Spec's

Owned and operated by the same Houston family since 1962, Spec’s is a true destination shopping experience. We now operate over 150 stores all over the great state of Texas and offer a large selection of wines, spirits and finer foods.
Delicious Punch Recipes - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Punch Party Summer

Entertain
Summer parties are things of beauty. Trying to keep up with the cocktail requests can quickly turn into a full-time job leaving you with no time to actually enjoy the party you’re throwing! Enter the punch bowl. A Quick History of Punch The word punch is loan word from Hindi with the original drink, served in a large bowl with a ladle, named paantsch which means “five” as the drink was made from five ingredients: a spirit, sugar, lemon, water, and spices. It was brough... Read More

Spec’s Top Wines of 2019

Spec’sology Blog, Wine
We are pleased to announce Spec’s TOP WINE PICKS OF 2019! Our wine experts have traveled to Spain, Napa Valley, and everywhere in between this year tasting thousands of different wines to better serve our customers (and to enjoy some great wine too). These will be great for a Holiday gift or a dinner for two. We hope you enjoy trying these amazing wines! Blue Rock ‘Best Barrels’ Cabernet Franc 2016 Alexander Valley, California The ‘Best Barrel’ program for Blue Rock is an... Read More
Halloween Cocktails

Diabolical Drinks: Halloween Cocktail Recipes

Spec’sology Blog, Spirits
If you’ve been planning your Halloween party since November, the last thing you want to do is serve your ghoulish guests common cocktails. The Halloween theme doesn’t stop at the bar; if anything, it gets amped up a notch or two. Spec’s has you covered with delicious recipes for everything from creepy cocktails to spooky shooters and petrifying punches! (if all else fails, just throw a bunch of candy and liquor in a blender and see what happens!) Candy Corn Shooter Ingredient... Read More
Chocolate Cocktails

Choco Lots of Cocktails

Finer Foods, Spirits
There are times when a glass of liquor is just what you need to take the edge off, but sometimes what you really need is some rich, velvety chocolate to make everything right in the world. Thankfully, combining these two is easier than you think! Join us as we celebrate National Chocolate Day with a collection of truly divine chocolate cocktails you can whip up when life is whooping up on you. Chocolate Old Fashioned Ingredients 2 oz. bourbon1 sugar cube3 dashes chocolate bitters1 or... Read More
Junk Food Pairings

Junk Food Wine Pairings

Entertain
If you think of wine as exclusive to fine dining, you aren’t alone. And while it’s an excellent addition to a special meal, if it’s the only time you break out a bottle, you’re missing out. Wine is a surprisingly delightful companion to a variety of “lower brow” foods. (That’s just a fancy way of saying junk food.) We’ve put together a list, pairing some of our favorite junk food and snacks with a wine that brings out the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) aspect... Read More
Apple Flavored Cocktails

An Apple Cocktail A Day…

Spec’sology Blog, Spirits
With cooler weather starting to arrive, it’s time to roll up that flannel sleeve and embrace the taste of the season! No, we’re not talking about pumpkins; there have been enough pumpkin flavored items unleashed on us in the last month to properly summon The Great Pumpkin King a dozen times over. Instead, we’re talking about the often-overlooked apple. So, join us as we dive into the season were the glorious apple shines as the star ingredient in this list of seasonal of cocktails! ... Read More

The Lowdown on Liqueur: Cocktail Recipes

Entertain, Spec’sology Blog, Spirits
When stocking your home bar or even just ordering a drink, the words “liquor” and “liqueur” can appear confounding similar. Besides looking and sounding the same, they also have a lot in common in that both are alcohol, both are fond in stores and at bars and both are used to make cocktails. The key difference between these two is how to use them and how much to use – as mixing them up will lead to an atrocious concoction! We’ll explain the difference and recommend some popul... Read More

Fall Wedding Cocktails

Entertain, Spec’sology Blog, Spirits
The best part of having a fall wedding, besides the lack of sweltering summer heat, is the taste of fall sprinkled throughout the event. Whether it’s leafy table toppers, seasonal flowers, or orange bridesmaid dresses (you laugh but we’ve seen it!) The one component you shouldn’t skimp with the season on is the bar. Having a list of available cocktails makes everything from ordering and budgeting to serving and pleasing guests substantially easier. But what to have on your cocktail list... Read More

Simply Vodka: Easy Vodka Cocktails

Entertain
Vodka is one of the easiest spirits to work with when crafting cocktails. Its mild flavor allows it to blend with a variety of ingredients that can be shaken, stirred, and blended into numerous complex cocktails, but where it truly shines is in minimalistic drinks. The fewer the ingredients the easier it is to make, and vodka lends itself perfectly to these kinds of beverages. Check out our list of the most delicious and easiest to whip up vodka cocktails and set yourself up for a low stress... Read More

Roasty Toasty Coffee Cocktails

Spec’sology Blog, Entertain, Spirits
Coffee cocktails have come a long way since the 1940s/50’s Irish Coffee and 1960’s White Russian (made famous by The Big Lebowski), and the Espresso Martini of the 1980s/90’s. This is in part to the evolution of coffee culture itself. From first-wave drip coffee, to Starbucks, to today’s craft “third-wave” coffee and the canned cold brew trend. These different styles of coffee have given us the ability to mix them into cocktails never before possible, but certainly delicious. Than... Read More

Crushable Crustacean: Lobster & Wine Pairings

Spec’sology Blog, Entertain, Pairings
Lobster, the most decadent of crustacea, has been delighting humans since 1984. Ok, more likely since humans first discovered them dwelling below the surface of the ocean. Timelines aside, lobster is ridiculously tasty! Always has been, always will be. But did you know there are different kinds of lobster? As a general rule, if it has front claws it’s a cold-water lobster. If it has no front claws and five appendages, it’s a warm-water lobster. Types of Lobster There are four types... Read More