Umami Mart

Photos by Erin Gleeson. On a balmy, quiet Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn, we had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Louis Smeby, founder of A.B. Smeby Bittering Co., for a tasting of his extensive line of bitters. When we all settled down in Quarter Bar‘s charming back yard, there was one glaring question on […]

Our Editor has named “death” as the theme for the remainder of October here on Umamimart, and it’s quite fitting because for most readers death is an apt description of the state of the Happy Hour column. As some of you know I haven’t written in over a month, having started a sabbatical to begin […]

By CJ, Umamimart’s Official Beer Scientist Originally posted on July 30, 2010 PREFACE Keg It! Part 1 Once you have all the stuff you need covered in Part One, the only thing left to do is get the beer into the keg, which is what I will be covering in this post. The process to […]

By Paystyle Originally posted on March 3, 2010 *I am especially fond of this post because it has reunited long lost family members (almost). Please make sure to read the comments. It’s incredible. In the world of mixology, there aren’t many cocktails based on Cognac relative to the other spirits.  I can count less than […]

By Paystyle Originally posted on October 2, 2009 Last week I had the distinct honor of being one of five NYC mixologists chosen by Gothamist for a special event involving three of my favorite entities: Scotch, cocktails, and Rachel Maddow. The event was held in the private Gonzo Room (named after the late great Hunter […]

By Kayoko Akabori Featuring Paystyle Originally posted on March 25, 2008 *This was the very first night I met Paystyle! Told ya I’ve got an eye for great talent.

In preparation for his B.A.R. exam, Paystyle hosted cocktail parties, aka Happy Hour (how appropriate), at his place every Thursday for the last month. He invited folks from all over the city to trek to his spacious apartment in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, where he fully stocked the bar for this weekly affair. No one objects […]

Novare serbando. – Fratelli Branca motto from the 19th Century (translation: “Renew but conserve.”) My obsession with the bitter Italian herbal liqueurs known as Amari is homegrown. Amari, which translates to “Bitters” in Italian, have been a staple in my house as long as I can remember– my father Francesco is Milanese after all. He […]

To heart shaped leaves, Winning personal bets, And faring as well as you this season! – Graeme Robert Jamieson An atmosphere of falling leaves, frosted breathe, houndstooth warmth, and hearty meals demands a cocktail that fits the mood. One’s cocktail should change with the seasons. This is really intuitive because similar to food, a cocktail […]

  As far as Summers go, this was one of the best in recent memory. My first trip to Tales of the Cocktail, a new puppy, and all around nice, scorching hot weather made this season a tough act for Fall to follow. But alas, we have arrived at Summer’s twilight here in New York: […]