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We Need to Talk…2

Entertain, Beer, Beer Reviews
The holidays are a time for good food and drink, with great family and friends. I’m here to tell you that some of that “good drink” can (and should) be beer! There are countless beers produced around the world that deserve a place at any dinner table, in every glass all the time, but few carry the quality, consistency and prestige of the Trappist ales. Trappist ales are less of a style of beer, and more of a family viewed as the “cream of the crop” – so much so that non-Trappist brew... Read More

National Mezcal Day 2017

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October 21st is National Mezcal Day! So, What’s the difference between mezcal and tequila? Mezcal (traditionally spelled mescal) is a Mexican distilled spirit that is made from the agave plant. Tequila is technically a mezcal, however, there are differences in production technique and in the types of agave used. Tequila is made from a single type of agave plant – the agave tequilana (blue agave) – and can only be produced in the state of Jalisco and in small parts of four other states. We&... Read More

Oktoberfest: Story of a Party

Entertain, Beer, Beer Reviews
It might come as a surprise to many of you, but Oktoberfest didn’t start as a beer festival and it is celebrated more in September, than October, in Germany! Oktoberfest Origins The first “Oktoberfest” was a wedding reception for Prince Ludwig I, who married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The marriage took place on October 12th, 1810 and the citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held outside the city gates. Despite copious amounts of beer being consumed, hor... Read More

Tropical Beers for Tropical Storms

Beer, Entertain, Spec’sology Blog
With Harvey, the Texas Gulf Coast’s first major tropical storm of the season, looming off the coast, we’ve started thinking about what beers we’d like to make sure and have in our fridge just in case things get rough, and the thought struck us… Why don’t we stock up on tropical beers for tropical storms?! Many of the hot, new hop varietals like Mosaic, Galaxy, Citra and Amarillo are prized for their bright, tropical fruit character. Their use in Pale Ales and IPAs have created a deluge... Read More

Hazed and Perceived

Entertain, Spec’sology Blog
For much of its history in American craft beer, the IPA has been a golden, or amber, beer with good clarity; meaning you can see straight through the glass. For any of you unaware, a movement has been under way for a handful of years now of IPAs that look like something other than what we’ve come to expect an IPA to look like. This movement, coming out of the Northeast, is towards IPAs that look cloudy like a hefeweizen (German wheat beer), resembling a glass of orange juice. Many articles hav... Read More

what’s the HAZE about?

Entertain, Beer Reviews, Spec’sology Blog
With the introduction of the pilsner hundreds of years ago, the look of a beer became a point of focus for drinkers. At the time, it was an interest in having brilliantly clear, golden beers like liquid sunshine. In recent years, starting in the American Northeast, a move towards cloudy beers, resembling orange or grapefruit juice, has begun. These “hazy” IPAs are prized for their bright, juicy hop-derived fruit flavors, restrained bitterness and softer mouthfeel. Texas being much further so... Read More

6 March Madness Party Ideas

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March Madness is here! Which means a several week long celebration of bet placing, team cheering, and of course, March Madness party hosting. If you really want to host a March Madness party that’ll break some brackets, try these 6 March Madness party ideas for an epic basketball banquet. And hop on over to your nearest Spec’s for more tips from our expert party artisans! 1. Decorate with themed colors. Having party guests that root for rival teams can be tricky. So how do you tackle the dec... Read More

2014 (Mostly) Cru Classé Bordeaux Tasting

Entertain, Events, Spec’sology Blog, Wine

On Wednesday, January 18, 2017 from 4:30 to 8:30pm, Spec’s will host over 30 Bordeaux Chateau owners, directors, and/or winemakers presenting 59 mostly Cru Classé Bordeaux wines all from the fine 2014 vintage in a standup- and-walk-around tasting format. This is our fifth time to host such a delegation from Bordeaux and each of the previous events have been smashing successes. By appellation, they include …

Pomerol: Chx. Clinet, Gazin, Croix St. Georges, and La Pointe (along with 2nd... Read More

Rocket's Red Glare Recipe

Rocket’s Red Glare Recipe

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The perfect drink to sip while you enjoy the fireworks, it’s a refreshing take on the Moscow Mule with a watermelon twist! Get more delicious recipes from our Cocktail Insider page!

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz vodka
2 oz watermelon juice
1/2 oz lime juice
Splash of ginger beer
Lime wedge garnish

Preparation
Add vodka, watermelon juice, and lime juice to a glass filled with ice and stir. Top off with ginger beer and garnish with lime wedge.

Happy National Beverage Day!

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Grab your vessel of choice, proudly fill it with your favorite liquid and raise it high in honor of National Beverage Day!

Yes that’s correct, National Beverage Day comes directly after Cinco De Mayo! Perhaps it’s for those of us who overestimated our level of festive consumption and were wondering what to do with the remaining drinks? With many countries celebrating anything and everything, for instance on February 10th Korea celebrates ‘Seollal’ or their new year, they typic... Read More

Chip… Chip… Hooray For National Chip & Dip Day!

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The iconic potato chip was created—quite by accident—in 1853 by an East Coast resort chef trying to please an unhappy guest. But it wasn’t until the 1950’s when informal entertaining became popular that the duel bowl, chip-n-dip sets made their appearance in buffet lines and on coffee tables across America. Our huge selection makes it easy to treat family, friends and co-workers on this day of snack celebration!

Southwestern Style: Serve up the zest of the southwest with Arriba! Party D... Read More