Author: Devon Trevathan

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The latest #Imbibe75 has been published, and as a very wonderful welcome surprise both our cofounders Devon Trevathan and Colton Weinstein were named as one of the 75 people who will shape the way we drink in 2024 and beyond! We are so excited to announce that both our cofounders Devon Trevathan and Colton Weinstein made the list of Imbibe Magazine's 75 People to Watch in 2024. Each year, Imbibe releases their list of "75 people and places that are dedicated to making a better drinks world," featuring people and places from the wine, beer, spirits, tea, coffee, and cannabis beverage industries. Being named on this list is a huge honor and one that our cofounders are so excited for. We're incredibly flattered to be listed among such influential figures from all over the beverage industry, in particular as stewards to the distilling industry. It's not an easy business to be...

26 January, 2024

The Aperitivo Spritz has emerged as one of the most beloved and iconic drinks in the beverage world. With its refreshing and bubbly nature, this simple cocktail has captivated the taste buds of many, offering a perfect balance of flavors and a vibrant burst of colors and textures. We’ve all had the classic; here’s the five best variations that are sure to elevate your aperitivo experience to new heights. The Aperol Spritz is the quintessential Italian aperitivo cocktail that has gained international fame, but it can always do with a little improvement. If you crave a little extra zesty kick, the Grapefruit Spritz is a fantastic choice. Combine fresh grapefruit juice, your favorite bitter liqueur, prosecco, and a splash of soda water for a variation with a vibrant burst of citrusy flavor and tangy twist. This drink strikes a fine balance between bitter and tart, making it a revitalizing and invigorating...

06 July, 2023

While the aperitivo has long been associated with Italian culture, it has found its own unique expression in the United States. American versions capture the essence of pre-dinner socializing while infusing it with domestic flavors, leading to new opportunities for creative cocktails and a diverse culinary landscape. We explored the concept of American aperitivo, its evolving popularity, and the delightful experiences it offers. But first, what is aperitivo? This article will focus on this category of liqueurs, often used in drinks like the Spritz or Negroni, but the practice of aperitivo is also linked to Italian and French cultures, and broadly speaking refers to afternoon drinks and snacks. It comes from the Latin word "aperire" which means to open, and this alludes to the fact that aperitivo is a drink that one would consume before dinner, something with which you can have good conversation and awaken your palate before a meal....

23 June, 2023

Our labels have always been a source of conversation. Every time I pull out a bottle of Lafcadio Botanical Rum, someone inevitably asks me about the story behind it, which takes place in the same location where we distilled the rum: New Orleans. Below, an interview with the artist who provided the artwork for our rum label. In part one we discussed the inspiration behind our labels as well as the artist who we commissioned to make the artwork for our first release, 1643 Alpine Gin. As a way of tying in the place where each Liba spirit is made, we commission a piece of original art from a local artist to feature on the front of the bottle. This allows us to have distinctive packaging for each of our products—we feel like our releases can stand up and be appreciated entirely on their own, but that the beauty is...

05 August, 2022

Our labels have always been a source of conversation. Every time I pull out a bottle of Liba Spirits someone inevitably asks me about the story behind them, which is more involved than you might think. I recently read something that said most people make the decision of whether to buy a particular product on the shelf or not in roughly two seconds. The implication being that, as a brand, your product needs to communicate its worth in that short amount of time via its packaging. Can you imagine? I’ve never been much good with brevity, so let’s take an in depth look at Liba’s labels and design. This is an obvious statement but one I feel compelled to make here: A lot of thought went into the packaging of our brand. For some reason, I was set from the start on having three quarter wrap around labels. I never l seriously...

03 June, 2022

One of the newest accounts to carry our spirits, Littlebear Bottleshop in Skyforest, CA, is as obsessed with alpine flavors and traditions as we are—to honor this fruitful pairing we created a couple of recipes for cocktails inspired by the region using our 1643 Alpine Gin. We are thrilled to announce a new shop that's carrying our spirits, Littlebear Botteshop in Skyforest, CA! Owned and operated by Nathan Hazard, an industry vet with experience as a brand ambassador for the Real McCoy rum as well as beverage director for the Coconut Club, this shop is curated with the intention to introduce customers to lesser-known gems in the spirits world, with a particular interest in alpine flavors, now including our 1643 Alpine Gin. To celebrate, we put together a list of recipes for alpine cocktails. When we first spoke with Hazard, he indicated that part of his interest in Liba Spirits was that...

01 February, 2022

In honor of the start of Mardi Gras season and National Hot Buttered Rum Day, we brought a bit of New Orleans' flavor to warm us up in Upstate New York with our new cocktail recipe, a take on a King Cake-inspired Hot Buttered Rum. Yesterday here in Ithaca the sky opened up and dumped inch after inch of fresh powder, smacking you in the face with flurries of snow, and yet I was warmed from the inside out by our King Cake-inspired Hot Buttered Rum, which paired the classic baking spice flavor of King Cake with our herbaceous and citrus-forward Lafcadio Botanical Rum! Continue reading for a brief history on hot buttered rum, King Cake, and a recipe for this seasonal rum cocktail. The history of hot buttered rum dates back to colonial times at least and perhaps even further. The act (or art? You decide) of incorporating butter into a...

19 January, 2022

It's the not so silent hero of so many of our favorite drinks, dishes, and desserts, but why does citrus pack such a punch? Find out. Okay, picture this: you’re slow-braising some gorgeous chicken thighs (skin very much on). After having the thighs marinate overnight, you transfer those leggies into a stockpot, browning each side, and then proceed to make a sauce by pouring in some thick and flavorful chicken stock leftover from a whole bird you made last week and a handful of spices. After bubbling for a few minutes, you taste the contents of the stockpot and see that there’s a secret ingredient missing, one that brightens every dish, forcing the existing flavors into stark relief, and no it’s not salt (though that’s very important too)—it’s CITRUS! The hero for bartending, distilling, and baking alike (alongside cooking), citrus is such a key component in our food and drink. But...

13 October, 2021

The country of Italy is an extremely gorgeous peninsula jutting out deep into the Mediterranean Sea, meaning it has loads of coastline and very moderate climes. Its food, people, and scenery are all beautiful enough to have a person questioning whether or not they should ever return to whatever country they’re visiting from. In that very small and specific way, a trip there can feel almost bittersweet. Bassano del Grappa, a city in the northern region of Veneto, is a particularly appealing slice of Italian pie and happens to be home to grappa. After finding ourselves there in February of this year, Colton, Florian, and I took a couple of hours to visit the Poli Grappa Museum so that we could learn more about this quintessential Italian spirit. Grappa has a long and interesting history, which the museum did a wonderful job of illustrating in various formats. This distinct spirit has been...

09 July, 2020

What we’re doing, where we’ve gone, and our thoughts so far. We started 2020 with a clear goal in mind: to buy tickets to Europe so that this insane traveling spirits circus can finally begin. I’m not sure if you’re with me on this one—and I fully admit to sounding a little nuts—but I always feel like the process of purchasing airline tickets is a fickle one. I’m convinced that if I do even a scant amount of research into a flight and don’t buy the tickets right away, a) the internet will track that research and somehow charge me more the next time around, or b) the flight will be sold out when I come back to buy it, even if it was only a couple of hours that I was away. I know, I KNOW—those are both pretty illogical, but here we are. So when I sat down to my computer...

06 March, 2020