KegWorks Blog

So, there you are. You’ve got your nice lookin’ bar, great music, and the kegs on tap with some stylin’ tap handles. You’ve got the dart board, the "Pickpockets and Loose Women" sign, the stools, the tools… and you’ve got your best buds drinking out of what?! Those red plastic party cups? Are you kidding me? What is this, some kind of party at mom and dad’s house while they’re away for the night? Come on, man!

Don’t get me wrong, plastic party cups have their time and place (give them to ridiculously clumsy people, use at a tailgate party, BBQs, or house parties –to name a few). Hell, KegWorks even sells them. It’s just that we know you’ve done a lot of work to make your home bar yours and you’ve taken considerable time and effort to create your own, personal space and atmosphere and it seems a shame to do a job so… well, half-assed.

It’s true, we urge you to use those red plastic party cups whenever you throw a party with a lot of guests or if you’re poolside, but while you’re hosting family, friends, or your best buds at your bar, we’d like to see you put your best foot forward. That’s why we’ve pulled together this very basic reference guide to bar glassware:

	SHOT Kamikaze Jagermeister Jack Daniels		COCKTAIL Martini
	YARD Beer Daiquiri		COLLINS Tom Collins
	HIGHBALL Sex on the Beach 7 & 7 Gin & Tonic		OLD FASHIONED Whiskey
	STEIN Beer		PILSNER Beer
	SAKE Japanese Rice Wine		WINE White Wine Red Wine Blush
	CHAMPAGNE Champagne Sparkling Wine		COUPE Daiquiri Margarita

If it’s been said once, it’s been said millions of times, "Presentation is everything!" Whether you’re hosting a summer BBQ, throwing a party, or slinging cocktails at your own personal watering hole, what you serve drinks in is just as important as the drink inside. After all, no one in their right mind would dream of serving a martini in a Dixie cup, right? Well, some might, but not you. You’ve got more class than that.

Cheers!

TAGS [ GLASSWARE | STEMWARE | BEER STEIN | PILSNER GLASSES | MARTINI GLASS | COCKTAIL GLASSES | HIGHBALL | OLD FASHIONED ]

Here are some interesting things I have recently come across. Pour yourself your favorite adult beverage and surf away!

Sometimes there are better metrics to watch to judge the state of the economy – NY Times

Did you know the Guinness Book of World Records was originally published by the Guinness brewery as a reference to help settle bar bets and promote its primary product? – Wall Street Journal

Here is another reason to drink single malt whiskey (neat of course) or a pint of Guinness; 128 and 170 respectively – Dowds Spirit Notebook

We had sent our best wishes to our friends at the Saranac brewery for a quick recovery from their terrible fire. Here is a follow up.

–Tom

TAGS [ ALCOHOL INDUSTRY | GUINNESS | GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS | SARANAC BREWERY | WHISKEY | SINGLE MALT WHISKEY ]

When it comes to shots, I’m generally not too adventurous. I find the sickeningly sweet concoctions to be a bit over the top. For me, good ol’ Irish whiskey or Kentucky bourbon will do.

Of course, certain times of the year call for special shots, and Halloween is most definitely one of them. This time of year, even I imbibe in the grotesque. And so I bring you, the Brain Hemorrhage. The look of it is enough to make the faint-of-heart gasp and the weak-of-stomach squirm. Perfectly putrid for your Halloween soirée.

Brain Hemorrhage

1 oz peach schnapps
1 tsp Bailey’s Irish Cream
2 drops grenadine

Pour the peach schnapps into a large shot glass. Slowly add the Bailey’s and top with grenadine.

More harrowing Halloween shot and cocktail concoctions to come…

TAGS [ HALLOWEEN | DRINK RECIPES | COCKTAIL RECIPES | HALLOWEEN COCKTAILS | HALLOWEEN RECIPES | HALLOWEEN PARTY ]

Have you ever called a business and had to go through that darn IVR (interactive voice response) system? It can be a nightmare. Should I press a key or talk? Makes you think about what passwords to choose. Can be an embarrassing moment if you have to say it out loud or, even worse, repeat it several times.

Well, here at KegWorks, we promise that you will never have to go through that.

Our Customer Service Reps are always ready and available to assist you. If you call us between the hours of 9:00am – 6pm EST, you will always get 1st class service from a knowledgeable expert. He will be eager to take your order or answer any questions you may have.

The last time a Rep did not answer the phone by the 3rd ring… well…

You’d think we’d have a bigger turnover rate, but we all love dealing with our greatest assets - YOU.

Questions? Call Us
Toll Free 877-636-3673
Outside the US 716-362-9212

Cheers from your KegWorks Customer Service Team!

TAGS [ KEGWORKS | DRAFT BEER EQUIPMENT | HOME BAR SUPPLIES ]

The word on everyone’s lips this month (apart from "football") is Oktoberfest and nowhere on Earth is this more evident than a trip to beautiful Munich, Germany to see the mother-of-all beer celebrations. I honestly know of no better way to celebrate the marriage of German culture and beer than this epic annual event. There’s nothing quite like a steaming hot bratwurst with sauerkraut and mustard, pomme frites (with mayo, of course), great music, and a nice, big glass (or two, or three) of good German beer to wash it all down. YUUUM!

If wine is more to your taste, an event like Oktoberfest may leave you feeling like you’re in the minority. It’s not that you’d be hard-pressed to find wine, but let’s face it – the focus of Oktoberfest is beer. Not to worry, Mr. or Ms. Wine Drinker, because there is another Fest just for you.

Although I somehow missed it on my calendar for this year, I may as well tell you so that you can at least mark your calendars for next year. I’m talking about Weinfest der Mittelmosel – or, as we American military guys used to refer to it, Bernkastel Winefest.

Nestled in the foothills of the Eifel Mountains, midway between Luxembourg and Wiesbaden lies Bernkastel-Kues, a beautiful, medieval- and gothic- style town which stands on the winding banks of the Mosel River. Every year in September (around harvest time) the city comes to life is a HUGE music and wine celebration.

This picturesque burg straddles the mighty Mosel and is flanked by fields of grape for as far as the eye can see. The normally quaint town bursts to life during Weinfest with live music, local and world-renowned wine vendors, and happy, buzzed, friendly revelers for days. At night, there are fantastic fireworks displays – the more notable being the one at Burg Landshut (Landshut Castle).

In short, if you are a wine lover, I highly recommend you check this out. I also recommend taking the Mosel River Cruise if you get the chance.

If your budget won’t allow for international travel, that’s cool, go out and grab a bottle of Mosel-grown Riesling that you can sample and enjoy with your friends and family. Just don’t forget the food and music!

Viel Spaß!

TAGS [ BERNKASTEL WINE FESTIVAL | WINE FEST | GERMAN WINE FESTIVAL | BERNKASTEL-KUES ]

Last week my wife was out of town, so after the kids were in bed I had full control of my television. Being completely burnt out of watching the kids’ college savings disappear coverage of government bailout, I decided on watching a CNBC special on Budweiser that I had recorded months ago. Besides for the irony that the show was called American Originals, there were some things about A-B that I did not know.

1. Budweiser cryogenically freezes batches of its beer each year, so brew masters can compare flavor profiles from 5, 10, 15 and twenty years ago.

2. The "King of Beers" moniker was originally the "King of Bottled Beer." This self appointed title was given after A-B sold its 500,000,000 bottles of beer in the later 1800s.

3. The only time the production line in St Louis was fully shut down was during prohibition.

4. In order to keep the factory open and staff employed (biding its time until the end of Prohibition) A-B sold a variety of non-alcoholic products, including ice cream.

5. The Clydesdale horse team was a gift given to August Busch II from his sons to commemorate the end of Prohibition.

6. This team of Clydesdales delivered beer to the White House at the end of Prohibition.

7. Budweiser currently owns 250 Clydesdales.

8. This year the Budweiser Super Bowl ads were viewed over 30 million times on the Budweiser web site.

There are numerous other things about Anheuser-Busch that make it a very unique company. I understand the business reasons for selling to InBev. I just hope that the merging of the two very different corporate cultures does not destroy the legacy that is Budweiser.

-Tom

TAGS [ ANHEUSER BUSCH | BUDWEISER | INBEV | BUD ]

Don’t forget! The KegWorks Kid Rock Beer Label Contest entries are due on October 20th - that’s 17 days from now - so get your entries in asap! For complete contest information, see this post.

TAGS [ KID ROCK | KID ROCK BEER | BEER LABEL CONTEST ]