Kara Newman reviews spirits for Wine Enthusiast magazine and is the author of Shake.Stir.Sip. (Chronicle Books) and the forthcoming Road Soda (Dovetail Press).
Kara Newman
Meet the Brooklyn Cocktail Family
What is it about the Brooklyn cocktail that has spawned so many spin-offs? Kara Newman on the origins and essence of the borough's eponymous drink and its many Brooklyn neighborhood-inspired…
- story: Kara Newman
- photo: Lizzie Munro
Thicker Than Water: Why Texture Matters in Vodka
In an era where aromatic spirits like mezcal, aged rum and whiskey rule, vodka is often dismissed for its neutrality. But perhaps we're going about evaluating vodka the wrong way.…
- story: Kara Newman
- illustration: Natalie K Nelson
The Rebirth of Truly Local American Craft Whiskey
Until recently, American distillers had largely forgotten the art of malting their own local and heritage grains. Kara Newman on the rebirth of proprietary malting floors and how it's changing…
- story: Kara Newman
- photo: Rogue Spirits
Gonzo Vodka: Drinking a Bit of Hunter S. Thompson
Woody Creek, Colorado, is an enclave of leftist hippies and the home of late Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Now it has its own distillery making "farm-to-flask" vodka, which, it…
- story: Kara Newman
- photo: Woody Creek
The Wine-ification of Spirits
A growing number of spirits producers—making everything from vodka to liqueurs to American whiskey—have begun to explore how variables like variety and vintage impact the character of spirits. Kara Newman…
- story: Kara Newman
- photo: PUNCH