Even avid bar-goers have sipped them, read about them in ingredient lists and enjoyed them without quite knowing what they are. Angostura Bitters, while common in cocktails, can be a mystery. Well no longer! more ›

Two hundred and five years ago to the day, the first known description of the Cocktail appeared in print. The publication: The Balance and Columbian Repository. The recipe: "...a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters..." The Museum of the American Cocktail has commemorated the appearance of this fateful passage by deeming May 13 World Cocktail Day. And that is what we call a great excuse to have a drink. more ›

Chicagoist got a tip on Friday from a loyal reader named Diana who got to drink at the not-yet-opened Aviary, Grant Achatz's newfangled cocktail-gastronomy concept on W. Fulton. They were wandering around the area, looking for a bar and saw a likely looking spot. Turned out it was a dry run for servers at The Aviary, and the staff let them stay and try a drink! We checked, and the liquor and restaurant licenses for Next were issued on Friday, so it was even nice and legal. Full details post haste. more ›

Read an interesting article in Malt Advocate over the weekend. The theme of the story was about whisky (natch); specifically, the rise of "testosterone overload" in today's whisky drinker. A well-crafted whisky-based cocktail — or even cutting a dram with some water — has been largely pushed aside in favor of straight shots these days. There was once a time when sweeter, whisky-based cocktails were commonplace. more ›