Another Reading Assignment

This is a gift that will keep on giving - at least until the subscription runs out. Two magazines that we really like over here at The Bar are Imbibe and Whisky Advocate.

We enjoy Imbibe because of the variety of spirits that are discussed and all the tasty recipes. And Whisky Advocate has been a long time staple at our table of bourbon and scotch lovers. So get a subscription for yourself and give a gift to a couple of lucky people in your life.

Cheers!

Light My Fire

The Hedonists had the chance to meet the mastermind behind Dashfire Bitters, Lee Egbert. We spoke of cocktails and how adding bitters or tinctures can make the difference between being good or being great. As most of you already know, we at The Bar, are advocates of adding bitters to recipes. We did what any curious person would do - we bought the Dashfire Vintage Orange No. 1 bitters, Lavender tincture, Grapefruit tincture, and Allspice tincture. We tried them all out and we really enjoyed the results. Dashfire has several products to offer so we encourage you to check out the full line. The products can be purchased at a variety of places in the Twin Cities or on Amazon.

 

*Photos from Dashfire Bitters

After the first of the year we'll be posting one of our favorite recipes that uses Lavender tincture.

Cheers!

Hey, where's the candy bowl?

Liquor filled candy. Do we really have to explain why this is a good idea? "Yes" Your in-laws are visiting for the holidays. "Good point. Does it come by the case?" You should probably refer to our previous post about flasks and figure out where to stash reserves around your house and on your person. For the rest of our readers that are looking for a little extra cheer in the candy bowl, we found two options for liquor candy. 

Hard Candy from the Vermont Country Store  

Liquor filled chocolates from the German Deli

The German Deli has a couple dozen choices so you can pick out your favorite flavor or just get the assorted box.

Cheers!

Useful Notes

The Hedonists are very familiar with taking notes. We have notebooks full of scribbles that detail our travels, favorite recipes, cocktail experiments, and anything else we feel like writing down. The 33 Books Company has created a bunch of these handy little notebooks that you can tuck in a pocket and record your thoughts about a variety of indulgences. You are sure to find a book for someone on your Christmas list with choices such as: Beer, Wine, Whiskey, Cider, Coffee, Cigars, Cheese, Hot Sauce, and Chocolate. You may even want to buy a couple for yourself.

Cheers!

We like it dirty

Looking for that perfect cocktail garnish? You could spend hours trying to pick out the perfect cherries, or you can leave the tough work up to the folks at Filthy Foods. 

Leave an Impression, Not a Water Stain

Today's gift idea is all about how you serve your cocktails and drinks. We firmly believe in having the proper glass for your drinks and having a good surface to place them upon. Many of you are already on board with having the right glass for your cocktails, but you're probably wondering why we insist on coasters. We could bore you with talk of interfacial viscosity, particle shape, and drop drying patterns but we won't. Simply put, we use coasters to prevent ring stains on surfaces and to prevent puddling condensation making a mess that lets your glass slide across the table top.

For glassware we like to hit up all the local second hand stores and consignment shops. We have scored some beautiful crystal champagne glasses as well as other serving sets for a fraction of the original price. If you don't have the luxury of bargain hunting through the shops, we encourage you to check out Boston Shaker and Summit Sips. Boston Shaker has a nice selection of new glassware. Summit Sips has a variety of vintage and antique glassware, be sure to visit the website periodically because some items are truly one of a kind finds. 

For coasters, we often just pick up a few at the local bar when we go out for nibbles. If you like eclectic coasters from re-use items, check out Uncommon Goods they have coasters made from recycled bicycle parts, wood, and rubber tires. Of course Amazon and your local big box stores have several choices too.

Cheers!

I'm gonna shine!

This is for the party crowd that likes to make a little show of things. What better way to show your guests where to find tasty beverages than to light up your liquor! 

 LED color changing coasters will light up your cocktail glasses and bottles

LED submersible lights will be like a beacon when in your punch bowl or drink dispenser. 

Cheers!