Urban Moonshine Bitters

Whether enjoyed as a digestif, cocktail mixer or hangover remedy, bitters are big business!  Urban Moonshine brand enters the scene.

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Organic Bitters from Urban Moonshine

Over the last few years, the selection of bitters at our local liquor store has gone from one lonely bottle of Angostura to a wide selection of 5 or more brands with a spectrum of interesting and unusual flavors.  This is part of an international trend pushing quality ingredients in cocktails and the variety and complexity continue to grow.

A new line of handcrafted organic bitters from a company called Urban Moonshine is the latest to hit the market.  They offer three robust flavors of certified organic bitters: Original, Citrus and Maple.

Urban Moonshine is a small family business with a mission to rekindle the relationship between herbal medicine and the modern world.  Located in Burlington, Vermont, the company hopes to inspire people to bring herbal medicine “out of the cupboard and onto the counter” in everyday life.  Urban Moonshine uses only organically grown or ethically wildcrafted herbs.  They also make handcrafted organic Tonics including: Immunity; Immune Zoom, Longevity; and Chocolate Love.  Jovial King, the founder and formulator of Urban Moonshine, has studied herbal medicine for many years with an array of renowned teachers.

“Urban Moonshine is calling on old herbal tradition to bring a fresh edge to the bitters revival now in full swing among cocktail aficionados,” says Jovial King.  Bitters had been a mainstay of the beverage world since the 19th century, but in recent decades this herbal mixer had been relegated to the dustiest corners of the liquor cabinet in favor of more modern syrupy mixers.  Urban Moonshine has found a following amongst the new breed of craft cocktail enthusiasts as well as back woods herbalists seeking the purest quality herbal bitters. Until the late 1880’s, any drink called a cocktail contained bitters, including classics such as the Martini, the Manhattan and the Old-Fashioned.   Crafting a great cocktail today means going back to these classics and seeking out the best possible ingredients to perfect the mixology of the drink for the modern palate.

“Our certified organic bitters fill a void in the ‘green’ spirits category, and our variety of innovative herbal formulas adds new ‘fuel to the fire’ for the growing legions of creative mixologists and foodies.”  Not only do Urban Moonshine organic bitters add a delightful flavor profile to a wide variety of cocktail recipes, they are also known as a traditional herbal remedy to stimulate and strengthen the digestive system.

Whether enjoyed as an aperitif, digestif, cocktail mixer or as a remedy to settle an upset stomach or calm a hangover, bitters are back!


Bumble Bee
2 oz. best medium dark rum
1.5 – 2 teaspoons strained honey or agave nectar
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp fresh egg white
Orange peel

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Add a mist of Urban Moonshine spray bitters. Garnish with an orange twist and serve.

Adapted by Urban Moonshine from a drink at Sloshed.com

Rum Connection Tees!!!

Buy a Rum Connection t-shirt. All proceeds support the travel and drinking practices of the site’s owner.  Thank you…

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Stay Cool with RC Gear

The Rum Connection Shop is bursting at the seams with two shirt designs that’ll keep you looking sharp.  Whether you’re at the beach, at the bar, in the office or just lounging around the house, a t-shirt sporting the Rum Connection logo is the perfect attire for just about any occasion.  Here are the latest designs…..

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Rum Connection Logo T 

Everyone loves the Rum Connection logo, so why not plaster it on a t-shirt, right?  Here’s our gray, 100% cotton, pre-shrunk T with full color RC logo on the front and Rum Connection script across the upper-back.  Be proud!  Show off your love for rum and Rum Connection.  Order NOW


 

Rum Connection Design T

This unique variation on the original Rum Connection logo has quickly become our most popular t-shirt, selling out before we officially even had them for sale.  Now back in stock, this brown, 100% cotton, pre-shrunk T will make you the envy of all your rum-drinking buddies.  Order NOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, there you have it, friends.  Get on over to the Rum Connection Shop and buy a few of each.  Follow any of the links in this article or click SHOP at the top of the page.  Cheers!!

Nimble Strong

A very “sexy, life useful and incredibly playable story-driven drink mixing video game” hits the market to rave reviews from bartenders and gamers alike.

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I’ve been playing video games since the invention of the Atari 2600 in the late ’70’s.  Today’s games don’t hold my interest much, but I do admit to enjoying a game of golf with my 7 year old nephew on his Wii system.

Occasionally, a long airport layover or extended dentist office waiting room stay will inspire me to seek out an Iphone game to kill some time.  Never works!  They’re all pretty lame and after quickly losing interest I resort to checking emails and listening to music.

Well, a new Iphone game that combines Anime, gaming and cocktail mixing has just hit the market and may be just the ticket for spirits enthusiasts and cocktail aficionados.  It’s called Nimble Strong: Bartender in Training and over the course of several stages and themes, will teach you how to mix 75 drinks, in a fun video game format.

The story line follows a lazy twenty-something who is fresh out of a relationship and wandering aimlessly in his professional life.  He takes a job bartending at the local watering hole and the adventure begins from there.  Nearly 20 well-designed (and quirky) characters circulate through each scene, order drinks and challenge the users skills in a fast paced gaming configuration.  It’s a challenging and light-hearted way to learn about cocktail mixing and satisfy your video game fix at the same time.  All that, and it has a pretty awesome soundtrack.

Don’t get me wrong.  Nimble Strong is no substitute for a quality mixology course, drink books and years of experience behind a bar, but it is a fun app that you may learn a thing or two from……..and you can even score a printable certificate for your efforts.  Enjoy!

[youtube width=”700″ height=”420″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHZXQbqdLPs[/youtube]

Click here to download Nimble Strong.

Perks @ Pacific Online Spirits

We introduced you to Pacific Online Spirits a few weeks ago and their site just keeps getting better.  For the entire month, Rum Connection fans get free shipping!!

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Pacific Online Spirits is a top notch online liquor shop that stocks nearly 60 premium and hard to find rums and an entire selection of 500 total spirits.  Their prices are super competitive and service is always with a smile.

It is our pleasure to announce that Pacific Online Spirits (POS) is offering friends of Rum Connection free shipping for the entire month of August.  So, if you’ve been waiting for the right moment to splurge on a new bottle of rum, this is the time.

We’ve been browsing the pages at POS and they’ve got a great selection.  One that we reviewed a few months back is Mocambo 20 Year-Art Edition from Mexico.  It is great rum and has one of the most unusual bottles on the market.  Here’s a summary of our review:

Ron Mocambo 20 Year Old-Art Edition

The Ron Mocambo 20 Year Old Rum is distilled by Licores Veracruz, S.A. de C.V.  The Art Edition is a throwback style of rum which uses old techniques of production, and then combines those techniques with modern aging to produce an aged rum of very unique taste and character.

Artist, Victor Fernández, was selected to decorate the rum bottle with natural fibers to represent old Mexican handicraft in a modern art style. Each bottle is a unique work of art. 

The Mocambo rum displays a leathery brown color, with a distinct grey pallor.  It has nice legs which trickle back down the sides of the glass.  The scents and smells which rise from the glass are very unique, and the overall effect is unlike the aroma of other rums which I have come across to this date.  Wisps of wood smoke and rawhide drift into the air in front of a lightly sweetened caramel and dried raisin.

The Mocambo 20 Art Edition is a style of rum that genuflects at the altar of old wood without apology. The rum embraces its age, and its time spent in wooden casks.  In fact I would say the Mocambo Art Edition is a celebration of old wood and cask aging.

The old wooden casks have been allowed to set their mark firmly into the flavor profile. There is a soft mild leathery bitterness, but this is a mild approachable bitterness of older wood tannins, and earthy smoke.  Whispers of ripe freshly cut cocoa bean, and Oolong tea set vague impressions of their presence into the rum but do not try to overwhelm it.  Caramel accents are far back in the flavour profile yet that sweetness is not lost.

The finish brings to mind dry fruit and roasted nuts.  Sweetness seems to be absent as the rum exits my mouth, but the mildly bitter tea and cocoa flavours identified on the palate seem to remain well after the rum is gone.

This is one of those rare rums which tastes a little better each time you try it.

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Interested in this or any of the other selections at Pacific Online Spirits?   Be sure to use the code RC811 for free shipping for the entire month of August.

Pacific Online Spirits

Are you looking for a premium rum or other liquor that’s not available in your local retail shop?  Don’t fret, Pacific Online Spirits.com is just a click away.

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Liquor Shopping Made Easy

From Amazon to Ebay, consumers are satisfying their shopping needs online these days and the liquor community is no exception.  Countless online spirits shops have popped up in the last few years, but many of them either have large, overpriced selections or no variety at all, not to mention exorbitant shipping charges.  Well, things have changed.

Pacific Online Spirits.com has recently entered the scene and quickly gained a loyal following of consumers searching for a quality selection of Rum, Tequila, Bourbon, Vodkas and other spirits.  Their shop is divided into four areas, each specializing in a different type of liquor: Captain Bly’s Rum Locker, Big Dog Bourbon, The Cactus Garden, and the Icehouse Vodka category. Each store offers customers a variety of unique products that are not often found in local shops or big box liquor stores.  They also offer nearly 30 cocktail recipes in each store so you know what to do with the booze you purchase.  Shipping is free on orders over $100 and there is no sales tax outside of California.   Here are the details.

Captain Bly’s Rum Locker

The rum locker offers nearly 60 of the highest rated rums available at highly competitive prices.  Some of their offerings include brand names such as Mocambo, Ron Matusalem, English Harbour 5 Year, Zaya Single Barrel Reserve, Santa Teresa 1796, Barcelo Imperial and premiums from Appleton, Botran and El Dorado among many others.  If you’re looking for a few nice cocktail recipes, they’ve got that too.

The Tequila Garden

The Tequila Garden offers over 300 tequilas. Through a close association with Tequila.net, they seek out highly rated tequilas from new manufacturers. Shoppers can find new, highly rated brands such as Aha Toro, 4 Copas, Avion, Azunia and Porfidio.  Many of these brands are just not available at local liquor stores.  Pacific Online Spirits.com has one of the best selections we’ve seen.

Icehouse Vodka

Icehouse feature hard to find brands such as Hangar One, Uluvka, and Xan Lux as well as popular brands like Absolut, Chopin, and Kettle One at great prices. Over 40 free recipes for new and classic vodka cocktails are available. 

Big Dog Bourbon

Pacific Online Spirits.com offers excellent, discounted price on the leading brands like Makers Mark ($33/1.75 liter) and have a wide selection of smaller, niche producers such as Johnny Drum, Pappy Van Winkle, and Buffalo Trace. Similar to the tequila market, many new and highly rated brands cannot break thru to the big box retail liquor stores but offer superior products.  Pacific Online Spirits.com specialized in such products and their selection is hard to beat!

Variety, great prices, small batch offerings, rarities and super-premium rums!!  What else could you ask for in an online liquor buying experience.  Pay Pacific Online Spirits.com a visit for your next buy……and tell them you heard about it on Rum Connection.  Cheers!!

Bitter Truth In The US

The Bitter Truth brings their popular line of bitters to the US market.  The initial launch, set for mid-January, will include 16 states.  Hoorayyy!!

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THE BITTER TRUTH ENTERS U.S. MARKET

Germany’s Spirit of the Year Producer Brings Bitters Portfolio to the USA

New York, NY (December 30, 2009) – The Bitter Truth, a brand of cocktail bitters and flavorings, has partnered with Domaine Select Wine Estates’ Classic and Vintage Artisanal Spirits Portfolio to bring their award-winning products to the United States.  The first shipment will arrive stateside in mid-January 2010.

Founded in 2006, by mixologists Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck, The Bitter Truth offers bartenders a broad range of cocktail seasonings and flavors.  The products that will be available in the U.S. include the award winning Celery Bitters, Old Time Aromatic Bitters, Orange Bitters, Lemon Bitters, as well as the Bittermens Xocolatl Mole and Grapefruit Bitters. All bitters are priced at $15.95 for a 200 ml bottle. A coveted item by bartenders around the world, The Bitter Truth Bitters can now be purchased nationwide.

“It will be nice to have easy access to these products after searching far and wide with limited availability in the US” commented mixologist H. Joseph Ehrmann, Proprietor of San Francisco’s Elixir. “The quality of their bitters is superior to many products on the market today and more consistent than homemade.”

“Improving the world one cocktail at a time has a new ally in the arrival of the Bitter Truth Bitters in the US. This expansion of commercial, artisanal bitters is long overdue. Thank you!”  Brian Miller, Death & Company, New York City

Originally used as a pharmaceutical elixir, bitters were one of the main ingredients in the earliest cocktail recipes. With the resurgence of classic cocktail culture and growth of contemporary mixology, The Bitter Truth’s products have found great favor amongst the best bartenders in the world.  The Bitter Truth line of products helps bring complexity to cocktails and are intended to be another tool for bartenders and mixologists to create unique, creative and innovative cocktails.

“Bringing the bitters to America has been our dream,” says Stephan Berg, co-founder of The Bitter Truth, “but finding the right importing and distribution partner has been our greatest challenge. The Classic and Vintage Artisanal Spirits Portfolio has the background in specialty spirits and nation-wide reach that we need in order to make this a success.”

About The Bitter Truth Bitters:

Celery Bitters: The first celery bitters to be commercially produced in decades. This 19th century cocktail ingredient enriches cocktails with unusual flavors.

Lemon Bitters: Gives the liveliness of fresh lemons to every cocktail. Bitter to the taste, this formulation also has notes of coriander seeds and cardamom in the background.

Aromatic Bitters: Classically bitter and tangy. Combining the aromatics of cinnamon, cardamom, anise and cloves, it reminds one of gingerbread.

Orange Bitters: The aroma of bitter orange peel is in the foreground, complimented by the spicy flavors of cardamom, caraway and nutmeg.

Bittermens Grapefruit Bitters: Grapefruit meets with hops to create a fresh, bright citrus note. Best friends with gin and tequila, this bitter plays nicely with fizzy and fruity drinks as well.

Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters: Deep chocolate notes are supported by classic bitter flavors and accented with a hint of spice. Plays perfectly with most dark spirits, rums and tequilas.

The initial U.S. launch will be in 16 states including: California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, Maryland, Washington DC, Louisiana and Colorado.