Nothing gets a girl hotter than a sharp, trendsetter in the know on the latest Hip Sips . . .ok maybe a set of washboard abs and a Black Amex Card, but neither of those is readily available for under $50 bucks at the local corner liquor shop. So when you’re done cranking out crunches, and listing the bullsh*t jobs (ahem) I mean – “Valuable Work Experience” on your resume, run down to your nearest booze peddler, hold him down and force him to order these brands for your home bar. (more…)

Palinka – the Hungarian brandy. For a spirit to be classified as palinka, it must be made from a fruit based brandy – and it has to be damn strong. According to European Union official definitions, real palinka must be made in Hungary from ingredients grown in Hungary, and MUST be between 37.5-percent and 86-percent alcohol content.  (more…)

For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring a badass spirit from Europe that you might not know about. First up the big daddy of them all, Spirytus! There is a reason this stuff is barely legal anywhere but Poland…it has a whopping 96% (192 proof) alcohol content. (more…)

Drinking with friends at a party is fun. Solitary sipping can be a religious experience. Imbibing with complete strangers is an unsustainable pastime that typically morphs into one or the other of the aforementioned activities, depending on your charisma level.

For most serious drinkers, however, two is the perfect number. Think Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, Hemingway and Fitzgerald, Homer and Barney. Finding a friend who shares your likes (drinking), your dislikes (being sober), and who shares your ambitions (to get drunk) is one of life’s little joys. Who doesn’t like to while away the semi-comatose hours on a barstool, a set of bleachers, or a busted living-room sofa; secure in the knowledge that the person next to you will not be judging your excess consumption? That he will, in fact, spur you on to even greater achievement in the alcoholic arts?

If you haven’t found your drinking buddy yet, the following tips will help you find that certain special someone. If you know this person already, good for you! Read the list and smile knowingly as you and your DB knock back a shot for each simpatico trait you share. (more…)

A new report has linked alcohol consumption to one in 25 of all deaths worldwide. The study, conducted by a team from the University of Toronto, found that the average amount of alcohol consumed worldwide is 12 drinks-per-week. In the United States, that number jumps up to 17-per-week, whereas in the Middle East (where alcohol is widely banned) that number drops to 1.3. But Europe takes the award for biggest lushes, with a whopping 21.5 drinks-per-week. (more…)

For many drink enthusiasts, Scotch and Bourbon stand strongest at opposite ends of the “brown spirit” battlefield. To the West, the sweet punch to the face of Bourbon, America’s whiskey; to the East, Scotch whisky — a deep, smoky Highland warrior.

While plenty of whisky — or “whiskey,” take your pick — drinkers cross sides, most have their favorite kind. Far more, however, couldn’t tell the difference between a Maker’s Mark and a Johnnie Walker, or don’t realize there’s a difference in the first place.

If you’re only experience with drinking whisk(e)y involves a chaser, you’re doing it wrong. Not that shots suck (never would I say such a thing), but they do limit the drinking experience to “not drunk” and “drunk,” without leaving room for a bit of beverage enjoyment – you know, tasting the whisky, not just washing it down.

Between that and not knowing where to start among the thousands of different whiskeys, it doesn’t seem worth the effort when alcohol still works, regardless of what you know.

But with a little bit of knowledge, a whole new world of drinking is opened up to you. Plus, people will think you’re smart. Here’s how to spot the differences and appreciate Scotch and Bourbon alike. (more…)

Hell yes, it’s time to do some drinkin’! You’re showered, dressed to the nines and you’ve got zero responsibilities before 2PM the next day. But before you start downing pints, it might be a good idea to get a little preview of what you’re alcoholic evening is going to look like. Here we’ve detailed the five stages of a drunken night, and needless to say, it doesn’t end pretty. But so what? You’re drunk! (more…)

Prepare to have your mind blow: According to a new study, beer hydrates better than water! You heard that right – beer, glorious beer, is better at rehydrating the body than water. This is almost as good as finding out that money does grow on trees or that your uncle didn’t really touch you when you were seven. (more…)

When talking about olden times, people often  fail to mention that at the time, people apparently did tons of hardcore drugs. But it’s not like they could help it – everything from booze to pot to heroin to Quaaludes were the special ingredients in everyday remedies. Seriously – the whole thing was like a g*ddamn Phish concert.

Check out this awesome collection of old school ‘medicine’ ads here!

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo – and anyone with access to alcohol is going to be celebrating the beautiful tradition of getting wasted off their ass, Mexico-style. So to give you an idea of what you’re in for, we’re re-posting my first-hand experience with the joys hazards of downing a little too much of the Mexican liquor:

Everyone I’ve ever met has a dark past with tequila. Just the mention of it makes their face go sour–the shots, the smell, the blinding drunk, and a hellacious hangover the next morning. For some reason, I am not one of those people. But after my family vacation to Mexico last week, I learned a bit about another South-of-the-Border brew: Mezcal.

Like tequila (which is actually a type of mezcal), mezcal is made from agave, a cactus-like plant, native to Mexico. Mezcals are often aged, in oak barrels, for two months to seven years, giving the alcohol a brown coloration and woody flavor, but are available un-aged and clear.

Connoisseurs will tell you the best mezcals come from the Mexican state of Oaxaca (wah-hock-ah). To fully enjoy the complexities of this subtle liquor, go to the city of Oaxaca, the state’s capital, who’s colonial architecture and friendly people only add to the liquor’s historic mystic. And also serves as the perfect setting to get way, way too drunk. Read More »