Iwan Palinski
Bio
A lover of the IPA, sipper of the single malt, shooter of the hard stuff.
Stories (11/0)
How to Shotgun a Beer Using Just Your Thumb
Let's be honest, it's always in your best interest to avoid going to wild parties and grabbing hold of any of the number of sharp objects laying around when somebody asks you, "Yo, you want to shotgun a beer?" Don't think that we don't get it, either. Traditionally, people use a sharp object to poke a hole in a beer to shotgun it. What good is that really though if you're camping in the wilderness or sneaking beers into a movie theater?
By Iwan Palinski4 years ago in Proof
10 Oldest Cocktails in History
People have been getting drunk since the dawn of time, but the cocktails we drink today are relatively new inventions. A cocktail is often defined as an alcoholic mixed drink that contains three or more ingredients, at least one of which is a spirit. The word cocktail originated in the United States in the 17th century but didn't gain popularity until the middle of the 1800s. This popularity is thanks in large part to Jerry Thomas, the granddad of mixology, who published his bartender's guide in 1862. Luckily, the recipes are just as good today. So get your shakers ready. In no particular order, here are some of the oldest cocktails in history.
By Iwan Palinski5 years ago in Proof
Why You Should Add Water to Your Whiskey
Never let anyone tell you that you shouldn't add water to your whiskey. The typical reason whiskey “connoisseurs” offer against adding water to whiskey is that it dilutes the liquor, but that's not true. It can weaken the bourbon, sure, but only if you pour in too much. Diluting whiskey isn't an issue as long as you follow the science behind it—and that's no fake, Jake. It's all about the chemistry.
By Iwan Palinski5 years ago in Proof
Easy Vodka Cocktail Recipes Everyone Should Know
Every host should memorize a few easy vodka cocktail recipes, and make sure you have the ingredients on hand, as well. By all means, stock your bar with a variety of liquors, liqueurs, and spirits, but include a bottle of vodka—preferably top-shelf, but mid-range is fine—and all the mixers you can imagine. That's why vodka is a popular favorite in so many cocktail recipes, you know. Plain vodka takes on the taste of its mixtures, plus now you can find every flavor under the sun, ranging from Fruit Loops to s'mores. Commit the classics to memory, but feel free to experiment and create a signature vodka cocktail of your own.
By Iwan Palinski5 years ago in Proof
Top Pumpkin Beers for Fall
Ever since Starbucks has made the ever-present, infamous pumpkin spice latte, fall has become known as pumpkin spice season. It's a time when that random smattering of spices that is collectively called pumpkin spice gets added to everything.
By Iwan Palinski6 years ago in Proof
Best Home Brew Kits and Recipes
History has seen beer recorded in Mesopotamian cuneiform (the oldest known form of writing), taxed under the Pharaohs (burial alive was then the penalty for evasion), rinsed through Cleopatra’s hair, spread by the vikings and the Roman legions, fostered at medieval monasteries, mass-produced by America's founding fathers, prohibited by our Constitution (only to be monopolized by gangsters immediately thereafter), and imbibed by just about everybody and his grandma. Yesterday's "Mesopotamian Gold" is being rolled out by the US today—hundreds of thousands of barrels per year. By no means does that figure account for the almost 4,000 - 5,000 different beers consumed worldwide: ales, bocks, lagers, porters, stouts—everything from bitter beers that are virtually unpalatable unless mixed with sweet syrups to crystal clear to warm sakis served in Japanese restaurants. To top it off, more and more people are now resorting to home-brewing.
By Iwan Palinski6 years ago in Proof
Craft Beer Trends That Need to End
Craft brewing has been a booming business for the last few decades or so. Of course, with the rise of these small breweries comes the rise of silly gimmicks. Most of these trends stem from marketing magic, trying to trick you into buying things you don’t really want, while some are just baffling craft beer trends that need to end. I’m proposing we collectively agree to let these fads slip silently to the wayside. Let’s keep the focus on what makes craft beers great and what sets them apart, not a bunch of ridiculous barroom trends. Some are annoying, some are pompous, and some are just plain weird. Beard beer anyone?
By Iwan Palinski6 years ago in Proof
All About Liqueurs
Liqueurs, those sweet after-dinner drinks, are available in a remarkable range of flavors, including apricot, mint, peach, cherry, coffee, and orange. Proprietary brands, whose exact formulations are closely guarded secrets, are more subtle in flavor and offer more complex tastes. Nevertheless, each has a dominant flavor that defines its particular personality and appeal, which also makes it a useful and intriguing ingredient in mixed drinks.
By Iwan Palinski6 years ago in Proof
