Daily News: James Beard Nominees Announced, Campari Buys Grand Marnier

Campari

Your daily dose of news and happenings from around the drink-o-sphere:

Campari has agreed to buy Grand Marnier Group—the first acquisition for the Italian spirits brand since 2014—for nearly $760 million.

– Premium U.K. tonic water brand Fever-Tree reports “exceptional” profits in 2015, citing a boom in overseas sales.

– High prices and notoriously small pours are reasons to consider skipping the restaurant wine-pairing menu.

– Kvass, a 1,000-year-old drink made from fermented bread, is more popular than beer in Russia.

– From the Hot Ale Flip to the flaming punch bowl, combining drinks with fire is a centuries-old tradition.

– It seems that the ancient Egyptians invented the wine label and paid close attention to vintages.

– Finally, the James Beard Foundation has announced its finalists for the 2016 awardsamong them, PUNCH’s “Let Us Now Retire the Whiskey Woman,” nominated for a Journalism Award in the beverage category.

[Photo: Flickr/MIKI Yoshihito]