Alcademics

Category: camper_clips

  • Cool Factor: Cocktail Coolers in the LA Times Magazine

    For my latest feature in the LA Times Magazine, I asked bartenders from warm-weather cities to share their recipes for cool cocktails.

    The bartenders are Larry Rice from Louisville, Bobby Heugel from Houston, Erik Simpkins from Atlanta, Todd Thrasher from Alexandria, Anthony Schmidt from San Diego, Rhiannon Enlil from New Orleans, and Michael Shearin from Los Angeles.

    Latm coolerss1(Photography by Bartholomew Cooke for LA Times Magazine)

    Cool Factor
    The Dog Days Just Howl for Long, Tall, Cold Libations
    By Camper English 

    Different times of the day, changing atmospheric conditions and succeeding meal courses all call for a specific type of cocktail. But it’s the sweltering days and lasting sunlight of August that compel us to seek coolers replete with ice. We asked some of the America’s best bartenders based in warmer climes for a drink to chill us out, and their picks make use of a variety of methods and flavors to accomplish this task, from shaved ice and coconut milk to cucumbers and mint—even a splash of light beer. Cheers!

    Go here for the recipes!

    Latm coolers2
    (Photography by Bartholomew Cooke for LA Times Magazine)

  • Alcademics Wins a Best of the Bay Award

    This is turning into a pretty good month. Alcademics was just given a Best of the Bay Award in the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

     

    Best of the bay 2011 cover

    BEST LIQUOR LOWDOWN

    Why is it that we like to read about food and drink so much on the Web? In no other Internet area, except maybe porn, is the meeting of the weightlessly virtual and the essentially physical so addictively fruitful. And while crackerjack local liquor expert Camper English's Alcademics site doesn't tear off your panties with glossy cocktail shots, his entertainingly detailed descriptions of the latest drool-worthy liquors will have you practically licking your screen. Over the past four years — besides visiting more than 70 distilleries, blending houses, and bodegas in 14 countries — Alcademics has helped refine the Bay Area's cocktail-blogging niche with some much-needed worldliness and a willingness to look deeper at what's in our highball. (English's degree in physics helps here.) Now you can drink to feel smarter!

    www.alcademics.com

     Thanks SFBG! All the awards are here.

  • Camper English Wins Best Cocktail Author at Tales

    Camper English TOTC Best Writer Award 2011

    I'll post more when I can get to a computer (I lost my power cord) so long story short: Hooray for Me!

    I win the best non-book cocktail author award last night at Tales of the Cocktail.

    That is awesome.

  • Tequila is the New Vodka; Tequila is the New Scotch in LA Times Magazine

    I've brought up one side of this topic before here on Alcademics, but now both sides are in a magazine.

    In today's Los Angeles Times Magazine I have a story on tequila, looking at how brands are being produced and marketed – some like vodka; others like scotch. 

    As our preference for 100 percent agave tequila grows, it’s no surprise that brands are now popping up to take advantage of that trend. But what is really interesting are the niches tequila is carving out: Some are being bottled in sleek vessels complete with the same marketing and mystique that seems to be inspired by premium vodkas, while other new tequilas are promoting the artisanal, historical and romantic notions of the agave spirit, akin to scotch whisky—even if the brands were created within the last week.

    It's a whopping 1,000 word story. Please give it a read and let me know what you think. 

    Tequilastoryphoto
    (Photo: BRIAN LEATART for LA Times Magazine)

  • Camper English: Penthouse Model

    In the June issue of Penthouse, I have a travel story about my trip with Dos Equis to Playa Del Carmen. You can read the original posts here on Alcademics in part one, part two, and part three.  

    PenthouseJungleHuntJune2011Page1S

    I've written for Penthouse previously, but this is the first time I've appeared in its pages as a super sexy model. Check me out!

    PenthouseJungleHuntJune2011Page2S

    Hot stuff, right? 

  • In Which I Blather On About…

    …cocktail snobs versus geeks, micro and macro trends in cocktails, what drinks win cocktail contests, why I'm not sick of speakeasies, and much, much more.

    Read this interview with me on Mix Pour Sip.

    Camper english mix pour sipS

  • The SF Chronicle’s 2011 Bar Stars

    The SF Chronicle has announced the 2011 Bar Stars, bartenders who deserve special recognition. The introduction by Wine Editor Jon Bonne is here.

    The Bar Stars are:

    Click the links for the write-ups on each bartender.

    Morganyoung
    (Photo by Russell Yip/SF Chronicle.)

  • Good on Toast, Great in Drinks

    Balsamic2
    (Photo courtesy of That's My Jamm)

    David Ruiz of Mr. Smith's makes jams and preserves just for cocktails. I wrote about it with a quick note about jam in cocktails historically, and in which bar you can find a mezcal drink with strawberry-raspberry-jabanero jam. Yumz.

    Read about That's My Jamm on Tasting Table. The story is here.

     

  • Slow Bars Getting Faster, Fast Bars Getting Better

    In my story in this Sunday's SF Chronicle, I discuss some ways that cocktail bars are trying to build drinks faster, and how nightclub-type spaces are trying to make better quality cocktails without slowing down.

    In theory, we appreciate the extra time and effort bartenders spend on their cocktails – using exact measures of ingredients, thorough shaking or long stirring, and general attention to detail.

    But alas, reality.

    "People are becoming more accepting of waiting for quality cocktails, but I don't think anybody really wants to wait for anything at all, ever," says Justin Lew.

    The story includes mention of how they do it at The Wilson, the Hideout at Dalva, Azul, Rye, and Rickhouse.

    Michael Callahan kills it with the end quote. Put it in your brain here. 

    Callahan
     (Photo: Alex Washburn / The Chronicle)

  • Working With Beverage Bloggers: DOs and DON’Ts

    The other day I gave a talk on social media at the WSWA convention in Orlando. The audience was mostly distributors, brand owners, and PR professionals.

    We had five people on the panel and just an hour to to talk, so naturally I was the last one to speak and we were already over our allotted time in the room. I had to make it fast so I condensed a ten-minute talk into about three minutes, which is longer than it will take you to read the rough outline of my talk below.

    Working With Cocktail Bloggers: DOs and DON'Ts

    DON'Ts

    1. Don't call, unless you are asked to call. 
    2. Don't send packages without your information or sell sheet. Mystery booze is nice but won't help you get press.
    3. Don't treat every blogger the same. The National Enquirer isn’t the same as Cat Fancy; it's the same way with blogs. Different bloggers publish different sorts of content- one person may review your blueberry vodka, another may publish recipes with it, and another might write an industry trend piece about the rise in berry flavors. Familiarize yourself with the top blogs and pitch accordingly.
    4. Don't think a blogger is obligated to write about your product just because you sent a sample or a recipe. Instead of following-up with “When will you be posting?”  try: “I hope you enjoyed the sample. Is there anything I can provide you with?” (Also, bloggers aren't obliged to respond to emails- we're busy too.)
    5. Don't block access to information. If a blogger has a question that only the master distiller can answer, do your best to get that answer. Be a conduit for information, not a roadblock.

    DOs

    1. Do create shareable content and shareable media, and give it away. Shareable content includes brand histories, tasting notes, distillery profile, and especially recipes. (And hire somebody to create good new recipes.) Shareable media includes photos (bottle shots, cocktail pictures, party shots from events, cell phone snaps from bar visits), videos (How-to-make cocktail videos, distillery virtual tour, live tasting with distiller), and projects (send out tools to help bloggers build their own content: a comparative tasting kit, home blending exercise, cocktail ingredients, bar tools,  punch bowls, etc.)
    2. Do Provide Incentives and Rewards. These include Samples: send large size ones and send them often. Someone reviewed your product positively? Send even more! Admission: to press events, parties, out for drinks with the brand ambassador, etc. Bloggers don't get as much love as traditional journalists, so a little bit of love goes a long way. Money: Some blogs charge for spirit reviews, recipe development, and of course ads, but you can also hire bloggers to cover events, to photograph cocktails, or to be the party photographer. Fame: If a blogger posts something about your brand, use your own social media tools to retweet, post on Facebook. etc. to drive traffic to the blog. The blogger gets more hits and the brand gets more attention. It's a win-win. 

    I focused on just my top tips. I welcome your additional suggestions in the comments.

    To see the slides from all speakers for this presentation, follow this link. Mine are last.