For the fifth year, Dallas’ bars will host the industry’s biggest annual charity event, The Fantasy Bar Draft, a one-night-only event that features five bars under one roof, on Nov. 5. The past four years, the event raised up to $130,000 for Trigger’s Toys, a not-for-profit organization that donates financial support…
Slushies make most things better. Alcoholic slushies make everything better. Haystack Burger + Barley figured that one out and created The Haymaker, a whiskey slushie to accompany their mouthwatering burgers and delightful fries. Make one at home using the recipe for a one-off below, or stop in for one (or…
Just when it seems like you’ve seen everything the restaurant scene can possibly offer, something surprising comes along. This time it’s Sixty Vines, a sister restaurant to Whiskey Cake in Plano. With a heavy focus on wine, Sixty Vines stands out in a big way. The space is huge. No…
Ever since Americans learned the word “Oktoberfest,” September and October have become two of the busiest months for breweries and beer fans. Factor in a new batch of fall and winter seasonals and you’ve got a busy season filled with tastings, tappings and festivals. Plan your own beertoberfall with a…
The beer gods smiled down upon this weekend’s BrewFest at Dallas Farmers Market. After a cool, rainy morning, the clouds parted but the cool weather stayed behind, creating a gloriously sweat-free atmosphere for an evening of beer-drinking. With more than 400 beers to choose from, there were decisions to be…
On Saturday afternoon, things are happening at Dallas Farmer’s Market — and by things, we mean beer. Dallas Observer’s sixth annual BrewFest will take over DFM starting at 7 p.m. (for general admission — 6 p.m. for VIP) and the $55 day-of ticket price ($45 if you buy tickets online…
So you’ve been to the Deep Ellum Wine Walk and the Bishop Arts District Wine Walk, but have you, my cabernet-guzzling friend, been to the Plano Wine and Art Walk? Downtown Plano can be quite charming, especially under the influence of a few sample-pours of vino. Pre-purchase tickets online and pick up…
Sometimes a cocktail’s vessel is as important as its contents. Moscow Mules are great, but do they really taste as good in a regular glass as they do in a copper mug? Negative. The Honey Bear cocktail at Rapscallion not only comes in an adorable glass, but it’s also delicious…
It’s not hard to find a good cocktail in Dallas, and it’s certainly not hard to find an expensive cocktail, either. We live in the era of the $27 cocktail, and it’s not uncommon to find yourself staring down a drinks list that starts at $12. But there are cheap…
Is there a more noble reason to drink than to benefit the North Texas Food Bank? Throughout the month of September, you can visit Mudhen and order their Canadian Clementine cocktail, developed by Mudhen cocktail director Tia Downey, and they’ll donate $1 to the NTFB in honor of Hunger Awareness Month. So pop in, order a…
Back in 2013, the Texas Legislature decided to stifle local breweries with a provision in SB 639, known as a “sale restriction,” which forced breweries that produce more than 125,000 barrels a year to use a distribution company or self-distribute. Texas has a three-tier system of alcohol distribution left over…
There’s been a lot of attention toward Tarrant County beer this week in the wake of MillerCoors’ move to acquire a majority interest in Granbury’s Revolver Brewing. Whatever your feelings about the macro giant’s incursion into North Texas craft beer, the sale provides a good pretext to look at our…
Regulars love Bodega for its solid wine list, thoughtfully crafted wine flights and cozy atmosphere. Regulars also know the best place to restock your cellar is at Bodega’s monthly wine fair, where their already-reasonable bottle prices are discounted even more. Held the last Saturday of every month, it’s a place…
The cautionary tale of “the girl next door” brings to mind a (seemingly) mild-mannered, cute girl, right? It’s seldom the case … she always has some sort of a crazy streak. The same could be said about Next Door’s Scorched Peach, a playful cocktail made sweet with cinnamon syrup and…
Let’s set some ground rules: A boilermaker is a beer and a shot served together, but only can be called a proper boilermaker if the whiskey shot is dropped into the beer, then chugged. Otherwise, you have yourself a “one-and-one” situation, which is a shot of liquor with a beer…
Back in 2010, Armadillo Ale Works co-founders Yianni Arestis and Bobby Mullins could not have known the journey that the craft brewing world would take them on in the six years that would follow. Having raised about $34,000 in 2011 through a Kickstarter campaign, it looked as though Armadillo would…
The People’s Last Stand offers delightfully mixed options across its copper-top bar, most created by the men (and women) behind the stick. The Winston McCall is crafted by Dena Sweis, their lone female bartender, and it packs a punch. Prepare your palate for some serious spice thanks to the multiple…
Grapevine Brewery announced on Tuesday that the North Texas craft brewery will no longer sell its beers for distribution to Texas wholesalers. The decision means that Grapevine’s beers will only be sold in the brewery’s taproom and beer garden in Grapevine, according to a press release. “This was a hard…
This summer, the phenomenon of frozen wine slushies has reached critical happy hour mass with a drink that’s proven outrageously popular: frozen rosé wine, playfully dubbed the “frosé.” Grape Ranch, a now-defunct company owned by two Dallasites, was way ahead of the frosé trend when they created pouches of frozen…
When news got out yesterday that MillerCoors’ craft division had purchased a majority interest in Granbury brewery Revolver, opinions on social media were varied — and loud. “I think this is great! People do something cool and get paid.” “Good for the owners of Revolver — hope they cashed in…
One of North Texas’ most popular breweries — brewer of Blood & Honey, one of North Texas’ most popular beers — has been acquired by Tenth and Blake Beer Company, the craft and import division of MillerCoors, according to a press release. MillerCoors, like other big beer producers who’ve seen serious…
Puritanical is the typical word applied to people who insist God commands humanity to stay off the sauce. That might surprise actual Puritans, who brewed (and consumed) a lot of beer on Plymouth Rock. All the same, the divide separating Bible studies and beer halls has lingered over our nation’s…
