Every year, in the kingdom of Eswatini, women come together to express their loyalty to the Royal Family. The occasion is called the Buganu Festival, and is named after a traditional wine made from the marula fruit. Swazi women are the traditional brewers of the wine, and come together at the festival with a sense of pride and empowerment.
North Carolina produces more tobacco than any other state. In recent years, the city of Charlotte has begun to consume more too. New cigar bars are opening in Charlotte, fitting in a legal niche unique to North Carolina that allows smoking in bars and serving liquor without food. A new approach to hospitality welcomes patrons to drink, smoke, learn about products, and develop a palate through pairing whiskey with cigars.
Whiskey is part of West Virginia’s economic revival. Bullock Distillery in Charleston is pushing to bring business back to the state capital and pride back to Appalachian spirits. The distillery is part of a new wave of businesses in the West Side neighborhood, and uses all West Virginian ingredients to make a fine rye whiskey.
Moonshine belongs in the library in Appalachia. Strong spirits are a real part of the history and heritage of the mountainous region in the Eastern United States. And the liquor isn’t just about getting drunk, alcohol was commonly used in a variety of medicines to heal the body.
West Virginia University is known for its partying, and lately students have been drinking something called a BORG. This concoction, made from water, vodka, and Mio flavoring, is a staple among young female students at tailgates. While some folks are concerned about binge drinking, the BORG may present some benefits to young female drinkers.
Around every bend in Morgantown, there is another Hot Spot. These establishments are bars with slot machines, or limited video lottery retailers. In order to offer gambling, they must have a license to sell alcohol. But the reason they are called “Hot Spots” is somewhat of a mystery. Businesses across the state have adopted the name to tell people what kind of bar they are.
When you think West Virginia, coffee does not immediately come to mind. Yet, over the past three decades, Morgantown has slowly developed an independent, specialty coffee scene. The most recent push into coffee trends has been the introduction of roasteries to the region. There is a vibrant coffee community slowly brewing in the state.
Water kefir is a simple fermented beverage made from water, sugar, and a water kefir grain. The Kefir Chicks, based out of Western Pennsylvania, are bringing the drink to market with a message focused on gut health. The drink is full of microbes and probiotics that can help to replenish the gastrointestinal microbiome. And they will teach you how to make it! Just beware, the living culture is temperamental and the drink may explode.
Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is now opening a distillery, Iron City Distilling, guided by the expertise of distiller Matt Strickland. The new distillery will produce rye, single malt, and bourbon, contributing to the region’s long history of whiskey making. Strickland talks innovation in whiskey, the globalization of distillation, and what it means to distill with regional heritage in mind.
Reading through the libraries in Lancaster County, you come across a variety of entries on beverages. The Pennsylvania Dutch made homemade wines, self-medicated with whiskey, drank wild mint tea, and even spiced a sugary drink with some herbal bark called “spice hecka.”
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