Spirits Archives - Page 8 of 14

Drinking with a Purpose

by Tashi Johns | Welcome to my next installment of drinking with intention! You might have seen my first blog post, “Drinking Sustainably” written for Earth Day this year. During my research I was inspired to do a part two where I feature distilleries giving back to their communities. Who doesn’t love a delicious drink that helps put some good back into the world?

THE INSPIRATION…

During my quest to find eco-conscious distilleries I read about Du Nord, located here in Minneapolis, and knew I had to write another blog piece that would feature them and highlight all they’ve accomplished within the last year alone.

On Monday, May 25th George Floyd was murdered by a police officer which created city wide unrest. The following Friday, the riots that also erupted reached the Du Nord warehouse and it was burned down. The owners, Chris and Chanelle Montana, saw how much their community was hurting and decided to turn this set back into a way to support their community. They started by creating a GoFundMe page to raise money “as a way to support small and under-represented business owners, whose physical stores or offices were damaged as a direct result of the civil uprising and were under-insured, or lacked critical funding to get them back into business again.” This funding helped rebuild the Du Nord warehouse and supported businesses across the Twin Cities. By June they had created the Du Nord Foundation and were able to distribute these emergency funds to 76 businesses in a total of $496,751 to rebuild and revitalize.

I was able to chat with Chris and he told me about the strides he has taken as a business owner to help instill change in the industry. Du Nord is the first black owned micro distillery, and if you check out their team page you will see a wide variety of diversity on their staff – something not often seen at distilleries. Chris said that the murder of George Floyd really made him think about what Du Nord was doing. It was a wake up call to do more and to ask how big they can go, which is how the Du Nord Foundation came to fruition.

Two days after their warehouse burned down, Chris was assisting a pop up food pantry by lending them some space in the distillery (see title photo) to store the donated items because it was about to rain. As they were moving in, neighbors stopped by to donate and volunteer, and a line of community members needing supplies formed down the block. Overnight the Du Nord Community Market was up and running by the power of dedicated volunteers. It ran every day for two weeks (until they had to close for building cleanup and renovation), and in those two weeks they utilized 300 volunteers and helped 400 families each week. They were recently able to re-open their community market and are now taking orders online with curbside pickup.

Chris has spent a lot of time thinking about how to use his place as a business owner to help create an equitable distribution of wealth to build generational wealth, and says that owning a business is the best way to do that. So the “BIPOC Wealth Development & Incubator Project” was born. This is a way for Du Nord spirits to funnel profits into the Du Nord Foundation nonprofit to create a hub to grow BIPOC small businesses trying to come up in the food and beverage industry. These businesses will be given space, access to a commercial kitchen, and be able to sell their products and build their brand right out of the distillery. They won’t have to pay rent, so they can take the time they need to perfect their products and build their brand. If they choose to pay rent it will be on a sliding scale and that money will go directly back into the program. There will be no time limit on how long these businesses can use the space either. Du Nord is in the works to purchase properties to launch the incubator project, including an expansion into north Minneapolis which will also house a second location for their Community Market. You can read all about this venture here.

One last thing I would like to share about the amazing work Chris and his team have accomplished is their production of hand sanitizer. In the beginning of the pandemic when we were experiencing a shortage of hand sanitizer Du Nord decided to start producing it. They originally were giving it away, but order requests started coming in so they were able to sell it at a reasonable cost and bring people back to work and give them hazard pay to make it. This benefited both Du Nord and the community at large, and you can still order hand sanitizer on their website!

You really can’t beat a local distillery doing good across the twin cities. I highly recommend checking out their website, giving their cocktail room a visit once it opens again, and maybe even volunteering with the Community Market! We are happy to carry Du Nord products and hope you will give them a try next time you visit our store.

You can find Du Nord in our vodka, gin, whiskey, and liqueur isles. I highly recommend trying their L’Etoile Vodka and Cafe Frieda Coffee Liqueur.

SUPPORTING LOCAL HOCKEY

Northland Spirits was co-founded by Mark Parrish with some friends to create a company that gives back to their community. Mark comes from the hockey world, even playing on the 2006 US Olympic team. So naturally, 5% of all sales go to support local Minnesota community hockey programs. Their vodka is organic (they’re working on the certification but it’s made with organic corn) and made with all local ingredients, keeping the entire process in Minnesota and then giving back to keep our tradition of hockey thriving!

They only make vodka right now so our recommendation is an obvious one, The Spirit of Hockey.

GIVING BACK IN NYC

Last year when the pandemic began, St. Agrestis stepped up to help provide hand sanitizer when there was a severe shortage nationwide. They donated hundreds of gallons to folks like the NYPD, FDNY, hospitals, and Black Lives Matter organizers “to ensure that those protesting and marching for change were protected”. They also recently joined a mentorship program which focuses on giving people of color foundational experience in the liquor industry, focusing on management and ownership.

Another cool thing St. Agrestis has done, to connect back to my drinking sustainably blog, is create large format products to cut back on packaging waste. The St. Agrestis Spritz is sold in kegs, which are lightweight and recyclable. If the equivalent amount of glass bottles were used to make the cocktail traditionally, about 36 lbs of glass would be used. This switch has resulted in a waste reduction of 92%! Since inception they have decreased the weight of recycling by over 15,000 lbs!

St. Agrestis also donates to local school organizations and community groups as a way to give back and stay connected to their city.

You’ve probably tried the St. Agrestis Amaro and Inferno Bitter, so we recommend trying one of their new “bag in a box” cocktails! We have all three: Negroni, Black Manhattan, and Boulevardier.

A Graphic Designer’s Guide to Liquor

by Dio Cramer

A full two years into legal-liquor buying, I consider myself to be somewhat of an expert. Just kidding! The truth is that I am still at the stage of life where price is the most important variable in choosing my alcohol. After that, I turn to the design of the label, which is a much more interesting way to choose liquor.

A little intro for y’all since I am new to the blog — Hello! My name is Dio and I have been doing graphic design for France 44 and the Cheese Shop for about a year now after getting my start in the wonderful St. Paul Cheese Shop. I’m a designer and illustrator, a Capricorn, and also someone skeptical of the “don’t judge a book by its cover” mentality. You can certainly judge it after you have actually read the book, but up until that point, I believe the cover can give you a valid sense of what lies ahead and whether or not it’s going to be worth it. Same goes for liquor. Even before I knew what kinds of liquors I liked the taste of, I loved looking at the labels.

Labels, bottle shapes, and general marketing is incredibly important in the world of liquor. These elements form a personality that draws targeted demographics towards (or away from) a specific bottle and often guide them in choosing one bottle over another. This is especially influential when you can’t taste the very thing that you’re buying. Designers use visual aids to tell a story that we internalize, either consciously or subconsciously, and help us form opinions about the bottle before popping the cork.

With liquor labels, I’ve found that the great designs seem to fit into two main categories: nostalgia and novelty. Some brands stick with the same design that they have been using for years, and other newer brands try to emulate that same classic or nostalgic vibe. This feels right for liquor that is aged or brands aiming for a sophisticated look. On the flip side, many brands use novel designs to try and get customers to pay attention to their bottle and buy their product. This latter category of novel designs is what I focus on in this piece, but perhaps there is another blog post in the future that dives more into the history of liquor labels and explores the nostalgic and classic designs.

A liquor store is a fantastic place to explore the contours of your design tastes and expand your design terminology. To begin, I spent some time comparing the Gin section to the Whiskey section. The difference is stark. Obviously, whiskey is a much darker liquid than the clear gin, so right away the two aisles feel emotionally different. Many of the whiskey labels had dark caps and labels with contrasting white text. The serif and script fonts combined with dainty flourishes create a vintage and old-timey feeling. Age is an important factor in whiskey so many of these bottles have large numbers incorporated into the design, advertising how many years the whiskey aged. Most of the classic whiskey brands are aiming for that classic, dated look.

The gin aisle, on the other hand, has a much lighter and more modern feeling. It seems that the goal here is timelessness. Many labels have thin text with light decorative elements, and blues and greens seem to be the primary colors of choice. One of my favorite label designs is Future Gin, followed by the “Blue” from Forthave Spirits. These two designs are eye catching, but for different reasons. Forthave Spirits is emulating old homemade concoctions with their handwritten script label. A bottle like this would fit into the apothecary vibe, which I’ll admit I am a sucker for. The Future Gin is immediately eye catching with colorful (yet pastel) abstract art. It looks modern but in a kind of timeless way.

Moving on to the rest of the store, I chose bottles that stood out to me, and then tried to sort them into distinguishable sub-categories. I came up with: bold graphic, hand-drawn, geometric, tarot card, and new-wave psychedelic.

BOLD GRAPHIC

The tactic here is obvious – designing a beautiful bottle that sticks out among the rest. Some of these have only illustrations and minimal text, some use the text as the graphic to draw your eye, but all of them will capture your attention as you scan the aisles.

HAND-DRAWN

I am particularly drawn towards hand-drawn art, partly because that is what I do and partly because it adds a human element to design. These bottles have character–they feel more alive than their neighbors. These can feel modern like the pen and highlighter design of Secsy Mbole, or elegant and nostalgic like the Branco de Sta. Cruz. If I were to design a liquor label, it would probably fit amongst these hand-drawn labels.

GEOMETRIC

Geometric style of graphic design has far deeper roots than I can explore in a single blog post, but these bottles sure are eye-catching. In particular, these stand out from the nostalgic-style of many liquor labels. These designs are decidedly modern, which gives them a classy feeling. I might choose one of these as a gift. Elegant and lively, a good visual addition to any house (Of course, I’d hope the contents were appreciated too.)

NEW-WAVE PSYCHEDELIC

This sub-category is specifically for beer labels. If any wine or spirit bottles in our shop fit into this category, I certainly missed them. Craft beers are all the rage these days. They are popping up left and right, and the makers have turned to wild, out-there marketing in an attempt to distinguish their products from the rest. Many of these labels are designed to appeal to counter culture stoner types, much like the psychedelic phase of the 60’s. To that point, I am currently drinking Prairie’s Vape Tricks, which is not only delicious, but visually a piece of pure stoner art with green and yellow mouths blowing trippy shapes out of smoke. Craft beer is certainly the most graphically out-there of the liquor world, and these labels do not disappoint.

TAROT CARD INSPIRED

Last, and perhaps most interestingly, is the theme of the Tarot cards. The other subcategories I found are general design categories, but this is thematic and much more specific. These bottles are characterized by mythological figures, magical themes, and hand-drawn illustrations that emulate the design and feeling of tarot cards. Some feature biblical-like scenes of destruction and devils like Rabble and Chamucos, and some are more mystical and whimsical like Alter, Kind Stranger, and Il Mostro. Perhaps it’s the long history of witchcraft and alcohol-like concoctions that make these bottles so appealing — or perhaps it’s the figures that give them so much character — but these are the bottles I am most intrigued by. Each of these designs contain a story, and the intrigue into that story is what makes me curious about the liquor inside.

What are the labels you are drawn to? Are they nostalgic or novel? Crisp geometric shapes or hand-drawn mystical? Does the personality of the label match the contents?

Personally, I plan on taking home Il Mostro, Kind Stranger, and Future Gin, where I can promise you these bottles will live on in my home as vases and other vessels once the alcohol is long gone, as I am unable to get rid of beautiful bottles or jars of any kind. Maybe then I can report back on the full sensory experiences of these liquors, contents included.

Drinking Sustainably for Earth Day (and every day!)

by Tashi Johns

As a new member of the liquor team I decided to combine my background in sustainability with learning about our products to bring you a brief guide to drinking sustainably on Earth Day, and every day! You might be familiar with the concept of a carbon footprint, where you measure your environmental impact on the world based on your lifestyle habits (if not, you can learn all about that here). It’s important to know where our food and beverages come from, with a major emphasis around buying local to decrease your impact, but how often do we think about these things when at the liquor store? I’m excited to share with you a few distilleries doing really cool things to reduce their environmental impact, and take you on a tour through our liquor isles to feature a sustainable treat from each section. We don’t always have a lot of control over what kind of impact our everyday lives make on the environment, but we can be more conscious shoppers and try some new things in a toast to mother earth.

LET’S START LOCAL!

SOLVEIG ANNA'S GARDEN GIN - Far North Spirits — *courtesy of Far North Spirits*

Far North – Hallock, MN | Far North takes their environmental impact seriously, and I’m happy to say that we carry quite a few of their products. They start by growing their own grain (except malt barley) on the distillery property, reducing the need to bag and ship grain. The spent grain is then used as fertilizer on the fields. Far North is so good at reducing, recycling, and composting that they don’t even have a landfill dumpster on site! They’ve adopted water conservation techniques during the distillation process to reduce waste, they carefully source their botanicals and spices, and also purchase their barrels from local cooperages focused on responsible forestry practices. There is plenty more I could go on about, like their intentional farming practices and eco-friendly building, but let’s keep this blog moving.

You can find Far North products in many of our liquor sections – rum, bourbon, gin, vodka, and whiskey! We recommend trying their newest release, Solveig Anna’s Garden Gin.

Cosmo Bianco - Tattersall Distilling — *Tattersall Cosmo Bianco*

Tattersall – Minneapolis, MN | Everyone loves the mini Tattersall pre-mixed drinks we carry by the registers, and I’m happy to inform you that these impulse treats come from a company that cares about sustainability! Tattersall sources their grains from Minnesota, most coming from within 45 miles of their distillery, and other ingredients for the distillation process and cocktail room from within 100 miles. They participate in a spent grain program where local farmers pick up grain for animal feed, and have a robust composting program that includes waste from their cocktail room. Tattersall also purchases their barrels from Minnesotan based cooperages, and started a new partnership with NetZro to turn spent grain into flour!

You can find Tattersall in almost all of our liquor sections – absinthe, aquavit, gin, rum, vodka, bourbon, whiskey, various crema and liqueur flavors, and three ready to drink cocktails! We recommend trying their newest cocktail called the Cosmo Bianco.

MIDWEST IS BEST.

Valentine Distillery – Detroit, MI | In 2019 Valentine implemented a sustainability plan focused on becoming a carbon neutral distillery and has been making moves to jump start that process. They currently pay extra to purchase renewable energy to power their facilities, with plans to install wind and solar on site! They installed a piece of water reclamation equipment that will recapture 95-98% of water lost during the distilling process, an important endeavor to the conservation of the Great Lakes, as well as a rooftop transfer unit that utilizes cold air from outside to cool the process water used during fermentation. They also purchase their grain from farmers in the Great Lakes region and return the spent grain to them as animal feed. Their cocktail lounge neighbor, MBrew, plants a palm tree every year as a part of their sustainability efforts and their most recent palm now grows in the distillery, capturing 30-40 pounds of carbon dioxide released during the fermentation process each year (see the top picture). Valentine has made great strides to becoming carbon neutral!

You can find Valentine in our bourbon, whiskey, vodka, and gin sections! We recommend trying their Mayor Pingree Bourbon.

NOW, LET’S TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE LIQUOR AISLES!

Whiskey | Jack Daniel’s distillery sends 99% of used materials to be reused or recycled as a part of their Zero Waste to Landfill goal. They’ve made lots of updates to their production process to reduce waste and save energy. Their parent company, Brown-Forman, is leading sustainability companywide and invested in a wind farm in Kansas to offset 90% of energy consumption of all their distilleries.

Bourbon | Maker’s Mark has a spring fed lake on the property which is a designated water sanctuary. They focus heavily on watershed protection, have planted thousands of trees and bushes, purchased buffer land around the property, and introduced a reverse osmosis technique for recapturing water from the distillation process.

Scotch | Glenmorangie has created a partnership with Heriot-Watt University and the Marine Conservation Society known as the Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project (DEEP) to restore oyster reefs, which are some of the earth’s most endangered habitats. They’ve also implemented the use of an anaerobic digestion plant to purify the by-products created through the distillation process, which drastically decreases their carbon footprint!*

Gin | The Botanist uses all renewable energy at their distillery as well as a circulatory heating system to recycle hot waste water from the distillation process. They support PlantLife and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust as a part of their dedication to biodiversity on the island, as well as the Botanic Gardens Conservation International in their mission to stop the extinction of plants, and also fund PhD students studying Scottish juniper. They’ve also eliminated single use plastic on site and their glass bottles are recyclable.*

Mezcal | Erstwhile imports small batch mezcal from Oaxaca Mexico from two multi-generational family farms that take their mezcal seriously. Giving small family farms the ability to produce mezcal in a way they can be proud of creates a more sustainable product. Agave takes at least seven years to mature, and producers that aim for a consistent product year after year tend to rely on harmful farming practices. Some mezcals are made solely from wild agave, some of which can take 35 years to mature, and are driving some species of agave to extinction. By farming agave you help protect endangered wild agave species and by focusing on small batches you can maintain sustainable farming practices, like ensuring the agave gets to full maturation before harvesting. Every mezcal that Erstwhile releases is small batch and limited edition, ensuring the highest quality mezcal and best treatment of the agave plants. Everyone wins when you give producers autonomy and don’t treat mezcal as a commodity. Lidia Hernández shared with us that their family farm is “promoting the cultivation of wild agave varietals on our land, so they do not become extinct”. And Vanessa García Santiago shared that her family farm uses organic compost made from bagazo (agave fiber leftover from the distillation process). Erstwhile will continue to add more small family farms to their community as they continue to grow.*

Mixers | Everyone’s favorite mixer has big sustainability goals! Fever-tree started by making all their packaging recyclable, and infinitely so. Then they ensured their ingredients came from biodiverse sources, and planted London’s First Tiny Forest with plans to fund other urban tree planting projects. They’ve been studying their supply chain and carbon footprint to create changes and offset their impact. Not to mention their commitment to eliminating malaria around the globe.*

I would like to give a BIG thank you to a few people who helped make this blog happen! Taylor Stein – our rep from The Wine Company, Yuan Ji – cofounder of Erstwhile, Sarah Warde – Sales Manager at Valentine Distillery, and Anika Hager – Coordinator at Native Sustainability. I hope this blog post gave you some ideas about how your next cocktail might just help you be a little more eco-conscious in your everyday life! Cheers!

*There is a significant carbon footprint in shipping products overseas however I did want to feature these companies doing what they can to offset their environmental impact, because we can’t always eat or drink locally.

**I would also like to note that organic does not necessarily equal sustainable, so don’t let greenwashed marketing fool you! Make sure you do your homework before purchasing if this is something you truly care about.

This Blog is About Rum

written by Bert & Dylan

Last March our lives got a lil’ funky, but this March it’s our drinks that are going to be the funky ones, and what better than a Jamaican rum to funkifiy our glasses. These Jamaican rums are exploding with a distinct and fruity smell called “hogo”. Hogo comes from adding dunder, the leftovers from a pot stills previous batch (whiskey drinkers would know this as sour mash), to the new mash and letting it ferment for up to three weeks! STRONG notes of overripe pineapple and banana make these rums the perfect drink for someone searching for a unique style of spirit to drink neat, or for a cocktail enthusiast to experiment with a new and distinctive flavor profile. Hogo filled Jamaican rums are the perfect spirit to for adventurous drinkers who want to add a unique flavorful spirit to their home bar.

Hampden Estates is probably the most notable of Jamaica’s few remaining distilleries. For centuries they only produced rum for other brands blends and bottlings. One of these includes Smith & Cross, a popular mixer for tiki cocktails. After much anticipation, they finally started bottling rum under their own name. Some of these releases include Rum Fire, an unaged hogo bomb, as well as an 8 year old rum perfect for sipping. These are just a few of the many Jamaican rums out there to explore.

Smith & Cross

Smith and Cross is the perfect embodiment of a navy strength Jamaican rum. Bottled at 57% ABV it can be quite intimidating, however it is the smell of sweet pineapple, not alcohol, that will smack you in the face when you open the bottle. This makes Smith & Cross a perfect mixer for Tiki drinks such as a Mai Tai or Jungle Bird.

Rum Fire

This unaged, high ester, overproof rum had been used in blends for years until recently. With strong notes of papaya, pineapple and coconut, it is the perfect addition to any cocktail.

Hampden 8 year

This delicious sipper offers aromas of banana, mango, cinnamon, vanilla and caramelized apples on the nose, that are echoed throughout the palate.

Sake

Holy smokes, we have just beefed up our sake selection and we have a ton of new items to try. Sake has always been flying under the radar in the drink world but the times are a changing. We have seen a huge increase in the thirst for this lovely beverage, but what exactly is sake? Is it beer? Wine? Liquor? To help demystify sake it’s time for a little sake 101.

Many of the sakes that grace our shelves are premium quality sake that should be consumed cold like you would a white wine. You will also find the word “junmai” on a lot of the bottles as well. This is significant for a few reasons. First, sake that uses the word junmai either by itself, before a word, or after a word means that the sake is a pure rice grain sake. Some sake does have added distilled alcohol to it which can help richen the sake or enhance its aromatics. The second meaning for junmai refers to the level of polish the rice is given before they brew the sake.

Yes, I said BREW! Sake is made in a similar fashion as beer is, but it is technically not considered beer. There are only a handful of ingredients in sake. Typically you will find water, rice, and koji. These will be the only ingredients used in the brewing process for all junmai sake. Non-junmai sake may contain additives such as distilled alcohol, sugar, or amino acids.

Now that you are a sake expert it is time to try some our or new sakes. Goodbye boring beverages! Take home some of these tasty morsels as they can pair with just about any food.

Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai “Matinee” Sake – 720ML $23.99

Hints of puffed rice, caramel, cream, and grains jump from the glass on this chuggable, only 12% ABV, sake. Pear and honeydew grace your palate and finish with a hint of citrus. This sake will pair with anything!

Ama No To Tokubetsu Junmai “Heaven’s Door” Sake – 300ML $17.99

With over 100 years of brewing experience Asami Brewery makes this lovely little sake that is dry and medium bodied. Slightly floral, nutty, and crisp on the finish this sake will have you reaching for more. Its core shows light apple and baking spice nuances that go great with risotto, pork, or mushroom dishes.

Mantensei Junmai Ginjo “Star Filled Sky” Sake – 300ML $16.99

This sake is super unique. It has been aged in tank for three years helping to develop super rich and savory flavors. A touch of dried honey and toffee lead way to a creamy stone fruit finish. Lightly fruity but dry, and dangerously delicious. Pairs great with any grilled meat.

Scotch Gift Guide

It is officially December 2020, and we have made it through the year. The spirits team at France 44 has officially decided Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the cocktail of December. Single Malt Scotch usually spends a decade in the barrel, slowly turning into a fantastic, flavorful, and complex whisky. Even if you know nothing about Scotch, you know it is the king spirit of the world. For good reason.

But now that December is here, and gift giving abounds, what Scotch should you buy? Most people know Macallan, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig (and the prices to match their reputation), but what are the other 100 bottles doing on the shelf? So we created a guide to find lesser known, unique, and just as delicious Scotch for your Whisky loving gift receiver. Whether they love light fruit and vanilla, or big peat and smoke, we can guide you in the right direction.

These are a few off the beaten path options that we love.

GlenAllachie 12 Year – $57.99

GlenAllachie is one of the few remaining independent distillers still standing in Scotland. This scotch is newer to a lot of people, but it is very well worth knowing. Aged for 12 years in Pedro Jiménez and Oloroso sherry casks, as well as Virgin oak casks, this expression has rich notes of vanilla, dark fruit and oak.

Kilchoman Machir Bay – $59.99

Kilchoman brands themselves as the farm distillery of Islay, growing all their own barley through the spring and summer to begin malting and distilling after September harvest. This peated style is made up of 90% bourbon cask and 10% sherry cask aged whiskey. Featuring notes of vanilla and peat on the nose, dried fruit on the palate and a smoky finish. This bottle comes with two branded lowball glasses.

Benriach 10 Year – $44.99

Three cask matured for at least ten years in bourbon barrels, sherry casks and virgin oak, to create layers of luscious orchard fruit and sumptuous honeyed malt and toasted oak. At less than $50, this is the perfect introduction to the classic Speyside style. This scotch contains all the flavor you want in a single malt at half the price.

Benriach 12 Year Horizons – $59.99

One of the few triple distilled whiskies from Scotland. This expression is first matured in ex-bourbon casks and then is finished in Oloroso sherry casks. The palate is smooth, creamy and nutty with subtle dried fruit notes. Unfortunately, this scotch is being discontinued. We will not have this scotch for next year, but fortunately, we have more than enough for the season. Get it while you can!

Port Askaig 110 Proof – $59.99

A classic example of Islay Scotch, this peated whisky is aged exclusively in American oak, adding some spicy notes with the smoky peat. It is bottled at 110 proof to retain as much flavor as possible, this is the scotch to quote “put hair on your chest and then burn it all off”. The perfect balance of smoke and sweetness. This bottle also comes with two branded Glencairn glasses. Believe us when we say, a scotch drinker can never have enough Glencairn glasses.

Absinthe Minded

written by Chaz

Absinthe is a lesser-known spirit with a well-known aura of mystery. The preferred drink of Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway and Vincent Van Gogh, it has conjured a devout yet specific following historically. This liquor has actually only been legal for 20 years in America and is still confusing to many today. Why? Let’s take a trip.

What is Absinthe

Although at France 44 we keep absinthe in the cordial section, actual absinthe is a stand-alone liquor with no added sugar, generally high ABV, and contains three defining botanicals. Typically, absinthe runs anywhere from 90 – 148 proof, but many sit approximately between 120-130 proof, one of the highest ABV items you can find on a shelf. The main botanicals are star anise, green fennel, and the enigmatic wormwood. Artemisia absinthium, the scientific name for wormwood, is where absinthe derives its name, but also its centuries of misinformation. Wormwood contains a ketone, thujone, which in higher doses can lead to muscle spasms and convulsions. For years, wormwood and thujone were associated with THC and other cannabinoids. With some help from wine makers and other anti-absinthe bodies of power, the general public came to believe wormwood consumption would induce hallucinations. However, the amount of thujone in absinthe never approaches the toxicity level it takes for any of the adverse effects to take place. The notoriety, accompanied with propaganda and bad science, ultimately leading to a world abstinence from the “Green Fairy”.

The Green Hour

Most accounts mark absinthe’s invention sometime around 1790 by either Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, or the Henriod Sisters. Regardless, the wormwood botanical elixir was sold as a medicinal cure, and the drink began to catch on in the 19th century, with the Henriod Sisters starting the Pernod Fils distillery. The second half gave way to an explosion in absinthe drinking. Absinthe, due to its anti-establishment nature of high ABV and misunderstood botanicals, became the symbol of European bohemianism. Bohemianism was a movement of aesthetics, artists, and counter-culturists who poked the eye of the mainstream. Five o’clock was renamed the “Green Hour” in France, because behind wine, absinthe was becoming the drink of choice for many. French wine makers and the law makers began to take notice, and action.

Bad science made people believe absinthe contained toxic levels of thujone inside, causing hallucinations, seizures, and death. Looking back, we see how horribly inaccurate this is. Reports of 19th century absinthe containing lethal levels of thujone have been disproven, and any outrageous or immoral actions could be closer associated with the loose social values of its main drinkers and the high ABV (absinthe drinks easier than 60% ABV). In Edgar Degas portrait L’Absinthe, the melancholy patrons drinking the green drink were vilified by art critics and considered a ghastly portrait of its real drinkers. By the 20th century, laws to ban the drink for its dangerous levels of thujone were introduced. By 1915, America, France, and England had banned the drink. How closely this was followed is questionable, especially with the ease of movement of distilleries to Czechoslovakia and Spain, but for the next 100 years, absinthe struggled to stay around and became a faint infamous drink of another era.

The Return of the Green Fairy

Fast forward to 2007. Absinthe is illegal in America and other parts of Europe, but not impossible to find across the Ocean. The growing cocktail scene in America makes people reopen old cocktail books from before 1900. While anise liquors to replace absinthe were available, people wanted to true thing. Lucid Absinthe Superiore negotiated with the USDA to keep thujone levels to a low level in the absinthe, and other countries soon followed. In 2007, France and the United States had both lifted their ban, and for the first time in 95 years, absinthe was available for sale in America. In the years prior, St. George spirits in California had been distilling and experimenting with absinthe (distillation was legal, sale was not). When the ban was lifted, St. George released the first American made absinthe in almost a century. 12 years later, more imports have been coming and craft distilleries in America are beginning to experiment more and more.

Although some bad science and lore still follows absinthe in 2020, its comeback is something to note. With a better understanding of chemistry, less judgment on what people drink, the green fairy is here to stay and clear you head.

Absinthe to try after reading;

Pernod Absinthe 136 proof Liqueur

St. George Absinthe [200 ML bottle]

Two James Absinthe Nain Rouge

Single Barrel Season

written by Chaz

The leaves may still be falling, and Halloween is just a few days away, but holiday shopping has already begun. Social distancing and staying safe has many people already thinking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Year’s Eve. We have already started multiple services to accommodate people including curbside pickup and a concierge service. Keep an eye out for our holiday gift packs coming soon as well. But as we have made changes to the shopping experience, the premier end of year products are still coming through the door, including our single barrel whiskey selections.

With the rise of American whiskey in the last 20 years, people are always on the hunt for something different and unique, and we certainly have those here at France 44. At the moment, we have three unique single barrels perfect for whoever you may know in need of another special bottle for their shelf. While Maker’s Mark is one of the most well known liquor brands, few know of their private select program. Our newest Elijah Craig barrel that arrived last week is a steal, and our Rossville Union Rye is one of the best whiskeys you have never tried.

MAKERS MARK CASK STREGTH

From the private stave collection, this wheated bourbon came out the barrel at 111 proof. The barrel leans hard into the French Mocha and American Pure seasoned staves, giving it a rich, chocolate forwardness. It finishes with notes of sweet orange rind and vanilla. If you like wheated bourbon, you will love this selection.

ELIJAH CRAIG

Not your typical Heaven Hill single barrel. The barrel is light on fruit and dry oak, with instead a heavy helping of vanilla and caramel, bordering on ice cream sundae. The age statement comes in at a youthful eight years, but older is not necessarily better. We think this bourbon is mature beyond its years.

ROSSVILLE UNION BOTTLED IN BOND RYE

Sweet, fat, and spicy! This single barrel is exactly as it is named, with prominent spices in the aroma, yet sweet pastry in the palate. The finish is big, long and full of flavor. MGP, the maker of Rossville, is a big reason behind the success of Willett Distillery rye and the High West lineups. Expect the same high standard in this single barrel.

State of the Agave Address

America is running out of Casamigos. Now what?
Friends, family, fellow tequila drinkers, we are writing this message today to inform you about the current state of the agave and tequila based drinks here in Minnesota (and ultimately America). The state of the agave is strong, but there has been one hindrance.
People have been spending exorbitantly more time at home watching George Clooney movies through March, April, and May, and the last two months have been perfect margarita weather. The natural response to this storm is to purchase Casamigos Blanco and enjoy (survive) the time with family. However, the high increase in demand is outpacing the supply that can come out of Jalisco, Mexico. This specific situation is dire: America is running out of Casamigos.
O Casamigos, where art thou? Well, before you try to pull your own Ocean’s Eleven, we have a better solution for you. We have brought in some new tequilas of similar quality and value for customers to enjoy, and we are personally very excited to tell you about the solution to your margarita dilemma.

MILAGRO SINGLE BARREL SILVER | $39.99 | Perhaps the closest in flavor profile to Casamigos blanco, this staff favorite has returned to the store $10 cheaper than last time! Lime and citrus exist on the nose with vanilla sweetness through the palate. Aged in French Oak for 30 days before filtration, this fruit-forward tequila can be enjoyed perfectly with a squeeze of lime.

GRAN DOVEJO BLANCO | $41.99 | A newcomer to the store in May, Gran Dovejo is cooked in traditional brick ovens and distilled to 80 proof instead of a high distillation and watering down to reach the 40% ABV. The flavor is a cornucopia of honey, citrus, light florals, and finishes peppery. A spectacular bottle, there is a higher proof version at 96 proof with a stronger flavor emphasis on agave nectar and pineapple (Gran Dovejo Blanco High Proof $52.99).

123 ORGANIC UNO BLANCO | $45.99 | This tequila will deviate more from Casamigos than the previous two, but we promise you will enjoy this detour. 100% organic, Uno blanco is lighter on vanilla, but bursting with agave sweetness. Lime leaf, citrus, and fennel spice compose the flavor profile in this one, and offers an enormous mouthfeel and texture.

All of these tequilas are now lining the liquor bar (you know, the place where we used to just let you try all these tequilas) for easy selection. And, while we still have Casamigos and even after the shortage ends, maybe this is a perfect time to branch out, and find a new favorite tequila. We promise not to tell George.

COVID-19’s the worst, but here’s how you can help make it a little better.

Every one of us knows someone who’s been laid off, lost hours, or lost their entire job due to COVID-19. Maybe you’re one of those people. Our friends, family members, neighbors, and other fellow small businesses have been severely affected, and there’s no telling how long these hard times will linger.
These businesses, institutions, and restaurants need our help if they are to survive this pandemic. They’re vital to the life of our communities and neighborhoods, and we need them around at the end of all this. There are plenty of ways to help support them, and we encourage you to continually check this post for updated information as we learn about the best avenues to contribute to.
Thank you, in advance, for your partnership through all of this. We’re forever grateful for your patronage and support, and are proud to be a part of this incredible community. We’re better together (especially when we #stayathome)!