About 35 guests gathered at The Broken Shaker last night to watch as ten Miami bartenders competed in the 2012 Mix It Up Mixology Challenge. This competition weeds out nine other bartenders and sends the winner to compete nationally in New York.After a rather long introductory spiel, the bartenders got…
Jason Ibarra and Fulbio Parodi know that Miami restaurants make huge profits on alcohol. So they recently formed Halfoffdrinks.com, a site devoted solely to discounted drinks and bar bites.Ibarra says he and his partner came up with the site after following mega deal sites like Groupon and Living Social –…
When you’re putting together an invite list for a wild party, you don’t necessarily think of those people you know with the most gravitas. And so as the mixologist-led nightlife cocktail craze swept the nation, Rémy Martin, producer of sophisticated Fine Champagne Cognac since 1724, found itself on the outside…
Miami has never been known as a beer town — but maybe having MillerCoors, the company known for beer brands such as Miller, Coors Light, and Corona, move its Latin American headquarters from Bogota, Colombia, to Miami, could change that perception. Miller will transfer 50 to 70 corporate employees from…
Schnebly’s Redland Winery and Brewery has a fine reputation for making tropical fruit-flavored wines and beers, but now the owners are building on-site brewing equipment. Having garnered a distribution license, the place is set to become Miami’s first real brewery in one month, says Joe Reyes, director of marketing for…
Mike Hampton, dean of the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University, confirmed that a new research microbrewery will be built at FIU’s Biscayne Bay campus in North Miami Beach. The new facility will replace the current classroom and laboratory used for HFT 3864 and 3864L…
Once upon a time (fifty years ago) the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group began inviting various winemakers to share new labels and limited releases with their dedicated business driven lunch crowd. Obviously those guys enjoyed their vino, because the event was a such a hit that they are now celebrating…
Jarrod Verbiak of db Bistro Moderne is a talented toque; his recent James Beard nomination as Rising Star Chef of the Year only serves as a prestigious confirmation of this. Dining at db Bistro, in other words, is always likely to yield a wonderful culinary experience. But it’s not every…
It happens every once in a while. A mystery box arrives from a PR firm, usually introducing a new product or book. We’ve gotten coffee, coconut water, red wine vinegar, and cupcakes, to name a few. But even I was surprised when the UPS guy arrived recently with two mason…
The Essensia Lounge, the speakeasy portion of The Palms Hotel & Spa, has a new happy hour tailored specifically for local sommeliers: Uncorked & Unplugged Thursdays, half off wines by the glass and bottles beginning this Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.Ok, that’s great, but what’s so great about it?…
You only get the chance to run a leap year special once every four years, so it’s surprising more places don’t do so. Area 31 is getting into the action by offering 29 different bottles of wine at $29 apiece for leap day only — and that’s tonight. The $29…
Those eyes, that charm, and that voice. Yes, Antonio Banderas has spent decades making hearts pitter patter but the movie star has proven equally successful at his latest endeavor, wine maker. Antonio is in Miami this weekend introducing his Anta Banderas wines during the annual South Beach Wine and Food…
After closing its doors a few times, coming back and coming back again, Abbey Brewing Co. is back (again) — and this time it’s better (and bigger!) than ever.Saturday they opened their doors to reveal the new and improved interior. A bigger space, communal tables, and little “gnome” stools are…
Now here’s a place where the worlds of booze-pounding college apes and hot moms converge: The Goose Lounge, a new bar that will feature a rotating microbrew and wine menu, opens tomorrow in Coconut Grove. The beer menu will have 50+ microbrews from all over the world, as well as…
The Miami Wine & Spirits Expo will hold its second annual shindig at the Miami Beach Convention Center from Friday, February 24 through Monday, February 27 — the same weekend as the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. And this year, Victor Passalacqua, the Culinary and Special Events Director, is…
We’re squealing with glee! The Federal Food Drink & Provisions graced us with the news that they’re opening for lunch starting February 20 (buffalo pig wings for lunch and dinner, yes please!) and adding midnight happy hour!We’re talking specialty vermouth, sherry, and low-alc spirits for the Fed’s late night happy…
The Super Bowl was amazing. The Giants won, Madonna pouted, and you partied…and partied…and partied.Now it’s Monday morning and you’re feeling like something fished out of a drain. You overindulged and now you’re paying the price. You could call in sick but your sadistic boss set up a sales meeting…
Heads up happy hour hunters! Ever thought of stimulating your mind with a little art while sipping on your happy hour beverage of choice? You can do both at Brickell’s Hotel Urbano.They’ve just launched “Picasso’s Happy Hour” in celebration of their partnership with Art Fusion Galleries in Miami. For the…
The craft beer movement has produced some surprising side effects for the brewery world; suddenly blueberries, cherries and chocolate are considered hops-friendly ingredients, giving beer a whole new aisle in your local liquor store. In fact, beer is so user friendly with food these days, we are thinking that a…
From the time Rollin Soles first laid eyes on Willamette (rhymes with dammit) Valley in 1979, he “fell totally in love with the place.” By 1987, “feeling like one lucky cowboy,” the Texan-bred Soles started Argyle Winery (joined soon after by partner Allen Holstein). Argyle’s first Chardonnay landed on Wine…
During a preview last night of The Broken Shaker, Miami’s first pop-up bar located at the Indian Creek Hotel, I became convinced of one thing: it’s a shame this place will only be around for six months. You’ll discover the same thing during the official grand opening on February 2.There’s…
You may have seen it the last time you went out clubbing or bar hopping; the sleek little cans of Mercy have slowly been making their way into the nooks and crannies of Miami’s night scene since May 2011. According to Mercy’s makers, it’s a beverage that supposedly helps prevent hangovers…
