Every month, we're tasting a huge amount of beer, whiskey and other beverages. In some cases, we're taste-testing the industry's best new products, and in others, we're coming across hidden gems in the wild. Our favorites from the last four weeks are gathered here, in the best things we drank this month.
Little Book Chapter 7 Whiskey
Fred B. Noe master distiller Freddie Noe has his hands in all sorts of pots and stills these days as he plays a key role in the mighty James B. Beam empire. But the Little Book line — dubbed so after Freddie’s nickname at the hands of his grandfather Booker — aims to play up the variety and flavor that can come from having a skilled distiller playing with a wide variety of beautiful brown whiskeys at hand. The seventh edition, recently released, is a carefully crafted mix of seven different whiskeys, ranging from 4-year-old Kentucky rye and bourbon to 17- and 18-year Kentucky bourbons. The deep reddish-brown liquid seems tailor-made for fall drinking — from the nose with its mix of sweetness and spice that brings to mind fallen leaves to the palate and finish that delivers a gentle blend of dessert-y flavors that evoke thoughts of warm pies and cozy evenings by the fire. — Will Sabel Courtney, Senior Editor
10 Barrel Brewing All Ways Down
Big things are happening at 10 Barrel. The Bend, Oregon-based brewery recently parted ways with Anheuser-Busch. It also introduced “hopbursting” to some of its flagship IPAs, a technique senior brewmaster Jimmy Seifrit describes as “adding a f*ckton of hops at the end of the process to ensure that we get as much flavor and aromatics as possible, but not as much bitterness.” I’ve been enjoying the whole Hopburst Family but as we head toward sk’riding season, I particularly dig Kyle Sauter’s gnarly artwork on this can — and the tweak must be working, because even with five different kinds of hops and a whopping 9% ABV, All Ways Down is a smooth drinker with delightful citrus, pine and cannabis notes. — Steve Mazzucchi, Senior Editor
Tank x Blundstone It Was All a Dream
Winemakers love Blundstone. Blundstone wearers love wine. Something about the dirt, the terroir, must bring them together. Lucky for me, I love both wine and Blundstones (and dirt … just ask my mountain bike). So when I found out that Blundstone and California’s Tank Garage Winery linked up to collaborate on a bottle of red wine, I had to get my hands on one.
When the winemakers and the bookmakers got together, they decided that the wine should be a Shiraz, an homage to one of Australia’s most popular wine varieties. With this in mind, Tank’s winemakers eyed Shake Ridge Ranch in Amador County as the source of their Shiraz grapes. Just a couple of hours from Napa and Santa Rosa, two of California’s finest wine destinations, Shake Ridge Ranch is known for making some of the best Shiraz in the northern hemisphere thanks to rocky soil that yields plenty of complexity and spice. From there, Tank added Petite Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Valdiguié and Négrette grapes to develop a red blend that produces flavors of berries, pepper and even some subtle hints of truffle.
While the wine was delicious, it’s also a bottle you can feel good about consuming. For each bottle sold, $2 is donated to The Roots Fund, which helps create opportunities and support people of color in the wine industry. Tank’s longtime collaborator, artist D. White II, was tapped to handle the art, hand painting the design that was eventually printed onto each bottle. — Will Porter, Associate Editor
The Alchemist Rapture
Vermont brewery The Alchemist may be best known for Heady Topper, but stop by their elegant brewery in Stowe, and you’ll find a far greater selection of brews beyond the Heady Topper and Focal Banger DIPAs now found in supermarkets around the Green Mountain State. Pilsners, imperial stouts and witbiers are all on the menu for pickup, but head to their outdoor beer garden and you’ll find one of their semi-secret delights: Rapture. This American IPA may be 7% ABV, but it’s more mellow than the double IPAs that made The Alchemist famous, with a delightful blend of Galaxy and Citra hops that never overpowers the taste buds. Drink it cold from the can, as God intended. — Will Sabel Courtney, Senior Editor
Basil Hayden Malted Rye
I’ve long been a fan of classic Basil Hayden, an excellent base for an old fashioned. So when the bourbon maker invited me to an East Village rooftop to try its latest spirit, I bee-lined, without regret. If typical BH is a fastball, Malted Rye is a changeup: the 100% malted rye mash bill promises floral, vanilla and toasted rye bread notes. My palate is not so nuanced, but upon sipping, two phrases jumped to mind: “unexpectedly light” and “nicely spiced.” This one does not linger on the tongue, but while it’s there, it’s warm and pleasant. It mixes well, too. Try the Alter Ego, which employs Campari ice to sneakily morph from a Manhattan to a Boulevardier.
Ingredients
2 parts Basil Hayden Malted Rye
1 part sweet vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and strain into a rocks glass over Campari ice (2 parts Campari and ¾ parts water, frozen in ice molds). Garnish with an orange peel. — Steve Mazzucchi, Senior Editor
