You have to be sleeping under a sober rock to not know the absolute influence of the seemingly understated Eric Alperin, who would sooner cut to the cocktail and let the pours speak for themselves.

Alperin is largely responsible for the classic cocktail resurgence that has taken So Cal by storm in recent years. A leader in L.A.’s liquid landscape, he hails from New York where he cut his cocktail teeth working with the Batali/Bastianich family of restaurants and with the iconic classic cocktail God Sasha Petraske of New York’s Milk and Honey.

This New York transplant has packed a punch in his three short years in Los Angeles. After designing and running Batali’s bar menu at Osteria Mozza, he partnered with Petraske to open up Varnish Bar in Downtown L.A. The rest is liquid history.

Read more at Société Perrier

In our on-going effort to expand our wonderful wall of whiskies, we’ve recently added more shelves. Latest count: 376! 152 from North America, 135 from Scotland, 35 from Ireland, and 12 from the rest of the world.

Some of the latest addditions:

Angel’s Envy, Lincoln Henderson’s latest offering, a unique Kentucky Straight finished in Port Casks. Parker Beam has also been experimenting with different barrel finishes, releasing Parker’s Heritage 10 year Barrel Finished- in Limosin Oak Cognac Casks. Damn good bourbon. We bought Single Barrels of Bernheim and Knob Creek, the only place you can taste this whiskey is in our bar. Our Bernheim Single Barrel is honey-dusted oak under sweet and easy wheat, our Know Creek Barrel is hot with Cherry and Cocoa. Hirsch Small Batch made it’s way in as well.

Lark, an amazing Australian whisky, is the first one to come to America that I know of. The Cask Strength blew my mind with subtle Tasmanian mineral salts coming through the oily malt. We have 3 of their expressions. All great.

From Scotland: Sheep Dip is back, after being unavailable for months, Linkwood 15 year, a great Speyside Single Malt finally came in, Coal Ila released an unpeated 12 year, revealing the peppery malt that is the heart of that famously smoky whisky. Tamdhu 30 year joined the ranks of some of the oldest whiskies that we carry, this distillery is now closed, so when the precious liquid is gone, it’s gone forever. This week the Seven Grand Whiskey Society had Brand Ambassador Mitch Bechard in to kick off the extremely limited edition of Glenfiddich’s Cask Of Dreams. Leather and cinnamon, big red fruit.

In the world of Blends, both Crown Royal Black and Johnnie Walker Double Black are new bottlings showing more bourbon character than ever before.

From Japan came a delicious new offering: Hukushu 12 year. Intricate, with Stone Fruit and citrus lifting through the hay and faint smoke.

Come down and try some of these new favorites soon, we can build a tasting flight for you. If you come in Monday-Wednesday before 8pm, when it’s not too busy, we can guide you through the exploration. Or you can book a private tasting by contacting our Events Coordinator: Stephen@213downtown.la

Also, we’ve been running a great Winter Drink Menu (try the 7th St. Toddy, if you’re feeling the chill) and the 7G staff contributed their personal favorite Boilermaker Shot & Beer pairings.

We hope to see you soon,

Pedro Shanahan, Spirit Guide, Seven Grand

This coming Monday, February 20th, we have Silamith Weir from “The Wild Geese, Irish Soldiers & Heroes” coming in to educate and taste us on their collection. Jim Murray, writer of The Whiskey Bible, has called this whiskey “Stunning.”

Punch will be served at 6:30pm, tasting will start at 7pm SHARP, in the Jackalope Room. Latecomers will not be seated, but can hang out at the bar to meet Silamith after the education.

Come find a new favorite for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations! RSVP using the “Register Now!” link below.

Register Now!

For more information on the Seven Grand Whiskey Society, click on the links below my signature. A 12 month VIP membership is 120$, and allows you to bring a guest to any event. First one is on me.

Memberships are purchased at the bar, we look forward to seeing you.

Pedro, currently sipping purified water.

Pedro Shanahan
Spirit Guide, Seven Grand Whiskey Bar
Co-Curator, Whiskey Society

For more information on the Seven Grand Whiskey Society:

http://213nightlife.com/?p=2390

This coming Monday, February 20th, we have Silamith Weir from “The Wild Geese, Irish Soldiers & Heroes” coming in to educate and taste us on their collection. Jim Murray, writer of The Whiskey Bible, has called this whiskey “Stunning.”

Punch will be served at 6:30pm, tasting will start at 7pm SHARP, in the Jackalope Room. Latecomers will not be seated, but can hang out at the bar to meet Silamith after the education.

Come find a new favorite for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations! RSVP using the “Register Now!” link below.

Register Now!

For more information on the Seven Grand Whiskey Society, click on the links below my signature. A 12 month VIP membership is 120$, and allows you to bring a guest to any event. First one is on me.

Memberships are purchased at the bar, we look forward to seeing you.

Pedro, currently sipping purified water.

Pedro Shanahan
Spirit Guide, Seven Grand Whiskey Bar
Co-Curator, Whiskey Society

For more information on the Seven Grand Whiskey Society:

http://213nightlife.com/?p=2390

Casey’s Irish Pub – TC4
At the TC4 residency we encourage the following:
- Dancin’
- Drinkin’
- Groovin’
- Shakin’
- Rockin’
- Rollin’
- Makin’ (Love)
- Singin’
- Enjoying (or enjoyin’)

It’s a month long party. You will them doing originals, covers, “interpretations”, and you’re all invited! Each week has new surprises and different sets.
Every night is FREE . The fun starts at 10!

Caña Rum Bar – Native Wayne
Tonight Grammy-winning reggae luminary Wayne Hobson, also known as Native Wayne to his Indie 103 fans, will be behind the wheels of steel bringing us the good vibes via an eclectic set of classic reggae, dancehall, afrobeat, and whatever else he deems worthy of your listening pleasure. It’s Friday night, so if you’d like to ensure yourself a table or bring more than three guests, reservations are necessary. Right near the beach… Boyyyyyyyyyy!

Las Perlas – Kapsoul Records
What does Jazz, Funk, Soul, Rare Groove Disco have in common with Tequila? Las Perlas!!!! That’s right Kapsoul Records presents every Friday at Las Perlas with DJ Kap, Ohmae & Chikaramanga. Come in and get drunk…. Or stay sober depending on what you’re in to.

Saturday, February 18th

Casey’s Irish Pub – Death to Anders
Death to Anders (pronounced “onders”) are an American indie rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2006. Their lineup consists of Rob Danson (vocals and guitar), Rob Hume (bass and background vocals), and Robert Smith (drums).

Death to Anders are influential in the Echo Park and Silver Lake music scenes in Los Angeles and were founding members of the Central Second Collective, a group of up-and-coming rock musicians dedicated to promoting innovative, new music in Los Angeles. Often compared to Pavement, early Modest Mouse and Sonic Youth but defying hard classification, Death to Anders shift dramatically between hypnotic melodies and raging dissonance as they mix intelligent, story-driven rock with quirky, Gothic Americana.

Las Perlas – DJ Darren Revell
Las Perlas welcomes DJ Darren Revell from 103′s Big Sonic Heaven tonight. Darren will be spinning everything from Post Punk to New Wave to Eighties so grab your head bands and leg warmers and get on down here. We’ll see you then!

Caña Rum Bar – Music Selector Jose Galvan
Its time for you to stop living and start winning! What better way to do that than to join us @ Caña Rum Bar for Jose Galvan. Tonight and every Saturday night Jose joins us playing Latin Alternative, Funky Beats and Caribbean Rhythms. We will also be serving some of the most delicious rum cocktails ever to have touched your tongue. Get in here and get some!

Mexican Distillers Fight Over the Word ‘Agave’ – New York Times

Diageo’s Spirits Brighten in U.S. – Wall Street Journal
The U.S. spirits market is gradually recovering, with Americans returning to expensive drinks and increasingly opting for cocktails over beer, Diageo PLC’s latest sales results show. Diageo, the world’s biggest liquor maker and producer of about 28% of the spirits sold in the U.S., reported a 5% increase in liquor sales in the U.S. and Canada in the second half of 2011.

Behind the Drink: Fish House Punch – Liquor.com
Since at least 1794 (the earliest mention we have of it), the concoction has been pretty much the same: lemon juice, sugar, rum, cognac and old-school peach brandy—a high-proof, dry, barrel-aged brandy distilled from peaches, as opposed to a sticky-sweet peach-flavored liqueur. There’s a reason for this longevity: Fish House Punch is one of the most pleasant inebriants known to science. Definitely worth seceding over.

‘Net Worth Fernet goes American – Tasting Table
Having become a liquid lingua franca, the category of Fernet was due for an American makeover. The stuff is most often encountered as Fernet Branca, an Italian brand. But now Colorado distilling company Leopold Brothers has thrown its hat into this ring of after-dinner digestivi.

Bourbon All the Way at Lowcountry – New York Times
Always bourbon-focused, Lowcountry takes its love for America’s own whiskey to new extremes on the new list. You expect a julep to have bourbon in it, and no one blinks when a Manhattan or Old Fashioned does. And such is indeed the case here.

Editor’s Note: If you’re thirsty for a Manhattan or Old Fashioned, Seven Grand Whiskey Bar is your best bet in Los Angeles.

Tasting Mexico’s ‘Tequila Trail’ – Huffington Post
It’s harvest time for blue agave plants: giant pineapple-like blobs that are chopped, roasted and distilled here into the world’s finest tequila.

In Defense of Hot Buttered Rum – Liquor.com
Why does a big sip of Hot Buttered Rum hit the spot in winter? Um…It’s hot, it’s got butter, it’s got rum: It’s comfort food in a mug. End of story.

“Casey’s Irish Pub hosts the largest St. Patrick’s Day bash in Los Angeles, with 12,000 people in attendance. Its signature drink: the pickle back, a shot of Jameson followed by another of pickle juice.”

Read more of “Sipping with St. Paddy” in Playboy and get ready for another epic St. Patrick’s Day this year!

Three of the main Old-Fashioned Styles that are asked for consistently are: Old Devil; Pancho’s Smoking Gun; Strawberry Fields. Which like are original Old-Fashioned are all served on our hand-cut ice cube.

“Old Devil” is a creation by bartender Danny Cymbal. His inspiration for this cocktail came from the Tiki Movement (blending of rums). Danny worked out specific portions with different style rums until he decided on a mix of Smith & Cross, Sailor Jerry, & Appleton Estate 12 year. Now where does the Old-fashioned style come in? Well this is where he brought in Tiki And Angostura bitters, a brown sugar cube, & Garnished it with an Orange Peel. “Strawberry Fields” is a creation by bartender Leandro DiMonriva. Leandro has a beautifully cared for garden at his home and as a bar team we all had begun growing different herbs and working with different syrups. The main highlight of this drink is the lemon-balm strawberry syrup! He took Strawberries and Demarra sugar and made a simple syrup that set for 24 hrs. The next day the lemon balm was added and set for another 24 hours. Time consuming but the end result was pure heaven when we added Beefeater Gin & Angostura Bitters.

“Pancho’s Smoking Gun” is a creation of mine. The inspiration for this cocktail came from my childhood memories of my father cooking with a mesquite grill and due to his Texas roots adding just enough spice to let you keep breathing. “Pancho’s” is a blend of Mescal Vida and Silver Tequila, jalapeno/habanero infused agave, peychaud bitters, and garnished with an grapefruit peel. The Mescal gives you that wonderful smoke while the infused spicy agave gives it that little bit of punch needed to round the whole drink out. Don’t worry you can get two out of the three year round. The spicy agave is always filled and ready to go behind the bar and you will always artistically see a handmade bottle labeled Old Devil on the bottom shelf. The sad part is that because we like to do seasonal ingredients if you want “Strawberry Fields” you will have to wait a few more months, but once it’s here you won’t regret the wait!!!!

Brent Falco, Cole’s Red Car Bar Manager

No need to RSVP for the “Un-Valentines’ Party,” This event is open to the public. Free Jazz with Seven Grands’ house band, “The Maker’s,” starts at 10pm. Bring your blues and we’ll cheer them a rosy-red.

http://213nightlife.com/?p=2390

Pedro Shanahan
Spirit Guide, Seven Grand Whiskey Bar
Co-Curator, Whiskey Society

The Boys have opened for Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers at Ed Helms’ 2nd Annual Bluegrass Situation, made an appearance on FOX11’s Good Day LA, as well as a performance at the Grammy’s 10th Annual Producer’s & Engineer’s Wing Party, honoring T Bone Burnett.

They’ve also made their debut on the major west coast festival circuit with appearances at Parkfield Bluegrass Festival, Topanga Banjo & Fiddle Contest, Father’s Day Grass Valley Bluegrass Festival, Beerfest & Bluegrass at Northstar Tahoe, Park City Arts Festival, & King’s River Bluegrass Festival in 2011. Catch them tonight at Tony’s Saloon starting at 10P.

Check out there music on the music player at The Get Down Boys.

Dave Freeman – Music Director for 213