Spec’sology Blog
Thanksgiving Wine Pairing Tips
Spec’sology Blog, Holidays, Pairings, Wine
Thanksgiving is almost here and that means the holiday stress is just starting to peak. We’re going to take care of that with some wine pairing tips you and your guests will be grateful for!
Here are a few ways to go about this.
One White, One Red
A good and simple strategy for Thanksgiving wine is to select a very good white and a very good red, offering your guests their choice.
For reds, look for soft tannins that will yield to and blend with your dishes, like Pinot Noir, Syrah, a fruity Z... Read More
Keep Your Eyes on the Pies
Spec’sology Blog, Finer Foods
After spending an hour or so devouring plate after plate of Thanksgiving dinner, there’s no physiological reason you should have room for dessert, but let’s be real – most of our stomachs contain a magical wormhole that leads to another stomach dimension where we apparently have plenty of room for dessert.
And it’s no wonder this secret portal exists, as no Thanksgiving meal is complete until we’ve dug into our second (or third) slice of pie. Pie is the universal Thanksgiving Day desse... Read More
Hot & Warm Cocktails For Fall
Drink Recipes, Spec’sology Blog
With the cold starting to creep in, it’s time to start unpacking sweaters and stockpiling firewood—and nothing is better than a hot and boozy beverage to warm you from the inside out.
Warm adult drinks seem to fall into three different camps: drinks that resemble tea or a hot toddy, drinks that are sweet and creamy, and drinks that are mulled or spiced.
This season is the reason we’ve collected 9 surefire recipes for warmth.
Hot Honey Lemon with Vodka
Ingredients
Vodka, to taste
½ cup ho... Read More
National Mezcal Day 2017
Entertain
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
Pumpkin Spice and Cocktails So Nice
Drink Recipes, Spec’sology Blog
It’s officially fall and you know what that means – pumpkin spice everything!
It’s the same seasonal madness that draws us toward shiny red hearts in February or rocket pops at the Fourth of July: for a few months out of every year, we collectively crave the very particular, very peculiar flavor of pumpkin, wherever we can get it.
We tend to lean toward the, generally least intrusive, pumpkin delivery system of a fall cocktail.
You’ll see it most often with bourbon or whiskey, or one of ... Read More
National Rum Punch Day
Drink Recipes, Spec’sology Blog
Time flies when you’re having rum! September 20th is National Rum Punch Day. But celebrating solo is no way to honor a holiday like this. So here are a few punch recipes you can mix up into a pitcher and enjoy with your rum-loving pals.
For more rummy recommendations, ask the Specs-perts at your local Spec’s store.
‘Make A Mango Crazy’
Punch (Pitcher)
Ingredients
16 oz Bacardi Rum, Light
8 oz orange juice
8 oz mango nectar
4 oz pineapple
80 mint leaves, torn or thinly sliced
8 pineapple... 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
Top Picks For American Whisky Month
Spec’sology Blog, Spirits
Whiskey is made all over the US and there are more and more distilleries popping up all of the time. We’ve put together a list of 6 American whiskeys that are worth taking a break from your usual.
But first, let’s go into some detail about whiskey and bourbon. All bourbon is whiskey is but not all whiskey is bourbon. The folks over at Jim Beam say, “Bourbon is kinda like whiskey’s ‘sweet spot’ … because corn is a sweet grain. The more corn, the sweeter the whiskey. ... 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
National Rum Day
Drink Recipes, Spec’sology Blog
A hot Texas summer is the perfect time to pump the brakes and get out of the fast lane, and there’s no better reason to do so than National Rum Day.
It’s time to raise a chilled glass of a pirate’s favorite pastime and kick back with a delicious rum drink. This year, why not stray from the herd and mix up something a little different. Rum’s versatile flavors allow it to be mixed into just about anything you want.
Check out some of these rum recipes that’ll keep your cocktail umbrella i... 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