At our first ever "Crokinole Night" in the Wheelhouse, five people showed up to play. I took my board in. On our second session, twelve people showed up. I borrowed Gary's board--Andy brought his board--three board night. Feeling like perhaps we were on to something, Matt and I traveled to Charlotte as Fair Game's "Traveling Team," and got walloped at the NC State Championship. See: https://lyleestill.substack.com/p/crokinole-lessons Next Crokinole night will be February 18

I learned a long time ago that what I like doesn’t matter.  When I was the Tasting Room Operator I learned about the vast range of “tastes,” many of which were not mine. Some people like sweet.  Some dry.  Some folks like sour.  Others like it “hoppier.“ I think that diversity in tastes probably applies to everything in life—not just flavors on the palate. Some people like short.  Others tall.  Some people like abstract.  Others want realistic.  Some folks think “modern” look

I started working on our whiskey program in 2019. At the time my daughter lived in Louisville, Kentucky and I was burning up the road back and forth. Need to be in Louisville?  Good place for whiskey research. I took stock of all the craft whiskey makers in North Carolina—sampling, tasting, comparing.  I visited distilleries all over Kentucky and concluded I would avoid Bourbon.  Everyone was making bourbon (which is made from corn).  Strange fun fact:  in 2008 I gave a lectu

🎶 Chestnuts roasting on an open fire... 🎶 It’s true. We are going to make another batch of Chestnut Rum Cream . If you didn’t get one at this year’s Chestnut Carnival, reserve your bottle for pickup right before Christmas (details about reservation and pickup - and serving suggestions - at the bottom of this post). In the meantime, here’s the backstory on all this chestnut stuff: I never set out to change the culinary landscape. If that’s what we are doing, it’s accidental

When you go to fetch the mail at Fair Game Beverage, honeysuckle season slaps you in the face.  At the base of Starrlight Mead, right...

Ingredients 1 ounce Apple Brandy .5 ounces Norms Elderflower Syrup 1 syringe Crude "Sycophant" Orange & Fig Bitters

Servings 1 serving Prep Time 2 minutes Ingredients 1.5 oz Flying Pepper Tobago Vodka 3 oz Dangerously Good Tonic 1/2 Lime squeezed Sour...

Our friend Kay Jordan concocted this peppery riff on the classic Vodka cocktail.  This is a great one to batch out and serve at a party....

This recipe is courtesy of our friend Craig Rudewicz of Crude Bitters & Sodas in Raleigh. Servings 1 serving Prep Time 2 minutes...

Another fantastic recipe from Vin Rouge‘s Michael Maller, a nice twist on the Flip that was inevitable with the Flying Pepper. Servings 1...

The classic rhum agricole, the ‘Ti Punch (meaning petite punch, referring to the serving size of the potent cocktail) is given a...

This recipe, from our friend Michael Maller at Vin Rouge in Durham, is a perfect example of a great way to use our No’Lasses – the...

We had the chance in May 2017 to be a part of a dinner fundraiser for Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation with Chef Scott Crawford at Burkett...

Created with the guidance of our friend Michael Maller, this delicious & offbeat recipe was created for Abundance NC’s Bereavement Ball...

Created with the guidance of our friend Michael Maller, this delicious & offbeat recipe was created for Abundance NC’s Bereavement Ball...