Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. —Will Rogers
St. George Spirits Tasting at The Barrel Room
Drop by The Barrel Room Wednesday night between 5pm and 7pm for a $20 tasting of four St. George spirits, including California Vodka, Botanivore Gin, Absinthe Verte and Baller Whiskey. If cocktails are your preference, try the special Corpse Reviver #2, Baller Old Fashioned, or California Cosmopolitan for $14 each. The tasting will be held below The Barrel Room's wine store, in the cash-only, underground Hogshead Reserve bar. You'll find the stairs in the back of the store, on the left. // 415 Sansome St. (FiDi), barrelroomsf.com
Drink Beer, Spread Cheer in the East Bay
Christmas may be over, but there's still plenty of joy to share. Now through January 31st, you can "Spread Cheer with Beer" by drinking your way down the Tri-Valley Craft Beer Trail. Just download a beer passport and start drinking at 20 breweries, taprooms and restaurants along the trail, which runs through Livermore, Danville, Dublin, and Pleasanton. Collect a stamp at any 5 participating watering holes and redeem your passport via email to generate a $20 donation to Sunflower Hill, a sustainable special needs community in Pleasanton. // Various locations (East Bay), visittrivalley.com
(Courtesy of Rich Table)
Gnome Grown Cocktail at Rich Table
In Swedish folklore, gnomes and winter go together—or at least that's the reason the folks at Rich Table gave us when we asked for some backstory on their Gnome Grown Cocktail, served in the cutest copper gnome you'll ever meet. "Felix" is the unofficial mascot of Elyx vodka, which is mixed with mint, mango, passionfruit, and Douglas Fir puree to make this festive, wintry beverage. // 199 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), richtablesf.com
New Year, New Cocktails at Shakewell
Shakewell is greeting the new year with a quartet of new cocktails guaranteed to make you break your New Year's Resolution to stop drinking so much. About Thyme includes Rittenhouse Rye, thyme honey syrup and absinthe, while La Jolla Tigre features dry gin, yellow chartreuse and cannella amaro. Broadway & Mac brings together espresso barrel whiskey, brute americano, barolo chinato cocchi and angostura bitters, but our favorite is Love at First Sip, made with cucumber-mint vodka, lime, elderflower, and cava. // 3407 Lakeshore Ave (Oakland), shakewelloakland.com
Determined to stay dry, booze-wise, in January? Alchemist is mixing up a handful of mocktails to keep your tastebuds entertained while your liver takes a break. Start with a Rise n' Shine (avocado/kiwi shrub, lemon verbena, soda), followed by My Body Is My Temple (orange, carrot, ginger, lime, aromatic essence). Other options include You're Not Alone (pear, jicama, grapefruit, rosemary, tonic); GoodGoodNotBad (orgeat, tea, hibiscus, pomegranate, citrus); and the Energizer (cold brew coffee, ginseng, cardamom, soda). Staying on the wagon should always be this tasty. // 679 3rd St. (SoMa), alchemistsf.com
