I remember the first time my mother bought me alcohol. After helping me move into my freshmen dorm, I found myself sitting in the parking lot of a nearby liquor store as she procured a couple bottles to celebrate. There was a bottle of rum and vodka, which I may have requested. Oh, how my tastes have changed! But the one surprise I distinctly remember, Cointreau. There are plenty of versions of orange liqueurs, aka triple sec and curacao, out there. And then there is Cointrea

Until the last few years, if I saw anything labeled maraschino cherries, then I'd be ready for bright red, syrupy cherries. Yuck, I only liked these as a kid. My life changed for the better when I was introduced to Luxardo maraschino liqueur. No sugary nonsense here. It's not even in the same universe. First, there are several maraschino liqueur options. However, most are attempted replications of the gold standard, Luxardo. It been produced by the same family since 1817. Mr.

Now heading to South America, we will learn about another grape brandy, pisco. Pisco has been around since the 1600s. The Spanish settlers in South America decided to start making their own brandy using their knowledge and traditions in tandem to wine making. Legally, the brandy must come from either Chile or Peru to be called pisco. However, each country has their own rules about the process, what grapes to use, and their own day to celebrate the pisco sour. To this day, th

The final products, making you thirsty I found brandy far too late in life and am trying to make up for lost time. Though I could say that about many spirits, I feel most strongly about brandy because of the story behind it and the endless possibilities of what can be done with it. Brandy has been made for a very long time, from many different fruits all over of the world. Simply put, it’s any distilled spirit made from fruit juice. In today’s big box liquor stores, you can l

This might seem like a simple subject, but it's so much more than that. Quality ingredients make quality cocktails. And simple syrup is no exception. It is often made incorrectly. So grab a beverage and let Teakwood Tavern walk you through how to make simple syrup as well as a few classic cocktails that include it as an ingredient. Simple syrup is something that will show up over and over again. And there are plenty of recipes out there to follow. Our favorite comes from Dave

Finished gift bags for friends of Teakwood Tavern Shen had a brilliant idea on Friday night--dropping off pre-made cocktail gift packages for some of Teakwood Tavern's best patrons. Here's how, in early April, Teakwood Tavern became known as Boozy Santa Clause. Bringing smiles to thirsty faces across the DFW metroplex. Let's get to the important part first--SAFETY. We took the preparation, packaging, and delivery of these gift bags seriously. We washed our hands and used hand