So it tricks your brain? Sounds like dating in 2025. 😂

And I plan to be there next year signing my book Coffee Culture New Orleans, so start planning for that now. 😉

“I swapped booze for a drink that tricks your brain into feeling tipsy. Here's what happened This functional drink claims to calm the brain without the hangover, addictive qualities or calories of alcohol” www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-bo...

What the hell is this? Should we call it “Cristalino Whisky?” “Chivas Regal unveils clear spirit drink Crystalgold Crystalgold is Chivas Regal’s first clear spirit drink, which the brand has described as an ‘innovation and technical breakthrough’.” www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2025/09/chiv...

What the hell is this? Should we call it “Cristalino Whisky?” “Chivas Regal unveils clear spirit drink Crystalgold Crystalgold is Chivas Regal’s first clear spirit drink, which the brand has described as an ‘innovation and technical breakthrough’.” www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2025/09/chiv...

“Blends can help kick-start Scotch exports In contrast to single-malts, bottled blended Scotch exports rose last year. With the right marketing, blends can help distillers in some tough trading conditions.” www.just-drinks.com/comment/blen...

“Scotch and the Sea: Venturing Into the Soul of the Hebrides These remote and rocky islands off Scotland’s western coast offer visitors an ethereal beauty that goes perfectly with a splash of local whisky.” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/t...

Man, this one bums me out. One of the best to do it in Portland! newschoolbeer.com/home/2025/9/...

The quickest way to madness is to let someone else put away the dishes in your kitchen.

I asked my mom…

I asked my mom…

“Whisky maker loses Scotch down the drain after machine error” www.bbc.com/news/article...

“Has Trump left Scotch on the rocks” www.bbc.com/news/article...

“Berkeley scientists confirm ‘drunken monkey’ theory: Chimps love booze, just like us New scientific literature suggests Gen Z’s aversion to alcohol may actually defy nature.” sfstandard.com/2025/09/20/c...

BOOZE NEWS: “Tito’s Acquires Fellow Austin-Based Spirits Brand, LALO Tequila” vinepair.com/booze-news/t...

The bird is the word.

It’s true! open.substack.com/pub/robertsi...

“Talking with Patrick McGovern about liquor was like talking to an astronomer about the Big Bang.” A tribute to the man who saw ancient history in every sip.

Growing up in the Projects I would look out my window and WANT to be in Manhattan at a party. Enjoying life, drinking the drinks surrounded by cool hip people. .After 20 years of going to, managing, & hosting events, that kid in me STILL loves going out. Last night was about Toki Whisky and Jazz.

A nice Q & A with @carolinepardilla.bsky.social of Imbibe magazine about the Comic Book History of the Cocktail: imbibemagazine.com/qa-david-won...

“Thanks a loch: The independent Scotch bottlers are coming The recent rise in one-off whisky releases by independent bottlers signals a growing trend. Anthony Gladman finds out more and highlights bottles that should be on your radar.” www.decanter.com/spirits/than...

We have a tenuous family connection through my mother’s side to J Rieger distillery in Kansas City. What this means is that when I want a bottle of Rieger’s Monogram whiskey, I put it in my basket and pay full retail price like all y’all. Still, though: nice find at Gomer’s liquor store.

The scots sell six times the whisky we do - 90m cases to our 15m - so having 50 distilleries here to 151 there seems like a bit of an imbalance IMHO www.irishtimes.com/special-repo...

I wrote about David Wondrich’s new book! robertsimonson.substack.com/p/cocktail-h...

"will they make an exception for the product that represents the foreign nation which the US President holds dearest? "Could this be the commodity, and could the state visit be the moment, to start dismantling the more damaging aspects of these current tariff wars?"

At last the press is talking abot isses vital to the national interest

“Scotch whisky wants a pass on US tariffs. But why should Trump give it?” www.bbc.com/news/article...

“The Continued, Misguided Attempts to Make Pizza-Flavored Booze Happen” vinepair.com/articles/piz...

“It's the Era of 'Self-Prohibition.' That's Made Booze-Free Alcohol a Big Business“ www.investopedia.com/it-s-the-era...

Yeah, that worked *splendidly* a hundred years ago...

NYC eyes cutting number of liquor stores to curb health-threatening booze abuse nypost.com/2025/09/03/u...

French cognac sales drop 13% as demand for premium ranges slides www.reuters.com/business/fre...

File under Not Everything Is Terrible: @ranchogordo.bsky.social beans are life-changing. (Especially if you have an induction stove.) www.ranchogordo.com

“The Montana Daiquiri Celebrates Two Unsung Cuban Classics” punchdrink.com/articles/mon...

“Can the French embrace the rapper’s delight — a cognac cocktail? The future of the industry may lie in convincing its home market that far from being a stuffy, old man’s digestif, brandy is in fact a trendy mixing ingredient” www.thetimes.com/world/europe...

“The Knickerbocker, a Forgotten Rum Punch Cocktail, Is Back Vulture in San Diego is bringing Jerry Thomas’ rum punch back from the dead.”⁦‪ punchdrink.com/articles/kni...

Was just nearly hit by a cab. And NYC is gonna criminally charge reckless cyclists?

“Why I traveled hundreds of miles to this disappearing California wine region” www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/ar...

Just one sip, then on to the next drink.

It’s happening! open.substack.com/pub/robertsi...

“Even the Guinness craze could not save the boss of Britain’s booze empire As sales of the black stuff soar, unease is brewing at struggling owner Diageo” www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...

I’ve never understood how anyone could stomach Pepsi. 😖

Boston: “A Cocktail Bar With Dim Sum To Debut Next Week in Central Square Darling opens next week from Brian Callahan and Zimu Chen” boston.eater.com/restaurant-n...

Yet another of myriad reasons to never ever rent a car from Hertz. This is the company that has had people arrested, falsely accused of stealing the cars they rented. Hertz will pay $168 million to customers it falsely accused of stealing its cars.

Consort bought manzanilla for a cocktail & it reminded me of the time a friend served it as an aperitif & I thought: This is the worst chardonnay I've ever tasted.

I think about Ebert’s review of The Mummy all the time: “There is hardly a thing I can say in its favor, except that I was cheered by nearly every minute of it.”

Milam & Greene Distillery in Texas is joining the effort to raise money for flood relief in the Hill Country. Details below:

“Tired of Negronis? Try a Sharona. The cocktail — a favorite at New York’s Eel Bar — is refreshing, low in alcohol and perfect for batch mixing in advance.” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/t...

California wrote off this red wine. But now it’s staging a comeback www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/ar...