I love the fact that independent and micro-breweries have been able to move their beers to cans. The costs can decrease considerably, while the transportation of cans allows for a wider distribution than would normally be necessary. Abita Brewery is one of the companies that have moved towards the inclusion of cans, and I believe that they have succeeded in getting their name out to a wider audience than…
Anytime that an individual goes into the liquor store, they are faced with a hard choice. With about 100 different vodka products available for sale at any one point, there are a range of tastes and qualities available. In terms of the super-premium side of things, the outlay can be substantial. Ultimat Vodka, created in Poland and distributed by the Patron Spirits Company, is the perfect blend of value and…
Newcastle’s unique flavor is something that has to be present in any seasonal effects from the brewery. This IPA variant is able to build off of this unique mantra and provide imbibers with an experience that is unparalleled. Newcastle has provided individuals with a blend of Super Styrian and Styrian Goldings hops. This has the effect of inserting a little bite to the subtle smoothness that exists. This is assertive…
It is hard for a beer company to continually innovate. This is made all the more difficult when it feels that may beer companies are utterly complacent with the beers that they are currently releasing. Samuel Adams is one of the few breweries that are actively changing their efforts in a meaningful way, and this is a great amount of the reason why I find myself picking up a sixer…
In the last few months, we at NeuFutur have received a number of efforts that have been plain boring. This is true even with the independent breweries that are on the map – it just feels as if there is a collective malaise in brewing. Flying Dog shatters that aura of complacency with their Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout. While I was expecting a dark, biting, and coffee-heavy effort, the brewery…
I have no idea how they keep doing it, but spirits manufacturers are able to key in to a specific set of flavors and impeccably create a spirit that tastes like it should. Hiram Walker has made a Caramel Apple Liqueur that fits into this perfectly. At 15% ABV, one should not be afraid that a few shots will put them under the table. Keeping some alcohol burn to the…
With each passing year, I feel that the world gets more interconnected. This spirit was previously only available at different duty-free stores, and its brisk sales since its introduction has made it smart to introduce to American markets. But why exactly has this Johnny Walker effort been the talk of the town? I contend that there is such a unique feel and flair to this spirit that even those that…
It is rare to receive a whiskey that differentiates itself from the status quo. Triple Smoke, one of Corsair’s newest offerings, does just that. This extremely small-run whiskey has such a unique taste and smoothness on one’s palette that any fan of spirits, whiskey or not, should search out a bottle at the earliest opportunity. This is because Triple Smoke has such an assertive nose and finish to it that…
The different Simply Naked Wines represent an interesting presence – they are not given any time in oak, which provides imbibers with a much different flavor profile than they would normally expect from these different varietals. What results with the different Simply Naked Wines are efforts that put much more of a focus on the fruit flavors, rather than the woodsy or smoking hints that are typically present in a…
I believe that this is the first time that we have had a Pineapple-infused (or even flavored) vodka. The genesis of our receiving this bottle came in a get-tgoether that we hosted. Where we have a number of different vodkas on our shelves, the one attendee asked us if we had a bottle fo pineapple vodka. Since we were not aware that this flavor existed, we simply had to try…
There are a number of problems that I have noticed with the different Amber Ales that are on the market. If they are something like Killian’s, they may have a decent flavor but possess no (or incredibly little of a) bite. However, those that are a little too happy when it comes to including hops may make something that is much too bitter to properly appreciate. Breckenridge’s Avalanche Ale is…
Old Forester is one of those whiskies that are likely on the shelves at every single liquor store and a great deal of the bars that are currently operating. However, there is not the same publicity present for this spirit that there is for Jack Daniels or other similar types of efforts. What results is a spirit that is simply fantastic but that few actually order when they are looking…
360 Concord Grape Vodka is one of the first vodkas that we have received that looks to go beyond a simple grape designation and move into specific varietals of the fruit. What results in the 360 Concord Grape Vodka is something that is fresh and interesting tasting, all while providing imbibers with the same high quality that has been present in all 360 Vodka efforts. The spirit has a solid…
Grape is one of the most common vodka flavors and is quite possibly the easiest one to screw up. We reviewed the Pucker Vodka take on Green Apple a couple months ago, and wanted to see how they did on their take of Grape. The great thing about the Pucker Grape Gone Wild is that it contains all sides of grape flavoring, tying together wine and the fruit’s flavor along…
I feel that a great number of the microbreweries that are currently in operation make beer that is ultimately forgettable. However, there are a few intrepid breweries that are able to push forward and create unique beers that should be checked out. Yards Brewing Company has done just that in their Philadelphia Pale Ale. There is a nuanced taste to the beer that will be tremendously compelling to those that…
I believe that this is the first time that we have had a gummy-flavored vodka drop in for review at NeuFutur. For those individuals that normally familiarize themselves with lower-proof offerings, be careful – this Pinnacle product (and all their flavored versions) clocks in at 70 proof. Pinnacle Gummy is able to create a very natural type of flavor that allows the grain flavor of the vodka to still be…
Drambuie is one of the spirits that we tried for years to get here at NeuFutur, but we were never able to firm up a contact for it. However, we were able to finally get in touch with someone and were able to receive a bottle of it for review. When we actually received the bottle of Drambuie, we were immediately shocked about how unique of a spirit it truly…
We rarely receive straight vodkas for review in NeuFutur. This is likely because there are not many different types of plain vodka that are being added to the market. What is much more common is flavored variants of traditional vodkas (Stoli, Smirnoff); we were excited to see (and experience) what a new hand could do to the tried and true vodka format. Moon Mountain Vodka is a new product, and…
We received a ginger vodka in the mail a few months ago and were not impressed with how the company blended together the flavor with the vodka. However, we were approached to cover Yazi Ginger Vodka and thought that we would give the pairing a second shot. We are glad we did, as the Yazi represents one of the few flavored vodkas that are worth the time and money it…
Remy Martin is a very forward type of company. In fact, by releasing this clear product, I have little doubt in my mind that all of the other cognac producers will be following Remy’s lead in the years to come. The Remy V is a clear spirit distilled from grapes, and is filtered through a cold line to be given its unique flair. The Remy V is also distinct from…