Drinks, Cocktails & Likör
The Champagne Sabotage Madame Clicquot’s Love for Iced Champagne Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, the trailblazing widow who propelled Veuve Clicquot to global fame, didn’t just revolutionize Champagne production—she savored her creation with a distinctive flair:...
Drinks, Cocktails & Likör
Old Fashioned The Origins and History of the Old Fashioned Cocktail The Old Fashioned is a cornerstone of American mixology, embodying simplicity, balance, and tradition. As one of the oldest cocktails still widely enjoyed today, it connects us directly to the early...
Moonshine, North American Distilling, Prohibition
Heifer Heels A Prohibition-Era Smuggling Tactic The term “heifer heels” is a fascinating part of Appalachian folklore, tied to the moonshine smuggling methods of the Prohibition era. It’s a term that conjures images of resourceful bootleggers moving their contraband...
Drinks, Cocktails & Likör
The Origins of Rum Punch How the Caribbean’s Boldest Spirit Conquered Colonial Punch Bowls Rum punch is more than a refreshing cocktail; it’s a product of seafaring necessity, sugar-driven economies, and global cultural exchange. Born in the early days of...
Drinking Gods, Myths & Fairytales
Walpurgis Night Witches, Brooms, and Spirits at House Of Applejay St. Walpurgis Night, or Walpurgisnacht, falls on April 30th, a festive evening tied to the feast day of Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century English missionary. Celebrated on the eve of May Day, it’s a night...
Distilling & Drinking History Blog, Early History
The Wine Of Philosophers Alchemy, Transformation, and Timeless Symbolism The concept of the “wine of philosophers” is steeped in the rich traditions of alchemy, mysticism, and the pursuit of wisdom. Far beyond its literal meaning as a drink, it symbolized...
Distilling & Drinking History Blog
The Beer Pipeline of Bruges The Beer Pipeline of Brouwerij De Halve Maan It sounds like a myth—a fantastical tale of beer flowing beneath cobblestone streets—but it’s not. In the heart of the medieval city of Bruges, Belgium, where centuries-old architecture meets a...
