TALK DRINKS

Sporting Life Anniversary Edition - L.A. Happenings

Last Sunday saw the gathering of Los Angeles' finest at Barkeeper in Silverlake. Since March of 2008 and every month since, Marcos Tello has been organizing The Sporting Life get together for drink slingers, enthusiastic amateurs, formerly jaded bloggers and curious onlookers. This meeting of the minds are treated to food and beverage, lessons in mixology techniques, historic anecdotes and some downright debauchery, which may be considered a bad thing but this was all in the quest for community.
Back in 2008, we started with 8 and a very enthusiastic idea. We wanted to drink good cocktails and in LA these are as rare as an open lane during rush hour. (In the 4 years I have been here, traffic has gone from ridiculous to something inexplicably far more than ridiculous, even with the advent of hands free telephone laws).
Now 1 year later, The Sporting Life is over 60 members strong with a great number of those also having joined the USBG. So what better way to celebrate than go back to where it all started, Barkeeper in Silverlake. A great big thanks to our gracious and ever giving and supportive host Joe Keeper. It was a squeeze, but we ate and drank and made merry with generous donations of time and product from Partida Tequila, St. Germain, Martin Millers Gin, Edison Beer, Luxury Ice and Malo Restaurant. Guest bartending appearances from Leo, Vincenzo, Christine, Eric, Joe, Michel, Pablo, Juan, Chris, John and yours truly. Although he wasn’t on the roster H. Joseph Ehrmann from Elixir in S.F. made a guest appearance too. We have no trouble finding great cocktail these days, the only drawback is finding a parking spot. Happy Cocktailing - Damian

Tequila Mojito Video

The Sporting Life Anniversary Party - L.A. Happenings

The Sporting Life Anniversary Party
Sunday, March 15th from 12-6
Barkeeper
3910 W. Sunset Blvd
Silverlake, CA 90029
Come down to Barkeeper this Sunday and hang with some of LA's best bartenders (including yours truly) and help us foster LA's cocktail culture by supporting The Sporting Life. The cocktails will be complimentary and all proceeds will go to The Museum of the American Cocktail. Hope to see you there. - Damian

(click here to download Sportlife Anniversary issue newsletter). There are a ton of great receipes from recent sub-district cocktail competition. my favorite is #12the flower district cocktail.

Straits Atlanta - Hotlanta Times

Recently, I visited my good friend CS at Straits Atlanta to try his new Partida Red cocktail. Owned and operated by Chef Chris Yeo and rapper/actor Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, the Straits Restaurants are inspired by the unique cuisine of Singaporean, which for 200 years were the crossroads of Asia. Straits does a beautiful job of blending Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Nonya and other Asian cuisines together into a menu that is full of color, flavor and aroma. 
The Partida Red cocktail is made like a regular Margarita, but CS adds olive and cranberry juice, giving the cocktail a sweet and salty depth that turns out really nicely! I couldn't stop drinking this cocktail and would encourage anyone who's dropping by to call for this interesting version of the Margarita to compliment their one of a kind dinner. Salud - Navarro, bartender, Atlanta
Straits Restaurant 
793 Juniper St NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Tel: (404) 877-1283

The River Oyster Bar - Welcome to Miami

When it's that special time of day called Happy Hour, you can find me mixing it up at The River Oyster Bar in Downtown Miami/Brickell. My favorite thing about it, besides our handcrafted cocktails and great selection of beer on tap, are the 1/2 off oysters. We offer a selection of oysters from across the US. Everything including Kumamotos from Northern California (my fave) to Blue Points and Newport Cup from the East Coast. You can enjoy great bar snacks (most under $7) like Oyster Po Boys, Buffalo Frog Legs and Curried Duck Empanadas. If you want to enjoy Happy Hour to its fullest, you have to partake in bar snacking!
The friendly and knowledgeable bartenders can mix you up your favorite libation or you can try one of our signature drinks. We use homemade Ginger Beer for the Dark & Stormy, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice in the classic Greyhounds, fresh fruit purees in our Watermelon, Lychee or Passion Fruit Martinis, or you can enjoy my cocktail of choice the Partida Margarita made with 100% organic agave nectar and fresh lime juice. If you're a wine lover, nothing beats a glass of Muscadet with your oysters.
This bar is always hopping with a mix of locals and business folks unwinding after a long day. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. So next time you and your friends are in search of a great bar to visit in Miami, take a trip down to The River. Hope to see you soon. - Marita, The River Oyster Bar
Watermelon Martini
1 1/4 oz vodka
1 oz watermelon liqueur
1/2 oz fresh watermelon puree
1/4 oz sour
Combine all ingredients in mixing glass, shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with slice of watermelon.

How to Taste Spirits - Lessons from the Pros

Recently, we attended a spirit tasting session with our good friends and master mixologists, Tad and Paul of the Tippling Bros. They gave a great presentation on how to properly taste spirits and we wanted to share the knowledge from these pros. Cheers - TALKDRINKS
How To Properly Taste A Spirit
1) Don't agitate the glass by swirling too much.
2) A spirit is strong; don't sniff too hard off the top because you will abuse your palate.
3) Gently sniff the top from a few inches away, and move in slowly. Take quick sniffs or breathe in through your mouth as you get closer. (Much different than wine tasting)
4) When tasting, take a small amount in your mouth and let it fall down your throat.
5) Breathe in through your mouth, out through your nose. If you get a heavy burning, it's not a good sign for the spirit. A good spirit will cool your mouth first, kind of like when you have a mint.
6) Repeat. Always take two tastes because you will get something different each time.

Game On - The Wild West

When you think of Arizona, you'll most likely think about the great weather. That's probably what was on the mind of some MLB owners back in the 1940's and 50's when they decided to move their teams to AZ for spring training. Over the years the teams have changed, but the spirit of the season has not: fans, sunshine and good times. Late in February, local and visiting fans alike start to fill the 11 stadiums in the nine cities that currently host 14 MLB teams. It is nothing less than party time in the desert.
Of course, baseball means hotdogs and stadium beers, but outside the gates there is a thriving bar and restaurant community ready to satisfy the sun drenched fans. Restaurants that best capture the southwest spirit tend to be most popular with fans. Some of the best spots are found footsteps away from Scottsdale Stadium where I recently attended a game between the S.F. Giants and the L.A. Dodgers. 
First stop for me was The Mission, a new Scottsdale restaurant that smartly betrays its fine dining reputation to host guests in a beer garden on its back patio. I made a beeline for the bar and ordered a Partida Margarita that they feature on their drink menu. Before I knew it, the four people next to me caught on and switched from beer to Partida Margaritas.
My next stop was the Salty Senorita just around the corner. On my way into the game I noticed their large patio filled to capacity with baseball fans and sunshine fans alike. Salty's is modeled after the beach cantinas found throughout the Mexican and southern California coast. With floor to ceiling windows and shutters. There is nothing but fresh air and warm breeze to accompany your tequila, beer and fish tacos. I enjoy Salty and its fantastic tequila list as much as I do Cien Agaves just up the street.
All three of these establishments offer just what you need to clean the winter right out of your mind. Spring cleaning at spring training in Arizona continues to thrill fans of baseball and sunshine alike until April 2nd, so make your plans today. For more information, visit the Cactus League Spring Training website. Let's Play Ball!!! Stephen, Bartender, The Roaring Fork

Elegant Beauty Shots

Over the weekend, while I was partaking in my favorite Tequila and admiring the beautiful bottle, I decided to break out my camera and take a few beauty shots. Check them out. Cheers - Elba Giron, Mixologist, Cocktail Stylist, Photographer