Line ‘Em Up, Knock ‘Em Back, Fill ‘Em Up

Maybe it’s election season, maybe it’s month 400 of the pandemic, but there is a lot happening in the alcohol space right now.  There is some novelty here, three brands featured here are created by women, one restaurant is run by a woman and everything featured here is from local companies.  Go Texan!

Miriam Cocina Latina on the edge of Klyde Warren Park has created a Halloween-themed brunch with spooky good-sounding cocktails including The Witches Kiss, El Angel de la Muerte, Sunrise Mimosa and La Sangre, a sangria mimosa with vodka and fresh fruit. The restaurant also has brunch specials including a Spinach Scramble, Monstruo Verde Omelet and a colorful Beet Salad available October 31 – November 1 from 10am – 3pm.

The a la carte brunch menu is also offered. For more information and to make reservations go to www.miriamcocina.com or call 214-855-5275. 

New Products

RancH2O (pronounced Ranch Two Oh) doesn’t create hard seltzer, which is good because that is a very crowded segment right now. Rather, it launched ready-to-drink canned cocktails in four classic flavors, three which are available now: Ranch Water; Classic Marg; Vodka Soda with a hint of cranberry; and Gin Fizz which will be released in spring.

The brand was founded by native Texan Amelia Lettieri, a Dallas native and graduate of Texas A&M with a BBA in Finance. Amelia, who also serves as the company’s CEO, has extensive experience in consumer packaged goods and beverage industry through her experience in private equity and convenience store giants 7-Eleven and Sunoco. This is more than a hobby for her.

I sampled these and am impressed by the flavors, especially the Vodka Soda as it’s so light with a nice punch of cranberry.  The cocktails are low in sugar and carbs, each can has only 150 calories and a 7.0% ABV (except Classic Marg at 6.5% ABV). By comparison, many hard seltzers are about 4% ABV and fermented, like beer. RancH20 canned cocktails contain distilled spirits such as vodka, tequila and gin which means they pack a little more punch than hard seltzer and they are available in liquor stores and select restaurants.

Available as an easy-to-go four-pack served in standard 12-oz. cans, RancH2O cocktails are sold for a suggested retail price of $13.99 at most major liquor stores across the state and through online retailers like Drizly and Minibar. Please note that you must remove the label wrap before recycling the can (and please recycle!).

MIXY is what happens when you combine DIY creativity, Instagram, and cocktails.  These adorable jars are delivered to you with a mix of dried organic produce, herbs and spices, and a sugar and flavor-infused magic cube that transforms your favorite spirit into a ready-to-share cocktail. 

The concept is brilliantly simple: Add 12 ounces of the spirit of your choice to the MIXY infusion jar and let it set in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The infused liquor can be enjoyed on its own or added to your favorite cocktail recipes. Each jar makes eight 1.5 oz. servings of infused liquor and can be infused twice for 16 servings

Created by Lakewood resident Meredith Levesque after determining there must be an easier way to enjoy craft cocktails at home, MIXY launched in January of this year but pushed pause to adjust her strategy when the pandemic hit. 

Today, you can purchase these craft cocktail kits from Meredith‘s website www.drinkmixy.com. There are six recipes to choose from, including a seasonal specialty called “Meet Joy” which includes cranberry, orange, rosemary, and a turbinado sugar cube and Meredith says would make a great Old Fashioned or Hot Toddy when paired with bourbon. I think MIXY would make a great GIFTY and can’t wait to try all of the flavors.

BOXT wine is a new venture by Austin-based tech entrepreneur Sarah Ovie Puil who isn’t a winemaker, wine grower, or sommelier, just a smart businesswoman.  BOXT is a subscription-based wine club that delivers premium wine directly to your door from Napa.

There are six wine “profiles,” three white and three red, that are segmented by flavor profile, not growing region or varietal. The profiles mimic certain characteristics of well-known blends and varietals such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and cabernet.  This product is geared towards wine drinkers who either don’t know or don’t care to know a lot about wine, they just know what they like. This target audience wants convenience and doesn’t want to risk investing in a bottle of wine they might not enjoy.

The packaging is a nice looking eco-friendly wooden box which contains a plastic bladder filled with wine. Wine can be opened and poured without being exposed to air, so the wine stays fresh for long periods of time, ideal for light drinkers. Visit here for more information on BOXT.

The makers of TX Blended Whiskey and TX Straight Bourbon today launched TX Straight Bourbon Tawny Port Finish and TX Straight Bourbon PX Sherry Finish. Both Tawny Port and PX Sherry are distinctly different sweet wines that bring unique flavor profiles to each expression. I’m so excited.

“To create TX Straight Bourbon Tawny Port Finish, we took four year old TX Straight Bourbon and finished it for six months in 10 year old Tawny Port casks from the Douro Valley of Portugal,” says Master Distiller Rob Arnold. “Made from French White Oak—and specifically the species Quercus robur—the casks were used to age Tawny Port for 10 years before they were emptied, sent to our distillery, and filled with our bourbon.”

Tawny Port possesses caramel, dark fruit, and nutty flavors, and as the bourbon rested in these casks, it picked-up rich nuances from the port still locked in the oak. With a proof of 101.6, TX Straight Bourbon Tawny Port Finish brings forth flavors of dark cherry, candied walnuts, rich caramel and Christmas spices. Enjoy it with some dark chocolate or a flourless chocolate cake.

 “For TX Straight Bourbon Whiskey PX Sherry Finish, we took fully matured four-year-old TX Straight Bourbon and finished it for eight months in 20 year old Pedro Ximénez sherry casks from Jerez, Spain,” says Arnold. “PX Sherry is one of the sweetest types of sherry wines available. The white grapes used to make PX Sherry are picked very ripe or dried after harvest to concentrate the sugars. We are fortunate in that our partners were able to transport the sherry casks to our distillery in Texas just four weeks after they were emptied in Spain.”

The PX Sherry casks were made from the American White Oak species known as Quercus alba, which typically imparts a sweeter profile than other oak species. This, coupled with the rich flavors infused into the bourbon from the sherry still locked in the oak, gives TX Straight Bourbon PX Sherry Finish—also at 101.6 proof—a sweet and warming profile, with notes of chocolate, baking spices, apricot and maple.

TX Straight Bourbon Tawny Port Finish and TX Straight Bourbon PX Sherry Finish will both be available to purchase for $64.99 at Texas retailers and at Whiskey Ranch, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Events

October 31 and November 1 – Beer garden, schmear garden. Bourbon maker Jim Beam is introducing the Beam Garden, where for just a few hours Saturday and Sunday, you can sample Jim Beam cocktails and have fun with friends, take photos and pretend everything is normal.

The Dallas Beam Garden will bloom this Saturday at The Rustic between 6 – 10pm.

The Plano Beam Garden will sprout this Sunday at Legacy Hall from 3 – 7 pm.

Admission is free but RSVP is required, and you must have proof that you’re at least 21 years of age to attend.

Register here for The Rustic Beam Garden

Register here for the Legacy Hall Beam Garden

Starting November 1 Grapevine is a buzzy little town with lots of fun things to do, including a new initiative just launched by the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Grapevine Craft Beverage Tour gives locals and visitors the opportunity to taste their way through the city’s craft beverage scene, including fine Texas wines, craft brews, handcrafted ciders, locally-brewed coffees, handcrafted Texas whiskies, craft sodas and more.

For more information and a list of participating locations, visit here.

TX Whiskey has reopened and hosting a series of events next week. Te distillery is not conducting tours but this place is worth a look-see anyway,

November 4 – Whiskey Connoisseurs Night Guests can enjoy the ultimate TX tasting experience with seasonal craft cocktails, a TX tasting flight, live music and shopping. Each ticket includes one cocktail, tasting flight, Whiskey Ranch commemorative glass, and 15% off store merchandise. Cost: $25 per person. Time: 7 – 10 pm. Tickets available HERE.

November 5 and 6 – Cocktail class Guests can enjoy step-by-step instructions for creating three handcrafted cocktails with TX Whiskey’s Master Mixologist, Jason Shelly. Each ticket includes a commemorative Whiskey Ranch glass and 15% off bar and drinkware in the TX Ranch Store Cost: $50 per person. Time: 7 – 9 pm. Tickets available HERE.

November 7 – Sip n’ Shop/ Whiskey Ranch Re-Opening Guests can enjoy live music, a food truck on-site, and one cocktail with ticket. Choose from two ticketed times priced at $10, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Distanced seating is available, and guests are encouraged to bring their own chair. Throughout the event guests can shop TX Whiskey merchandise and enjoy cocktails from the TX Tavern. Tickets available HERE.

Oh, and please consume responsibly. We don’t want to read about you in Skullduggery.