Local Food's New Apostles: Bartenders, Er, 'Bar Chefs'

New drinks throw away rules about mixing alcohol

(NEWSER) - The days of keeping your beer and liquor separate are over, with bartenders crafting crossover drinks that mix beer with other spirits—even wine. “Other countries have been doing this for a long time,” one beer connoisseur tells the New York Times. Creations range from the “Muddy Puddle”—iced espresso with bourbon, stout, and a peanut dust rim—to the beergarita—a margarita with sour ale and framboise. More»

Bartenders borrowing the principle for cocktails, too

(NEWSER) - The New York Times declares a trend in the bartending world: barrel-aged cocktails. Barkeeps across the country are applying the same principle that works on whiskey to their concoctions, writes Robert Simonson. It's as simple as it sounds: Make up a batch, stick it in a barrel for about six weeks, then serve with higher prices. More»

(NEWSER) - Esquire adds to its everything-a-man-must-know lessons with a primer on the Old-Fashioned, which is nothing less than the “Fender Strat of cocktails” because it “embodies the classic American combination of offhand style, swagger, and micrometer engineering,” writes David Wondrich. At its heart is good old American whiskey—at least 4 years old and 100 proof but “not too expensive.” More»

Restaurants, liquor firms aim to gussy up drinks

(NEWSER) - In a tough economy, restaurants are hoping to cash in on cocktails—and bartenders are going back to school to improve their mixology prowess, the Wall Street Journal reports. Restaurants hope expert barkeeps will bring in upscale drinkers, and the courses help trainees score top jobs. But the advanced-level programs are “no walk in the park,” says a designer. More»