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Posts by Jeff Ellingson

26
Aug

Review: Hilton Head Distillery Toasted Coconut Rum

Hilton Head Distillery Toasted Coconut Rum is one of nine rums crafted at Hilton Head Distillery.  The others include, Platinum White, Dark Pineapple, Island Cream, Bananas Foster, Spiced, Mountain Peak Espresso, and the just released Solera and Panela rum.  They also produce Aermoor Vodka, a peach and butterscotch whiskey, and Lewis Redmond 1861 Bourbon.  Joe Fenton opened Hilton Head distillery September 2016 after previously founding Dark Corner Distillery in Greenville South Carolina.  HHD Toasted Coconut is made from their molasses distilled unaged Platinum White Rum base.  Natural flavors are blended before bottling at 70 proof.  Their entire product line is available at the distillery and throughout South Carolina. Read more »

24
Aug

Review: Curamia Tequila Blanco

Curamia Tequila Blanco was launched in the US October 1 2021.  The brand was created by Dafna Mizrahi, an accomplished chef originally from Jalisco.  Curamia is not only 100% female owned but it is distilled at Distileria Leyros where 95% of the workers are also female.  This distillery crafts several tequila brands including Casa Dragones, Republic, Casazul, and Dahlia.  Curamia is made from 100% agave grown in Los Valles, and water sourced from underground natural aquifers 70 meters beneath the earth surface.  Once cooked and cooled the extracted juice is fermented with and without agave fibers in a stainless steel tank.  It is double distilled and hand bottled at the distillery with no additives. Read more »

22
Aug

Review: Core Vodka

Core vodka is small batch crafted from apples grown, pressed, fermented, distilled, and bottled on the family farm.  Golden Harvest Farms was established on a 45 acre plot by Dan and Madeline Zinke in 1957.  Four generations later the family farm has expanded to 250 acres where they produce over a dozen apple varieties.  Harvest Spirits Distillery was New York states 1st farm distillery.  In 2007 they acquired a 400 liter custom Christian Carl still from Germany.  The following year Core vodka was released.  They currently craft gin, whiskey, brandy, applejack, and Blackberry Vodka.  A single 750ml bottle of Core is crafted from over 60 pounds of apples.  The pure apple cider is distilled three times.  Core is crafted with no charcoal filtration, no sugar, and no additives. Read more »

21
Aug

Review: High Noon Sun Sips Lemon

High Noon Sun Sips Lemon was introduced May 2022.  It is sold in an individual flavor four pack.  Lemon is the only one of the 11 High Noon Sun Sips flavors not currently available in a variety pack.  Stay tuned as this will not be the case by the end of 2022.  E&J Gallo launched the High Noon Sun Sips brand in 2019 and since then they have enjoyed dramatic sales growth.  Instead of launching High Noon as a vodka seltzer or canned cocktail, High Noon from the start has been positioned as a hard seltzer.  While the High Noon variety packs still promote the brand as a hard seltzer, the can itself refers to the brand as Vodka & Soda.  Each 12 ounce slim can is made with 5 times distilled vodka made from corn, real juice, sparkling water, and natural flavors. Read more »

20
Aug

Review: Rancho La Gloria Ranch Water

Rancho La Gloria Ranch water was originally launched in 2020 as Texas Ranch Water with two flavors of blue agave hard seltzer, Grapefruit, and Lime.  They recently rebranded to the Rancho La Gloria name to align more with the rest of their product line which includes Rancho La Gloria Agavida, a 100% blue agave sparkling wine sold in peach, strawberry, mango, and green apple flavors, and Rancho La Gloria Cocktails.  They also just announced the release of Rancho La Gloria Infused Tequila.  That is available in Jalapeno Lime, and Pink Lemonade.  Rancho La Gloria Ranch Water is made in Mexico with filtered carbonated water, alcohol from cane sugar and 100% blue agave, cane sugar and natural flavors.  Their two newest flavors Watermelon and Tangerine, are made with real fruit juice.  Each 12 ounce can weights in with 5% alcohol, and 100 calories.  Rancho La Gloria Ranch Water is sold in a 12 can 4 flavor variety pack.  They also produce two seasonal ranch water flavors Pickleback, and Spicy Mango. Read more »

18
Aug

Review: Tequila Primo 1861 Blanco

Tequila Primo 1861 is a tribute to Pedro Camarena Ramirez by Felipe Camarena.  The Camarena family co-founded the town of Arandas in 1761.  They were the first to plant blue agave in the region.  One hundred years later Pedro was born in 1861.  He founded the first tequila tavern in the region and his son co-founded Destileria el Gallito where Tequila Cazadores was produced.  Felipe Camarena build El Pandillo in 2011.  Tequila Primo 1861 is made from 100% blue agave grown in the Los Altos Region of Jalisco.  The agave is cooked with spring water steam ovens designed by Felipe Camarena to distribute the steam evenly during the first 3 hours.  The agave are steam cleaned and the bitter honeys are released.  The agave is then slow cooked for 24 hours and left in the oven to cool for an additional 24-36 hours.  The cooked agave is finely ground and crushed by a 8.5 ton mechanical tahona.  The agave juice is fermented for seven days in both wooden and stainless steel tanks.  After a double distillation Tequila Primo 1861 Blanco is bottled at a slightly higher than average, 86 proof.  El Pandillo crafts several tequila brands including Artenom Seleccion de 1579, G4, Volans, and Terralta.  They craft tequila from three water sources rain, spring, and deep well.  Tequila Primo 1861 is the only tequila produced at El Pandillo made with 100% spring water. Read more »

16
Aug

Review: Sonoma Brothers Vodka

Sonoma Brothers Vodka is distilled from California Grapes and Corn.  It is crafted at Sonoma Brothers Distillery is Sonoma County California.  Twin Brothers Brandon and Chris Matthies established the distillery in 2012.  Brandon the Head Distillery is also a police sergeant.  His brother Chris is a firefighter.  This is their second vodka.  The first was made from a blend of corn, wheat, and barley.  They also craft distill gin, whiskey, and brandy. Read more »

14
Aug

Review: High Noon Sun Sips Pool Pack

High Noon Sun Sips Pool Pack was released May 2022.  It is sold in a four flavor 8 pack of 12 ounce slim cans.  High Noon has introduced 2 new flavors for this mix pack Guava, and Kiwi.  This is one of three 8 can mix packs High Noon current sells.  They also have a 12 can mix pack and they also sell individual flavor 4 packs.  Originally launched in 2019 High Noon now offers 11 different flavors.  Each can weighs in with 100 calories and 4.5% alcohol.  High Noon is made with 5 times distilled vodka, real juice, sparkling water, and natural flavors. Read more »

12
Aug

Review: Copper Still Peanut Butter Flavored Whisky

Copper Still Peanut Butter Flavored Whisky is crafted in Lake Havasu City Arizona by Owner and Head Distiller Andy Andersen and Copper Still Distillery.  It is made from their corn and cane whisky base.  The distillery was established 2018 and they currently produce several flavored whisky’s including Pecan, Root Beer, Chocolate, Cherry, Peach, and Lemonade all from their Hava Shine corn and cane whisky base.  The distillery also crafts a potato vodka and two flavored vodkas, jalapeno, and cucumber. Read more »

10
Aug

Review: Take Five Hard Seltzer

Take Five Hard Seltzer was launched November 2020 by Studio Beverage Group.  It is sold in a four flavor 12 can variety pack.  Take Five is made with a blend of premium malts, pure seltzer water and all-natural fruit flavors.  Each 12 ounce can weighs in with 100 calories 5% alcohol and 0 carbs.  Studio Beverage Group also produces Take Five CBD Infused Sparkling Water. Read more »