Rated C+
Reviews of spirits, wine, and beer (and various errata like mixers and garnishes) comprise more than 80% of the content at Drinkhacker. At the C+ level, we see products that are relatively undistinguished, except perhaps in one or two minor factors. These products are generally not recommended, as better alternatives abound. On a five-star scale, these products would score 2 stars. On the traditional 100-point scale popular with many wine and spirits graders, these products would merit scores of 75 to 78 points.
The world of powdered cocktial mixers continues its march into the market. The latest comes from an outfit called Mixallogy, which uses USDA certified organic ingredients as the basis for three single-serve mixers. One nifty thing about Mixallogy’s approach is that the mixers are all packaged in a small, plastic cup. The cup does double…
Old Fitzgerald is one of the more storied brands in bourbon history. First produced in 1870, it became a wheated bourbon only after being acquired by Pappy Van Winkle after Prohibition. The brand was one of the flagship offerings from Van Winkle’s infamous Stitzel-Weller Distillery until it shut its doors in 1992. The name is…
This nonvintage, low-alcohol (12%) from Pascual Toso is a simple sparkler made from Argentine Chardonnay grapes. Fairly yeasty, with dialed-back fruit, it does let some baked apple notes push through, but not really enough to brighten up the somewhat musty, lifeless backbone. Could work in a cocktail lieu of, let’s say, club soda, but better…
Hardly the first name in high-end wine, Barefoot has made a major name for itself in the world of wines served exclusively at baby showers. But seriously, the number of wines this mass producer is churning out is incredible, and today we look at no fewer than six of them, none priced above $9.99, including…
Goodwood Brewing Company in Louisville, Kentucky distinguishes itself from most other craft breweries by wood-aging every beer in its portfolio. According to their website, this is done as “an homage to this region’s distilling legacy and to those old barrels out there that still have so much flavor left to give.” With some of the…
The state that brought you 15 barrels of Jack Daniel’s whiskey and 9 single barrel tequilas is back again with a mountain of single barrel bourbons from some of the biggest names in the industry. The New Hampshire Liquor Commission recently went down south and came back with a whopping 62 barrels of spirits from just…
Based in Miami, Friends Fun Wine produces low alcohol wine flavored drinks that, they say, “could only have been created from the cool and chill vibe of South Florida.” Friends Fun Wine beverages are reminiscent of wine coolers and seem designed to appeal to a party crowd. Unlike virtually all other wine based beverages on…
The mad geniuses at Colorado’s Stranahan’s have, at last, added a new expression to their “yellow label” single malt: Stranahan’s Sherry Cask. Per the distillery, “This special release is the first of its kind for the Denver-based distillery, fusing the Rocky Mountain whiskey making style with the wine making traditions of Spanish Sherry.” As the…
This latest from Drake’s is an IPA without comparison. A black IPA made with 2-Row Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, and Black Malt, and Denali, Cascade, and Warrior hops, it’s an immediately weird experience. Chewy, burnt toast/overdone pretzel notes up front lead the way to a kind of gravelly, yet intensely bitter body. The finish evokes chewed-up asparagus…
There’s not that much to excite anyone about a 13 dollar, nonvintage California cab — but Chateau Souverain is doing one fun thing this year by offering custom labels with, well, anything printed on them. As you can see by the photo above, Chateau Souverain becomes Chateau Null, or Chateau Smith, or Chateau Whatever. The…