Published: November 19th, 2008 11:16 PM
Last Modified: November 19th, 2008 11:06 PM
Photo by KEITH SAUNDERS
The Kiwi Capirinha, left, and the Lush. In the second annual Great Alaska Shootout of Drinks the Kiwi Capirinha was judged the best beverage to drink.
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Though it doesn't have the established tradition of the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout, the Great Alaska Shootout of Drinks enters its second year with a sensational field of adult beverages contending for champion status.
This year's Sweet 16 of libations welcomed everything from the tried and true to the "out there" in a shootout of liquid mettle that ended with one drink standing and the rest sent to the bench.
The judges in the 2008 Shootout of Drinks included Nightlife columnist Jessica Bowman, beer columnist Dawnell Smith and bartending blogger/mixologist Keith Saunders.
Be a winner yourself and find the winning recipe online (community.adn.com/adn/blog/68230) and wow your friends with the ultimate in holiday cheer.
The divisions
Fruits of the vine
This division is consistently sweet with a surprising, homegrown kick. The competitors included:
1. The Kiwi Capirinha: a fruity twist on the traditional Cuban cocktail, with kiwi vodka, lime, club soda and sugar. A burst of bubbly, fruity freshness.
2. Columbia Winery Gewurtztraminer 2006: a light, golden wine with so much fruitiness you'd swear it was made from peaches instead of grapes.
3. The "Lush": a cocktail created by Keith Saunders, inspired by Play's Lush Life column and made with Skyy passionfruit vodka, pineapple juice, orange juice and Midori.
4. Sleeping Lady Sour Cherry Beer: an effervescent sour brew with hints of fruitiness and just the right amount of pucker, another bomber beer for the holidays.
The judges salivated over all the fruity flavors but chose the Capirinha as the first-round winner after a showdown with the cherry brew.
'Out there'
This category came out of left field and included four interesting, quirky and as-yet unheard of drinks that arrived by the seat of their bottle caps for a chance at victory.
1. Trader Vic Macadamia Nut Liqueur: a smooth sip of heaven with a viscous, smoky and sweet Hawaiian-island, caramel kick.
2. Yellowtail Sparkling White Wine: a wine easy on the checkbook and easy on the palate with sparkly effervescence and equal parts dryness and sweetness.
3. Zipang Sparkling Sake: a saucy beverage suggested by Bear Tooth bartender Amy Mack because of its bubbly spark.
4. Glacier Brewhouse Sour Raspberry Lambic: described as a true wild card by the brewhouse's Kevin Burton.
The judges went with the oddest, quirkiest and most "out there" drink -- the raspberry lambic -- before trying to remove the pucker from their face.
Winter warmers
This division embraced everything soothing, comforting and oh-so-perfect-by-a-roaring-fire, whether sipped at a ski chalet, a log cabin or at home on Christmas Eve.
1. Cold Comfort Martini: an icy libation with a warming punch due to the blend of honey-infused vodka and citrus vodka in equal measure.
2. Michelob Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale: Michelob's answer to the question "what to buy for a holiday party if you have to buy beer."
3. Midnight Sun Brewing Co.'s Venus: a warming glow from the goddess of love comes through in this bodacious quadruple Belgian elixir aged in cabernet sauvignon barrels.
4. Clos du Bois 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon: a red wine made to drink while in cozy footie pajamas by the tree while listening to Manheim Steamroller.
In the end, Venus, the newest planetary beer from Midnight Sun, sashayed celestially into the Final Four.
Tried and twisted
This category embodied traditional drinks with a twist, familiar and yet extraordinary.
1. Peanut Butter and Jelly Martini: a classic comfort food in a glass, the PB&J spreads grape vodka over Frangelico in an adult drink just like mom used to make.
2. Alaskan Winter Ale: a tried and true Alaska beer with a piney, wintery twist that makes it crisp for the snowy, blowy months and just right for the holidays.
3. Prairie Organic Vodka: an organic and kosher vodka made by a co-op of farmers in Minnesota who created an entirely self-sustaining industry by providing ingredients for a spirit that tastes smooth and dry enough to rival Grey Goose.
4. Ravenswood Vintner's Blend Petite Syrah: a tradi-tional holiday red with a peppery, bold edge.
The trusty and twisted PB&J martini dominated the boards and three-point line as it stuck to the fundamentals on its way to the Final Four.
The Final Four
PB&J Martini vs. Midnight Sun Venus
Venus won by a single point, relying on its long game and incredible depth to edge to victory over the nutty PB&J.
Kiwi Capirinha vs. Glacier Brewhouse Sour Raspberry Lambic
The judges couldn't handle the pucker in the long run, so the quirky Capirinha beat the eye-watering sour brew.
The Title Match
Kiwi Capirinha vs. Midnight Sun Venus
The Capirinha won with a lay-up in the last seconds of the game!
But, really, many of the Sweet 16 players could have taken home the title. Find some of them in liquor stores throughout Anchorage and Alaska and others in recipes posted online on at Saunders' Bartender's Blog.
Got a Nightlife tip or inside info on the local music scene? Send an e-mail to play@adn.com.
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