Binny's Blog

Even during Prohibition, Chicagoans could find a stiff drink if they knew how to ask for it. The Chicago Cocktail is not your typical Champagne cocktail. Brandy takes the lead in this big-shouldered Prohibition-era favorite.

You may have heard that there's a Champagne shortage going on. First, we all drank too much of it during the early stages of the pandemic. Then supply chain issues caused even more problems. Luckily, Binny's crack team of buyers saw the writing on the wall early and made some big purchases for all of our thirsty customers around the holidays. Alicia has selected five Champagnes today that are available in our stores right now at great prices. Cheers!

The Festival of Lights is upon us! Time for lighting the menorah, gifts and song, dreidel and gelt, and of course, latkes. If you don’t already have a favorite recipe or a family member who makes the world’s greatest latkes, the Demo Kitchen might be a little worried for you. These crispy little potato pancakes are such a delicious Hanukkah tradition that no one should be deprived of their pleasures, so we felt obligated to supply a very classic version, just in case.

This year for Thanksgiving, the Barrel to Bottle crew wants to make it simple to buy beer, wine, and spirits for your feast. Instead of pairing individual drinks with dishes, we’ve selected some items that pair with nearly everything you might eat on Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Ginger Snap sounds like a delightful holiday cookie or maybe a cocktail based on a delightful holiday cookie; but really, it's one of a long line of riffs on the Whiskey Sour.

We have four, yes four, recipes for you today. What’s with the horn o’ plenty-like abundance? It’s Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving is all about more; more food, more drink, more family, more friends, more love, more groaning in pain due to overindulgence and more Amaro to rectify that situation. 

Try Binny's Home Bartender “Tree of a Perfect Pear” sparkling wine cocktail recipe made with Prosecco, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, Cointreau and lemon juice. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving cocktail for kicking off the festivities.

This pumpkin soup is garnished with crème fraîche, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin seed oil and is simple to make yet sophisticated enough to serve as an early course for more formal Thanksgiving celebrations or autumnal dinner parties. The soup itself is naturally sweet, a little spicy and velvety smooth. The embellishments take it to the next level.

The Tuxedo cocktail is a highfalutin riff on the Martini with Fino Sherry in place of the Vermouth. It’s potent, crisp, and tangy from the Sherry and makes for a fun Martini alternative whether at a black-tie event or a backyard BBQ.

It is officially peach season in the Midwest; time to learn how to make a real Bellini. It’s a simple drink but a sublime one when made from scratch.