Binny's Blog

Binny’s Home Bartender clears away the cobwebs from the pre-prohibition Brain Duster aka the Waldorf cocktail, a heady combo of rye, sweet vermouth, absinthe and bitters.

It’s the spooky time of year, so it’s time to talk about Halloween beers and Halloween cocktails. A cocktail episode means that Greg and Pat get to hang out while Roger makes them cocktails. And Chris will make his own while spending way too much time crafting the garnish.

El Diablo cocktail, an unconventional blend of Tequila, Crème de Cassis, lime and ginger beer. It’s a surprisingly delicious cocktail recipe invented by Vic Bergeron aka Trader Vic. We use Añejo Tequila, Jules Theuriet Cassis and Fever Tree ginger beer.

Who knew cocktails with black colored vodka could be so much fun? Our version of the screwdriver looks weird. Like, really weird. But it tastes exactly like the screwdriver you've sipped on in your 21+ life. Freak out your friends with this ghoulish cocktail. Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn and caldron bubble.

Greet your guests with something different this holiday season. This fizzy cocktail is festively enjoyable with a variety of flavors that mix perfectly with Pinot Noir. Additionally, try freezing pomegranate seeds in ice cubes to add a bit of flare to your Pinot Punch.

Sauternes has the unfortunate distinction of being a wine everyone loves, but few people actually drink. It suffers from the perception that wine must be dry to be fine.

“Americans are allergic to bad vintages,” observed one person in Bordeaux during a recent trip. I couldn’t disagree. The view here is often absolute: a vintage is either good or bad. And people don’t want to drink “bad” vintages.

As we gear up to focus on Bordeaux for the month of September it seems fitting to recap the annual Binny's en premier trip.

With 38 locations in the Chicagoland area, Binny's is your one stop shop for all your beverage needs.

A group of our wine specialists recently visited Illinois Sparkling Wine Company. Founder and lead winemaker Mark Wenzel walked us through the vineyard and shared his family's story