Buy This: Bittermilk

 

My family always jokes about me never reading. It's true, many nights I'd rather sit in front of the TV and catch up on some shows (I recently took a dive into Breaking Bad, once the series ended). I recently purchased the "Southerner's Handbook" from the Editors of Garden and Gun magazine. AMAZING! I'm also an avid reader of Garden and Gun, and lets be honest, I read a ton of blogs..

Garden and Gun recently concluded the 4th Annual Made in the South Awards. These awards cover a variety of categories such as:

1. Food
2. Drink
3. Style & Design
4. Home
5. Outdoors

I decided to check out the winners and see if anything sparked my interest. Boy did it! I loved all of the winners, but the drink category definitely caught my eye. Now, we all know that I enjoy my drinks. I have a healthy relationship with bourbon and LOVE the fact that there is a private bourbon bar in Chapel Hill, NC called The Crunkleton that I'm able to frequent.

I digress.

The winner of the drink category was Bittermilk.

"Bittermilk compounds are designed for the modern day cocktail enthusiast, to help mix up unique, quality cocktails following a simple ratio of Bittermilk to your choice of spirit. Each of our products use a bittering agent, a sweetener, and an acid to achieve a balanced cocktail. The labor is in the bottle."

Life changed.

Bittermilk currently has three compounds available. Smoked Honey Whiskey Sour, Tom Collins with Elderflower & Hops, and my personal favorite Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Fashioned.

If we are being completely honest, my love of Old Fashioneds sprang from Don Draper drink countless glasses of this concoction. Finding a bartender that can make a decent one is harder than it should be. Bittermilk solves this problem. Simply add a couple of spoonfuls of their compound to a glass of your favorite rye or bourbon and BAM! Old Fashioned.

So, ditch your old college home-bar consisting of nothing but empty bottles you think look cool, stock up with the real stuff, and add some Bittermilk to your arsenal. I've already ordered a few bottles for mine!

Now Playing: "Hold On" by the Alabama Shakes

Buy This: AroundCampus

Everyone knows that I'm a sucker for a good deal. I'm always looking for bargains, coupons, etc. When I was in college, I discovered AroundCampus.com. This is a deal-driven, school specific website and smart phone app (iPhone AND android) that features a business directory AND coupons at over 200 colleges and universities in the United States. They have awards to prove it!

I'm a huge proponent of social media. Obviously. I took a fun, anonymous twitter account that promoted chivalry, southern lifestyles, and fashion and turned it into a freelance marketing project. I worked with companies like High Cotton Ties, Over Under Clothing Company, Volunteer Traditions, and more.I'm constantly looking for ways to help small businesses grow. THIS IS IT!

In this age, we all love to shop online. GREAT! But don't forget about the stores around you. Sometimes we have to search, but find some real gems.

AroundCampus makes this all the more easier. Not only will it tell you what is around you, it'll allow you to search by category to help you find exactly what you're looking for. You are able to print and email the coupons...AND share on Facebook and Twitter! That way you can let all your friends know about the deals YOU like. The app also allows you to redeem the coupon right on your phone, so if you're like me and don't have a printer at home, or find a deal in the middle of a shopping excursion...this app is for you!

So go check it out, find some deals, and save some green.


Now Playing: "Blue Rose Stroll" by the Dirty Guv'nahs