I have to be up and running around the BCB tomorrow morning, so this post promises to be an exercise in efficiency, and while my last name belies this, I fear that it won’t be the German type. So, here we go: 1. I begin my day at a restaurant recommended to me by Helmut | Read More

There’s just something about rolling into a city at noon, after a solid eighteen hours of travel time that just screams “It’s going to be a late night”. So, after a nap and some real German sausages for dinner, it was time to meet up with Helmut Adam and Simon Difford for what I can | Read More

I might have mentioned this before, but I can hardly wait until this Friday, when I board the plane and head to Berlin to give a presentation at the BCB (Bar Convent Berlin). I’ll be reunited with my friends Helmut Adam of Mixology Magazine and Stephan Berg of The Bitter Truth, and finally get a | Read More

I grew up in California in the 1970s and 1980s. I never really understood water when I was growing up. Water was in the ocean, but you couldn’t drink it because it was too salty. There was water in the garden hose, but that was for hooking up to a sprinkler and playing in. My | Read More

If you’re going to be taken halfway across the world to learn about the clarity of Icelandic water, you’re probably going to be shown some of the stuff in its natural state. So at 8 this morning, after a night of dinner and a few Brennevins at one of the many bars near the hotel, | Read More

Mostly a photo update today, as I think the pictures speak for themselves and I didn’t bother taking notes at the spa or while eating dinner. Call me crazy. The car arrived early this morning to pick us up and take us to Heathrow Airport for Iceland. After an unfortunate hour spent on the runway, | Read More

Today was a very different day than yesterday. Very different. Yesterday was all about a glamourous cocktail competition, an exquisite dinner in a private salon, and an exclusive tour of some of London’s most luxurious bars. Today was about a wretched hangover, six hours spent in a cramped Peugeot with three other people, driving in | Read More

UK/Iceland Martin Miller’s Gin has graciously brought me to London and Iceland for a week of gin education, touring, and merriment at some of the finest bars in the world. While I can’t bring each and every one of you with me, I’ll be sharing everything I learn here with you over the next week. | Read More

UK/Iceland Martin Miller’s Gin has graciously brought me to London and Iceland for a week of gin education, touring, and merriment at some of the finest bars in the world. While I can’t bring each and every one of you with me, I’ll be sharing everything I learn here with you over the next week. | Read More

UK/Iceland Martin Miller’s Gin has graciously brought me to London and Iceland for a week of gin education, touring, and merriment at some of the finest bars in the world. While I can’t bring each and every one of you with me, I’ll be sharing everything I learn here with you over the next week. | Read More

UK/Iceland Martin Miller’s Gin has graciously brought me to London and Iceland for a week of gin education, touring, and merriment at some of the finest bars in the world. While I can’t bring each and every one of you with me, I’ll be sharing everything I learn here with you over the next week. | Read More

Right now I’m packing my bags and making last-minute preparations for a very special trip. Martin Miller’s Gin has graciously offered to fly me to London and Iceland for a week of gin education, touring, cocktail judging, and the possibility of merriment at some of the finest bars and restaurants in the world. Being a | Read More

If you’re ever wandering aimlessly around Portland on a Friday morning, it’s always a good idea to stop by the cocktail books section at Powell’s. You never know what you might find.

We’re fortunate to have some great minds in absinthe here in the Pacific Northwest, and on Sunday a few of them came together to share their extensive knowledge with the attendees of the Great American Distiller’s Festival in a panel titled “Q&A on Northwest Absinthe” The panel featured Gwydion Stone, founder of the educational organization | Read More

The Great American Distiller’s Festival was this past weekend, and I was there on Sunday to witness some of the action with my crusty sidekick, Scott. The first event was a seminar titled “The History of the Cocktail“, led by Robert Hess. Robert jumped right in there with a crash course on spirits, theories about | Read More