Ted Sobel stands behind the bar. All of his ales are served from six hand pumps; there are no kegs and no CO2 hoses. Rather, Ted’s ales are conditioned in firkins—which look like kegs, but sound cooler and hold 40 liters, or 72 imperial pints, of cask ale. Hand pumps, …
Over the decades, Australia has become home to some of the world’s most sought after wines on the planet. Its climate makes for the ideal breeding ground for multiple grape varieties, honing in millions of tourists per year to sample the vino delights the Oceania wonder has to offer. We …
I flew into Griffith, a remote area in New South Wales, on a four-seater plane. Aside from being terrifying it was also astounding—I could see absolutely everything from the air. My winery hosts told me to look for ‘roos as the plane landed in the town where yellow tail, one …
You know the gin thing that’s been happening lately? It’s going on in Glasgow, too. GinFest was held last month at Glasgow’s Barras Art and Design Center, and the city now has its first dedicated gin bar, Gin 71, which offers (you guessed it) 71 brands of gin. This autumn was …
I can’t surf. So instead of riding waves, I decided to ride the cliché of drinking Mai Tais in Hawaii—letting both the lore and the lure of a strong, tropical drink guide my navigation of the island of Kaua’i. The oldest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, it is widely regarded …
The mountain-sized rugby masters from RC Toulonnais would not take no for an answer, but I wasn’t about to give in, despite the fact that they were approximately twice my size and, well, professional rugby players. It was well after midnight, I had a wakeup call in a little more …
Boasting the very first vineyards in the Napa Valley, planted by George Yount in the mid-1800s, Yountville became an appellation in 1998. Although relatively small, 2,700 or so acres are under vine, it is the home of some of the top growers and vintners in Napa Valley. Diversity of soils …
Nestled next to the Stockton Tunnel only a few blocks away from San Francisco’s Union Square there is a historic hotel that has one of the city’s best kept secrets, the Burritt Room + Tavern. This isn’t just your run of the mill old hotel and bar, The Mystic Hotel …
In Los Angeles stood an oversized hollow cedar whiskey barrel slowly surrendering to environmental forces. That is, until, 1993 Group dedicated three years of time and resources to the task of renovating this historic landmark known as Idle Hour, a historic bar with a unique look. Only recently gaining official …
A recent trip took me back to Acqui Terme in Italy’s Piedmont region. After having lived there almost two decades ago, I was thirsting for the region’s signature and rare wine: the sweet sparkling Brachetto. And then, of course the town is also conveniently an ancient Roman settlement famous for …
An entirely new category of spirit has quietly emerged over the last few years on the shelves of finer liquor stores and releases from dozens of distilleries appear every season. It is a category so new that the government doesn’t know what to call it, and unfortunately will not let …
Public is housed in an impressively large space that feels like a hip library complete with Edison bulbs, tall brick walls, and dark wood. The one Michelin star restaurant’s menu is made up of rustic, hearty plates with a focus on ingredients from Australia and New Zealand. Also focused on …