No. 91 May/June 2021 - Imbibe Magazine Subscribe + Save

No. 91 May/June 2021

Checking out mezcal in Oaxaca, an introduction to cocktail bitters, tasting through a selection of pale ales, and chatting with the drinks historian appropriately known as Dr. Cocktail—this was how we kicked off Imbibe’s inaugural issue in May 2006.

Over the past 15 years, mezcal’s become ubiquitous in American bars, and bitters have exploded into a small galaxy of styles and flavors, but our mission at Imbibe has remained the same: to bring you some of the most engaging and essential stories from the drinks world, and to explore the myriad ways we can find deliciousness in a cup or glass.

But everything evolves over time, and in recent years, we’ve more fully embraced the culture side of our “Drinks Culture” tagline. We’ve not only brought you stories about cocktails and wine, coffee and beer, and great bars, cafés, and bartenders—we’ve explored the people and places behind these drinks, and highlighted businesses and individuals whose work resonates in the drinks they pour, and in our larger culture, as well.

You can see this mission in the issue you’re now holding. Kombucha was practically unheard of when we kicked off the magazine in 2006, but it’s now a $1.8 billion industry— John Kessler explores how we got to this point in his story. Nobody was counting on a global pandemic back when we launched, Chasity Cooper looks at how independent wine shops have proven their value during this difficult year.

Josh Bernstein joined Imbibe’s lineup of writers almost from the beginning, and 15 years later, we’ve got his feature on opening a brewery in the era of COVID. Ever had a date milkshake? If not, then join Matthew Rowley on his trip to Palm Springs for a look at this local aspect of California drinks culture. We’re also exploring the breadth of the liqueurs category, joining Kate Bernot for her introduction to Montana cidermaker Michael Billingsley, and taking a tour through history with Wayne Curtis’ survey of cocktail competitions through the ages.

My byline first appeared in Imbibe in that inaugural 2006 issue, and I’m thankful to all of you who’ve accompanied us on this journey over the years. Here’s to the next 15.

—Paul Clarke

Recipes in the Issue

Ancho Chile Cocktail: Nonna’s Biscotto

Widow’s Kiss Cocktail

Dark & Moody

Airmail Cocktail

Millionaire Cocktail

Strawberry Spice Everything Nice Spritz

Great Silence: A Mezcal Cocktail

Coq au Vermouth

Enjoying Imbibe?

Sign up for our newsletter and get biweekly recipes and articles delivered to your inbox.