Author: Camper English
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2026 New Drink Books
Here are new rocktails and spirits (and a few other) books out or coming out in 2026.
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Photos from 1906 Earthquake Anniversary Tour
On Saturday, April 18, we marked the date of the 120th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire that destroyed about 80% of the city. I partnered with Argonaut California Brandy and we stopped into three bars (my usual tour only stops inside one) for cocktails and light snacks. It was a great…
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Additives in Spirits: Does Caramel Count?
I wrote a story for AlcoholProfessor.com about additives in rum. The initial point of the story was that the term “additive-free” has become charged due to its use in the tequila industry, and now the term is spilling over into rum. I learned in the process of reporting the story that some brands have used…
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How to Make an 8 Layer Pousse-Cafe in Under a Minute
For AlcoholProfessor.com I wrote a story about the Pousse-Cafe, they layered drink that many of us have seen but never tried. I have never had one! I wrote a bit about the history, but the real bang for your buck is learning how Jack Sotti and his team at Archive & Myth in London have…
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Hotaling Closes Junipero Distillery
I’m very late on reposting this to my website, but in February I wrote about the closing of the distillery on Pier 50 in San Francisco where Hotaling & Co produces Junipero gin. Read it here in the San Francisco Chronicle. (paywall)
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Using Vinegar in Cocktails
I wrote a story for VinegarProfessor, sister site to AlcoholProfessor, about using vinegar in cocktails. It contains some very good advice from several bartenders. You can read it here.
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The Old Fashioned and the Champagne Cocktail are the Same Drink
Well, more or less. In my latest for Food & Wine, I trace the origin of both drinks and how they each deviated from the original Cocktail. Read it here.
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The Cheap Cooler Was the Best Cooler
Unless you’re an extreme ice nerd like me, you probably don’t know that hard sided cooler manufacturers change their models. The first cooler I used to create clear ice was discontinued, but I was able to switch to a similar model .I think the Coleman Party Stacker line went away, and maybe a small model…