Stop Slacking Off, People: Time for a locker room speech: This year, for the first time since records started in 2001, overall alcohol consumption worldwide decreased. Dropped. Went down. Honestly folks, what are we all here for if not to spread the good news of booze? Let’s all agree to do a better job of encouraging good drinking (and responsible drinking, of course.) We owe it to the world.
See, New Belgium is Helping: It’s a big month for our friends at New Belgium. Their tasting room in Asheville just opened up, and they’ll be launching in New York City on Monday, May 16. Their North Carolina facility looks great, but we have to admit we’re much more invested in their NYC rollout. Show me a world with Fat Tire on my bodega shelves, and I’ll show you a world where I go broke with a big dumb smile on my face.
Three Cheers for Fifth Hammer: New York City beer royalty and brewery friends Chris Cuzme and David Scharfstein announced that their Fifth Hammer Brewing Company will open in Long Island City this fall. The team will move into 10-28 46th Avenue, adding to the already stellar lineup of breweries churning away in Queens. Cheers and good luck on the buildout, Chris and Dave!
Get Bitter: We all know and love Angostura Bitters as a cocktail enhancer and hangover remedy, but the mixture itself is shrouded in mystery. The recipe is still under wraps, which we assume means witchcraft is involved. Still, you can take a peek behind the goofy oversized label (which has a fittingly goofy story behind it) and learn a bit more about one of the most important cocktail ingredients since the invention of liquor.
Beer Underground: The De Halve Maan brewery in Bruge, Belgium, is installing an underground pipeline to move beer between their brewery and bottling plant beneath the city’s streets. The brewery claims it is a victory for environmental and cultural concerns, as it will cut down on truck traffic between their plants. Most residents seem more upset that they aren’t allowed to tap directly into the pipeline, which is admittedly a fair reason to be upset.
It’s World Cocktail Day, Apparently: According to some shadowy government agency/greeting card company, today is World Cocktail Day! The celebrations should pretty much plan themselves. In the meantime, catch up with David Wondrich as he recounts how the cocktail got its name and other mysteries from the early days of mixing drinks.