Category Archives: Drinking

In the drinking category we chronicle the beverages, usually alcoholic, that we used to wash down our food. You’ll also meet some characters who specialize in making or promoting fine spirits.

Hepburn’s Choice is my choice in single malt scotches

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Burnt My Fingers

[2018 UPDATE: sadly, Hepburn’s Choice has disappeared from the K&L inventory as specialty Scotches become harder to come by. This page has the background and some bottles, all now unavailable, that will make you drool.] Hepburn’s Choice is a private … Continue reading →

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Rolling with the Bad Boys, Broads and Bootleggers Tour

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

There was no finer way to decompress on the Saturday before Election Day than an afternoon wandering the neighborhoods of the Capital District on a chartered CDTA bus (we don’t do blackened-window Google land yachts here) for a touristic adventure sponsored … Continue reading →

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Rainier Ale discontinued? Alas, it’s true.

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

The Green Death is dead. Rainier Ale has been discontinued. I learned this the hard way, by searching for retail sources on my last visit to San Francisco and retrieving a map that was completely blank. I emailed Pabst Brewing, which now … Continue reading →

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A tour of Saratoga mineral springs

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

My baker friend Tom turned me on to the Cooking Issues podcast of Dave Arnold, who is an artisanal cocktail maker in Brooklyn among many other skills. Arnold recently visited our fair city to sample and make cocktails from the ubiquitous … Continue reading →

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How to win a food festival

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

This year I attended the Saratoga Wine and Food Festival as a guest of my friends at Yelp, so was able to skip my usual blogger duties. I took the opportunity to think about how to make the most of … Continue reading →

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Grumpy about Growlers

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

On my recent visit to the Kneading Conference in Maine, I stopped by Bigelow Brewing which was a sponsor of the event. (They pride themselves on using locally grown grains when possible, and even include some spent malts in the crust for … Continue reading →

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Ballantine Burton Ale is worth the hunt

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

I found Ballantine Burton Ale in the back corner, literally, of my beer store. I have mixed memories of Ballantine XXX Ale from a long-ago trip to Philadelphia when that mild, cloying brew was paired with fabulous hoagies, so was amused at … Continue reading →

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Talking with the trade at Craft New York Brewers Festival

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

Last weekend’s beer fest at the Desmond was a fabulous event. Regular, VIP and designated driver tickets all sold out and I will be sure and remind you well in advance so you aren’t disappointed in 2017. (Timing hasn’t been … Continue reading →

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Cory Nelson’s dream is alive in Troy, NY

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

Cory Nelson wanted to have some kind of food business after graduating from Howard University, because “I am passionate about eating.” D.C. and New York City were already priced out of reach, so he did a search for smaller cities … Continue reading →

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Craft New York Brewers Festival is the real deal

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Burnt My Fingers

I love beer, especially hoppy double IPAs brewed in small batches by lovable brewers from small artisanal breweries. However, I’m not in love with all the beer festivals that are sprouting up like hop bines in April. Many are road … Continue reading →

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