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Halloween Favorites: Crystal Head Vodka Review

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Crystal Head Vodka

Crystal Head Vodka

Halloween Favorites: Crystal Head Vodka Review

If you’re a big fan of party planning, Halloween is probably a kickoff to your favorite part of the year: holiday season. Dressing up, making drinks, handing out candy, Halloween drinking games, what’s not to love? This year, while the kids are loading up on sugar, with any luck me and the other adults will be loading up on booze. Just in time for Halloween, we received samples of Crystal Head Vodka, and we couldn’t think of a better time to give the brand a try.

We’ve seen this formula before, vodka + cool bottle + celebrity endorser/owner = success. When CHV first came out, you couldn’t keep it on the shelf. The hype machine was on full blast, and owner Dan Akroyd was EVERYWHERE promoting it, including my liquor store in Tallahassee. So whats the big deal? Dan Akroyd, and his partner John Alexander, created CHV with the idea of making a high quality pure vodka that contained no additives. No glycerol, citrus oils, or sugars. Nothing was added to enhance or mask the taste. It”s made in New Found-land, an island off the coast of Canada, and is distilled 4 times, and filtered 7. But the real question is, is it worth the hype…

First Impression: If you’ve never seen it before, CHV has one of the coolest packages on the market. When it first came out back in 2008, I was still behind the counter at my liquor store, and it flew off the shelf. The bottle is a work of art, created by John Alexander, and was inspired by the legend of the 13 skulls used by Native Americans. If nothing else, it makes a great addition to a book shelf or display case.

Tasting Notes: They say vodka is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Anyone that’s had more than a few vodkas knows that isn’t always true, and with Crystal Head it’s definitely false. There’s not much on the nose, it’s your standard alcohol aroma. The first sip we had though, was sweet, with an almost vanilla taste to it. I had to have a few sips to really make sure my mind, and tongue, weren’t playing tricks on me. It’s definitely got some flavor, in a good way. Going down it’s pretty smooth, and much to my surprise there was almost no after taste. The main things people look for in a vodka is a smooth taste which no after burn and no hangovers in the morning. We can’t comment on the hangover yet, but you can check off the other two categories.

Price: $45.99

Grade: A

Final Word: So I have to admit, I was always a bit skeptic about the brand. It’s got a heavy price tag, and the bottle is nothing short of amazing, so I kind of figured that meant the vodka inside was trash. Instead, inside was one of the smoothest vodkas I’ve ever had, and a flavor that is sweet and unique. It’s got great appeal this time of year for Halloween, and makes a great conversation starter, so for almost $50 bucks, I think it’s worth keeping on our back bar.

For more information about Crystal Head Vodka, visit www.crystalheadvodka.com or check them out on Facebook.

Cheers,

Alex

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Culture

8 Celebrity Cocktails: Famous Cocktails in Film and TV

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The Oscars are tonight, and I’m pretty excited. I can’t remember a year when so many movies that I watched and loved were nominated and more importantly, so many actors. Maybe I’m just getting old, and the types of films I choose to watch have changed, but either way I’ll keep living the lie that Hollywood caters it’s movie selections to my liking. Are you having a watch party? Playing any Oscars drinking games? Let us know if you do. Anywhoo, while I was thinking about some ideas for cocktails to honor the Oscars, I thought, why not feature drinks that have become overnight celebrities after being featured in popular movies that we all loved.

Dude-savoring-white-russianThe White Russian: The Big Lebowski: I have a love hate relationship with this drink. The love comes from it’s taste, the hate, comes from the many “The Dude” references I get when I order it amongst friends or sometimes even at the bar. No doubt, The Dude made the white russian an instant celebrity amongst pot heads, hippies, and lazy members of society. And yes, it actually started my love for the drink. I’m living proof that drink cameos in films work, because after seeing him constantly carry it around, I had to try one and it’s been my after dinner drink of choice ever since…

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka
  • 3/4 ounce Kahlua Coffe Liquer
  • 3/4 ounce cream

Pour each ingredient in an Old fashioned glass starting with vodka, then Kahlua, then cream and stir. 

Casino-Royale-Daniel-Craig-drinking-martiniThe Vespar Martini: Casino Royale – Although it’s the classic martini, shaken not stirred, that EVERYONE knows and associates with James Bond, It was the Vespar that gained fame in his latest group of movies, this one particularly in Casino Royale. Interestingly, there are a slew of drinks Bond has ordered over the years and movies, but the classic Martini, and the Vespar have gained the most fame.

  • 3 measures of Gordon’s Gin
  • 1 measure of vodka
  • 1/2 measure Kina Lillet
  • Lemon peel for garnish

Add in your gin, then vodka, and then Lillet in a shaker and shake well until ice cold. Then add a large thin slice of lemon peel for garnish.

orange-whipThe Orange Whip: Blues Brothers – This one is a bit different, you may not be hearing it ordered at the bar much, or at all, but for many who grew up during the height of the Blues Brothers cult like craze, this drink was especially known. It’s gotten some pop culture love over the last decade with several references in tv shows and films, but it became a star when it was ordered at the bar in this film.

  • 4 oz Orange juice
  • 1 oz Rum
  • 1 oz Vodka
  • 1 package Cream or creamer
  • Over Ice cubes

Pour ingredients over ice and stir.

DRINKSHOT-Casablanca-01French 75: Casablanca – Ok, so i’m a bit young to have been around during this time, but it’s a classic that has stood the test of time. It particularly gained it’s fame in the classic movie Casablanca when Yvonne’s boyfriend orders one, and the rest is history.

  • 1/2 oz Fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz Simple syrup (one part water, one part sugar)
  • 1 oz Gin or Cognac
  • 3 oz Champagne

Add your ingredients together minus the Champagne to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top with Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

satc1Cosmopolitan: Sex and the City –  Ms. Bradshaw and her girls headed out to the bar in no less than 1 scene per episode it seemed, and what were they ordering? Cosmos. Now Cosmopolitans were pretty big in the 80’s, then lost it’s spark until the ladies on Sex and the City brought it back HARD. Ironically, it’s back in “out of style status” again in the Twenty-Teens as it was so well overdone in the 2000’s. Along with resurgence of Cosmos’s, Sex and the City is often credited with several other trends including : The explosion Manolo Blahniks, the cupcake shop craze, and the surge in Brazilian waxes in with American women… interesting…

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka or flavored vodka
  • 1 ounce Cointreu Orange Liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce cranberry juice
  • Orange peel for garnish

Combine ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well, and strain into a chilled martini glass. 

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Manahattan: Some Like it Hot – Another film before my time, but it’s reference has helped it stand the test of time. These days when you hear someone ordering a Manhattan they are either an older person, or a hipster trying to revive the speakeasy scene. Either way its a classic that every drinker must try.

  • 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey
  • 1 dash Angostura® bitters
  • 1 maraschino cherry

Pour ingredients in a mixing glass and stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry. 

 

 

Cocktail 7Red Eye: Cocktail – Cocktail was a pivotal movie in my life and in Tom Cruises career. It cemented him as a pretty decent actors in many eyes, and for me, it made me realize how interested I was in the bar industry. In this film, the scene where Cruise’s character Brian Flanagin first walks into a bar looking for a job, he meets his eventual employer and mentorDoug, who’s mixing up none other than the Red Eye. Not exactly my cup of tea, but for years a favorite of many for morning hangovers.

Red Eye 

  • 1 oz vodka
  • 6 oz tomato juice
  • 1 can of beer
  • 1 raw egg

Into a tall frosty mug, pour the vodka and tomato juice. Pour in the beer, then crack the egg into it. Do not stir.

DD-Drinking-7Old Fashioned: MadMen – Dom Draper is household name these days, and with Mad Men constantly involved in online debates, twitter trending, and facebook status frenzies, the drink Mr. Draper commonly orders has had a huge return to the screen. It’s a classic that stands the test of time, but thanks to Mad Men it is being ordered again by the 21-35 crowd.

  • 4 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • 1 tsp Sugar (Or sugar cube)
  • 1 Orange wheel for garnish
  • 1 Maraschino cherry
  • Splash Club soda
  • 2 oz Bourbon of choice

Using an Old Fashioned glass, muddle the bitters, sugar, and orange wheel, cherry, and a splash of soda. Remove the orange rind and add bourbon. Fill glass with ice, and garnish with a new orange wheel and cherry. 

silence-of-the-lambs-hannibal[Bonus] Chianti: Silence of the Lambs: Ok so this one isn’t a cocktail, but I wanted to throw it in as a bonus because it’s a drink that everyone knows whether they actually drink/enjoy wine or not. Who doesn’t remember the jaw dropping scene when Hannibal Lector admits he once “ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti” in reference to a former victim. And the rest is history.

If you’ve got a drink you think deserves A-List status that we didn’t mention, feel free to shoot us a line at [email protected] Until then, enjoy your Oscar watch parties tonight and enjoy the drinks.

Cheers

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Sauza Sparkling Margarita Review

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Sauza is the #2 selling premium tequila in the world, so it’s a pretty big deal when they announce a new product, and an even bigger deal when it’s something unheard of like a sparkling margarita. We were sent a bottle of Sauza Sparkling Watermelon Margarita from representatives of the brand, one of four flavors in the lineup, and wanted to try it in time for the Holiday weekend coming up. Pre made cocktails were HUGE before the millennium with brands like Bartles & James, Seagrams, and ready-to-drink versions of Rum & Coke were everywhere. Then, the world got a bit snobby. I’ll admit, I am and was one of those snobs. I prefer my drinks made with the freshest of fruits and ingredients, just as I prefer my food. But, the fact is, ready-to-drink cocktails serve a purpose, and are still pretty big in the industry, just ask Bethenny Frankel and her SkinnyGirl line of pre made margaritas.

First Impression: Nothing fancy with the bottle, but then again, there usually never are in the ready-to-drink world. The liquor itself has a nice pink color, and has a sweet aroma, that screams lime, tequila, and watermelon.

The Taste: Ok, so the two biggest gripes people have with pre-made drinks are that they don’t taste authentic (due to a lack of fresh ingredients and the use or preservatives and artificial sweeteners) and that they aren’t strong enough. Almost anyone I know believes one of these two theories, and even I was usually caught buying pre-made margaritas in college and adding cheap tequila to it. Where does this product fall? Well, at almost 10% alcohol (20 proof), its more than double of most beers, and other well known ready to drink brands like Dailys for example. As far as taste goes I’ve got mixed feelings. I actually like the taste. It tastes like a really good malt beverage. The Carbonation combined with Sauza silver tequila, and watermelon flavors worked really well. In fact, the watermelon flavor tastes more authentic then a lot of so called watermelon “infused” spirits on the market right now. But, if you served this to me and told me it was a Margarita, I might look at you a little funny, but keep on drinking it. It’s the

Final Verdict: Good stuff. It’s refreshing, bubbly, and tasty. But It’s closer to being a malt beverage than a margarita. I guess it’s margarita-ish. But the name of the game is selling stuff that tastes good, and by that standard Sauza hit the mark here. Add to that it’s got enough alcohol in it to give you a nice buzz, but could still be combined with more tequila for drunks like myself. Oh, and we almost forgot the most important part, the price. It’s only about $12.99 a bottle which makes it pretty easily affordable. So we’re gonna go ahead and recommend this to our readers. In fact, Memorial day is right around the corner. If you’re the type that likes to bbq hop, let others do the cooking, and bring a bottle, this would be a perfect grab-and-go, or better yet a great option to take to the beach.

To find out where to buy Sauza Sparkling Margarita, or for more information on the brand, visit their website at http://us.sauzatequila.com/tequilas/original-lime. A Sample of this product was sent to us courtesy of representatives of the brand.

For those that consider pre-made margaritas blasphemy, we get it, so for some fun tequilas to try in your next margarita, check out this Mexican tequila we reviewed last year from our trip to Mexico, try this unique reposado tequila, made in Austin, Texas we enjoyed. Or for something different, make your margarita a little nutty, with this coconut tequila.

 

 

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Wine Wednesday – Red Grapes

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Now that you’ve gotten a handle on the white grapes, maybe even tasted a few, let’s talk about the reds. Did you know that all grapes are technically white? Wine gets its color from the skin of the grapes. White grapes are separated from their skins and then fermented, red wines are fermented with their skins. The skins are later removed after the proper amount of color has been released and then fermentation continues in oak or stainless steel depending on the winemaker. Some grapes have thicker skins than others which lend to different colors and flavors in the final product of the wine.

While there are tons of red grapes that can be discussed (California alone has over 30 different red grape varieties) for the sake of time and space, we’ll just talk about the most popular 4.

Dark Blue Pinot Noir GrapesPinot Noir – One of the easiest drinking red wines with light to medium intensity of aromas and flavors. The most renowned (and expensive) examples come from Burgundy, France most notably the Cote de Nuits region. Other styles of Pinot Noir can be found in New Zealand, Australia and California. Think floral and truffle aromas with a texture like silk on the palate and bright red cherry and strawberry notes for young Pinot Noirs. The age-ability of Pinot Noirs is unpredictable depending on the style you enjoy, as they age they take on more vegetal and barnyard aromas, which may be off-putting for some.

main_merlot_grapesMerlot – Intense purple in color and dry in flavor, Merlot packs a serious punch of fruit and aroma and on the palate. Think black cherry and plum. Toasted new oak barrels may also be used by the winemaker to further enhance the flavors and make for a more complex wine. Medium acidity and medium tannins lend to its food-friendliness. Another approach to Merlot is to harvest the grapes earlier, therefore producing a wine with a lighter body and alcohol content. The early harvest lends to a final wine with more or a red fruit character like raspberries and strawberries. What foods? Duck, lamb and pork to be exact, even try it at Thanksgiving with your turkey and all its sides. Merlot really shines in Washington State, New York and California.

Cabernet_Sauvignon_GrapesCabernet Sauvignon – Don’t let the smooth start fool you, Cabernet is big and bold. Intense in color, aroma and taste, Cabernet Sauvignon is high in tannins but not lacking in fruit. Ripe currants, black berries, and dark cherries can be found in the glass. Often aged in oak and held for a couple of years before release, most Cabs get better with time. The best examples come from Left Bank Bordeaux (France), California, Chile and South Africa.

 

 

shirazgrapeSyrah/Shiraz – Another interchangeable name, Shiraz in Australia and Syrah everywhere else, they are both the same grape. Found to actually be an offspring of the Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche grapes, Syrah/Shiraz is one of the heaviest and most tannic of all the red grapes. But, if grown in a cool climate, you get spicy notes along with blackberry fruit and mint. Hot climate Syrah/Shiraz has earthier flavors with hints of leather and licorice. Most notably from Northern Rhone (France) and Australia, pair this beef, game and BBQ.

That’s all! Check back next week for our Champagne feature!

 

photo credit: Jeff Kubina via photopin cc

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