Liz Clayman, photo editor
I’ve been on a cider kick lately, as it seems many a New Yorker has. So imagine my greedy delight to find Eden’s Imperial 11 Rosé Cider at Denizen in Williamsburg. It’s made of naturally fermented Vermont apples and red currants. It’s on tap. AND it’s on happy hour every single day of the week from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.—what more could you ask for?
Anna Jolliffe, social media editor, Food Loves Tech and The Collective
On cold nights I like to brew myself a cup of barley tea. Having first tried Boricha, as it is known in Korean, at Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant Takashi, I like the toasty, nutty aroma and taste. I make myself homemade barley tea with roasted barley grains that I find at Korean or Japanese grocery stores; just steep them in boiling water then strain.
Victoria Marin, social media editor
Right now there are two drinks I’m so obsessed with that depending on the type of meeting I’m having—booze-y or not—the places serving them are my go-to spots. For the latter, I head to Bed Stuy’s Stonefruit Espresso & Kitchen for their oat milk latte (made with Oatly oat milk and Counter Culture coffee). If drankin’ is on the agenda, I can’t get enough of the blackberry vanilla martini from Alma in Carroll Gardens. It oh-so-nicely complements their perfectly spicy fresh guacamole and homemade tortilla chips.
Carrington Morris, managing editor
I know it’s wrong since I know how to make the real thing, but lately my favorite tonic is a kombucha hack of iced Tazo green ginger tea, Bragg’s apple cider vinegar and sugar, all proportioned to taste. And while I generally try to stay clear of the refined white menace, this afternoon cocktail works as pick-me-up without risk of the dread crash.
Bridget Shirvell, digital strategy editor
SaltBrick Tavern in Downtown Brooklyn quietly opened just before the holidays and is quickly becoming my go-to spot in the area for cocktails and desserts. Order the Baked Alaska, you won’t be disappointed. For drinks they have something for anyone you’re meeting: a rotating selection of Brooklyn-brewed craft beers, a nice wine list, cocktails using local spirits (I loved the Shine A Light with New York Distilling Company’s Ragtime Rye) and they also offer a nice selection of mocktails that I always appreciate for those days you don’t want alcohol but still want something fun.
Ariel Lauren Wilson, editor
A free whiskey tasting lured my partner and me into Free Range Wine & Spirits on Atlantic in Boerum Hill. A natural wine nerd, he quickly pointed out a few special bottles in the small shop’s already tightly curated selection (they have lots of local booze, too, FYI) and we took home Forlorn Hope’s Que Saudade Verdelho California 2015. Winemaker Matthew Rorick’s “Another Rare Creature” wines “come from appellations unknown and varieties uncommon,” and this dry, citrusy white was an easy drinking dream. Crisp and clean, this bottle tasted like a sidra with tropical fruit notes and was sadly gone in no time. I’ve made a special trip to buy it since and have also seen the 2014 vintage at Win(ot) near the Franklin Avenue 2, 3, 4, 5, S stop in Crown Heights.
