Ushering in the newest cocktail trend: the cocktail-less cocktail, Sasha Petraske opened White Star Bar last night in the LES.  Forget the rhubarb bitters and blood orange cardamom syrup, White Star Bar offers only two options:  absinthe and beer.

We stopped by at 9 p.m. on opening night to a pretty packed house full of absinthe junkies, bar scenesters and Sasha's friends & followers.  And, while the place was packed, there was still room to move as the absinthe flowed. 

Personally, I love the idea of the specialized bar without the frills, and White Star Bar delivers this simple concept with Petraske's impeccable taste and execution. 

A Dash of Bitters mixed up some gin and heirloom tomatoes in their slightly delayed Mixology Monday post.

Bull E. Vard over at KC Beer Blog put down the pint glass and infused some bourbon...with bacon? 

The Liquid Muse offers up a very NYC cocktail from Marshall Altier from Insieme Restaurant.

The Tipsy Texans whip up a few variations on their state's signature cocktail:  The Margarita.  Here, here, and here.  They've even included a two videos. 

How To Make a Margarita: 

Also: How NOT To Make a Margarita (I'm not sure if I'm more repulsed by her sweet muddling technique or the sour mix.)


And, for our take on the margarita, our resident cocktail assassin, Allan Delgado, makes his version of this classic cocktail.

In his continuing quest to mix every drink in the Savoy Cocktail Book, Under-Hill Lounge stirs a batch of Darb Cocktails.

Rowley's Whiskey Forge revamps one of Jamie Boudreau's Marmalade cocktails in what sounds like the most delicious cocktail on the list.

Every recipe for every navel- especially the fuzzy ones.

Drinks America and Geffen A&M Records just announced that Dr. Dre's new line of unflavored sparkling vodka and Aftermath Cognac will hit the shelves around the same time his newest album, Detox, releases.  Currently, the projects are slated to be available to you, the hip hop and booze loving public, sometime in late November or early December. 
 

Hemingway sips on a daiquiri at El Floridita

At Lush Life, every day feels like National Rum Day, but this Saturday, it was official.  So, to celebrate, I made a serrano infused Hemingway Daiquiri that went a little something like this:

3 oz. Serrano Pepper Infused Brugal Light Rum
Juice of one lime
1 oz. Grapefruit Juice
1 oz. Maraska Maraschino Liqueur

Shake ingredients with ice.  Strain into a collins glass.  Garnish with a lime wheel and serrano pepper slice.

The cocktail was bright and spicy with just a touch of sweetness from the Maraska.  It also accompanied my National Rum Day reading quite well.  To fully replicate my glorious afternoon, check out some of the great rum-based blog entries I found sipping away on my modified Hemingway Daiquiri.

BunnyHugs tells the story of their recent trip to the Brugal plant (complete with Siglo de Oro tasting notes).

DrinkHacker tackled the world's oldest rum manufacturer, Mount Gay, doling out particularly high marks for these reasonably priced libations.

Under-Hill Lounge modified the Davis Cocktail recipe to make it all about the rum, and they found the time to make a daiquiri as well.

GeekyTiki's new favorite drink is shockingly rum based.

Rum Dood walks us through Old New Orleans' Rum Distillery. 

In the US, Jim Beam is typically associated with good old boys starting fights with inanimate objects right before they puke all over their brah's Abercrombie t-shirt, but in Australia, Beam has taken another approach:  hot, scantily clad women.  And, it's getting them in trouble.  Check out their most recent ad.

The Neighbours

From the Bev Naps of Lush Life's Cocktail Assassin, Allan Delgado. 

Believe it or not, there are FIVE iPhone applications all custom designed to calculate your blood alcohol levels.  Let's say you're sober enough to properly input all of the data necessary to accurately calculate your BAC.  Let's assume you remember everything you drank tonight. Let's even assume you know exactly what you weigh.  Do you think any policeman on the planet is going to use your iPhone calculations to pardon you from that DWI ticket?  Probably not.  Having said that, these apps (which all run for under $5) can provide some entertainment at parties.  Hell, who doesn't want to know the estimated BAC of a 110 lb. girl after drinking three Bud Lights?

Despite reports of potential hail and thunderstorms, a small yet enthusiastic crowd showed up for this Sunday's show at McCarren Park Pool.  We arrived in time to catch most of Eli "Paperboy"  Reed's set of white guy soul and stayed for the hoe-down folk of Langhorne Slim and the War Eagles, dodging scattered storms and dancing up a storm.

Eli "Paperboy"  Reed knows exactly what he's doing.  He has obviously studied his classic Southern soul, and we're sure his collection of obscure 45's is impressive as hell.  When all is said and done, however, Mr. Reed is not a classic soul singer.  His band is simply spectacular, hitting all the right notes and, ironically, getting people moving a whole lot more than they did during the soul show at McCarren a few weeks earlier.  Reed's voice is good, with a grit that cuts through the horns and a soulfulness that is surprising considering he looks more like the singer from Smashmouth than Otis Redding.  Having seen them months earlier with Clarence Reid at Southpaw, we have to say that they were much better this time, but as far as style, Reed seems a little affected for our taste.

Langhorne Slim came out next, simply saying a quick hello into the mic, and then launching into his brand of early-Dylan folk with his rhythm section, the War Eagles, providing a driving backbeat.  The crowd grew noticeably during the first song, with Brooklynites trying their best to dance to the country-tinged music coming from the stage.  Most of the crowd seemed to know the words to many of the songs, and the entire band put on quite a show, with Slim falling to his knees repeatedly during songs and engaging in a call and response shout with the audience on several occasions.  The persistent drizzle still kept many under the awning towards the back, but those who ventured up front witnessed one hell of a set from these talented performers.


 

When you're craving the perfect glass of scotch, whiskey, or any other brown liquor, there's no better spot to hit than the Brandy Library, and over this last week, they offered even more incentive to swing by their perfectly appointed booze museum:  Peat Week.

Each night, the Brandy Library featured free tastings  of various delicious peaty libations, and we stopped by for a look tonight.

You can still catch the tail end of Peat Week at the Library tomorrow night when they offerfree tastings of Caol Ila Single Malts from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Still available will be the week long flight offerings:

Smoked Out Peat Flight $35
Bunnahabhain 18 years, Bruichladdich Infinity, Tobermory 10 years, Bowmore 15 years, Ardbeg 10 years, Mystery smoky Single Malt; includes a bottle of room temperature Evian. 1/2 ounce each pour

Cheese and Scotch $34
Epoisse  and Bruichladdich 12 year, Constant Bliss and Bowmore 15 Darkest, Valdeon and Laphroaig 15 year; includes a bottle of room temperature Evian. One ounce of Scotch per each pour.

What Does John Know announced a new Rye from Jim Beam called ri(1).

And, proving the guys at Beam know what they're doing, the Ladies of LUPEC Boston herald the return of rye!

Mutineer Magazine (think Maxim meets Imbibe) launched this week, and Martini Groove has an exclusive PDF of their first issue.

Two terrifying videos from our friends at Alcademics (warning: one features small children performing the Bacardi Mojito Dance).

In Honor of Peat Week, The Scotch Blog teaches beginners the basics of Single Malt Scotch

While it was Peat Week at Brandy Library, the whole nation celebrated "Fruit Beer Month," and to celebrate Magic Hat purchased Pyramid Brewery.
Imbibe Unfiltered directs us to the newly launched ProhibitionRepeal.com, sponsored by DISCUS to educate you on our countries darkest (read: booze free) days.

A Chicago woman tore into her boyfriend (quite literally) when he refused to give back her beer. Let's just hope this man didn't die over a Coors Light.