Drinkhacker Reads – 12.02.2013 – Drinkhacker Gift Guide Goes Color + Sriracha Vodka
No doubt you saw the 2013 edition of our Gift Guide posted last week in between stuffing your faces or fighting the crowds during Whack Friday. But did you know our guide also comes as a full color PDF, complete with full reviews and all the previous years’ winners. Dig in!
Despite an overall slowdown in the amount of what we’re consuming in restaurants, a report issued today by Technomic suggests that we’re drinking less, but we’re also being more discerning about our choices. While the overall gains were modest (0.7% overall), categories such as Irish whiskey (+21.6%) and craft/microbrewed beer (+13%) saw double digit growth. [Technomic]
While we were on Thanksgiving break, Diageo announced via press release an initiative it’s The Orphan Barrel Project, which sounds suspiciously close to another project near and dear to our hearts. The project will “rescue” old and rare barrels of whiskey from their warehouses, including Kentucky Bourbons, to be bottled… in Tennessee (…not cool, Diageo). The first of the “expressions” – a 20 year old called Barterhouse and a 26 year old called Old Blowhard will be arriving in early 2014, and not everyone is thrilled with the concept or presentation. Charles Cowdery offers up an excellent editorial on the whole business.
And finally today: just when you thought it was safe to go down the vodka aisle and not be assaulted by hideous flavors, UV has announced the arrival of its Sriracha Vodka expression. No doubt an attempt to cash in on the Sriracha craze sweeping the nation, Philips Distilling Company is proud to present the world’s first Sriracha-flavored vodka. We’re kind of hoping it’s the only version, but hey… maybe it’ll sell well in upscale restaurants. [UV Vodka]
