KegWorks Blog

As our company expands and our product line continues to grow, we get the opportunity to learn about new products and even experience them hands on. One new line that I have dabbled in myself a time or two… Absinthe!

We currently have these three absinthe products with more to follow. I have recently discovered that my understanding of the “ritual” was incorrect. I had originally thought that you pour a half a glass of absinthe in a glass. Then you put the spoon on top with the sugar cube, soak it and set it on fire. After that flames up a bit, you put the spoon in the drink. Stir for a bit add ice and drink up. I must have gotten those directions from Vincent Van Gogh. Even Marilyn Manson has branded his own version of the popular drink.

Here is the correct way, according to the site:

How to prepare “Mansinthe:” Pour 3cl of “Mansinthe” into a large stemmed glass, then place a slotted absinthe spoon and sugar cube over the glass. Slowly drip ice water over the sugar cube until dissolved, fill glass with water to preferred taste.

You may also use an Absinthe fountain - that makes a perfect preparation, as well as a Brouilleur.

This fine spirit is also enjoyed without sugar.

When enjoying absinthe, DO NOT:

• Drink absinthe pure
• Light your absinthe on fire
• Think, absinthe will make you hallucinate - it won’t”

So there you have it. So I definitely plan on stocking up on the proper absinthe accessories. As a fairly creative person and musician, I would like to join the ranks of absinthe-using artists trying to reach the allusive places in the mind where masterpieces hide. Or just get lit up on a fun drink with a historical and unique preparation process. Whichever. I just hope this doesn’t happen to me:

TAGS [ ABSINTHE | MANSINTHE | ABSINTHE FOUNTAIN | ABSINTHE SPOONS | ABSINTHE GLASSES ]

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Chances are you’ve been in this situation at one point or another. You go up to the bar and ask for a drink. What happens next takes you off guard and because you’re not too keen on the terminology, the bartender may as well be speaking to you in Swahili. He or she is asking if you want a “well” or a “call” drink. Realizing that you have no clue what the bartender means, you stammer then respond in a muffled voice, hoping to push past the awkward moment, get your drink and high tail it out of there before any other strange incantations are thrown your way. The next thing you know, you’ve either gotten one of the worst tasting cocktails you’ve ever had in your life or you’ve just paid $12 for a rum and coke.

We here at KegWorks know you’re not a yokel and we don’t want you sounding like one at the club, bar or pub of your choice either. That in mind, we’ve prowled our barspeak dictionary and translated a few basic terms to help you sound like a pro next time you’re out and about or hosting friends at your home bar.

TAGS [ COCKTAILS | BARSPEAK | DRINK ORDERING | BAR TERMS | BAR TIPS | COCKTAIL TIPS ]

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Like many others this holiday season, I hosted a holiday party. In an attempt to be incredibly classy and ultra sophisticated, I distinguished this party from the others that I typically throw. This wasn’t going to be a beer guzzling, hotdog roasting type event- this was a cocktail party. I sent out fancy invitations and even purchased red and green cocktail napkins depicting partridges in what I assume to be pear trees. I stocked up on fancy hors d’oeuvres and plenty of mixers…and then there was the booze. I spent more cash at the liquor store than I did on most of my family’s gifts. As I perused the aisles wondering how much of each spirit I should have on hand, I recalled my friends who would be attending. I thought that I knew their tastes and I chose accordingly. The party was a huge success and it led me to major realization… gin is in!

I had purchased more vodka than anything else – expensive vodka, cheap vodka and flavored vodkas spanning from blueberry to espresso. As I evaluated the post-party mess in the morning I couldn’t help but notice that many of the vodka bottles contained remains. The gin bottles however were dry as a bone.

I have always enjoyed gin and tonics as my “summer drink” and most of my friends have teased me for ordering them, “Gin and tonic? My grandpa drinks those…”

I have news for those friends (the ones who probably drank all of my gin)… your grandpa was onto something!

If you’re like my judgmental friends and think that drinking gin is only a benefit that comes with your AARP membership, I urge you to reconsider. If you’re already a proud gin and tonic fan like myself, try your favorite brand of gin with the new Q-Tonic Water. You won’t be disappointed!

Also keep in mind that there are plenty of other drinks that use “the other white spirit.”

One of my personal favorites, hailing from the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, is the Blue Moon.

Ingredients:

1¼ oz gin (I prefer Tanqueray)
½ oz Blue Curacao
1½ oz fresh sweet and sour mix
3 oz pineapple juice

Mixing instructions:

Mix all ingredients into an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

That being said, my new New Year’s resolution is to drink more gin, all year round.

Cheers!

TAGS [ GIN | TONIC ]

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Here’s another submission to our home bar contest… I can’t wait to see the rest of the entries!

TAGS [ HOME BAR | HOME BAR CONTEST ]

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Submissions are coming in, and not a moment too soon - the Great Lakes Home Bar Contest is only open for entry until December 31st, so if you haven’t sent in pics and a blurb of your home bar yet, get to it! Here’s some photos from one of our entrants:

TAGS [ HOME BAR | HOME BAR CONTEST ]

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Over the years I have received a number of phone calls from customers wondering how to secure the end cap inside their piece of bar foot rail tubing.

The internally fitting end caps are intended to fit loosely inside tubing when it is initially assembled. The reasoning here is to allow room for error during the manufacturer production process, and also so these internal fittings can fit tubing of different diameters.

So, when you are assembling your bar foot rail and finally put the end caps on, you will notice that they fit loosely. There are two methods that you can use to secure the end caps:

Option 1:
Drill through the rail using a small set screw to secure the fitting.

Option 2: (This is the method that I recommend. I find it easier and more effective.)

All you need is masking tape. Simply wrap the stem of the end cap with masking tape several times. Then, just slide the end cap (with masking tape wrap) into the rail. This will provide a more snug fit, without the hassle of pulling out the drill and putting holes in your bar rail. This method also makes it easy to remove your end caps without having to worry about taking a screw out and risk scratching the finish on the bar rail.

TAGS [ HOME BAR | BAR RAIL | BAR FOOT RAIL ]

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Stuck in a rut? You don’t always have to serve the same beer at home. Give Guinness a try this week, and Boddingtons the next. We’ve got couplers for any flavor, so it’s easy to mix it up with KegWorks.

Looking to have some American or Canadian beer on tap, like Budweiser, Blue Moon, Labatt or Sam Adams? You’ll need a “D” System US Sankey Keg Coupler. This style coupler works with 99% of US and Canadian brews. It’s by far the most popular sankey.

Perhaps you would prefer Amstel, Bemish, Murphy’s or Newcastle? To serve those brews and more, you’ll need an “S” System European Sankey Keg Coupler. It’s very similar to the US Sankey, but fits most European beers instead.

If Bass, Boddingtons, Fuller’s or Young’s are more your style, pick up a “G” System Bass Ale Keg Coupler. This coupler is even fit for brews from San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company.

Now, if you’re like me, nothing beats a dark, creamy Guinness. If you’re looking to have Ireland’s finest on tap, you’ll have to grab a “U” System Guinness Keg Coupler, which fits other great brews as well, like Abby White, Harp, Leffe and more.

Of course, the beers I’ve listed are only a small, select few. Click here for KegWorks’ complete coupler list. Scroll through the table to find what you’d like on tap, and find out which keg coupler you’ll need to make it happen. Stop settling for the same old ale… and switch it up!

TAGS [ DRAFT BEER | HOME BAR | KEG | KEG COUPLERS ]

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