Here is a twist on an old favorite.  Are you tired of not being able to savor your Irish Car Bomb because the Bailey’s curdles too quickly?  I know I am, which is why I pick up a pint (get it?) of Guinness ice cream whenever I see it at Jake’s Ice Cream and Sweet Shoppe.  Aside from the multitude of original flavors they create, they are the only place I’ve seen Guinness, Bailey’s or Kahlua flavored ice cream.  Let’s keep it Irish, and go with Guinness for today.

A normal Car Bomb is 12 ounces of Guinness in a pint glass, or a full pint if you are brave, and a shot glass with 3 parts Bailey’s and 1 part Jameson.  Drop the shot into the beer, and drink as quickly as possible before the cream…

Personally, I am a fan of flavored vodka.  However, I am not a purist when it comes to cocktail making.  I like to mix and match, using different spirits and mixers.  I don’t believe any drink has to made as a classic, unless that is the way you prefer your drink.

For me, there are many benefits to flavored vodkas, but my favorite is the ability to make a low calorie, yet tasty cocktail.  Most flavored vodkas contain about 100 calories in one shot.  If you mix that vodka with seltzer or diet soda, you add no calories and get a refreshing 100 calories cocktail.  If you choose to use a liqueur, some juice, or simple syrup to add flavor, you are adding far more calories.

Of course, besides making a tasty, low calorie cocktail, flavored vodkas also…

Sometimes enjoying a beverage requires the correct glassware.  Many of us have our favorite glass or mug that makes beer taste better; then there are some beers that tell you what kind of glass you should use.  Rather than run out to Pottery Barn for some outrageously priced barware, take a look at what you have at your disposal.

You have your standard issue pint glass, Sea Dog and Yuengling, which are perfect for drinking any beer.  I like using the Yuengling style glass for Guinness style beers due to the shape of the glass.  The Sea Dog style is great if you have nothing else.

The Long Trail glass holds 22 ounces, and I use it when I have a large bottle.  Some beers will tell you to use a wide mouth glass, and this fits the…

As my daughter pointed out to me today, I’ve had a bit of a pear fetish lately.  I’ve made pear vinaigrette and wine poached pears and have included slices in my wraps.  So, continuing on this same thread, I decided to create a pear cocktail.  Instead of using a pear liqueur for flavoring, I thought I’d try my hand at making a pear-flavored simple syrup.

Having made simple syrups before, I knew that part of the recipe would be easy.  I decided that if I just added some peeled and diced pear and allowed it to simmer it would produce the desired result.  Luckily, I was correct.

Choosing to use a pear simple syrup instead of a pear liqueur had an extra benefit.  I could mix it with plain seltzer to create pear-flavored Italian sodas for the kids.  They found them to be quite tasty.

While it will take a little…

Bottle/Tap: Bottle

If you’ve ever been to a good sushi restaurant, you know they give you a few ginger slices to help cleanse your palate between bites.  Imagine that flavor with a little bit of lemon and honey, mix it with hops, barley and water, and you’d have this beer.

I’ve had beers that boast about the flavor being ‘up front’, this one can boast all it wants to.  Right off, you would think you are smelling Canada Dry, and the carbonation almost leads you to believe that this is ginger ale you are drinking. But, no, it is beer.  I enjoy ginger in any form, and now I can add alcoholic beverages to my list.

Harpoon figured out how to harness the essence of the ginger because I swear I could taste a piece of ginger root.  The…