Traditional dry and sweet vermouths are only the beginning. While most vermouth is still made using neutral white wine as a base, some red wine-based varieties are gaining a foothold in the marketplace.
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Traditional dry and sweet vermouths are only the beginning. While most vermouth is still made using neutral white wine as a base, some red wine-based varieties are gaining a foothold in the marketplace.
Complex and varied, vermouths are becoming more than just a cocktail component. Local wine shop owners say the fortified wine is gaining popularity as a standalone beverage.
Peppers take center stage for the inaugural Pepperpalooza, hosted by the West Asheville Tailgate Market. Also: Lookout Brewing Co. throws its annual wild game potluck; The Red Rocker Inn hosts a barbecue and bluegrass dinner; and more.
It’s common for food truck owners to aspire to one day transition to a brick-and-mortar restaurant, but sometimes that dynamic is reversed.
Today, Prohibition-era cocktails evoke thoughts of adventure and an acceptable (read: nonlethal) amount of danger. Many modern-day bars re-create the ambiance and drinks recipes of a century ago, using legal, quality ingredients.
Asheville’s handful of wine bars have developed a scene for wine lovers that provides drinking experiences that are flavorful, fun, educational (if that’s wanted) and — most of all — unpretentious.
Produced with a focus on sustainable farming practices and low-intervention fermentation, natural wines are increasingly finding their way onto local wine lists and retail shelves.
The classic Italian lemon liqueur is as easy to make as it is refreshing.
The nose-to-tail concept is finding application outside the culinary world; sustainability-minded bartenders and mixologists are applying the “whole beast” approach wherever possible in the creation and preparation of mixed drinks. But for those in the high-stress career of bartending, sustainability extends further, into a concern for health and well-being. This year’s Asheville Cocktail Week — […]
The surge of interest in spirits and cocktails means that there is more than one local event in April exploring the world of alcoholic beverages. While Asheville Cocktail Week (see separate story) is an eight-day happening dividing its focus between those within the food and beverage industry and the general public, the inaugural Find Your […]
The liquor distilled from blue agave has a rich history, and aficionados would argue that the best tequilas rival the quality of high-end European brandies.
Like their neighbors to the northeast, the Irish distill spirits from barley and water. But they’ve created a product that’s sweeter, less earthy and eminently more drinkable than scotch.
Local bartenders say satisfying cocktails with complex flavor profiles don’t necessarily require a long list of ingredients.
Within the world of brandy, there is a wide array of choices; the finest have a subtlety that rivals the best from any spirit category.
Although the number of craft distilleries in Western North Carolina has increased significantly in recent years, business owners say state legislation is still hampering the growth of burgeoning industry.
When considering a dessert drink, “traditionally, most folks would probably think of a sweet cocktail,” says Jayson Landers, operating manager at Italian eatery Strada and its Social Lounge. “But there’s really a wide spectrum.”
Several bars focusing on the creative end of mixed drinks opened in Asheville in 2018.
Making syrups for cocktails is a fun and forgiving process that encourages experimentation.
It’s bourbon whiskey that best deserves the appellation of “the quintessential American spirit,” says Casey Campfield of downtown bar The Crow & Quill. “There’s a poetic allure to the history of bourbon that really appeals to me.”
Mixing up a large quantity of cocktails ahead of a gathering can streamline drinks service while showcasing a host’s creativity.
Local bartenders dispel myths about the legendary “green fairy.”