Kevin Gray

You might think that using banana peels to make a syrup or infused liquor sounds like a dicey proposition. Ash Miyasaki can confirm it. She jumped on the banana bread bandwagon during the novel coronavirus shutdown, and she was left with an abundance of banana peels...

Totaling 9,000 bottles and 2,000-plus miniatures, Pat’s Whiskey Collection is the single largest private collection of whiskeys ever brought to auction.
Hosted by Whisky Auctioneer, the auction is live now, but it ends October 5, so you’ll want to peruse those bottles soon. If you’re unable to snag something you want, don’t fret—additional bottles will periodically go up for bid between now and June 2021 to spotlight special bottles in the collection.
Pat’s Whiskey Collection is the result of...

The pandemic has spurred a lot of new businesses, as entrepreneurs and do-it-yourselfers turned their talents into companies geared for the new normal. Out-of-work chefs launched ghost kitchens and niche delivery services; bartenders plied their trade online, hosting virtual happy hours. And one Lakewood resident turned her hobby of dehydrating fruit into a DIY cocktail infusion company called Mixy.
Meredith Levesque started making drinks at home in January. It wasn’t serious — she just wante...

Since 2011, the number of American craft distilleries has increased at a clip of almost 700 percent. In 2019, there were 2,210 active craft distilleries (and plenty more in the works) in the United States, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. Much of that growth has been centered in California, New York, Texas, Washington and Colorado, with the latter now housing nearly 100 distilleries, up from single digits just one decade ago.

When you see someone carrying a metal briefcase, it’s usually because they’re transporting cash. Or an antidote. Or something else that can’t cook ribs.

But that’s all beginning to change. Because now, when you see someone carrying a metal briefcase, it might be a Nomad Grill, the 28-pound portable cooker that just hit the market thanks to a couple of Bishop Arts-based entrepreneurs.

The pandemic has been touted as a harbinger of doom for hospitality businesses. The industry has been unduly affected by COVID-19 fallout, and dozens of bars and restaurants have closed across Dallas-Fort Worth. But one sector refuses to go down quietly.

There are plenty of reasons to get away for awhile.
The current state of the world comes to mind. But also: The increasing ability to work from anywhere means that location is often no longer tied to one's job.
So, it really makes you consider whether you want to live through another harsh winter, or continue rubbing elbows with strangers in a crowded city.
If you'd like to leave town for an extended period of time without actually buying or renting a new place, that can be arranged. Hotels a...

As seasons change, so do our drinking habits. Warmer weather tends to bring out the Aperol Spritzes, Gin & Tonics and white wines, while peaty scotches and big, bold cabernets are shelved for a later date. The same reality applies to beers, with lighter styles like pilsners and lagers favored over coffee stouts and boozy imperial IPAs during the hot summer months. But hop heads looking for more sessionable lower-ABV beers can still get their fix.

After 15 years working as an attorney, including 10 spent practicing civil litigation in Fort Worth, Markus Kypreos took the next logical step in his career — he started a distillery.

Mexico has the margarita. Brazil, the caipirinha. Seek pisco sours in Peru. But Finland? There, it’s all about “Long Drink,” a refreshing and lightly carbonated ready-to-drink combination of gin, grapefruit soda, and juniper. It’s an undeniably Finnish classic. And the Long Drink is ready for its Dallas debut.

In a time when canned cocktails like White Claw are seemingly glued to every millennial’s hand and more low-calorie hard seltzers are popping up all the time, Long Drink seems to stand ...

The best hotels provide more than just a place to sleep. All around the world, hotel bars serve up well-executed cocktails and craft beers alongside polished service and thoughtful decor. But sometimes accommodations and drinks merge at the next level, with rooms housed in the same facility where liquor and beer are made. These are 10 working distilleries and breweries where you can sample the goods during the day and lay your head at night. May you never go thirsty on vacation again.

On Feb. 9, five D-FW chefs competed at Cochon555, a national culinary tour that celebrates family farms, heritage breed pigs and whole-hog cooking. The chefs prepared a menu of pork-focused dishes, showcasing different cuts and techniques that highlighted the diversity of the meat.

Bartenders are always looking to innovate. Between esoteric spirits, obscure bitters, fresh produce and house-made cordials, the permutations for a good drink are seemingly endless. But one ingredient in particular has been popping up more often of late: tea.
"The range of flavors produced by tea can be unique, from delicate, floral undertones to stronger, more herbal flavors," says Tim Weigel, Chief Mixologist of Hakkasan Group. "I also like the idea that brewed teas add extra flavor to cock...

Ten years ago, it was nearly impossible to find Japanese whisky in Dallas. Now, you still might have trouble finding your favorite bottles on store shelves, but that's because demand has outpaced supply, with Japanese whisky enjoying a reputation that rivals the world's best scotches and bourbons.

A century ago, Scotland was brimming with local distilleries cranking out small-batch whiskys with distinct characteristics—some peaty, others briny, a few with a distinct sherry influence. These were “craft” spirits long before the term became trendy. Over time, however, nearly half of them, about 100 in all, were forced to close due to war, temperance movements, or sometimes straight-up bad luck. The rest of Europe suffered a similar fate, with some great brands just disappearing. But now a...