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.
Hey, the world isn’t going to let a global pandemic keep some of the most coveted whiskies from hitting the market this year. And here they are, your 2020 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection quintet. There aren’t any production-level changes for the 2020 bottlings vs. 2019, so let’s dive right in and see how everything is…
Recently, for Wired, I took a deep dive into cocktail subscription kits and delivery services, whereby you get all the ingredients you need to make a cocktail or three shipped to your home, no shopping required (unless, of course, it’s one of the kits that are shipped without booze included). Since that story ran, I’ve…
At one point, Nashville-based Corsair had roughly 20 expressions of whiskey, gin, moonshine, and even absinthe on the market. To say that Corsair’s attentions were scattered might be a bit of an understatement. That changed this year when Corsair did a full-scale reboot, bringing their core product lineup down to just four: Two whiskeys, and…
Two new expressions from the burgeoning Chicken Cock brand, a straightforward Kentucky rye and more unusual beer barrel-finished rye. Production details — and our thoughts — all follow. Chicken Cock Straight Rye -A Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey to follow up on Chicken Cock’s Straight Bourbon, this spirit was made in partnership with the Bardstown Bourbon…
We already walked you through Crook & Marker’s spiked tea offerings earlier this summer, so now here’s a look at their line of hard lemonades. As with their boozy teas, this lineup from the health-conscious makers of Bai is about as wholesome and natural as alcohol in a can gets. Each is 4% abv, sugar…
Non-alcoholic beer and wine have been around for some time. Now non-alcoholic spirits are becoming a thing. Lyre’s makes nearly a dozen non-alcoholic knockoffs of just about everything on your back bar, from gin to whiskey to spiced rum. What’s this stuff made out of? Mainly water and sugar. A typical ingredient list looks like…
Two summery releases from Napa’s Flora Springs, including a strange vintage of Soliloquy and a not-strange release of the Napa Valley Merlot. 2019 Flora Springs Soliloquy Napa Valley – Soliloquy is named after Flora Springs’ proprietary clone of sauvignon blanc (blended here with chardonnay and malvasia). This 2019 takes the core of the sauvignon blanc…
Deschutes Brewery — which we cover at length here — recently expanded its footprint into the canned cocktail market. While they’re sippable on their own as “hard bevy” ready-to-drink cocktails, Deschutes is also positioning them as mixers to which you can add a shot of alcohol for an extra kick. Three flavors are on tap,…
Jeff Runquist’s name may make him sound like a race car driver, but he’s actually a veteran winemaker who makes his home in California’s Amador County. We recently received a five-pack of wines from the Runquist stable — which comprises 25 red varietals alone — to see what he’s been up to. Thoughts follow. 2018…
Hey, I know I’ve eaten jackfruit before, but for the life of me I can’t remember what it tastes like. The monstrous green fruit, when cleaned and shredded, has a texture remarkably similar to pulled pork, and you’re most likely to encounter it as a base for vegan barbecue. Slathered in spices and sauce, the…