Spec’sology Blog

The delicious hamburger is an American staple invented by Fletcher Davis of Athens, Texas, in the 1880s. Of course, Fletcher’s claim is one of many in a long list of hamburger inventors, but he’s from Texas, so that’s what we’re going with. Regardless of where it may have been created, the reason for its staying power is rather simple – it’s delicious. But why? It’s just meat, bread, and cheese at its most basic, right? Well, there’s actually a scientific name for what makes them so good and it’s called the “Maillard Reaction.” This reaction is a process that caramelizes

Fun Fact: The word spaghetti is plural for the Italian word spaghetto, which is a diminutive of spago, meaning “thin string” or “twine.” The best part about spaghetti is the variety of pasta dishes you can make. With each dish there’s a different wine that pairs perfectly. Check out our recommendations below and get ready for some serious noodling on date night! Red or Tomato-based Sauces Tomato-based sauces include fresh tomato with basil: pairs well with crisp dry whites such as Pinot Grigio or Verdicchio. Cooked tomato sauces such as Napolitano or marinara: pair with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or a light

“One of my favorite times and places to drink a beer during the Summer is with friends and family at a barbecue. There is something comforting and classic about the smells and flavors of the grill alongside a crisp, cold and refreshing beer. Big name cold bubbles are sufficient enough grilling fuel, but a good helles is the better option!” What Is Helles? Helles is a pale golden lager centered on the subtle grainy sweetness of pilsner malt, accented by spicy, floral hop aromatics with a soft bitterness clean, smooth finish. Different from the hop-centric pilsner, helles is decidedly malt-focused,

Pre-Mixed Cocktails for Summer Now that summer is here, you’ll be spending more and more time outside. Be it a camping trip, a pool party, or just your own backyard. Wherever you venture to, one thing is certain – you’ll be bringing some booze. Most outdoor places have rules against glass bottles so, you’re either lugging a case of beer up a mountain, which is no one’s idea of a good time, or you’re the one casually sipping on a plastic handle of Señor Bob Tequila to the dismay of everyone around you. The problem is that most of what

Exploring American Red/Amber Ales When it comes to beer, everyone knows that familiar golden hue of the classic American lager. There’re also the coppery browns, and deep dark stouts that you see scattered around your local bar or in the house of your beer enthusiast friend’s house. But what you don’t see very often are red beers. What are they and why are they red? What Is A Red Ale? A red ale (or lager) is an American style beer brewed with a proportion of caramel and specialty malts to create depth of color and flavor. There is no hard

When you think about saké you probably think about Japan and rice, and you’d be correct on both counts. Saké, the oldest known spirit in the world, is often incorrectly referred to as rice wine. Rice wine, like Western wine with grapes, is made from the fermentation of rice. While saké is indeed made from rice, it goes through a brewing process where starch is converted to alcohol much like how beer is brewed, although the ABV is sustainably higher than either beer or wine. How Is Saké Made? Brewing saké is a rather laborious two-step process. First, the rice

DIY Bourbon Tasting Party Tips Tasting parties, usually reserved for wines, are now being hosted for bourbons due to the meteoric rise in bourbon’s popularity. But, if you’ve looked into any of the ones near you, you’ve likely noticed that they're being hosted by one particular brand and therefore have offerings limited to that brand. So, if you want to try a variety of bourbons and learn about the differences through a hands-on experience, you’ll have to throw your own bourbon tasting party! Having a bourbon-themed party is a great way to have fun learning something new. Whether your guests

The Ultimate Guide For Pops Just a friendly reminder that Father’s Day is Sunday, June 16th! So, once searching the Internet for “cool gifts for dad” fails, head over to Spec’s and reclaim your title of “Number 1 Kid!” Spec’s has thousands of world-class wines, rare spirits, hard to find beers, and a walk-in humidor featuring thousands of fine cigars! It’s the perfect place to shop for the man who thinks he has it all! You can even create the perfect pops-pleasing gift basket with all of his favorites in no time! Checkout our Father’s Day Gift Guide and let

There’s not much better than an ice-cold glass of iced tea on a hot summer day! The key to that sentence was “not much” as there is in fact something better – hard iced tea. Origins of Iced Tea The history of iced tea in America dates back to South Carolina in the late 1700’s when the French botanist, Andre Michaux, imported and planted the first tea plants in what is now known as the Middleton Place Gardens. Shortly after the plants arrival, American cookbooks began popularizing cold tea recipes usually mixed with hard liquor in what were called punches.

As far as meringue-based sweets go, the macaron stands out as a triumph of culinary achievement. Not to be confused with the similarly spelled macaroon, a coconut-based cookie, the macaron is made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder, and food coloring. It’s typically presented as a sandwich cookie with a buttercream, jam, or ganache filling. Macarons are available in a variety of flavors. These light in weight, but heavy in sugar, cookies pair wonderfully with wine. The key is to not let one overpower the other in sweetness by balancing out the dominating taste of the wine.

It’s time to fire up the grill and break out the floaties! Even though you likely don't need floaties anymore, they're still a sign of fun times for the kids and therefore, you! So, let’s try rephrasing – it’s time to fire up the grill and dust off the bathing suit! Memorial Day is here to announce the unofficial start of summer! Along with hotter, longer days comes a reprieve from the dark and heavy drinks of winter and the beginning of fresh, fruity, and delicious cocktails to quench your parched palates. We’ve got five wonderfully easy and refreshing cocktails

Americans have been appreciating fine wines from all over the world for decades, but what about wines made right here in the good old USA? American viticulturists have been hard at work crafting world-class wines, and winning awards around the world over the years. With wine typically recognized as a European and South American endeavor, it’s no wonder they haven’t been getting as much consumer attention. We aim to fix that with a list of America’s top wines for 2019 from around the country. 1. Beaux Freres The Upper Terrace Pinot Noir 2014 This critically acclaimed Pinot Noir from the