Photos & cocktail recipe from Chicago Drink.Think

Posted on April 29, 2013 by

Thanks again to all those who came out April 23 for the Chicago launch of Drink.Think at Tavernita. We enjoyed some outstanding drinks and dazzling readings from some of the Chicago area’s top drink writers. Just take a look at the photos below (all taken by the talented Jill Howe).

IMG_1290

A stellar group of writers shared their original work.

IMG_1299IMG_1324IMG_1363IMG_1407

Despite blustery weather, a fun crowd came out for the evening. They were lively. Engaged. Thirsty. :)

IMG_1226IMG_1367IMG_1457

And the drinks! Tavernita created two signature drinks for the evening. The “El Presidente” was the clear crowd favorite (it’s the drink on the left, below). Recipe below the photo.

IMG_1235

DEAD PRESIDENTS

Created by Scott Huth, Tavernita, for Drink.Think

A simple but flavorful variation on the classic El Presidente cocktail.

1 3/4 oz. Jacob’s Ghost White Whiskey

3/4 oz. Dolin Blanc vermouth

1/4 oz. Grand Marnier or Orange Curacao

1/2 to 3/4 barspoon pomegranate grenadine

large swath of orange peel, for garnish

Add all ingredients (except orange peel) to a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Express oil from orange peel over the top and garnish or discard.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

You’re invited to the Chicago launch of Drink.Think – 4/23 at Tavernita!

Posted on April 22, 2013 by

Drink.Think is coming to Chicago! Come out to hear drink and food writers read from their work about beverages, enjoy complimentary samples of Devil’s Cut whiskey and otherwise celebrate our favorite literary muse – booze!

Date & Time:  Tuesday, April 23, 2013.  The bar will be open starting at 6pm – the reading starts at 7pm.

Location:  Tavernita, 151 W. Erie St, Chicago, IL

Admission: FREE admission and complimentary pours of Devil’s Cut whiskey. Drink specials and other beverages will be available for purchase.

Featured Readers:  Curated by wine and spirits writer Kara Newman, participants include:

  • Jennifer Day, editor, Printer’s Row Journal, The Chicago Tribune’s Sunday book section
  • Cecelia Halbert, author, Up the Hill
  • Roger Kamholz, contributor to Serious Eats and Chicagoist
  • Sonja Kassebaum, Co-Founder, North Shore Distillery
  • David McCowan, contributor to Chicago Foodies
  • William Spain, writer, Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch and Penthouse
  • James Teitelbaum, author, Destination: Cocktails
  • Lauren Viera, writer/reporter for publications including Imbibe, Chicago Magazine, Time Out Chicago,  the Los Angeles Times, and many others
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Featured writer: Roger Kamholz

Posted on April 18, 2013 by

roger-portrait (1)

Hard to believe, but Drink.Think is just a few days away! I have just enough time to introduce one final awesome writer you’ll meet Tuesday night at the event:

Roger Kamholz has been covering the Chicago cocktail and spirits scene in words and pictures for the past three years — and has been consuming it for far longer.

A native New Yorker, Roger moved to Chicago more than seven years ago to study journalism, after writing art criticism for the Brooklyn Rail. He has since contributed to Chicagoist, Serious Eats, TimeOut Chicago, and Grub Street. He’s lectured on the history of mixology for Homeroom Chicago’s 101 Series and mixed cocktails to help raise money for charity. To kill time between drinking assignments, Roger works as managing editor at a boutique magazine publishing house and marketing firm.

Come out to Tavernita on Tuesday, April 23 to hear Roger read from his work - see you there!

Posted in Featured Writers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meet the sponsor(s) – Devil’s Cut & Jacob’s Ghost

Posted on April 17, 2013 by

As you may already know, Drink.Think is a FREE event. That’s right, no cover charge, no 2-drink minimum (though we’d love it if you’d order drinks from the bar at Tavernita!) But to help defray some of the expenses associated with the event, I usually take on a carefully-selected sponsor or two for the event.

And I’d like to introduce you to our kind sponsors today.

Devils_CutFirst up is Devil’s Cut. This is a relatively new product, crafted to showcase particularly bold oak and vanilla notes. This bourbon plays off the name given to spirits as they evaporate from barrels (or soaks into the barrel itself) during the aging process – the so-called “Angel’s Share.”

By comparison, Devil’s Cut is created using a proprietary process that actually pulls the whiskey trapped inside the barrels’ wood after they’re emptied. That barrel-treated extract is then blended with 6 year old bourbon and bottled at 90 proof.  In my opinion, this robust whiskey lends itself particularly well to Manhattans fortified with sweet vermouth and plenty of extra cherries.

Jacob's GhostNext, I’d like to introduce you to Jacob’s Ghost. Another newcomer, this white whiskey is neither moonshine nor unaged whiskey — it’s actually an aged whiskey, rested for one year in white oak barrels. It has only the faintest tinge of color. One poetic type even described it to me as having a “Champagne” hue.

Instead of the sharp bite that many white dogs have, this one drinks more like aged whiskey:  it’s a more standard 40 proof, and has some of the light vanilla notes that oak aging provides. It should make for a versatile counterpart for cocktails — feel free to test that thesis at the event.

Come out to Drink.Think on Tuesday, April 23. We’ll be pouring samples courtesy of Knob Creek and Jacob’s Ghost!

Posted in Meet the Sponsor | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Featured writer: William Spain

Posted on April 14, 2013 by

windycitybill

“You’ve met Bill Spain before, right?” asked a friend in response to my query about finding writers in Chicago for Drink.Think. “No? Really?” And here, she lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper:  ”You really should. He’s kind of like the Hunter S. Thompson of spirits writing.”

Wow. Sold.

For those of you not familiar with Thompson, he was a journalist famed for his hard-livin’, hard-drinkin’ lifestyle and colorful prose, one of the original practitioners of “Gonzo” journalism. The author of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” was no shrinking wallflower.

But enough about Thomson:  William Spain has covered the spirits industry for almost two decades, writing about it both as staff and freelance for publications and websites including the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Penthouse and Advertising Age and has been to almost very kind of distillery there is, from Scotland to Mexico to France to Kentucky to Sri Lanka.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the Hunter S. Thompson of hooch. Come hear Bill read from his work at Tavernita on Tuesday, April 23.

Posted in Featured Writers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Call for Chicago area writers!

Posted on April 9, 2013 by

The Drink.Think literary reading series is coming to Chicago on Tuesday, April 23!

We have a great line-up of well-known writers and authors who will be reading from their work about booze and other beverages.

Now I’m looking to add some new voices to the mix. Are you a new or aspiring writer? Do you have a great piece, whether published or not, that you’d like to read for a supportive and slightly inebriated audience? Whether you’ve written a piece about your hunt for the world’s best beer or latte, or about that amazing ginger beer recipe your grandma brought over from the Old Country, Drink.Think is looking to showcase work written about all types of potables and libations.

I have a couple of spots still open for the 4/23 reading – if you’d like to participate, please email me:  kara AT karanewman DOT com.  At each reading, I deliberately reserve a couple of spots in the line-up to showcase new writers, and I love the surprises they bring. These spots don’t last long so don’t procrastinate, don’t be shy – email me right now!

Thanks – I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Featured writer: James Teitelbaum

Posted on April 5, 2013 by

JamesT 2This week’s featured Drink.Think writer is James Teitelbaum, author of Destination: Cocktails - The Traveler’s Guide to Superior Libations.

Now, I’ve been looking forward to reading this book ever since I spotted it on the sales table at Tales of the Cocktail last summer, so I’m especially psyched to hear James read an excerpt. And if a book about bars ’round the world isn’t enough for you, we hear rumblings that James is in negotiations to write and host a television series based on the book.

He’s also the author of two other books, Big Stone Head: Easter Island and Pop Culture (2009), and Tiki Road Trip (2003/2007) and has contributed to dozens of magazines and web sites, including American Heritage, Playboy, Alternative Press, Road Trip America, and Film Threat.

When not traveling the globe and scribbling about it, James lives in Chicago, where he works in the music business and teaches at a digital media arts college.

Come hear James read from his work at Tavernita on Tuesday, April 23.

Posted in Featured Writers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment