OXO Uplift Tea Kettle Review

Those of you who read About.com Coffee / Tea often will know that I have a fondness for a good tea kettle. You may have seen my reviews of feature-laden electric kettles like Breville's Variable Temperature Tea Kettle, Adagio's UtiliTEA Water Kettle, Imperial Tea Court's Programmable Temperature Kettle and Krups' BW 500 Tea Kettle. Most of these are great kettles -- ones I would gladly use on a regular basis. However, there's also something beautiful about the simplicity of a basic, old-fashioned, well-designed stovetop kettle. And that's where OXO's Uplift Tea Kettle comes in.

From its look to its functionality, OXO's Uplift Kettle is a classic stovetop tea kettle. It's easy to use and easy on the eyes, a mix that I love (especially given that one of my college degrees is in design... I am all about form meets function!). Learn more in my OXO Uplift Kettle review or, if you've used this kettle before, add your thoughts on it to the comments below or in the user reviews section.

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Ginger Love "Tea" Review

Ginger is a popular ingredient in many foods and drinks. It is commonly used to make ginger tea, which sometimes refers to tea with ginger and sometimes refers to a ginger tisane.

I recently had the opportunity to taste an instant ginger "tea" called Ginger Love. Ginger Love is a caffeine-free, powdered drink that compares favorably to most instant drinks on the market, and is naturally refreshing thanks to its core ingredients of ginger and citrus.

Have you tried Ginger Love? Share your thoughts on it with other About.com readers in the comments below!

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Keurig B155 Single-Cup Coffeemaker Review

The Keurig B155 Single-Cup Coffeemaker is an easy to use coffeemaker that accepts single-serving "K-Cups," such as those in this K-Cup Variety Pack. It is one of the better K-Cup coffeemakers on the market, but you may want to consider all the pros and cons to the Keurig B155 before buying one. You can learn all about the benefits and the down sides to buying a B155 in this Keurig Single Cup Coffeemaker Review.

Have you used a B155 to brew K-Cups before? Share your thoughts on the B155 with other readers on the comments below or in the "User Reviews" section of the review.

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Jim Beam Devil's Cut Bourbon Review

Devil's Cut, the newest bourbon from Jim Beam, offers a rich, full-flavored bourbon experience for those seeking a new way to enjoy bourbon. By using a proprietary process, Devil's Cut injects water in just emptied bourbon barrels, which extracts more of the bourbon and oak notes found in the barrel. This water is then used to cut the extra-aged Jim Beam bourbon down to proof. The result is a rich, deeply flavored bourbon that both enthusiasts and newcomers to bourbon will both enjoy.

Nose

On the nose, Devil's Cut offers a rich tapestry of oak, cinnamon, nutmeg and spice, intermingled with vanilla pound cake and soft, warm caramel. There are no surprises with Devil's Cut's bouquet, it shows you exactly what flavors to expect on the palate and then it delivers.

Body and Palate

Devil's Cut has a nice mouthfeel, not too thin, nor too full bodied, which makes it excellent for mixing. At 90 proof, this bourbon won't disappear in cocktails either. On the palate, the dominant oak notes contribute flavors of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and wood. Vanilla and caramel undertones play an important role in harmonizing with the spice notes to create a spicy but balanced bourbon.

Finish

On the finish, Devil's Cut continues to offer its devilishly spicy treats. Spice cake, cinnamon sugar and apple pie notes linger before gently easing off of the palate, leaving a pleasantly woody final note.

Overall, Devil's Cut is a great value at a suggested MSRP of $23.99 for a 750ml bottle and an excellent extension to the Jim Beam lineup. Those who enjoy Jim Beam or spicy bourbons would be well advised to pick up a bottle of Devil's Cut.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.

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Clear2o Filter Pitcher Review

The Bottom Line

A water pitcher filter that is filled directly through a connection to your tap, making it much faster than the typical gravity-drip filter pitchers. Good coffee or tea starts with clean water.

Pros

• Fills fast
• Removes alot of water impurities
• Alerts you when new filter is needed

Cons

• A little complicated to set-up

Description

• Capacity of 1.75 L
• Sleek, space-saving design
• Filters can be bought separately
• Adapters included for tap attachment
• Carbon filter removes 53 contaminants from water

Guide Review - Clear2o Water Filter Pitcher

First of all, this is likely the most complicated water filter jug I have ever used. The novel feature about this pitcher filter is that it fills directly from your tap, using the force of the water flow to fill faster than the filters that just have the water drip through the filter. But this means you have to attach the hose (built into the jug handle) directly to the faucet.

The Clear2o comes with an aerator attachment that needs to be in place before using the hose, and there are 2 threaded adapters to help you get everything attached. A bit frustrating at first, but once the attachment is on, I'm just leaving it in place for future jug filling. It doesn't interfere with your tap use. Then attach the end of the hose and turn on the water. Make sure the end is securely fixed to the tap, or water will spray.

Because of the pressure from the faucet, the water passes through the filter very quickly. It also means that the filter can be less porous and still allow water to pass through. So by using a solid carbon block filter, instead of the carbon granules of other filters, more contaminants can be removed.

Overall, it is a very good filter that takes a bit of work when you first start to use it.

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Traditional Medicinals EveryDay Detox Tea Review

I recently updated my listing of best detox teas (and named a new blend as the best detox tea), and added a review of Traditional Medicinals EveryDay Detox to the site. If you're interested in detoxing in general (or perhaps needing to rethink your Monday after an overindulgent weekend) check them out.

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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A Review and Retake of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's Prohibition

If you missed the PBS documentary about Prohibition this last week there are a few options to catch up on the worthwhile film.

Photo Courtesy of PriceGrabber.com

• Many PBS stations are rerunning all three episodes this weekend and you will want to check your local listings at PBS. org.
• Also at that website, more specifically on the Prohibition information page you can watch full episodes and clips online.
• Buy the DVD or Blu-ray... it's a worthy documentary to add to your video collection (Compare Prices).

I spent much of this week watching and rewatching the three part series and am fascinated by the depth of information and the entertaining presentation that is indicative of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's work. Another successful historical documentary from the team and I think it's one that booze hounds, history buffs, and just about every one will enjoy. Read my full review here...

Suggested Reading: The United States Prohibition of Alcohol

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Cruzan Rum Review

I will admit that I was not very familiar with Cruzan prior to my trip to St. Croix. I had a random Cruzan cocktail here and there and was aware of their line up but had never truly explored the brand. That quickly changed when I met Bobby “G” Gleason, Master Mixologist for Beam Global Spirits, and he took our group on a tasting tour of Cruzan.

Essentially Bobby “G” guided us through a side-by-side comparison between Cruzan and other popular brands. It is always in these types of testing that one learns some amazing truths and the realization of why you enjoy one brand or another becomes clear.

The first sampling was the white rums and Cruzan’s counterpart the most common Bacardi in the world. In these clear spirits Cruzan was less sweet, both in aroma and taste, but Bacardi had a noticeable alcohol note that made it seem unnatural and unclean. This goes back to that elimination of fusel oils that Gary Nelthropp was so adamant about earlier in the day. The same could be seen in the aged rum comparison where Cruzan Single Barrel and Bacardi 8 were matched up. Here I found that same unnatural alcohol in Bacardi and a very smooth, natural, and more subtle sweetness in Cruzan.

The process was repeated and while I found that I tremendously enjoyed the strong orange peel notes of Pyrat XO, Cruzan was impressive throughout. The White Rum is nice sipping but even better for mixing, the Single Barrel a rum worthy of the slowest, chilled sips and the very dark Black Strap (which I recommend highly as a replacement for Meyers Dark) is very sweet, luscious and simply yummy.

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Woodinville Whiskey Co. Headlong White Dog Whiskey Review

White dog, or unaged whiskey, is becoming a popular category in the United States. One of the best is Woodinville Whiskey Company's Headlong?White Dog whiskey. 100% organic, non-chill filtered and made from a classic bourbon mashbill of corn, wheat and malted barley, this is an impressive debut from one of the most exciting distillers in the Pacific Northwest.

Bouquet

On the nose, Woodinville Headlong has a sweet, fruity aroma redolent of ripe summer peaches. Icing sugar, freshly baked pastry and peach jam notes emerge as the whiskey begins to open up with exposure to air.

Body and Palate

Headlong white dog features a light mouthfeel typical of white dog whiskies. Whiskies become thicker as evaporation occurs during barrel maturation, known as the "angel's share". White dog whiskies do not mature in barrel so their light mouthfeel is appropriate for this style of whiskey.

On the palate, Headlong delivers a delicious banquet of flavors. There isn't a strong alcoholic burn as most white dog whiskies have, perhaps the result of being bottled at 80 proof. Grain notes predominate, with corn, barley and wheat notes all being discernable. Additionally, exceptional fruit notes about with nectarine and fuji apple being most apparent. This is a light, fruity whiskey with enjoyable grain notes, a white dog with true complexity.

Finish

On the finish, a nice spiciness appears reminiscent of Szechuan peppercorns, before lifting to reveal final nutty flavors. Fresh roasted hazelnuts and pecans intermingle with ethereal grain notes before finally clearing the palate.

Overall, Woodinville Whiskey Co. has hit another home run with their Headlong white dog whiskey. This is perhaps the most complex and best of the white dog whiskies on the market and destined to be a favorite of both mixologists and home consumers. Headlong makes a great addition to anyone's whiskey collection and as it is a bourbon mash recipe, comparing it as an unaged product versus a matured bourbon will be an interesting project for discerning whiskey drinkers. Pick up a bottle or two and enjoy this example of what white dog whiskies can be.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.

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