Hasta La Ideas

A video visit to the oldest gin distillery in the United Kingdom

For our latest video we took a trip to Plymouth, England to pay a visit to Plymouth Gin. Master distiller Sean Harrison showed us around the 213 year-old facility where we gained some insight into the history, recipe and process that goes into producing the fine spirit. The oldest operating distillery in England, Plymouth has stayed true to their recipe throughout their long history, the guiding hand of each successive master distiller keeping the character alive by maintaining the flavors that define the liquor.

Ohio’s only artisinal micro-distillery turns out small-batch spirits using local ingredients

You may know that a few big brands (The Limited and Abercrombie & Fitch) call Columbus, Ohio home, but more recently small-batch operations (Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and Homage) have been helping get the Midwest some of the recognition it deserves. A new creatively-minded business, Middle West Spirits, is the latest to join the movement. Ohio’s first and only grain-to-bottle micro-distillery, the upstart brews their distinctly smooth Oyo vodkas and whiskey from soft red winter wheat that’s sourced locally.

Founders Brady Konya and Ryan Lang imported a 600-liter copper and stainless steel distillation system from Germany, which German master-craftsmen (in the business for over 200 years) came on-site to build in the 3,200-square-foot facility (a former taxi cab center).

Lang comes from a long line of distillers (his grandparents were even bootleggers) and uses that family history to marry cutting-edge technology to traditional techniques. Also a nod to the past, the name—pronounced Oh-Why-Oh—was the old-world name given to the Ohio River Valley by the Native Americans settled there, which means “beautiful river.”

We recently tried the three varieties on tap at Middle West Spirits—Oyo whiskey, vodka and a honey vanilla bean vodka, which infuses local wildflower honey and fair-trade vanilla beans from Uganda. All three are super pleasant on the palate, perfect for sipping or pouring over ice cream. Popping open the wax-sealed top immediately reveals an enticingly robust aroma begging for play.

With their hands in Columbus’ community arts scene and a host of liquors that embody a farm-fresh mentality, Middle West Spirits is a great example of the power of independent production and future Ohio endeavors. Each bottle is hand-numbered and sells for around $35.

Architect Alfredo Arribas’ ambitious Spanish winemaking projects

What happens when an architect turns vintner? In the case of Spanish architect Alfredo Arribas, the move spawned not just one winery but two—both infused with artistry from the wine itself down to illustrated labels, and of course the beautifully modern buildings housing them too. Based in the emerging wine-making regions of Priorat and the neighboring Montsant, Arribas’ project has been quietly breathing new life into the region starting in 2001 when he established Portal del Priorat.

After restoring the neglected terraced plots called closters, they were planted with clones of traditional grapes (Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah), as well as a few experimental varieties, which are all grown organically. Methods include densely planting the vines according the soil’s composition (mostly slate) and the topography The resulting wines bear witness to their creator’s ingenuity, winning praise from oenophiles for their lightness while still rich with complex flavor notes.

When I had the privilege of tasting some of the wines with Arribas himself (thanks to the design organization Red) recently at one fo Barcelona’s newest wine bars Monvinic, he explained that the taste of his wines is no accident but (of course) by design. His concept loosely revolves around adding what can only be described as the Arribas twist to reinvent both traditional winemaking but perceptions of Spanish wine.

Negre De Negres accomplishes the feat most dramatically with a blend of grapes that results in a mix of minerals, herbs and fruits, balanced by a freshness as well as a dense warmth on the palate. The inspiration for it, Arribas explained, was the experience of drinking young Greek wines but wanting to add something a little more complex to the profile. Somni, on the other hand, is more robust with oaks and tannins following a lightness that comes from black fruits.

While the wines from Portal del Priorat are all reds, more recently Arribas introduced Tossos, a red and a white wine resulting from expanding into the neighboring land of Montsant. Those along with an olive oil suggests there might be much more to look forward to from the burgeoning label.

A book documenting a beer can collection that spans seven decades and 32 countries

Dan Becker and Lance Wilson—two San Francisco, CA-based designers— discovered a real gem when they stumbled upon Becker’s stepdad John Russo’s extensive beer can collection tucked away in his Midwest basement. Hoarding cans since 1975, the collection spans all shapes, styles and sizes of brews from around the world, which thankfully the duo decided to photograph and document in a book that they aptly titled “Beer.”

The document lends some insight into the evolution of beer can design and the changing conversation with the consumer through its 500 images (shaved down from 1,400). Meticulously chosen, the photographs represent beers from 32 countries and you’d be hard-pressed to find any of these brands in the local corner store. Each picture, shot against a white background, includes the company name and the time period, some with more detailed descriptions. The layout—which the authors say very much guided their editing process—allows the reader to truly absorb the details of the cans and appreciate the story each has to tell.

An excellent resource, the book comes in handy for not only the history of beer can design but also as a who’s who of beer distributors. Almost everyone is familiar with powerhouse brewing cities like Milwaukee or countries like Germany, but many don’t realize the extensive amount of brews that were crafted in places like Cincinnati, OH or upstate New York. A timeline shows the evolution of the industry and of the industrial design that went with it. Over the decades the images bear witness to the aesthetic shift in the marketing of alcohol, reflecting a gradual drifting away from simplicity and storytelling.

For anyone who appreciates beer for its delicious, refreshing nature or enjoys gazing fondly at sharp images of tin antiquities, “Beer” sells from Amazon or directly from Chronicle Books.

Our video on the craftsmanship and history behind our favorite sipping tequila

by
Gregory Stefano

In our latest video we went to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to talk to the brains behind Casa Dragones tequila. The world’s only tequila designed for sipping, we learned how Casa Dragones gets its super smooth flavor and how craftsmanship is a cornerstone of the brand.