312 Dining Diva noted yesterday that Southern Wine & Spirits' Bridget Albert was named the official mixologist of Redbook magazine. A protege of "Modern Mixologist" Tony Abou Ganim, Albert is one of the cocktailers most responsible for the current mixed drink craze around town with her focus on market fresh ingredients and premium spirits. more ›

Wirtz Beverage Group scored a major coup by acquiring Bacardi and its associated brands (including Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose vodka and Dewar's scotch) from Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois. Terms of the deal haven't been disclosed, but Bacardi wouldn't have jumped ship unless Wirtz offered them a lot of money to do so. more ›

His Elective Majesty and the Illinois Restaurant Association trotted out some of the city's best chefs and sommeliers yesterday to announce the second annual Chicago Gourmet festival, taking place September 26-27. Reader reporter Julia Thiel noted that the IRA is looking to atone for last year's inaugural edition, which was heavy on the wine and spirits. And that's an understatement. more ›

Cocktail books are everywhere. Every time we walk into a big discount bookstore, the bargain bin is full of books with titles like “The Drunken Idiot Barman’s Encyclopedia of Cheap Spirits” (or something like that) with 1000 not-very-precise recipes and uninspiring photography. The cocktail books that we bring home with us show off the character and ideas of a single mixologist, with a few innovative new recipes combined with the best of the old favorites. Bridget Albert has created just such a book in “Market-Fresh Mixology: Cocktails for Every Season”and we’ve been working our way through the drinks in the book just as fast as we could. more ›

You'd think that, writing for a large blog, we'd be able to keep up with RSS feeds and tips. So how the Chicago chapter of the Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails went past our head is beyond us. Should've known that Sonja Kassebaum of North Shore Distillery was the mastermind behind this. Currently, LUPEC Chicago has nine members, including Master Mixologist Bridget Albert of Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois. more ›

The annual Windy City Wine Festival, presented by Binny's Beverage Depot, takes place tonight and tomorrow at Daley Bicentennial Plaza downtown. We've never been overly impressed by the festival, but taking a look at the cooking and wine exhibitions scheduled we might be swayed to drop by. more ›