In a surprise move to absolutely no one, there’s talk that the mega beer titans Miller and AB InBev could be forming one giant mega corporation set on dominating the beer world. The price for SAB/Miller would be right around $100 billion, which includes the lifetime stipend given to former spokesperson Bob Uecker. [Reuters]

Only a few days after its Buffalo Trace article, The Atlantic is buying into the “sky is falling” mentality that there’s a great global wine shortage afoot, and it will only get worse. Time to start stocking up! [The Atlantic]

The Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection adds to its Entry Proof and Heavy Char experiments of 2013 with a new line slated for release at the end of this month. This time around Harlan and company are focusing on barrel stave drying times; with one bottled at the standard Buffalo Trace stave drying time of six months, and the other with a 13 month stave drying time. Reviews forthcoming, stay tuned! [Buffalo Trace]

And finally today, Panagiotis Giovanis from the Venezia bar in Greece has been crowned the winner in the EU final of Angostura’s Global Cocktail Challenge. 12 competitors battled it out in Stockholm, but Giovanis’ cocktails, Scarlet Ibis and Safe House, were said to embody the versatility of Angostura. He will go on to compete in the global final in Trinidad & Tobago in March. Here’s the recipe for his award-winning Scarlet Ibis. It’s pretty elaborate and takes 40 days to make properly (………), so if anyone wants to take a stab and report back on the quality, let us know.

Scarlet Ibis
5 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
45ml Angostura 7 Year Old Rum
10ml Homemade Walnut Liqueur
10ml Monin Creme de Peche Liqueur
20ml Fresh Lime Juice
15ml Homemade Spice Syrup
Shake and pour into vintage martini glass. Garnish with vanilla stick.

Homemade ingredient 1: Walnut Liqueur
2 liters Metaxa 5
2 kg Sugar
10 fresh walnuts (cut in quarters)
2 cinnamon sticks
8 cloves
Place all ingredients in a large airtight jar for 40 days and swirl around once a day.

Homemade ingredient 2: Spice syrup
300ml Water
300g Sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 pc nutmeg
2 pc all spice
Smash up the cinnamon stick, nutmeg and all spice, add all ingredients to a pot and boil the syrup. Let syrup cool.

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