Ben Carter, author of the Benito’s Wine Reviews blog, is holding an online wine tasting Thursday, March 12 at 7 PM Central time (8 Eastern, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific).  If you want to participate, he requests that you buy a bottle of 2006 Redheads “Yard Dog” wine from Australia, and join him online for the tasting.  More details will be posted on his blog as the date approaches.

If you need glasses for the tasting, Mid-South Alcoholic Supply has a huge selection.

Yesterday I wrote about Jim Beam’s new black cherry-infused bourbon, and commented that after the recent growth in the flavored vodka market, flavored bourbon may be the next big thing.  Well, today we’re back with another flavor infusion for bourbon, leading to a new twist on a classic cocktail recipe.

This New York Times recipe shows you how to infuse bourbon with dates (you’ll need to allow 2 to 4 weeks for the infusion, so don’t plan on serving this drink at a party this weekend).  You can then mix the date-infused bourbon into one of the classics, the Old Fashioned.  To make the cocktail even better, the Times serves up for a recipe for brandied cherries to add as well.

Our Old Fashioned glasses are classics as well… if you order them now, you’ll have them by the time the bourbon infusion is complete.

During the past few years, flavored vodkas have been all the rage.  Old standards like lime vodka and vanilla vodka have been around for years, but recently, those have been joined on the shelves by new flavors like cucumber and root beer and tomato.

However, you rarely hear a lot about flavored bourbons… until now, that is.  Jim Beam has come out with a new black cherry flavor-infused bourbon.  Called Red Stag, the bourbon is 80 proof, and is recommended to drinkers who like flavored whiskey-based cocktails such as the Manhattan.  It would go great in one of our highball glasses.

Want a new way to do shots?  Check out the Alcohol Shot Gun from Urban Trend.  It’s a gun that shoots a shot’s worth of your favorite booze into your mouth - or wherever you aim, but why would you waste good booze?  Looks really high-tech.  I bet if George Jetson were a drunk, he’d own one of these.

The Alcohol Shot Gun would complement some of our drinking games nicely.  Check e’m out and come up with your own ideas.

I’m back!  Had to take a vacation of several days to catch up on other matters.  But today I’m back with two good links for rum drinkers.

This Post-Bulletin article lists some of the things you can do with rum.  It lists variations on old favorites, such as the Orville Redrum, which you replace the regular rum in a rum and Coke with vanilla rum.  It is so named because it has been said to taste like buttered popcorn.  The article also covers daiquiris, mojitos, and other rum-based drinks.

You can find recipes for a few more rum drinks here on CityPages - in particular, you’ll learn how to make a Hemingway Daiquiri, and Myrtle Bank Punch.  The article references a great book, And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails.  The book “tells the raucously entertaining story of America as seen through the bottom of a drinking glass, from drinks consumed aboard ships in the 1700s to the trendy club drinks of modern times.  Where was this book when I took history in college?  Sounds like it would make a great textbook.

The 2009 NASCAR season has started.  For years NASCAR was associated with moonshine and low-brow beers like Busch, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Miller High Life.  However, the sport has gained sophistication in recent years, and it’s gained appreciation among wine drinkers.

This Long Beach Post sports article discusses six drivers wine drinkers may want to follow.  Among the drivers are Tony Stewart, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Edwards, Carl Busch, and Jimmie Johnson.  The article explains why each driver pairs well with a particular wine.

We’ve had food-and-wine pairings on this blog before, and we’ve had food-and-beer pairings.  But NASCAR driver-and-wine pairings?  That’s a first.  Be sure to enjoy your wine while watching the NASCAR race in one of our wine glasses.

If you’re frying or grilling a steak, you can make it a healthier meal by first marinating it in booze.

So say the authors of this newsday.com article.  When you fry or grill a steak, you increase the amounts of cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HAs).  Scientists at the University of Porto in Portugal studied the effects of marinating steak in either beer or red wine before frying.  They found that both beer and wine marinades were effective in reducing two types of HAs in fried steaks by 90%, and beer was more effective than wine for reducing a third type of HA.  Tasters thought the taste and smell of beer-marinated steak was superior as well.

Booze is good for you!  Scientists have said so.

Asia One recently profiled an ice cream store that opened in a Singapore neighborhood - the best kind of an ice cream store.  The owner wanted to feature ice cream because it’s a “happy food.”  The particular ice cream he sells will make you real happy, because it’s ice cream made with booze.

Their “adult” ice cream includes flavors like Cherry Bomb, Lychee Martini, and Rum Raisin.  To give the place a casual feel, they have graffiti walls you can write on, cow cartoons, board games, and a chalkboard where you can vote on ice cream flavors.

Fantastic idea!  Why doesn’t someone in the States franchise this?

In the mood for a new drinking game for your next party?  Check out this article on the Russian roulette beer bong, where a wheel is constructed containing many 2-liter bottles, one of which is filled with beer and the others are empty.  Each participant, when it is their turn, spins the wheel, and then picks a bottle.  If they picked the beer-filled bottle they have to chug it - all 2 liters worth.

Obviously you want to have a designated driver or cab rides home arranged before you start playing this game.

Find more drinking games and beer bongs at Mid-South Alcoholic Supply.

Seattle Weekly has an “Ask the Bartender” column where an experienced bartender answers reader questions about drinking.  This week someone chimed in with an excellent question:  Should I ask for my drink shaken or stirred? Or does it matter?

You can read the full answer here.  To summarize:  For vodka it doesn’t make a difference, but for other liquors it can.  Shaking makes your drink colder, which can be a good thing.  However, your drink gets colder because more of the ice melts in the process, which dilutes your drink.  Shaking also aerates the liquor more, which some people claims “bruises” it.  Her final verdict:  Chill your liquor in advance.

My final advice:  Whether you shake or stir your cocktail, pour it into one of Mid-South Alcoholic Supply’s martini glasses and enjoy.