquor.com, “You can let your wines to oxidize or acidify [become more acidic] spontaneously, but that can be a bit unpredictable.” To have more control over the process, you might want to add a small amount of raw or unpasteurized vinegar to your wine. This can help speed up the process and provide more consistent outcomes as you delve into the multiple different types of vinegar you can make at home.
For more information: French Cooking Tricks You Need In Your Life
Experimenting with aging wine to create vinegar is a wonderful way to avoid wasting a drink that is no longer fit for consumption. Moreover, homemade vinegar allows you to experience a wider variety of flavors, far beyond the typical options of red or white wine vinegar you usually encounter at the supermarket. Try creating a flavorful and sweet chardonnay vinegar to add to your salad, or concoct a deep, palette-pleasing vinegar using the distinctive color of orange wine.
Certain factors to consider when transforming your preferred wine into vinegar include the bottle’s alcohol content — any wine with an ABV higher than 11% may restrict the growth of vinegar bacteria. As a result, dilution with water might be necessary to reduce the alcohol content. It’s also interesting to recognize that high-sugar grape varieties such as riesling may surprisingly result in a more acidic vinegar. You can expect the unique notes carried by specific wines, like the richness of chardonnay and the mineral flavors of Albariño, to influence the respective vinegar flavors.
The fermentation process of your selected wine allows personal preference to play a significant part. After a few weeks, taste the developing vinegar, and if satisfied, filter and keep it in a sanitized glass container.
Once you venture into the world of homemade vinegar using leftover wine, you might notice a turbid substance present in your batch. Known as the “mother,” this element is highly valued and can often be seen in store-bought apple cider vinegar. The mother facilitates the ongoing production of vinegar at home, so even if it’s sparse or feeble initially, don’t stress. You can always acquire a vinegar starter online or use raw vinegar as an alternative until the mother fully develops.
When you’ve finished straining your vinegar, set some aside, including the mother. This reserved portion can serve as a jumpstart to your next vinegar fermentation process, or you may decide to venture into the creation of “infinite” vinegar. For this, all you require is a spacious container for sufficient oxygen and leftover wine which you can pour in while awaiting fermentation before extracting more vinegar. The resulting vinegar won’t embody the specific characteristics of a vinegar produced from one type of wine, but the varying complexity and flavor of every wine you employ.
For further details, check out the original article on Daily Meal.
The Impact of Climate Change on Beer Production: A Sobering Reality for Drinkers
Workers unload hops for processing at Coleman Agriculture in St. Paul. Researchers are studying how the locations where hops are grown affects the way beer tastes.
Erika Bolstad / Stateline News
Climate change may be very bad news for beer drinkers.
A new report in the journal Nature Communications shows that climate change is responsible for the decrease in quantity and quality of hops produced in Europe. And that trend is projected to continue as climate change is projected to continue.
That news could be problematic not just for Northwest hops farmers, but also bad for the beer drinkers.
Montana ranks third in national beer consumption per capita, at an average of 41 gallons per year. That’s behind North Dakota, which averages 45.8 gallons and New Hampshire, which averages 43.9. Oregon is 20th, with 30.3 gallons.
Increasing temperatures and longer, hotter drier summers have hit hops farmers in Europe particularly hard, where growers note not only a decreased quantity, but also a decrease in the alpha content of hops. Alpha content is a measurement that quantifies the bitterness of the hops, a desirable profile for many beer drinkers. Hops that have a high alpha content are often described as having a grapefruit or citrusy aroma.
The hop-growing zone that runs through central Europe also runs through most of the United States, including Oregon.
Related: How Oregon researchers, farmers and brewers want to safeguard beer against climate change
In the journal article published in September, Nature Communications said it forecasts a decline in hop yield ranging from 4% to 18%, while the alpha content could plummet by as much as 31% in the same time period.
Hops farmers are already seeing evidence of a changing climate pattern, as most European hops growers said hops were maturing 20 days ahead of where they were just 30 years ago.
“The lowest hops yields were negatively affected by a lack of precipitation, while the lowest values of alpha content were caused by extremely high temperatures,” the study said.
The trend toward both hotter and drier summers anywhere hops is grown could not only reduce the yield, or how many hops are produced, but also affect the quality of hops, reducing the alpha content – the very characteristic that makes hops “hoppy.”
Scientists and researchers used the European areas as a study, using modeling programs to forecast what hops production will look like into the future. If climate change isn’t reversed, the situation will be concerning for hops producers and consumers.
“Model projections for 2021 to 2050 suggested a decline in hops yields from 4.1% to 18.4%. A decrease of 20% to 30.8% was also projected for alpha content,” the authors of the study found.
Related: The booze-free movement thriving in the Pacific Northwest
Idaho, Washington and Oregon produce the bulk of American-grown hops. The Northwest, which includes those three states, produces more than 60,000 acres of hops out of a total of 63,000 acres nationwide. As of 2021, Montana ranked sixth in hops production, behind Massachusetts and New York.
This story was originally published by the Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and Twitter.
Daily Montanan and Oregon Capital Chronicle are part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com. Follow Daily Montanan on Facebook and Twitter.
In the face of climate change impacting water access and weather patterns in the Willamette Valley, farmers are using new strategies to stay afloat and provide for breweries.
The Pacific Northwest is at the forefront of a new movement in how we imbibe. And it’s not for the region’s award-winning Willamette Valley wines or hop-heavy IPAs. Instead, it’s about what’s not in our drinks: alcohol.
Tags: Beer, Agriculture, Climate Change
Unveiling the Costco Shopping Cart Hack for Secure Wine Bottle Transportation
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If you’re a Costco member, then you probably already know that shopping there can save you money on wine as well as your other groceries. When you’re buying multiple wine bottles at once, though, keeping them secure in your cart is vital. Luckily, there’s a Costco hack you need to know that comes straight from a Costco employee that can keep your bottles secure using the cart itself.
Costco is known for being one of the best places to shop if you like to buy in bulk. While some shoppers sleep on the warehouse store as an option for stocking up their bar cart, this is another great way to take advantage of the savings. Still, no one wants wine bottles clanking around to spoil their bulk wine shopping. This hack ensures that your wine bottles aren’t going anywhere — no matter how many you have in your cart. Content creators and life hack aficionados, Dave and Liz, posted a video to TikTok that shows just how to keep your wine bottles from rolling around in your cart. In less than two weeks, the viral video had raked in nearly 57,000 likes. The video’s popularity makes it clear that if wine bottles clanking around your shopping cart is a problem for you, you’re not alone. The hack is as easy as laying your bottles down in the right spot. While it’s an ideal trick if you’re buying multiple bottles, this hack isn’t useful only at Costco.
Read more: Mistakes Everyone Makes When Shopping At Costco
Deploying this advice, your wine bottles will occupy the front portion of the cart that small children normally sit in. Flip the plastic flaps up so that they aren’t covering the bottom. Next, you can lay the wine bottles flat and use the holes between the shopping cart bars to keep each bottle secure. Not only does doing this prevent the bottles from rolling around, but it also keeps them separate from each other. That means there’s a lower chance of breaking the bottles.
If this hack wasn’t cool enough all on its own, the top comment makes it even better. One commenter suggested, “Now roll them over so that the barcode is accessible and the checkout peeps will love it.” Not only will your bottles be safe while you shop but you may not even have to move them until you get them to your car. Now that’s shopping smarter, not harder.
Even if you don’t worry too much about broken bottles, there’s another reason to keep your wine bottles from moving around that you may not know. When wine bottles vibrate, it actually causes chemical reactions in the wine that can make it age more rapidly. So, keeping your wine bottles safe in the cart is more important than you might have thought. Consequently, if you’re someone who finds yourself frequently buying multiple bottles, it may be wise to invest in a wine tote with separate sections like this one.
Read the original article on Mashed.
Exploring the Process and Impact of Barrel-Aging Vodka
Entering a liquor store without a clear idea of what to buy can be quite daunting, with towering shelves full of bottles bearing labels laden with unfamiliar terms. You’ve probably come across the term “barrel-aged” but may not fully understand what it entails.
Quite simply, it means that after distillation, the fresh spirit is placed in wooden barrels for several years. During this time, the flavor of the spirit evolves, gaining different notes from the wood. Though this process is standard for whiskies, barrel-aged vodkas are rarer but not unheard of.
Whiskey features that makers and drinkers appreciate don’t usually suit vodka. While aging can mellow the ethanol burn found in any alcohol, it also brings in a complex blend of sweet, smoky, and spicy flavors. However, many consider the quality of good vodka to lie in its purity, not its complexity. Keeping in mind this factor, and the fact that barrel-aging needs years of maturation and a considerable amount of space that wouldn’t be required otherwise, most vodka producers don’t experiment with barrels. Nonetheless, there are exceptions to this tradition.
Discover more:
The Ultimate Vodka Brands, Ranked
Some spirits, like bourbon, rye, and Scotch whiskey, are actually required by government regulatory bodies and trade associations to be aged for a set period of time. Vodka, however, isn’t one of them. Since it doesn’t have to be aged, and many folks don’t particularly like age-related characteristics in their vodka anyway, most of it just simply isn’t.
In fact, aged vodka falls into an ambiguous category in the eyes of the law. Aging vodka isn’t expressly verboten, but the Alcohol and Tobacco Trade Bureau defines vodka as having no “distinctive character, aroma, taste or color” — all of which are properties that can result from aging. (Interestingly, it doesn’t limit what products vodka can be made from, though most vodkas have a base of grain or potatoes.) For that reason, you might see vodka makers avoiding the phrase “barrel-aged” and instead describing their spirit as having been “rested on oak” or “finished in barrels.” But ultimately, it means the same thing: The distilled spirit spent a significant amount of time in contact with barrels or wood chips, infusing the vodka with the wood’s unique flavors.
But aged vodkas certainly exist, and like with any other aged spirit, wine, or beer, careful consideration goes into the kind of barrels used. Oak is a common kind of wood used for aging vodka and other beverages, but there’s variation even within that category — French vs. American oak, for instance. Spirit makers may also use other kinds of wood entirely, like chestnut or cherry. Whatever kind of wood is chosen, it also needs to be toasted in order to bend it into a barrel shape, and the degree and method of toasting can introduce different flavors as well. Sometimes barrels are reused to impart some of the taste of whatever the barrel previously held — hence you’ll sometimes find vodka aged in cognac, wine, or even whiskey barrels.
Because aged or “barrel-finished” vodka is still a relatively niche, experimental product, you won’t find it everywhere, and when you do, it’s likely to be a bit pricier than most standard, unadulterated vodka options. If you’re itching to try some bold flavored vodkas but aren’t having any luck at your local shops, you can always tide yourself over with some homemade vodka infusions to really level up your next at-home cocktail hour.
Read the original article on Daily Meal.
Unveiling the World’s Best Rum: Winners of the 2023 Caribbean Rum Awards
Puerto Rico’s Don Q Reserva de la Familia Serralles took home the top honor at the rum world’s biggest event of the year.
Every year, rum enthusiasts from around the world converge in the Caribbean for Caribbean rum week, a celebration of both molasses-based spirits and premium rhums agricoles. The week concludes with the annual Caribbean Rum Awards, where the best bottles and producers are recognized for their contributions to the industry.
The best bottle of 2023 is Don Q Reserva de la Familia Serralles, an uncommon bottling that began in 1994. The Serralles family aged a special rum in charred American white oak barrels and from the 36 barrels, the highest quality samples were drawn to create this exceptional lot.
In the running-up contents, other than the winner, were Neisson Zwetol (gold), named after the Creole term for star and packaged in wood from Jura; Mount Gay Single Estate (silver), that specifically highlights sugar cane harvested from specific fields, and Papa’s Pilar Ernest (bronze), a liquid tribute to Ernest Hemingway.
“This year’s Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth was a fantastic success,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal and co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth. “The impressive field was a reminder of the unbelievable diversity and quality of rums in the Caribbean.”
The event concluded a week of celebration, tasting, master classes, and paring dinners around the island of St Baths, with the final competition happening at Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth resort.
Rhum Neisson from Martinique is the year’s most awarded brand, bagging double gold in three different categories. The Best Gold Rum of the year award went to Trinidad’s Island Company Rum, and Flor de Cana clinched the best branding award. The honor of rum maker of the year was bestowed on Yves Assier de Pompignan from Martinique.
In order to build upon the past years, the Caribbean Rum Awards has introduced a new category: cane rum. This category highlights rums produced from cane juice. Kicking off this category, Grenada’s Renegade Rum Single Farm Origin Dunfermline was awarded double gold.
“The Caribbean rum world has never been more exciting, particularly in rhum agricole” said Guy Britton, managing editor of Caribbean Journal.
In the Rhum Blanc Guadalupe category: Rhum Karukera 50 won double gold, Reimonenq Coeur de Chauffe won gold, Rhum St Barth 50 won silver, and Damoiseau 69 won bronze.
In the Rhum Blanc Martinique category, Rhum A1710 La Perle won double gold, Neisson Dekolaj won gold, Baie de Tresor won silver, and Rhum JM 50 won bronze. Over in Vieux Agricole, Rhum Neisson Vieux Bio won double gold, Rhum Karukera L’insolite won gold, Longueteau Vieux won silver, and Damoiseau Vieux won bronze.
In the Premium Molasses Rum category, La Marielita won double gold, Mount Gay XO was awarded gold, and John Watling’s Paradise rum and Worthy Park Single Estate won silver and bronze, respectively. Full results can be viewed here.
“We had some great rums and new distilleries visiting and presenting their rums as well as some of the agricole producers that have been supporting us all along,” said Christopher Davis, founder of Rhum Room St Barth and co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth. “It was a great week and we have some fantastic ideas for 2024.”
Judges included Alexander Britell, co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards and editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal; Guy Britton, managing editor of Caribbean Journal; Christopher Davis, renowned rum expert and founder of the Rhum Room St Barth; Peter Berntsen, COO of Empire Social Lounge in Miami; Myssi Davis, founder of Rum Traveler; Jose Antonio Hernandez-Solaun, president of the Miami branch of the International Wine and Food Association; rum expert Ivan Jivkov; Simons Chase, editor of Cuba Journal; and world-renowned Chef Guy Ferdinand.
Savor Autumn: The Top 9 Whiskey Cocktails to Enjoy This Fall
Fall is the ideal time for whiskey. Yes, we realize we’ve said that about summer and winter as well, but we really mean it this time.
This season is all about transitions, and not necessarily the happy kind. The days are shorter. The nights are colder. The leaves fall off the trees, which reminds you of the inevitability of death. It’s all about saying goodbye to another year, and it’s enough to make you want a drink.
But what to reach for? A great fall cocktail bridges the gap between the happy-go-lucky brightness of summer drinks and the dark intensity of winter ones, which happens to be a task for which whiskey is uniquely suited. The spirit’s fiery heart and textured oak is perfectly at home in the cold, while the cocktail treatment stops it from getting too broody. A little fruit, some citrus, or spice can create drinks that are simultaneously bright and deep, engaging and resonant, and help you welcome the season.
Whether it’s a bright drink with a dark twist like the Lion’s Tail, or a darker drink with some bright charm like the Monte Carlo, here are nine best whiskey cocktails to help you with the time change.
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A historical account tells of the early Plymouth Colony settlers sharing a Thanksgiving meal with members of the local Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1621. They were drinking hard cider, though a pint would have been the preferred choice. (Photographic reference Frederic Lewis/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Despite the excellence of wine for certain occasions, beer most definitely merits its place when the family gathers for Thanksgiving. The vast spectrum of flavors, levels of alcohol, and array of colors possessed by beer render it the perfect drink for each part of your feast.
This is not a modern innovation. The Pilgrims initially settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts because they had run out of beer and could not continue their voyage further south. Although they would have preferred a pint of ale during the first Thanksgiving, hard cider and water were the actual beverages served.
To help you plan for the grand day, here are a few pairing suggestions that include the turkey, sides, and most significantly, the pies!
Belgian ales such as a spritzy tripel pair well with the flavor notes of turkey.
The Belgian beer styles are a perfect match for turkey and I am particularly fond of the tripel as it is highly carbonated. This characteristic of bubbles effectively cleanses your palate after each bite of rich, gravy doused turkey. Belgian tripels, with their golden color and flavors of spice and pear, add a unique salty/sweet contrast to the main course. Additionally, they have a higher alcohol content (around 9.5% ABV), hence, not as potent as wine, but a close second!
Beers I recommend: Chimay Cinq Cents Tripel (White Cap), Westmalle Tripel
The understated brown ale is also a wonderful companion to side dishes such as mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and stuffing.
The unique combination of salty and nutty flavor found in stuffing complements perfectly with the sweet yet nutty brown ale. It’s unfortunate that American brown ales aren’t getting the appreciation they deserve these days, since they make a fantastic pairing with a variety of dishes, particularly during the harvest season and the colder times of the year. They can be enjoyed excellently with mashed potatoes or mac and cheese.
Suggested beers: Avery Ellie’s Brown, Bell’s Best Brown
Belgian saisons have a marvelous synergy with many aspects of the Thanksgiving meal, but they are particularly good with cranberry sauce.
In my opinion, saisons are the second best type of beer to have at Thanksgiving, thanks to, you guessed it, those knowledgeable Belgians who excel at creating beers that go wonderfully with food. Saisons, a vast beer style, are generally golden in color in America, with high levels of carbonation and a hint of spiciness that makes them dry and invigorating. When the tartness of the cranberry sauce on a fine slice of turkey blends with the peppery aroma of the saison, the result is simply outstanding. For an impressive table display, choose the 750mL bottle of Saison Dupont, which is topped with a champagne-like cork and cage.
Recommended beers: Saison Dupont, Boulevard Tank 7, Ommegang Hennepin
Beer can serve as an exciting and flavorful addition to a multitude of dishes, providing added layers of fruit, caramel, or other flavors.
High in ABV and hailing originally from Scotland, a Scotch ale, also known as a “Wee Heavy,” carries a robust and pure caramel/toffee profile. This beer’s caramel tones offer a complementary contrast to the spices of a pumpkin pie, akin to the addition of caramel itself to every delectable bite. As this beer lessens the spice level, its sweetness forms a harmonious blend with the flaky crust of the pie.
Recommended beers: Oskar Blues Old Chub, KettleHouse Cold Smoke
Barleywines are a perfect finale to the day as they complement many desserts quite nicely.
Apple pie, the undisputed monarch of Thanksgiving desserts, happens to be a crowd favorite in my family. For this timeless sweet treat, a high ABV beer like a barleywine is the recommended accompaniment. This name for this type of beer, which hails from the United Kingdom, can be misleading as there’s no wine involved. It’s referred to as barleywine due to its high alcohol content, often exceeding that of wine.
Oozing with flavors of toffee, caramel, or dark fruits like figs and plums, Barleywine somewhat resembles a Scotch ale, but with a higher ABV. These flavors mesh wonderfully with the apple and cinnamon notes. Barleywines serve as a fantastic way to wrap up the celebratory event.
Suggested beers: Firestone Walker Sucaba, Fox Farm Copestone, Revolution Straight Jacket
Here’s to you this holiday season and remember to celebrate responsibly and surround yourself with people you care about. Cheers!
The Rolling Stones Launch New Rum Brand, Drawing Inspiration from a Beloved Classic Tune
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Hot off a critically-acclaimed new album, Hackney Diamonds, the Rolling Stones are back with a new release in the alcohol space, debuting a new rum brand dubbed Crossfire Hurricane.
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Inspired by the opening lyrics from their hit 1968 song “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” the spirit is a premium blend of rums from Jamaica, Barbados and the Dominican Republic, aged for five years in charred oak barrels. Expect notes of caramelized bananas, tropical fruit and wood, with a sweet but subtle finish. The golden hue, meantime, harks back to the golden sunshine of the Caribbean coast.
BUY: CROSSFIRE HURRICANE RUM $37
While the Stones have previously lent their name and logo to other products, this marks their first venture into the spirits industry. The choice of rum was easy, according to the band, who remembered recording their album, Goats Head Soup, in Kingston, Jamaica in 1972. Additionally, certain tracks for Hackney Diamonds were taped in the Bahamas, and both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards own residences in the Caribbean.
In the rum’s press release, the band communicates that the vibrancy of the Caribbean’s energy and music has captivated the members over the decades. When not touring, Jagger and Richards often find themselves in the islands.
Crossfire Hurricane Rum is a licensed collaboration between the Rolling Stones, Universal Music Group, and Socio Ventures. Currently available on ReserveBar.com and bottled at 40% ABV, this Rolling Stones’ rum is priced at $37.
“We’re very excited to be teaming up with Universal Music Group and Socio Ventures to create our first-ever premium spirits brand and look forward to sharing it with the world,” mention the Stones in a statement.
“Owning a business with The Rolling Stones is absolutely electrifying,” adds John Fincher, Socio Ventures Partner and Crossfire Hurricane Co-founder. “It is an absolute privilege to create this product alongside some of the greatest artists of our time. The band’s vision and enthusiasm for Crossfire Hurricane set us apart and position us to redefine the rum category. And you’re all invited to the show.”
A great gift for both music fans and cocktail enthusiasts alike, Crossfire Hurricane is available now on ReserveBar.com.
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Exploring the Alluring World of Whiskey: A Taste Testing Event in Aurora
Wyckwood House, 80 S. River St. in downtown Aurora, is set to partner with Whiskey Acres for a whiskey tasting event from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9.
“This event will be a Whiskey 101,” Nick Nagele, the co-founder of Whiskey Acres Distilling Company in DeKalb, announced in a press release about the upcoming event at Wyckwood House.
According to Nagele, the attendees will “leave with a better understanding of the distillation process.”
The ticketed event planned for the afternoon will feature whiskey samples from Whiskey Acres, which is recognized as Illinois’ first estate distillery, as stated in the press release. The organizers have announced that the acclaimed Blue Popcorn Bourbon will be highlighted at this event.
“We grow everything we distill,” Nagele said.
As a fifth-generation farmer, Nagele will walk through the basics of turning corn into whiskey. He will also welcome more advanced discussion for those who know the rudimentary processes, according to the release.
The cocktail bar at Wyckwood House will feature special cocktails for the event that incorporate Whiskey Acres spirits, organizers said.
Tickets are $45. For more information or to register, go to wyckwoodhouse.com/events.
The Venue, a live music performance space in downtown Aurora, will host a special free screening of the film “The Last Waltz” on Nov. 25.
“The Last Waltz,” the last filmed concert of Canadian-American rock group The Band, was directed by Martin Scorsese and was released in April 1978.
There is no cost to attend the film screening, however guests are asked to register online at themusicvenue.org.
The Venue, at 21 S. Broadway in downtown Aurora, offers live music year-round along with a wide selection of craft beer and other beverages at the bar which is open for all shows.
The city of Geneva is participating in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys For Tots program this holiday season.
The community is invited to drop off new, unwrapped gifts at two Geneva locations – the foyer of the City Hall Building Division, 109 James St., and the vestibule at the Geneva Public Works Department, 1800 South St.
The last day to donate is Monday, Dec. 11.
All eighth-grade boys are invited to take the Scholarship Qualifying Entrance Exam for Marmion Academy in Aurora at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.
Those registering for the exam should complete an online application at www.marmion.org/exam.
Fourteen four-year scholarships ($328,000 total value) will be awarded to students based on exam scores, school officials said. In addition, a $1,000 scholarship for the 2024-25 school year will be awarded to every student who scores 90% or above on the exam.
The exam must be taken at Marmion, 1000 Butterfield Road in Aurora, on Dec. 2 to qualify for scholarships, officials said.
Marmion Academy is a Catholic-Benedictine college preparatory school for young men. For more information on Marmion Academy, go to www.marmion.org.
State Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, is hosting a Holiday Gift Card Drive for U.S. troops.
Gift cards from Amazon, Sam’s Club, Costco and Dollar Tree can be dropped off at his St. Charles office, 406 Surrey Woods Drive, Unit A, for the America’s Holiday Stockings’ campaign conducted by Operation Support Our Troops.
“Our troops sacrifice so much for our nation, including being away from family during important holidays,” Ugaste said in a release. “A gift card can provide an opportunity for them to purchase presents for loved ones or a treat for themselves during this holiday season.”
The deadline to donate a card is Tuesday, Nov. 21. Last year, the nonprofit group shipped 4,517 Christmas stockings to troops.