Review: Not Your Fathers Mountain Ale
Not Your Fathers Mountain Ale as the name would suggest is a hard soda version of Mountain Dew. Mountain Dew is a slang term for moonshine and the original formula was developed as a mixer in the 1940’s. After several changes in ownership and recipes, the Tip Corporation of Marion Virginia created the current formula and re-launched the brand in 1961. PepsiCo acquired the brand in 1964 and today Mountain Dew is the fourth best selling carbonated soft drink in the USA. Only Coke, Pepsi, and Diet Coke sell more. Diet Mountain Dew is actually the ninth best selling carbonated soft drink. After creating the hard soda category with the launch of Not Your Fathers Root Beer in 2012, the Small Town Brewery has gone on to release several additional flavors including NYF Ginger Ale, and NYF Vanilla Cream Ale. Small Town Brewery is now part of the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio of beer brands. Not Your Fathers Mountain Ale is brewed as a beer with spices. Natural flavors and FD&C Yellow#5 color are added. Read more 
Review: Adelaides Coconut Liqueur
Adelaides Coconut Liqueur is one of three award winning liqueurs recently launched by CEO and Founder Tom Carr. The other flavors include Dreamsicle, and Caramel Mocha Mojo. The name Adelaides came from the name of Tom Carr’s Granddaughter. The flavors were born in the family’s kitchen by blending different flavors provided by Friesland Campina Creamy Creations in Holland. Adelaides is bottled by St Petersburg Disitllery. Adelaides Coconut Liqueur is made from neutral grain spirits, pure coconut meat, and natural flavors. No artificial flavors or colors are added. Read more
Review: Toppers Caribbean White Rhum
Toppers Caribbean White Rhum is crafted with blackstrap molasses, reverse osmosis water sourced from the Caribbean sea, sugar, and a special yeast blend. The rhum is column distilled and charcoal filtered before bottling at 80 proof at the 6000 square foot Toppers Distillery in St Maarten. Topper’s is best know for their line of flavored rhums that were first crafted by Melanie Daboul in her home kitchen. These flavored rhums where first served as a complimentary after dinner drink at the two restaurants she and husband Topper Daboul own on the Dutch side of St Maarten. Because of customer demand these rhum’s were soon bottled for sale. I first discovered this brand through Broudy’s online website, and with a flavored rhum linup that includes flavors like Mocha Mama, Banana Vanilla Cinnamon, Coconut, and White Chocolate Raspberry I was hooked. First the bad news, Toppers is no longer available at broudys.com. The good news is Toppers Rhum is now available at Total Wine and More. I’m anxious to see if Toppers Caribbean White Rhum lives up to the high standards set by their flavored rhums. Read more
Review: Western Son South Plains Cucumber Vodka
Western Son South Plains Cucumber Vodka is one of seven handcrafted flavor infused vodkas made at the Western Son Distillery in Pilot Point Texas. This is my 12th cucumber flavored vodka review, and I know of several more I have not yet reviewed. The cucumber originates from India, but now grows on most continents. China currently produces 76% of the worlds total. A cucumber with the peel is 95% water. South Plains Cucumber is made from their Texas Vodka base made from yellow corn and water filtered through reverse osmosis. The vodka is distilled ten times through a 20 foot column still and quadruple filtered. Natural cucumber essence is blended with the original vodka base before bottling at 60 proof. Read more
Review: Chopin Wheat Vodka
Chopin Wheat Vodka was introduced March 2011 along with Chopin Rye Vodka. Both join their original Chopin Potato Vodka, that was launched in the US in 1997. All three are produced at a distillery that dates back to the 19th century. This distillery was acquired by the Dorda family in 2003. It sits on 17 acres in the countryside village of Krzesk in the Eastern Podlasie Region of Poland. 100% of Chopin’s alcohol is produced from raw hand selected materials. Most companies purchase bulk alcohol from large commercial distilleries. Chopin Wheat vodka is crafted from winter wheat naturally grown within 25 miles of the distillery and purified artesian well water. It is distilled four times in a copper column still in the spring, and filtered 5 times before bottling on site. When I think of Poland I think of Polish Vodka. When I think of Polish Vodka I think of rye or potato based vodkas. I am interested in seeing how a Polish wheat vodka compares. For the record Belvedere, Sobieski, Potocki, Wyborowa, and Zubrowka, produce rye vodka in Poland. Luksusowa, Lyna, Vesica, and Chopin distill their potato vodka in Poland. Read more
Review: Codigo 1530 Blanco Tequila
Codigo 1530 Blanco Tequila was released in a few states November 2016. Distribution has since expanded. Codigo 1530 is also available in a Rosa, Reposado, Anejo, and Origen expression. CEO and Co-Founder Federico Vaughan has long been the custodian of the brand that until recently was a private unnamed tequila stock only available to close friends and family. Co-Founder Ron Snyder, was the former CEO of Crocs Footwear. Other investors include Country Music star George Strait and hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull. Codigo 1530 is named for the year the town of Amatitan received their official charter from Spain. Codigo 1530 Blanco is crafted at a small family owned Tequileria in Los Bajos in the town of Amatitan, from 100% blue agave grown in the Lowlands for 7-10 years. The agave is slow cooked in stainless steel ovens and then shredded instead of crushed to enable the distillery to extract the juices without the bitter pulp. The juice is fermented for four days with an organic, family bakers yeast, and then double distilled in a still built by the distilling family. After this lengthy 17 day process, the tequila is hand bottled. Read more
Review: Froggy B Vodka
Froggy B Vodka was introduced in the US in 2012. It was previously available in France. This is one of the dozen or more vodka varieties I only find at Total Wine and More locations. Froggy B Vodka is made by Maison Ferrand from the finest organic French winter wheat harvested in July at the peak of maturity. It is distilled six times with the final distillation in a tiny copper pot still in the heart of France. Organic sugar and pure spring water are blended before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: La Certeza Blanco Tequila
La Certeza Blanco Tequila is no longer produced but it is still available on a limited basis from some online retailers. La Certeza was imported by Mohawk Distilled Products which was acquired by Heaven Hill Distilleries in 2007. La Certeza Tequila was created by the Beckmann family, one of Mexico’s oldest tequila families. The Beckman family traces its lineage to Jose Antonio de Cuervo. In 1992 Francisco Beckman sold his interest in the family distillery but maintained his interest in the agave fields. In 2004 he opened his own distillery Tierra de Agaves. This is the same distillery that creates the Lunazul line of tequila. La Certeza Blanco is produced with estate grown agave. Once harvested by hand the agave is slow cooked in autoclave ovens. After fermenting the tequila is double distilled in traditional copper pot stills. Read more
Review: J Wray Gold Rum
J Wray Gold Rum was released in the US along with their Silver rum June 2016. It is made at the Appleton Estate in Jamaica’s number one rum producing distillery, which is also the oldest continuously operated rum distillery in the Caribbean. The Appleton Estate traces its history back to 1655 when the estate was granted to Frances Dickinson’s heirs for their grandfathers service to England during England’s successful capture of Jamaica from Spain. Rum has been produced at this site since 1749. John Wray began distilling and blending rums, and served them to patrons at his Shakespeare Tavern in Kingston. In 1862 his nephew joined him and J Wray and Nephew began its history of producing Jamaican rum. In 1916 the Lindo Brothers and Co. purchased the Appleton Estates, and the company J Wray and his nephew had built. Today the Appleton Estate sits on 11,000 acres with sugar fields, a sugar mill, and a distillery with 5 pot stills and a multi column continuous still. J Wray Gold Rum is crafted from molasses made from estate grown sugar cane and pure limestone filtered water. After distilling, the rum is trucked to Kingston where it is aged and bottled. Read more
Review: Western Son South Texas Prickly Pear Vodka
Western Son South Texas Prickly Pear Vodka is one of seven handcrafted flavor infused vodka’s made at the Western Son Distillery. This distillery is housed in a former panty factory in Pilot Point Texas. The other flavors include Hill Country Peach, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Piney Woods Blueberry, South Plains Cucumber, Hill Country Apricot, and Big Stripe Watermelon. South Texas Prickly Pear is made from their Texas vodka base made from yellow corn and water filtered through reverse osmosis. The vodka is distilled ten times through a 20 foot column still and quadruple filtered. Natural Prickly Pear essence is blended with the original vodka base before bottling at 60 proof. A Prickly Pear is a cactus species native only to the Americas. Read more