NY Barfly

Draft Magazine Names The 100 Best Beer Bars

Draft Magazine is out with their annual list of the best beer bars, and it’s nice to see some Big Apple haunts representing on the list. Though we think that NYC is really a cocktail town these days, the craft beer movement has clearly been making waves, so it’s no surprise to see favorites like Earl’s Beer and Cheese and Rattle ‘N Hum in the lineup. We’re surprised that they decided to include The Blind Tiger Ale House – while it’s true that the joint was among the first wave of watering holes that focused on interesting brews, there are other newer haunts that are doing interesting things (ahem, Pony Bar). Lists like this will always spur debate, you can take a gander here to get those beer-fueled arguments ready.

Bounce Sporting Club Develops Jameson-Soaked Menu

Bounce Sporting Club is the go-to destination for a Sunday afternoon full of game watching, but who know that so many people are drinking Jameson when they come through those doors (Bud Light, we could imagine, but doesn't Irish whiskey make it hard to pay attention to who's in the lead on the big screens?). Well, Jameson sold over 3 million cases last year, and it turns out that this 4,000 square foot big-apple sports bar is the second largest account in the country. Who knew?

To further satiate the Jameson-loving crowds, the bar decided to start putting whiskey in their grub. Yes, please. New dishes include an ahi tuna with avocado and Jameson soy sauce and a veal chop with saba Jameson sauce. And don’t forget dessert – maybe some lemon sorbet with a Jameson-champagne splash?

Just be careful, if you’re drinking Jameson AND digging into these dishes, you are sunk when it comes to winning your sports pool - alll someone has to do is say that you lost and you won't even realize that you're the one being played. Bounce is located at 55 West 21st St.

 

Whole Foods UWS Offers Expanded Wine Selection

Whole Foods is a great place to hit when you need some quinoa or a rare vegetable to finish off that recipe, but the UWS location is trying to become a draw for wine lovers as well. The outpost's onsite vino store is called WINE, and they just expanded their space and the menu of offerings, adding 900 new labels to the mix. There’s something for everyone, from a selection of kosher wines that is larger than what you’d find at most neighborhood shops to plenty of biodynamic labels that will answer the age-old question “does planting an animal’s tusk in a vineyard’s soil make any difference whatsoever?” They also offer generous by-the-case discounts – you can score 10% off if you get a half case and 20% if you take home the full 12 bottles.

If you want to drop by and check it out, head over this Thursday, January 31, when the new wine store hosts a tasting event where guests can sample wine and food pairings. That’s happening from 5 to 8 PM, and WINE is located at 808 Columbus Avenue.

Wine Cocktails: Drew Barrymore Edition

Things about actress Drew Barrymore that you might not know:

1. She was that little girl in E.T. Awwwww…..

2. She has her own vino label dubbed Barrymore Wine, which is a Pinot Grigio that pairs well with food or sitting at home by yourself and watching Drew Barrymore movies.

3. If a glass or five of this sauce isn’t enough on its own, you can use it to make cocktails. And don’t roll your eyes at our suggestion that you’ll be drinking five glasses. We all know what’s going to happen once this bottle gets opened.

The makers of Barrymore Wine have paired up with bartender Billy Ray to come up with some libations that will help you power through winter. And by power through, we mean that the concoctions will help insure that you’re tipsy enough not to realize that it’s negative 20 outside and you can see your breath while you sit through a viewing session of Poison Ivy (which is very underrated, BTW). The drink is dubbed the Cabin Fever, how appropriate. Recipe below:

Cabin Fever

Ingredietns: Apple, Rosemary, Agave, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer, Barrymore Wine

Build : In a shaker place 3 chunks of Apple and 1 rosemary sprig, then muddle. Add 3/4 lime juice, 3/4 agave nectar, and 2 oz. of Barrymore Pinot Grigio. Fill with Ice and shake. Strain shaker in to a coup and top with ginger beer. Garnish with rosemary.

Milk and Honey Now Open in the Flatiron District

Milk and Honey played a huge role in starting so many of the trends you see today, from bartender’s choice cocktails to the secret bar craze. After 13 years of trailblazing on the LES (and watching as countless interlopers opened up shop and “borrowed” may of mixologist Sasha Petraske’s ideas), the original location closed down on New Year’s Day. But fans of the M&H brand should fear not – a new location of the venue has debuted in the Flatiron District. Thrillist had a first look and the joint is thankfully much larger than the narrow original, meaning you won’t have to jump through crazy reservation hoops to score a stool. Walk ins are welcomed, but if you do want to go old-school and book your table in advance, you can email milkandhoneyreservations@gmail.com at least a day in advance.

The new joint is located at 30 East 23rd St.

Bartenders Get Into The Distilling Game

It truly is a great age to be a bartender. You can fly around the world as a brand ambassador or publish cocktail books and give talks on rare libations. Last week, Robert Simonson of the NY Times (one of our favorite lush-minded writers) took a look at a new opportunity that top-notch mixologists are encountering. Spirits brands are inviting them to come in (and by inviting, we mean paying) and help concoct the blend that will ultimately end up in your bottle. Some tenders even have their own craft spirit lines coming down the boozy pipeline. It’s great that they have time to get involved with all of these projects, but when do they find time to actually get their drinking done?

Read Vodka Distilled, Stop Being Snobby About Vodka

We all know that vodka gets a bad rap in the mixology world, with the common question being "Why would you use a flavorless alcohol as your cocktail base?" Well, one author is ready to make you stop whining. Tony Abou-Gamin is out with a new book dubbed Vodka Distilled: The Modern Mixologist on Vodka and Vodka Cocktails. The dude knows what he is talking about, he's the author of The Modern Mixologist and has worked with folks like Mario Batali and Steve Wynn.

The guide includes profiles of over 60 vodka labels, the history of the hooch, and a selection of cocktail recipes that will convince you that vodka is something that should be used abundantly and often from your home bar. The book is available now for around $15 on Amazon, you can get info here.

Wait, They Put The Antarctic Scotch Back?

What do you do when you find a crate of Scotch from the 19th Century frozen in the ice of Antarctica, with the liquid still intact (and not even frozen despite the sub-zero temperatures)? Well, hmmmm - that's a hard one - maybe DRINK IT? Not so for the folks who came across three bottles of Mackinlay's whisky, which were left on the frozen continent by none-other than Ernest Shackleton during an expedition.

The bottles were found buried beneath Shakleton's hut in 2010, with the booze and glass still intact. Instead of breaking them open, they were sent to a scientific lab for testing - boring! Apparently the brand is going to recreate the blend using modern science. From CBS News:

"The recipe for the whisky had been lost. But Whyte & Mackay recreated a limited edition of 50,000 bottles, costing about $157 each. from a sample drawn with a syringe through a cork of one of the bottles. The conservation work of the Antarctic Heritage Trust has received five per cent of the proceeds from every bottle sold."

But now, the bottles are on their way back to the site, where they will be returned to their perch below the hut to preserve the heritage of this historic monument. Sigh - we'll never understand, isn't heritage better preserved by cracking open this stuff, sharing a few swigs, and telling stories of old-man Shakleton? Either way, we will look forward to the new bottles once they come out.

$35 For Unlimited Food and Beer at Studio Square

Studio Square has got the hook up for daytime revelers on Sunday, January 27, when the Long Island City beer garden will play host to its “Not-So Boujie (But Very Boozy)” brunch party. The shindig is offering a killer deal – for $35, guests can enjoy unlimited food, beer and sangria from 1 to 5 PM. If you’re still standing after that, you can hang out and listen to DJs through 8, but we expect if you did your duty, you’ll be passed out by the time those tables start to turn. In the grub department, you can expect fare like cornflake-crusted French toast and meatball sliders. The only downside, it’s on a Sunday – nothing like a hangover to start your week.

Enjoy Whisky and Meatballs at Midnight on January 26

As far as underground culinary events go, Midnight Brunch is right up our alley. These late night soirees combine savory tastings with lots of booze, and since they’re so late in the evening, they make a great stop on a night of bar hopping (and are especially fun with guests from out of town, who may not be used to such shenanigans).

The latest installment is on January 26, when the organizers will host Whisky and Meatballs from Around The World at an undisclosed location. The tickets are available for $100, and you’ll get to try four different types of balls along with an open bar and whisky cocktails. The event technically starts at 11 PM, but we think that is late enough that the crowd will just love your bawdiest ball pun. Get tickets and info here.