Oct 29, 2019 | Craft Cider |
I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit of a nut job when it comes to Thanksgiving. I’m talking planning and cooking the perfect menu for days, joyfully! In the past Thanksgiving has been all about beer (both for my amaze-balls turkey brine* and the football) and... 
Oct 24, 2019 | Craft Cider |
Those of you who have been following our ongoing cider series know that I fell hard for this wonderful fermented apple drink back in San Sebastían, Spain in 2001. It’s been a roller-coaster romance of deliciousness since that very first sip of Basque cider. I... 
Oct 17, 2019 | Craft Alcohol Map, Craft Cider |
Geography Time! Cider is like a wine: the terroir, temperature, and the apples themselves create a unique, regional profile. This makes the many ciders of the world unique because you aren’t simply drinking fermented apple juice, but you’re drinking a local tradition... 
Oct 3, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
All right Crafty Cask scientists, in today’s lesson we’re talking vodka. Since we spent our college days spiking our juice or having gummy bear-infused shots, vodka tends to get a bad rap. Even our founder used to say (proudly, I’ll add) that “she... 
Sep 30, 2019 | Craft Sake |
You’ve made it! We’re finishing up our journey into the Japanese tradition of sake making with this third piece in our series. In our first piece we talked about the four critical components of premium sake…rice, water, koji and yeast. Then we dove... 
Sep 24, 2019 | Craft Sake |
In our previous romp with Sake, we explored what sake is. Now let’s move on to the how. While sake’s ingredients are simple and pure the process tends to be a bit more, shall we say, involved. If you are drinking sake, you are drinking something that has... 
Sep 17, 2019 | Craft Sake |
Like many Americans, we have to admit we’ve taken part in the cheap thrill of “sake bombing.” For a lot of people it’s the first, and sometimes only, introduction they have to sake. You know, yelling the only Japanese word one may know, while... 
Sep 16, 2019 | Craft Beer |
Today we’re having a little extra fun and trying to answered all the off the wall questions a beer fan could have. One of which being, how many bottles in a case of beer? So, between an evening at the pub, a serious beer pong tournament or those all important... 
Sep 10, 2019 | Craft Alcohol Map, Craft Spirits, Profile |
Photo Credits: Silver Tree Beer & Spirits Interested in getting your own feature on The Crafty Cask? Click here. Brothers are often grouped in stereotypes steeped in competitive behavior. Add booze? You may have a brawl on your hands. Luckily this is not the case... 
Sep 5, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
One of our missions at The Crafty Cask is to help educate and inform…but in a casual, fun way. Meaning no highly technical speak, but instead like we’re talking to a friend. Since many of our “How It’s Made” articles have the spirit... 
Sep 3, 2019 | Craft Wine |
When the topic at hand has a storied history including fossilized grape vines 60 million years old, mentions in the original Old Testament and a wine jar found in modern-day Iran dating back to 6,000 B.C. it’s understandably a little tricky to truly pin down the... 
Aug 22, 2019 | Craft Spirits, Editorial |
We all know it. When it comes to alcohol the word ‘craft’ is often misused, misunderstood and misrepresented. The world of distilling might honestly be the most confusing of all. Why? Well, because there are a lot of different ways to get that liquid in... 
Aug 20, 2019 | Craft Alcohol Map, Craft Spirits, Profile |
Sometimes you just get lucky. You’re out of town, staying in a hotel, have a few hours to kill and want to nourish your passion for all things epicurean by finding something off the beaten path to explore and learn about. A short 15 minute walk later and you... 
Aug 8, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Summer is in full swing! If you’re like most people that means you’ve likely been drinking a lot of white wine and rosé lately. Sometimes you can fall into a bit of a rut, ordering the same Sauv Blanc every time you see it and not exploring new wines... 
Aug 6, 2019 | Craft Beer |
Why am I jumping around and singing hip hop? We get to talk about a delightful beer that leaves you with a hoppy kick with every sip. India Pale Ales are a polarizing beer at the outset… it often seems like people either love them or hate them. Today we’re... 
Aug 1, 2019 | Craft Mead, Profile |
Picture this…one day you’re sitting at home and you get a phone call from some friends. Two brothers who have been making mead for fun for a while. When you pick up the phone they present you with this…hey man, let’s open up a meadery! Um,... 
Jul 30, 2019 | Craft Mead |
What Is Mead? Introduction, Brief History & Making Process Whiskey, check, vodka, sure, beer, you bet! But when it comes to venturing into the subculture of alcohol that steps past these norms, one may meet the drink of times past (and hopefully times present!)... 
Jul 25, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
What Is Mezcal & What Is It Made From? Let me guess, when I say mezcal you think smoke bomb. We’ve all had one too many craft cocktails featuring mezcal that sound delicious, but deliver a smoky BBQ pit in your mouth. Where’s the grapefruit? The thyme? All of... 
Jul 22, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
A Guide to the Different Types of Tequila & How They Are Made Making memories over handcrafted drinks opens the door to a whole new world of fascination with the elements used to create them. Over time, I’ve learned that sipping a margarita lakeside warms my... 
Jul 18, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Today we’re talking all about one of Suzanne’s absolute favorites…orange wine! Haven’t heard of them or tried them? Don’t worry, you’re in the majority. While orange wines have been around since the beginnings of wine they are... 
Jul 16, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Let me take a wild guess here…you’ve heard of rosé. I mean between all of the #roséallday #drinkpink and #yeswayrosé, how could you have missed it? Rosé has been hotter than hot for a few years now and with summer in full-swing it’s in it’s... 
Jul 15, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
When one thinks of a tipple in France there are a couple of drinks that come to mind, well, that certainly do for me. French champagne for example or Crème de Cassis, cider from Normandy, wine from the Cotes de Rhone and even white Vermouth. But, rum? Rum definitely... 
Jul 7, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
Part 4 of our 5 part series on Rum. The Different Types of Rum We’re finishing up our current mission to get you on the rum train with a nice, easy overview of the different styles. How else are you going to know what to start drinking? I mean it people…I... 
Jul 6, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
🥃 Part 3 of a 4 part series on Rum. We’re winding down our rum series with this week’s video all about New England rum history and a few of our favorites from the region. Check out the rest of our rum content here to get you ready to jump on the rum train... 
Jul 2, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
Part 2 of our 4 part series on Rum. A Brief History of Rum Facts & Origins of Rum, Your New Favorite Spirit! The story behind a spirit is often the most fascinating part of drinking. Not only do you get to sip on a delicious beverage, but you are able to be... 
Jun 24, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
Part 1 of a 4 part series on Rum. What Is Rum Made From? Production, Styles & Characteristics… Let me be the first to say, rum is going to be the next whiskey! Ok, maybe I’m not the first to say that. But I’ve been saying it a lot lately and plan... 
Jun 19, 2019 | Craft Cider |
Where to Buy Spanish Cider We’ve been teasing and tantilizing you with all of this content about Asturian Sidra, haven’t we? #sorrynotsorry In all honesty though, that’s often the hardest part of our job…discovering all of these great craft... 
Jun 18, 2019 | Craft Cider |
Become Expert in Asturian Cider Pouring! So you’ve taken our advice and are headed to Asturias! You’re welcome. If you’re headed to this amazing region you’re going to be drinking a lot of sidra, or cider! And I mean a lot. While this may seem like a straight forward... 
Jun 12, 2019 | Craft Cider |
Things to do in Asturias? Taste the Asturian Cider! What can I say about Asturias, Spain to convince you to visit? Let’s not pull any punches…that is the goal of this article. Why? It’s pretty simple. Asturias is incredible and a real hidden gem from most people... 
Jun 10, 2019 | Craft Cider, Editorial |
Why I Love Spanish Cider As I’m sure you’ve all noticed we tend to be a little obsessed with Cider here! Why? Well, honestly my very first cider experience is partially responsible for me founding The Crafty Cask almost 20 years later, so I have a slight... 
Jun 7, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
If you’ve read our Simple History of Gin and Kick Off Your Gin Love Affair you likely already have a fairly decent grasp of what gin is and a few of our favorite bottles to get you started. But, before we get into the grit of how this fabulous botanical-infused staple... 
Jun 3, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
Where does cognac come from? Sometimes I just can’t let sleeping dogs lie. I’m one of those annoying people that need to know what goes on behind the scenes. I’ve found myself enjoying cognac a bit more than usual lately – but my satisfaction doesn’t stop there. I... 
Jun 1, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Welcome back to our exploration of the Rogue Valley – Oregon’s undiscovered wine country. In our last article we gave a history of the Rogue Valley Wine Region and a rundown of the geography and climate. In this article we are going wine tasting in the Rogue... 
May 28, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Photo Credit: Stefan CwikWhen Oregon wine comes up in conversation it's almost always focused on the famous Willamette Valley of Northern Oregon. Known for its world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this region has rivaled Burgundy in the quality of the wine, so... 
May 22, 2019 | Craft Wine |
What Is Wine? What have you, been living under a rock?! Maybe you’ve just turned 18? I’m not even going to be naïve and say 21. I tease, I tease. All right, I get it…sometimes we need a little high-level refresher course on the things we love the most, so join... 
May 21, 2019 | Craft Beer, Craft Spirits, Profile |
The Ultimate Guide to Boston Harbor Distillery When I went to Boston Harbor Distillery, it was frigid and New England was cleaning up from its first major snow storm of the year. I would say a perfect time to warm-up with excellent spirits. For the history buffs who... 
May 16, 2019 | Craft Beer, Craft Spirits |
We just love the trend of turning craft beer into craft whiskey and are thrilled to see that it’s really starting to take off! It creates super complex and deliciously different whiskies that you should definitely be keeping an eye out for when shopping and... 
May 14, 2019 | Craft Beer, Craft Spirits, Profile |
Whiskey. Just the idea of it lends to feelings of sophistication, perhaps in a silk robe beside a roaring fire. But what sets silk robe flavor apart from sweatpants swill? The answer is in the craft. Seven Stills Distillery and Brewery of San Francisco chooses to... 
May 7, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
From innovative artists to scientific explorers – BigFish Spirits celebrates the stories of women in craft distilling. Our friends over at BigFish Spirits, a distribution company focused on craft spirits and currently serving all of IL with plans to expand, recently... 
May 3, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Part 6 of a 6 part series on Mendoza, Argentina Picking one producer to highlight for a series like this 6-part series on Mendoza is often very hard to do. So much so, that I’ll usually end up abandoning the thought and will instead write multiple articles or a... 
May 2, 2019 | Craft Alcohol Map, Craft Spirits |
Part 5 of a 6 part series on Mendoza, Argentina I became slightly obsessed…okay REALLY obsessed with Fernet & Coke on my recent trip to Argentina. And it’s continued now that I’m back in the States, so I thought I’d share that little... 
Apr 30, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Part 4 of a 6 part series on Mendoza, Argentina Concrete eggs are all the rage in winemaking these days…particularly in the United States where it’s a newer phenomenon and still not widely seen. While that may lead many of us to believe it’s a newer innovation in... 
Apr 25, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Part 3 of a 6 part series on Mendoza, Argentina In a land far, far away and hundreds of years ago. Ha ha. Ok, we’re not quite going for THAT kind of story. But we are talking about Argentinean wine, back in the late 1500s. Yep. They’ve been making wine... 
Apr 22, 2019 | Craft Alcohol Map, Craft Wine |
? Part 2 of a 6 part series on Mendoza, Argentina Today we’re talking all about Torrontés wine! Never heard of it? Honestly, when I first arrived in Argentina I didn’t know a ton about it either but I’ve found that this little “liar wine”... 
Apr 18, 2019 | Craft Wine |
Part 1 of a 6 part series on the Mendoza Wine Region, Argentina I’ve been to a lot of wine regions over the years…so many in fact that I can easily say that my home wine region of Northern California is barely in my top 3. Who’s firmly in first place... 
Apr 16, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
Our poor, old friend Gin. We’ve been drinking it since the 1500s but throughout it’s history it’s battled a major perception issue. Namely that it tastes bad. Are you one of those people who think this? If so, join us as we take a little jaunt through the origin of... 
Apr 10, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
All right, you’ve read our article on the poor, sad history of Craft Gin and you now understand why it has lost the popularity contest among spirits for so long, at least here in the states. You’ve also gotten yourself a nice little primer on how gin is made and... 
Apr 8, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
Welcome to Part 2 of What is The Best American Whiskey. In the first article in this series we poked a little fun at the idea of anyone being able to tell you what the best of anything is unless they have your palette. In that article, we taught you how to properly... 
Apr 4, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
What is the best American whiskey? It's fascinating that so many people ask me, friends or their trusty "siri" or "ok google" for the best American Whiskey everyday. That, and "best bourbon," "best rye," and so many other... 
Mar 31, 2019 | Craft Spirits |
Whiskey 101: We sip it slowly, we mix it into cocktails, some of us toss it back, and some of us don’t go near the stuff. But if you’re down with that cold hard brown, then you may not realize the scientific miracle that resides in your glass. The Crafty... 
