Derek Brown

If spirits writers and apocalyptic cults are right and the world actually ends in 2012, it will be because of the new wave of flavored vodkas that evoke a stream of childhood memories.… More »

If, as the CDC suggests in a new report, binge drinking leads to violence, spread of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, and risky behavior, then why am I doing just fine?… More »

The cocktail as a culinary trend has not yet peaked. There are no longer 10 great drinks or 10 best bartenders; there are hundreds. But here, a handful to get you started in 2012.… More »

Consider dark rum the great appeaser. It can be mixed and matched until you have a drink anybody in your family will be able to enjoy.… More »

Before gin was gin, it was genever—the original, Dutch version. A gin-loving bartender on the history of a favorite spirit.… More »

The Ubermensch, the Know-Nothing, the Cheapskate, and other types of reviewers to avoid in the dark alleys of Yelp… More »

As the master of sonnets put it, alcohol improves desire, but hinders lovemaking. Unless you drink vermouth.… More »

The food world is experimenting with the sweet, colorful liquid left in cereal bowls everywhere—but the trend isn't all that new… More »

Too many drinks can make you forget—but that doesn't mean they're turning what's inside beer helmets everywhere to mush… More »

Long cherished by perfume makers, ambergris, a substance produced by sperm whales, is musky, expensive, and the focus of a burgeoning cocktail trend… More »

To usher in the new year, our bartender offers concrete proof that it's good to be a night owl—and not a teetotaler… More »

As interest in mixology has surged, it has only become harder to distinguish oneself as a bartender. These 5 pros succeeded.… More »

Our mixologist rails against his least favorite customers: pretentious, persnickety drinkers who can't make up their minds… More »

Traditional mulled cider, apples or pears with sparkling wine and herbs, and a little-known drink that sounds like a summer beverage but is good year-round: the Sangaree… More »

Eleanor Holmes Norton 1, Stephen Colbert 0. How the TV personality missed his chance to taste the fire known as Norton's Revenge.… More »

A study suggests that a preference for sweet wine and Appletinis is genetic—and that fans shouldn't be discriminated against… More »

An ode to the elegance and versatility of apple brandy, from a bartender who has been longing for the return of its season… More »

This apple brandy-based drink is ideal for fall. Consume with or without a scarf.… More »

Trendy cocktail bars are okay, but the best places for cocktails are just neighborhood joints that have been making them for years. So which spots are your favorites?… More »

Bartenders don't just mix drinks. They also settle intellectual disputes—or at least they did before smartphones.… More »