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Hydro Flask Rocks Tumbler Review

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Brent JosephLeave a Comment

I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the new 10 oz rocks tumblers that Hydro Flask is coming out with as part of their new drink ware line releasing on February 1, 2017. The product line includes a 10 oz rocks tumbler, a 22 oz tumbler, and a 32 oz tumbler.

I knew it was only a matter of time before Hydro Flask came out with a line of drink ware to compete with others in the market. There are a few differences between the Hydro Flask and Yeti offerings which I consider the other big player in the stainless vacuum sealed market segment.

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HyperChiller Review

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Erin PetreyLeave a Comment

I am a coffee lover. I cannot get through the day without coffee. Hot coffee. I am essentially never an iced coffee person but when I started dating my boyfriend – who is a diehard iced coffee drinker – I began having to make concessions to satisfy both of our caffeinated preferences. (Pro tip: if you have leftover drip hot coffee, let it cool then pour into an ice cube tray – I use the blah blah blah red one I have – and use the coffee cubes to keep iced coffee cold without watering it down.)

When asked if I would try out the HyperChiller – designed to turn regular coffee into cold coffee quickly – I jumped at the opportunity. It works perfect for coffee and does chill a hot cup of coffee to cold temps in just a few minutes. (I find it takes about 2 minutes for a really cold cup.) Just pour coffee into the lid and wait a few minutes. However, this cooling efficiency made me think that there was more opportunity for this contraption. And HyperChiller was already on it: chilling spirits and wine.

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How Valuable is that Drop of Cube in your Whiskey?

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Jeffrey SchwartzLeave a Comment

You’ve spent your hard-earned money on that bottle of whiskey. You want to really enjoy the experience as the Master Distiller intended. You want to open up the hidden flavors, so you add a bit of water or ice. If you’re adding ice, maybe you’ve got one of those fancy ice ball molds. Spheres are all the rage now. Plus, using fancy molded ice sure beats breaking your teeth on whiskey stones!

Before you add a splash or some rocks to your whiskey, have you given any thought to the water you’re using?

Water impurities can interact with your whiskey and change the flavor. Too much dissolved solids, chemicals, or mineral content in the water leaves you tasting something other than water, and that will leave you tasting something other than whiskey.

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Whiskey Elements Review

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Leave a Comment

You’re in the mood for whiskey, but you’re on a budget. You could take Jeffrey’s advice and respect the bottom shelf; there are certainly some great options for budget boozing. But maybe you’re planning ahead for the weekend and want your bottom shelf booze to taste like it should be sitting a few shelves up. Or perhaps you’re tired of constantly shelling out money for overpriced, overhyped whiskey and just want to keep something on hand that is smooth and has a great profile at a great price. That’s the dilemma Time & Oak sought to remedy with their Signature Whiskey Elements. The idea is to drop one of the Whiskey Elements into a fifth of whiskey (or two into a half-gallon), let it sit at least 24 hours, and voila! You have a custom whiskey that is smoother than what you started with, all without the expensive price tags and scarcity of higher-end bottles. But does it actually work?

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Polar Ice Tray Review

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Kyle GeorgeLeave a Comment

In the world of whiskey, there are lots of arguments over ice: whether it should be used or not? How much to use? What type to use? I believe it is up to the drinker. I enjoy a bit of ice in my whiskey, but, in my opinion, nothing beats a good ice ball instead of cubes. So what’s the difference? Volume and surface area. When using ice from your icemaker you have a greater amount of surface area of ice to whiskey. This causes the ice to melt faster; yes, your drink is cold faster, but you have also added more water to your drink than you may want. Typically by the time you finish your drink, the ice is gone as well. With an ice ball, you have less surface area, because it is one large piece of ice, and it takes longer for the ball to melt. This causes the drink to cool down slower, and it does not get watered down as much. Plus, a great ice ball can last for several drinks.

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Vinturi Spirit Aerator Review

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Patrick "Pops" GarrettLeave a Comment

Anyone that drinks wine on a regular basis knows what an aerator can do for a bottle of wine. But did you know some people claim they can do the same for spirits – especially whiskey? Vinturi, the top wine aerator brand, states that their spirits aerator “releases the full potential of any undiluted spirit, allowing it to be appreciated like never before.” I can’t speak for everyone but I’m pretty sure it’s hard to appreciate  a glass of bourbon more than I already do. But since Vinturi offered to provide me with an aerator for review I thought I’d give it a try. What follows …

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Zircle Ice Ball Mold Review

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Patrick "Pops" GarrettLeave a Comment

Disclaimer: A sample pack of Zircle ice ball molds were provided to us by the Xena Group for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow Bourbon & Banter to review their with no strings attached. Thank you. Our house took a hit this holiday weekend with our AC going on the fritz. To help stay cool I switched over to bourbon on ice and found these Zircle ice ball molds more useful than ever. Today we take a closer look at how they compare to other ice ball molds on the market and whether or not you should consider ordering a …

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Is Shaker 33 the Best Cocktail Shaker Since Prohibition?

In Drinking Accessory Reviews by Patrick "Pops" GarrettLeave a Comment

Disclaimer: A prototype of the Shaker 33 and a bottle of bourbon  was provided to us by the creator’s for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow Bourbon & Banter to review their product in advance of their KickStarter campaign launching with no strings attached. Thank you. “The Best Cocktail Shaker Since Prohibition” That’s the bold statement Shaker 33 uses on Kickstarter.com to catch your attention and draw you in to learn more about their product and campaign. It’s a highly effective tagline and one that I’m sure will spark much debate as people learn more about Shaker 33 over the next 31 …