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Latest by Mark Stock

Phylloxera Aphid Wine Grapes Leaves

Meet Phylloxera, One of Wine’s Most Dangerous Pests

It isn't all rosé and bubbles in the wine world. Back in the 1800s, countless bottles of wine never got made thanks to a pest named the phylloxera aphid.
Icelandic hot dog

What’s So Great About the Icelandic Hot Dog?

The northern nation's spirited take on the hot dog is a delicious mix of atypical meat and hyper-flavorful Scandinavian condiments.
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Hops and Terroir: Why the Beer World is Embracing the Wine Term

Thanks to a revealing new study from Oregon's Willamette Valley, the concept of terroir is entering the beer hops conversation. Traditionally a wine term, a study has now shown that this critical beer component also exhibits terroir.
tea beer great lakes sad  green

Why Tea and Beer Go Well Together (and 5 Tea Beers to Try)

Hops and green tea play well together. Whether it's a woodsy matcha IPA or a heavy imperial stout, you'd be surprised at how well it works. Some breweries are even using matcha to create delicious (and aesthetically interesting) beers.
lithuanian beer lithbeer

Getting to Know the Lithuanian Beer Scene

Overshadowed by its more famous European beer-brewing neighbors, Lithuania boasts a vibrant beer culture built around unique farmhouse-style ales. Here's what you need to know about the country's unique brews.
alcohol companies b corp certification illustration

Alcohol Brands and B-Corp Certification: Who Is Doing It and Why?

The B-Corp is becoming the certification stamp to look for when you want to fully understand the nature of what's in your glass. There are many industries around the world that use the certification, and the drinks world is no different.
wine making in a barrel

What Is Slow Wine? Here’s What You Need to Know

Officially launched in 2010, Slow Wine is more than a printed guide — it's a movement celebrating eco-aware winegrowers and the unique story each label tells.
best haunted bars geiser saloon grand hotel

Would You Enjoy a Drink at One of These Haunted Bars?

Bars from New York to New Orleans offer guests more than just haunted themes and beverages, they actually terrify patrons with ghostly encounters. If you're looking for a special place to go this Halloween, consider these bars.
beer aisle store

What Is a Dry County? Where Booze Is Still Illegal to Buy in America

Hundreds of dry counties still exist in freedom-loving America, inviting interesting tales of beer trading, bootlegging, and more. Learn more about what constitutes a dry county and where you can find (or avoid) them in America.
Budweiser Budvar Brewery Bottle

The Other Bud: What to Know about the Budweiser Budvar Brewery

There are two Budweisers on planet earth and they've been after each other for more than a century, trying to obtain the rights to a now iconic name.
rise of food porn photography foodporn 3

The Ascension of Food Porn: Why We Love Photos of Food

Suddenly, we lusted for food thanks to sexy images, celebrity culture, and a newfound closeness with what we eat. How did we get here? We asked some photography experts for their thoughts on the rise of food porn culture.
Croatian Wine

Why You Should Drink More Croatian Wine

Croatia may be home to a mere four million people but it's capable of producing wine as alluring as its beautiful Adriatic coastline. Here are our picks for what to try first.
reindeer meat

More than Just Puffin: A Quick Guide to Icelandic Cuisine

In Iceland, the Viking tradition looms large through culinary maneuvers that feature everything from tiny native berries to fermented shark.
falernum cocktail

What Is Falernum? A Guide to the Essential Tropical Ingredient

Ever-flavorful, beach-y, and delicious, falernum belongs in your home bar in between the rum and the club soda.
lost lake tropical cocktail bar chicago

The Rise of Lost Lake, One of Chicago’s Premiere Tropical Cocktail Bars

Musicians form supergroups, cocktail gurus and bar industry veterans form one-of-a-kind tiki haunts like Lost Lake in Chicago.
bloomer creek

Empire Vines: A Quick Guide to New York Wine

New York's wine scene extends beyond the many restaurants and wine bars of the big city to emerging appellations throughout the Empire State.
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What’s a Négociant? Everything You Need to Know about Wine Buyers

Meet the wine negociant, the soul responsible for intelligent grape buys and wine blends, who often leaves bargain buys in their wake.
le pigeon

How to Stay Sane in the Food and Beverage Industry

Restaurants and bar work is taxing to say the least but there are ways to keep your sanity both amid and way from the madness.
beer

Mushroom Beers Are a Thing. Here are 4 Worth Drinking

Winter means hibernation and delicious fungi and with mushroom beers you get to have your cake and eat (drink) it, too.
british sparking wine sparkling

Is British Sparkling Wine a Thing?

Thanks to climate change, the United Kingdom is becoming an unlikely sweet spot for growing and producing classic sparkling wine.
serbian wine guide

What You Need to Know About Serbian Wine

Serbia is an incredibly young Balkan nation with a rich wine history and is presently responsible for a growing number of interesting sippers.
Prince at the release of Purple Rain

Revisiting Classic Albums: Why Prince’s Purple Rain Was an Instant Classic

It's said that the only thing more popular than Reagan in 1984 was Prince and his glorious album/soundtrack, Purple Rain.
Keg wine from Settembre Cellars.

How Keg Wine Fits Into the Wine Landscape

Seemingly overshadowed by its boxed and canned brethren, keg wine is here and continues to be a great option for restaurants and wine bars.

What to Learn From Bartenders’ New Year’s Resolutions

With 2019 in the rearview mirror and 2020 freshly here, it's time to talk shop about trends and hopes for the drinks industry in the new decade.
wine glasses barrel

8 Second Labels From Top Wineries You Should Pay Attention To

The second label can reward imbibers with tremendous values from world-class producers all over the planet.
André Mack Maison Noir

Why Winemaking Is About More Than Making Wine

The modern wine industry requires much more than just a product, it demands relentless travel and a certain performance element.
Old Rasputin beer bottle pour

Why Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout Has Such Staying Power

Old Rasputin started in the mid-1990s and has gone on to become on of the best and more balanced imperial stouts in craft beer.
grasshopper cocktail drink

What’s a Grasshopper? A Closer Look at an Oft-Overlooked Drink

Created a little over a century ago in New Orleans, the Grasshopper is both the subject of great bar jokes and an eye-catching cocktail.
Portland Cider Company Sorta Sweet

How One Cidermaker Is Innovating to Stay Competitive in the Hard Seltzer Era

First, craft cider had to compete with wine and craft beer and now it's taking on hard seltzer, mixers, and a host of other trending beverages.
The Prada Marfa sculpture

The Magical Appeal of Marfa, Texas

The tiny west Texas town has become a creative retreat, artist and musician hangout, and destination for anybody looking for inspiration.
winter winemaking roles 3

After the Grapes Are Picked: Winter Winemaking Roles

Winter falls after harvest and before the next growing season but there's still plenty to do for today's winemaker.
detroit vineyards

A Quick and Easy Guide to Michigan Wine

Michigan is among the fastest growing wine-producing states in the country, increasingly known for Rieslings, Chardonnays, Cab Francs, and more.
club 33

Where to Drink At Popular Amusement Parks Around the Country

Amusement parks across the country have their share of watering holes for adults, none more famous or exclusive than Club 33 in Disneyland. Outside of Disneyland, many other theme parks have their own drinking establishments as well.
andy shauf

4 of Our Favorite Musicians’ Favorite Drinks

The stereotypical rock star drinks Jack Daniels but as this list of talented musicians suggests, the musician's favorite drink is often more sophisticated than that.
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Revisiting Classic Albums: Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan's 1965 release is a potent effort that took American folk into the burgeoning realm of rock 'n' roll, with priceless lyrics to boot.
Suzor Wines

5 Emerging West Coast Wineries You Need to Know

The West Coast is home to countless wine regions and talented winemakers, but these are some of the most noteworthy emerging labels.
white wine cellar aging

5 White Wine Varietals Worthy of Cellar Aging

We tend to think of red wines and port when we imagine cellaring bottles but these whites are proof that time can do great things to a lot of varietals.
Mars Volta performing

What Exactly Is Prog-Rock? We Break Down the Music Genre

Part rock 'n' roll, part anti-pop progressive mindset, Prog-Rock is the music genre you never knew you needed to expand your horizons.
Vinho Verde wine glass

Getting to Know Vinho Verde, Portugal’s Easy Wine Sipper

Vinho Verde is one of Portugal’s leading exports with bargains around every corner (many in the $10-$15 range).
what is muscadet white wine and oysters

What Is Muscadet? Uncapping the Ultimate Oyster Wine

Made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape native to the Loire, Muscadet is an oyster's very best friend.
Wine barrel in a field

The Tiny But Fascinating Realm of Irish Wine

It's about as small as they come, but the micro wine scene in Ireland punches above its weight in terms of intrigue.
nirvana bleach sub pop record vinyl

The 7 Most Influential Record Labels of All Time

From Blue Note to Sub Pop, the most influential record labels of all time helped create and recreate what we call music.
baboon

6 Craziest Vineyard Pests: Birds, Boars, and Baboons, Oh My!

Most often, it's small birds or bugs that wreak havoc in vineyards but because the wine world is so vast, there are some crazy pests out there.
miles davis playing music

How to Appreciate Jazz: A Beginner’s Guide

Jazz can be intimidating but the genre is a true American art form and something every listener can enjoy exploring.
Margherita pizza paired with red wine

9 Food and Wine Pairings for Quarantine

We're not dining out at the moment but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a good pairing between wine and what you've got in the house.
The Rise of eSports

The Rise of eSports and Online Competitive Gaming

With physical sports on hold due to the public health crisis, esports are becoming more popular than ever.
working from home kids screen time

How to Stay Sane Working From Home With Kids

Balancing work and play at home as a parent has never been more challenging but there are some methods to address the madness.
john prine

7 Songs by the Late, Great John Prine You Should Know

The music world lost one of its best in country-folk legend John Prine. His list of hits is a mile long, if not longer.
online resources kids parents

The Best Online Resources for Parents and Their Kids

It's hard being a parent and educator and entertainment source all at once, but these resources help tremendously.
food container recycle to go

How to Limit Waste While Social Distancing

With the pandemic in full swing, it's easy to forget about waste, but there are some things you can do to be more efficient.