Punch Drunk Love

My husband and I are celebrating our five-year wedding anniversary this week. Anniversaries are a great excuse to buy champagne and drink out of fancy glasses. 

Since we were camping on our actual anniversary, I didn't serve our Sofia Blanc de Blancs out of the awesome Waterford toasting glasses my friend Amy bought us as a wedding gift, but rather we had it in IKEA champagne flutes with our breakfast of campfire-cooked eggs and bacon. 

We toasted and drank our first sip straight and then added some orange juice and drank the rest as mimosas. My husband is a gentleman who let me have most of the champagne. Later that morning when his drunk bride fell in the lake after stepping into the canoe like it was the most stable conveyance ever, he made sure he asked if I was okay before he burst out laughing.

Now that we are back home I decided to mix up a batch of the punch I created for our wedding reception. I think weddings and celebrations of any sort are a good reason to create a signature drink that in some way captures the essence of the event. Our wedding color was green like Midori Liqueur. Therefore, I used Midori to create this punch:

Midori Wedding Punch:

• 1 can Minute Maid Frozen Limeade
  
• 3 of the limeade can of water
  
• 1 can Dole Pineapple Juice
  
• 1/2 liter of 7-up
  
• Enough Midori Melon Liqueur to give it a great green color
  
• Frozen honeydew melon balls and or ice ring made with limeade

Hoisting a Brownie with the Driscolls

Ever since I posted about liquor sales so far this year in Iowa, I've been curious about who in Iowa is drinking all the Black Velvet and Dr. Mcgillicuddy's Cherry Schnapps. Well, on a trip to my husband's hometown for his class reunion last weekend, I found out, and the answer surprised me.

My husband grew up in what, to me, seems like the ideal small town. The kind where the neighbors are good friends he's known all his life. I arrive in town and notice Bob and Linda Driscoll are hanging out on their porch. I've heard that their summer drink of choice is a drink they call the Brownie. I headed across the street to catch up and find out just what this drink was all about. 

They have new comfy patio furniture and a plaque on their patio with a picture of a margarita on it and the inscription "Hoist--The Driscolls."  "Hoist" is what the Driscolls say when it's time for a drink. When I told them I wanted to try a Brownie, Bob headed inside to freshen Linda's drink and make one for me. 

Bob came back with a mug of Black Velvet Whiskey mixed with unsweetened iced tea. It was very refreshing and very strong. I was feeling tipsy and talkative after just one glass, so of course I asked for another. This isn't my favorite iced tea-themed drink of the season, but I liked it, and I liked the company.

However, it was getting late. It was time for me to walk down to the town's bar, The Sundown, where my husband's band was playing. After a few songs and a few beers, I was feeling pretty good. I asked the bartender for a round of his most popular shot for me and the band. He made Cherry Bombs. Turns out Cherry Bombs are a tasty mixture of Red Bull and, you guessed it, Dr. Mcgillicuddy's Cherry Schnapps. 

When I woke the next morning with a terrible headache, I realized that, at least for that weekend, the person in Iowa drinking all the Black Velvet and cherry schnapps was me. Headache aside, I recommend both of these concoctions. As the Driscolls would say, "Hoist!"

Betty's Bar Guide

It was my mom Betty's birthday last week. So much of what I've shared with you and want to share with you I've learned from her. But since she's no longer with us, and all my attempts to share fun mom stories seem to come across as morbid to other people, I've held back. 

However, her birthday reminded me of a great gift she gave me one year. She found the Bar Guide in this picture at a junk store. Before the Bar Guide gift I'd often been disappointed with gifts from mom. But I was thrilled beyond words with this Bar Guide and just kept spinning the knob and reading off the recipes for crazy old-timey drink after crazy old-timey drink. There are 80 in all. My mom said, "I finally figured out that I can just buy you alcohol and old junk for gifts and you'll be happy." So true.

From time-to-time I will share a recipe from the Bar Guide with you. But be warned, they almost all involve raw eggs, and you need to know about things like jiggers. The definition I found for jigger is a measure of one drink of liquor.  Since most drinks call for two jiggers, a jigger glass is like the metal one shown above with the smaller side measuring one jigger and the larger measuring two jiggers. You could always just use a shot glass because it's pretty much the same thing.

Since Gin and Tonic was my mother's little helper of choice, I dialed in number 39 on the Bar Guide. Here's what it says: Place 3 ice cubes into tall highball glass. Add 2 jiggers Gin. Crush 1/2 slice lemon. Fill with Tonic Water. My mom used lime instead of lemon. I think she also used more than two jiggers of gin, but you can't blame her when she was stuck with a kid like me.

Take the Peach Tea Plunge

Back when I posted about My Kind of Arnold Palmer (re-named the Laura Palmer by clever friends), I said that drinking Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka with lemonade was pretty much the only way I'd drink the stuff. 

Well, I was wrong. I stopped by a small town diner for lunch yesterday. I ordered the special peach tea that was "back by popular demand." It's the picture at right in the Coca-Cola glass. Notice how they added an actual peach slice to the tea? I thought that was a nice touch. 

Today an idea started to take shape in my head; I could make this at home, and I could make it into an adult beverage. So tonight I created the Peach Tea Plunge.

I know, I know, the name is not that great, but the drink is incredible. Here's how I did it:

• Mix up one packet of Crystal Light Peach Tea according to the instructions.
• Pour four cups of the tea in a pitcher.
• Add two shots of Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka
• Add one shot of DeKuyper Peach Schnapps
• Add ice and frozen peaches
• Mix it, taste it, and add more of whatever you think it needs.
• Serve in glass with more ice and frozen peaches.

This is my new go to drink of the summer. I bet you'll like it too. And if you can think of a better name for it, let me know by commenting here.

Sex and the City

Almost every time I sit down at my laptop to write a post, I get this weird feeling that I'm Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City. It's not because I'm wearing a cute little outfit; in fact, I'm writing this in late July and yet I'm wearing my flannel halloween-themed pajama bottoms with a big grey t-shirt. It's not that you'd ever classify me as a "Carrie" in real life. I think I have the unlikely Charlotte/Miranda combo going on, in that I have longish dark hair, a big butt, and yet I'm pushy and kind of mannish. No, it's because I always want to write Carriesque sentences like the following:

I couldn't help but wonder, if real ladies drink Cosmopolitans, are the rest of us just whiskey bent and hell bound?

Now that I've gone down this path, please indulge me. I'm just going to admit that I loved SATC back in the day. I actually remember watching it at home one Sunday night (probably while wearing the same halloween flannels) and then getting dressed up in my best black cocktail dress and heading to GT (Des Moines drinking establishment) by myself. I ordered a Cosmopolitan, and when my friendly bartender Mike asked me why I was so dressed up, I lied and said I'd just come from a party.

It was fun to play girly girl during the three minutes it took me to down that Cosmo, but then Mike and I got to talking about the silly girls who think they are drinking martinis when they are really just drinking a vodka and cranberry juice in a fussy glass.

Though Sex and the City tried to be edgy and real, I think they missed the mark as far as real women and alcohol go. I'm not going to re-watch the old episodes just so I can give you specific examples. You'll have to trust me on this. 

I think real women sometimes like to drink a girly drink, but they also like to drink beer and whiskey and whatever is left in the cooler at the end of a long night. Cue music as I head to the refrigerator to get a Miller High Life. . .after all, it is the champagne of beers.

Finally, I'm not at all about people who put down SJP, but I will likely never get a better chance to share one of my favorite drinking-related jokes: Sarah Jessica Parker walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Hey, why the long face?" I think it is safe to say that I'm whiskey bent and hell bound.

Texas Mule

The Moscow Mule is one of my favorite summer drinks. I've been drinking them for years at The Alpine Tap Room. 

Moscow Mules are made with vodka, ginger beer and citrus fruit. They are usually served in copper mugs because they are colder and better that way.

When you order a Moscow Mule at the Alpine, Frankie, Dean or Jimmy will ask for your drivers license so that you won't be tempted to steal the mug. That is unless you are a regular, like me. My new favorite game at the Alpine is to wait until someone orders a Moscow Mule and forks over a drivers license. Then I walk up right in front of this person and ask for a Mule and watch the person's expression as it is handed right to me, no questions asked. 

Once again, I will be telling you people things you already know, but the reason they are called Moscow Mules is because of the vodka, which is typically Russian. I'm not sure, but I think the "mule" part of the moniker comes from the fact that if you drink too many of these, you'll feel like you've been kicked in the head by one.

When I drink these at home, I use Tito's Vodka. Way back on my post about the Lavender Zinski, I mentioned Tito's Vodka and promised to tell you more at a later time. Well, now is that time. Tito's Vodka (I'm hoping if I write it three times it will magically appear in my liquor cabinet) is "handcrafted" in Austin, TX. They tell you all about it on their web site. You can also get a free belt buckle and a certificate stating you are an official Tito's Taster.

Tito's is so good. It doesn't have that vodka burn. It makes me dreamy and nice, where other vodkas tend to make me angry and mean. Plus, it doesn't cost that much.

The drink pictured above is a Texas Mule because I made it with Tito's and Bundaberg Ginger Beer. I think the picture has a happy, hazy feeling representing how I feel when I drink these. It is served in one of my very own copper mugs. I didn't steal the mug from the Alpine, but I could have, because they never ask for my driver's license.

Stop Whining About Iowa Wine

I'm not one to make a lot of resolutions at the beginning of the year. I definitely couldn't make one every week like my friends at Fifty2 Resolutions. 

However, this spring I found myself at the Farmer's Market in Des Moines, Iowa trying to buy everything for a perfect local meal. I had the organic chicken from the county where I grew up. I had asparagus. I had rhubarb. When I found myself thinking I couldn't stoop so low as to buy Iowa wine, I checked myself and decided then and there that this summer I would give wines made in Iowa a chance.

Since that time I've tried the two Iowa wines shown above. I know that trying two bottles isn't really what you'd call giving Iowa wine a chance, but mainly it's because at $12 a bottle (it seems like they've banded together and decided that's the going rate), it is a little more than I'm used to spending. But you know, I paid a little more for that chicken, and I was okay with that because it was supporting someone in my state. It's the same with Iowa wine--the people making this stuff are our friends and neighbors; they need to make a living.

So back to the wines. . .The Jasper Winery Front Porch wine was a lot too sweet for me. Luckily, I had a friend who likes her wine on the sweeter side help me drink it. It was good in small amounts, and fun to drink. Also, I'm just going to go ahead and admit that I thought the red bottle was pretty.

I used the bottle of Francesca's Folly from Covered Bridges Winery to make sangria. It was an easy-drinking Rose' perfect for a summer afternoon, just like they described it in the brochure. However, that's not the whole story behind this wine adventure.

The guy who sold it to me was really nice and said that while they only had white wines right now, they hoped to have a drier red wine ready soon. So I gave the guy a $20 and walked off with my bottle. Two days later I get an email that said, "This is going to be a totally off the wall question, but did you stop by Covered Bridges Winery’s booth at the WDM Farmers Market last night and buy a bottle of wine?"  I'd walked away without getting my change, and he tracked me down so he could get my money back to me.

As I was arranging to get my money back, I told him about Glass Half Full and how I'd made a sort of resolution to stop whining about Iowa Wines. He said, "Those of us in the Iowa wine business appreciate spreading the word about Iowa wines.  There are still a lot of lingering memories of sickly sweet fruit wines that are made in Iowa. We are working very hard to overcome the quality perception. Hopefully some of what you tasted last night will help that cause."

You know what? What I tasted did help that cause. The other thing that's helped the cause is the fact that all of these Iowa vintners are so darn nice, it can't help but make their wines taste a little sweet. . . uh, I mean, better.

I'll leave you with a recipe Kevin sent me, along with my $8 change, for Sangria, the Covered Bridges Winery way:

• 1 bottle Francesca’s Folly
  
• 1 can ginger ale
  
• 1 cup pomegranate or cranberry juice
  
• 4 cups of fresh fruit (frozen will work, too) Pineapple, peaches, oranges, lime, apples, pears, kiwi.  Just about anything works except banana.
• Mix all of the above and serve over ice. Alternative – Use 1 bottle Edelweiss wine and increase the amount of juice to get a nice color.

Not Just for the Boys: Beer in the Shower

After working outside or just being outside on a hot summer day, when you are getting ready to go someplace in the late afternoon that you may not really want to go to, or in the morning before work (just kidding), there is nothing like taking a cold can of beer in the shower with you.

You don't even have to remember to take it into the shower with you. If my man finds himself in the shower without a beer, it's okay for him to holler, "Honey will you bring me a beer?" You know what? Yes, I will bring you a beer because that is just so cool.

TV commercials would have you believe that women don't want to bring you a beer in the shower. Women, it seems, don't even want you to drink beer. They want you to sit around while they shop. They get angry when they want to "vent" about their hard day at the office and you want to "vent" by drinking.

My advice for all my single guy friends, find yourself a women who will bring you a beer in the shower and not think twice about it. Oh, and be willing to do the same for her.

Margarita Monday

I was going to start this post by apologizing for a week going by without new posts. But then I reminded myself that this is a blog about drinking, written by a person who drinks; and therefore, you shouldn't expect any sort of regularity from me. 

One thing you can expect is that after work on Monday I will want a drink. Tonight it's watermelon margaritas. 

I made the drink pictured by chopping up some seedless organic watermelon in the blender. I mixed in some ice, tequila, and instead of orange liqueur, I used Midori melon liqueur.  The trick here is not to add too much Midori because it is a bright green beverage and will make your margarita an ugly color. 

This drink tastes good and gives you a good healthy drunk feeling. If you want to blend up the whole watermelon, Martha Stewart says it will last for up to a week in your refrigerator. I'm drinking all of mine tonight.

My Kind of Arnold Palmer

Traditionally an Arnold Palmer is a mix of half iced tea and half lemonade. The Arnold Palmer pictured here is half lemonade and half Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea vodka.  

The Yacht Club is known to have the friendliest bartenders on Ingersoll. I tend to get along with all the bartenders on Ingersoll, but I have to say, Piper was very nice to mix this up for me and help me with my picture.

There was no harsh vodka feeling at all to this drink, even though almost half of it is the sweet tea vodka. It tasted very summery, and if I hadn't been trying to pace myself on this particular Saturday, I could have handled a larger glass. Piper said that's because this vodka is only 70 proof.

I've heard a lot about these tea vodkas lately. I'm sure mixologists have all sorts of tea drink ideas, but I feel like the Arnold Palmer is the only way I'd want to drink this stuff.

Campari

My favorite way to start the weekend during the summer months is to take the edge off with a little cocktail on the lanai. I call our porch a lanai, because it just makes it seem special.

Drinking Campari and soda seems special too. Campari is an Italian liqueur of herbs, plants and fruits. It has the strangest taste--I can't explain why I like it, but I like it. 

The drink in this picture is a mixture of Campari and soda. I added a slice of orange and a slice of lime. The back of the bottle says you can drink it with orange juice as well. 

I drink this in the summer. I've found I need to be careful with this drink because the secret blend of herbs, plants and fruits gives me a terrible headache if I overdo it. I'm SURE that won't be the case tonight. Happy Friday! Have a great hangover-free weekend.

Dark and Stormy

It's been hot here. All day I was thinking that as soon as I got home I'd mix up and post about a Moscow Mule, Arnold Palmer, or chilled summery something or other. Then I poked my head over my cube to see a massive dark storm front headed my way. 

I got excited and decided to head home right away. Not because I'm afraid of storms, oh no. It's because I've been waiting for the right time to try a Dark & Stormy, and being the literal person that I am, this was the perfect time.

I made this drink using the dark Myers rum I keep around for making rum cake (future post), and the Australian ginger beer I have around because I like the bottles it comes in. I also added a dash of lime juice. I served it in a Collins glass because that's how it should be served.

This drink is SO GOOD. I'm going to invest in the ingredients to make it the right way. This is the national drink of Bermuda, so making it the "right" way means buying Bermuda's own Gosling's Black Seal Rum. Here's a link to the recipe I used from Esquire magazine. I'm going to mix another drink and take shelter in the basement.

Wheat Grass?

This is a picture of my wheat grass. I planted it this spring in anticipation of owning a juicer and being a healthy happy person by the time it was ready to harvest. Well, as you can see, it is ready to harvest. I don't own a juicer, and I haven't yet become the sort of person who craves a shot of wheat grass over a shot of whiskey.

I have, however, done my research. I have friends who own juicers and they all think the one they own is the best. I'm leaning towards the Breville Juice Fountain Compact mainly because it is cheaper and smaller than the Juice Fountain Plus. I'm really not sure about it. What if I get the smaller version and it just doesn't cut it? 

Here's another dilemma: even if I do pull the trigger and buy the juicer, I've heard that it won't work for wheat grass. You need a wheat grass juicer. I'm okay with that, but there are two choices there as well. There's a manual wheat grass juicer for around $50 or the supposedly much better electric version for closer to $100. 

My health lies in the balance as I ponder these important decisions over my third glass of wine of the evening. What should I do Glass Half Full readers? Should I sink my money in the juice and bring you nothing but healthy ideas for bloody mary's? Or should I spend my money on a good bottle of aged rum and forget all this healthy nonsense?

Drinks and Dads

I thought I'd take the opportunity this Father's Day to look at my Dad through the Glass Half Full lens and determine what drinking habits and wisdom he has passed on to me.

Mainly my father drinks beer. I also have memories of him drinking Chivas Regal, Manischewitz wine and Mad Dog 20/20 (Mogan David wine). During trapping season, it was peppermint schnapps. 

The reason I remember the Chivas and the Manischewitz is because of the funny way he said those words-- no doubt after he'd already had a few. 

I remember the Mad Dog because there was a time in the 70s when my Dad and his friends all wore those shirts with snaps instead of buttons. The joke after they'd been drinking was to walk up and pull at each other's shirts so that all the snaps came undone, exposing hairy 70's chests and medallions from Avon. Well, my father did that to someone who happened to be wearing a shirt with actual buttons. As the buttons flew in every direction my dad said, "Don't blame it on me, that's the Mad Dog."

I hung out with my dad a lot as a little kid. That meant spending a fair share of my time at the bar with him and lying to my mom about it later.  I was a mouthy kid, which my dear dad mistook for braininess. So he'd tell me to start arguments with some guy at the bar that we decided we didn't like for some reason. I'd usually argue about women's rights or something equally political that I didn't fully understand. Then when the poor guy said something too out of line, my dad, who is to this day a big tough guy and back then must have been down right terrifying, would step in and say, "You got a problem with something she said, 'cause she's the brains in this operation and I back her up."

From my father I learned to work hard and play hard. While I have a little trouble with the work hard thing, I've got the play hard thing down.  The parents among you may cringe at stories of a little girl hanging out in bars, watching her father drink, and sometimes getting to have the occasional shot of schnapps or sip of beer herself.  I think it gave me a healthy understanding of enjoying life, being myself, cutting loose and saying what I think. And if you've got a problem with that, I've still got a Dad who will back me up.

What about you? Any thoughts on what you learned about drinking from your father?

Love is like a bottle of gin, but a bottle of gin is not like love

Now that summer is here it is officially gin & tonic season. I suppose you can drink them any time of year, but there's something about a cool refreshing gin & tonic on a hot day.

Gin & tonics also make me think of this great little song by The Magnetic Fields called Love is like a bottle of gin, but a bottle of gin is not like love. Makes you feel kind of profound as you sip your summer away.

It makes you blind, it does you in
It makes you think you're pretty tough
It makes you prone to crime and sin
It makes you say things off the cuff
It's very small and made of glass
and grossly over-advertised
It turns a genius to an ass
and makes a fool think he is wise
It could make you regret your birth
or turn cartwheels in your best suit
It costs a lot more than it's worth
and yet there is no substitute
They keep it on a higher shelf
the older and more pure it grows
It has no color in itself
but it can make you see rainbows
You can find it on the Bowery
or you can find it at Elaine's 
It makes your words more flowery
It makes the sun shine, makes it rain
You just get out what they put in
and they never put in enough
Love is like a bottle of gin
but a bottle of gin is not like love

And Now I Have That Stupid Song In My Head. . .

I received a link to the Iowa Department of Alcoholic Beverages web site the other day. Thanks O. Kay. There's lots of interesting stuff on there. I was fascinated with the top 100 liquor sales in Iowa since the first of the year.

Black Velvet is number one on the list. Really Iowa? I have a bottle of Black Velvet, but it's been years since I've gone into a bar and ordered a BV and Coke or a BV and anything for that matter.

I was glad to see Iowa's own Templeton Rye on the list at number 94, but come on, we drank more butterscotch schnapps than we did great Iowa rye. Sales of Baileys are down; probably because I've stopped adding it to my coffee every single morning.

What about you my fellow Iowans? What things surprise you on this list? Which numbers have you contributed to this year? Do you know anyone who drinks Dr. Mcgillicuddy's Cherry Schnapps? Based on its number 28 status, you must.

Rank	Brand	Category	Cases Sold	% Total Sales*	YTD + or - Last Year
1	BLACK VELVET	CAN-US BLND-US BTLD	38,000	6.49	54
2	CPT MGN ORG SP	RUM-FLVRD	31,815	5.44	700
3	HAWKEYE	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	26,822	4.58	(1,034)
4	FIVE OCLOCK	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	16,640	2.84	1,464
5	J DANIEL BLK LB	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	13,543	2.31	(471)
6	BARTON	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	11,925	2.04	611
7	BACARDI LGT DRY	RUM-LIGHT	11,384	1.95	(1,192)
8	SMIRNOFF	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	10,838	1.85	336
9	JAGERMEISTER	CRDL-LQR&SPC-OTH	10,014	1.71	(1,100)
10	SEAGRAM CRN RYL	CAN-FRGN BLND-FRGN BTLD	9,842	1.68	314
11	MCCORMICK	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	9,784	1.67	604
12	SEAGRAM 7 CROWN	DOM WHSKY-BLND	9,767	1.67	217
13	PARAMOUNT WHITE	RUM-LIGHT	9,095	1.55	420
14	PHILLIPS	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	8,474	1.45	(474)
15	ADMRL NLSN SPC	RUM-FLVRD	8,377	1.43	1,082
16	CUERVO A LME MR	COCKTAILS	8,330	1.42	(130)
17	CUERVO ESPECIAL	TEQUILA-GOLD	7,757	1.33	(801)
18	CANADIAN LTD	CAN-US BLND-US BTLD	7,745	1.32	488
19	JIM BEAM	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	7,274	1.24	(244)
20	SOU COMFORT 70	CRDL-LQR&SPC-WHSKY SPCTY	7,096	1.21	(228)
21	UV RASPBERRY	VODKA-FLVRD-DOM	6,911	1.18	(190)
22	SKOL	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	6,304	1.08	(351)
23	POPOV	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	5,981	1.02	(611)
24	ABSOLUT	VODKA-CLASSIC-IMP	5,796	0.99	(704)
25	KESSLER	DOM WHSKY-BLND	5,620	0.96	(289)
26	G W FIVE STAR	DOM WHSKY-BLND	5,563	0.95	489
27	MALIBU NATURAL	RUM-FLVRD	4,989	0.85	35
28	D MCGLDY CHERRY	CRDL-SNPS-OTH	4,972	0.85	1,228
29	TEN HIGH	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	4,966	0.85	(340)
30	NIKOLAI 80 PRF	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	4,851	0.83	2,013
31	CANADIAN CLUB	CAN-US BLND-US BTLD	4,283	0.73	(235)
32	WINDSOR SUPREME	CAN-US BLND-US BTLD	4,108	0.70	534
33	PARAMOUNT	CRDL-SNPS-PPRMNT	4,011	0.69	(3)
34	SEAGRAM EXT DRY	GIN-CLASSIC-DOM	3,949	0.67	494
35	E & J	BRNDY/CGNC-DOM	3,744	0.64	41
36	GREY GOOSE	VODKA-CLASSIC-IMP	3,617	0.62	291
37	DEK PEACHTREE	CRDL-SNPS-PEACH	3,611	0.62	(301)
38	JUAREZ	TEQUILA-GOLD	3,589	0.61	339
39	PARAMOUNT AMRTO	CRDL-LQR&SPC-AMRT	3,487	0.60	(252)
40	CDN RSRV BRN GL	CAN-US BLND-US BTLD	3,314	0.57	36
41	BEAMS 8 STAR	DOM WHSKY-BLND	3,299	0.56	672
42	HENNESSY V S	BRNDY/CGNC-CGNC-VS	3,225	0.55	247
43	LAUDERS	SCOTCH-BLND-US BTLD	3,117	0.53	122
44	PARAMOUNT	GIN-CLASSIC-DOM	3,052	0.52	339
45	PARAMOUNT GOLD	RUM-GOLD	2,970	0.51	274
46	CHRISTIAN BROS	BRNDY/CGNC-DOM	2,944	0.50	145
47	CANADIAN MIST	CAN-US BLND-US BTLD	2,907	0.50	(272)
48	DEK SOUR APPLE	CRDL-SNPS-APPL	2,877	0.49	(276)
49	BACARDI LIMON	RUM-FLVRD	2,743	0.47	1
50	OLD CROW	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	2,709	0.46	242
51	BAILEYS ORIG IR	CRDL-CRM LQR	2,706	0.46	(549)
52	FLEISCHMANN RYL	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	2,692	0.46	13
53	P MSSN GRD AMBR	BRNDY/CGNC-DOM	2,608	0.45	203
54	CUERVO GOLD MRG	COCKTAILS	2,563	0.44	65
55	CHI-CHI'S MRGTA	COCKTAILS	2,384	0.41	(608)
56	TANQUERAY	GIN-CLASSIC-IMP	2,265	0.39	(178)
57	KAHLUA MEX LIQ	CRDL-COFFEE LQR	2,241	0.38	(226)
58	JUAREZ GOLD	TEQUILA-GOLD	2,234	0.38	249
59	CUERVO A STW MR	COCKTAILS	2,187	0.37	292
60	SVEDKA	VODKA-CLASSIC-IMP	2,140	0.37	686
61	JUAREZ 30	CRDL-LQR&SPC-TRIPLE SEC	2,134	0.36	33
62	PARAMNT BLKBRRY	CRDL-FLVRD BRNDES-BLKBRY	2,031	0.35	(77)
63	CASTILLO WHITE	RUM-LIGHT	1,923	0.33	(202)
64	HAWKEYE	DOM WHSKY-BLND	1,898	0.32	(65)
65	BURNETT'S	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	1,874	0.32	(373)
66	RMPL MNZ PEP SC	CRDL-SNPS-PPRMNT	1,842	0.31	160
67	FIVE OCLOCK	GIN-CLASSIC-DOM	1,839	0.31	(261)
68	UV CHERRY	VODKA-FLVRD-DOM	1,836	0.31	171
69	BACARDI GOLD	RUM-GOLD	1,759	0.30	(196)
70	PATRON SILVER	TEQUILA-BLANCO	1,726	0.29	147
71	SCORESBY RARE	SCOTCH-BLND-US BTLD	1,687	0.29	(103)
72	ARROW	CRDL-SNPS-PPRMNT	1,646	0.28	60
73	HAWKEYE LIGHT	RUM-LIGHT	1,630	0.28	277
74	ANCIENT AGE	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	1,627	0.28	47
75	KORSKI	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	1,582	0.27	(147)
76	SKYY	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	1,481	0.25	180
77	DEK BUTTERSHOTS	CRDL-SNPS-BTRSCTCH	1,480	0.25	(170)
78	JAMESON	IRISH	1,470	0.25	267
79	PINNACLE	VODKA-CLASSIC-IMP	1,465	0.25	1,011
80	UV	VODKA-CLASSIC-DOM	1,442	0.25	(27)
81	TORTILLA GOLD	CRDL-LQR&SPC-SPRT SPCTY	1,410	0.24	(7)
82	DEK HOT DMN 30	CRDL-SNPS-CNNMN	1,373	0.23	(365)
83	ABSOLUT CITRON	VODKA-FLVRD-IMP	1,366	0.23	(232)
84	MAKERS MARK	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	1,274	0.22	99
85	EVAN WMS BLK LB	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	1,264	0.22	133
86	D MCGLLDDY M SN	CRDL-SNPS-OTH	1,243	0.21	(232)
87	TORTILLA	TEQUILA-BLANCO	1,228	0.21	(129)
88	MONTEZUMA	TEQUILA-GOLD	1,217	0.21	107
89	KETEL ONE	VODKA-CLASSIC-IMP	1,209	0.21	7
90	TEQUILA ROSE	CRDL-LQR&SPC-CRM	1,193	0.20	(130)
91	SUNNYBROOK	DOM WHSKY-BLND	1,192	0.20	(168)
92	SEAGRAMS V O	CAN-FRGN BLND-FRGN BTLD	1,183	0.20	(59)
93	SAILOR JRRY SP	RUM-GOLD	1,151	0.20	451
94	TEMPLETON	DOM WHSKY-STRT-RYE	1,117	0.19	13
95	WILD TURKEY 101	DOM WHSKY-STRT-BRBN/TN	1,102	0.19	21
96	DEWARS WHT LABL	SCOTCH-BLND-FRGN BTLD	1,089	0.19	(1)
97	EVERCLEAR 190	COCKTAILS	1,077	0.18	(174)
98	HAWKEYE	GIN-CLASSIC-DOM	1,073	0.18	124
99	GILBEYS	GIN-CLASSIC-DOM	1,073	0.18	47
100	PARAMOUNT	CRDL-LQR&SPC-TRIPLE SEC	1,049	0.18	(1)
	TOTAL		470,306	80.31	4,517
* Numbers reflect the percentage of all sales in the state of Iowa since the beginning of the calendar year.