After filming four seasons in more than 50 countries, “Three Sheets” host Zane Lamprey has only one theory about the perfect hangover cure.

“There isn’t one,” Lamprey told the Daily News. “There are only remedies, and the best remedy is time. But some people try spicy foods to adrenaline rushes to giant meals to hair of the dog. It really depends on your state of hangover. If you’re just a mess, order some fast food and take the day off.”

On July 20 at 10 p.m., “Three Sheets” is moving to a new home on the Fine Living Network (FLN), where the half-hour international drinking show will air 18 never-before-seen episodes.

It previously aired on Mojo HD.

“Three Sheets” features Lamprey, a comedian, traveling around the world to partake in various cultures’ drinking customs – in the process downing everything from the backwoods whisky of New Zealand to the “bee brew” of the Masai tribe in Tanzania.

“The show is basically the same because FLN liked the way it was and wanted to keep the same fan base and just grow it,” said Lamprey. “The only thing that’s different in season four is that we just have this new energy. It’s the same great show, but it’s even better.”

The show also serves as a drinking game for viewers, with rules such as, “When Zane drinks, you drink.”

“When you watch the show for the first time, you’re really not going to be playing along because there’s so much going on, but it makes repeats so much more interesting,” Lamprey said.

While it’s difficult for Lamprey to name his favorite drink because there have been so many delicious offerings (though a $10,000 dram of whisky from Scotland and a coconut porter in Maui stand out), it’s much easier for him to recall his least-appetizing imbibing experience ever.

“People always talk about the episode with the Viper Rum in Belize,” said Lamprey. “They take a snake, put it in a bottle and fill it with an overproof rum. The snake dies and they let it sit on a shelf for a year, then they drink it. Because it was the first time I had something like that on the show, it really sticks out.

“There’s nothing I won’t drink,” he added. “But there’s a lot I won’t drink twice.”

Zamprey said he’s gotten much better at holding his liquor over the past few years, but he doesn’t think he was ever a belligerent or mean drunk. And though he may have started off as a comedian with a show about drinking, he’s now getting used to being something of an alcohol expert.

“I was an everyman. I liked drinking and did it from time to time,” he said. “Now, after being to 50-plus countries and shooting over 500 scenes with other experts, I realize I sort of know what I’m talking about now. I’m writing a book about it.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/07/09/2009-07-09_drinking_show_three_sheets_to_be_toast_of_fine_living_network.html

Fans of Washington’s Dry Fly Distillery will be very happy when August rolls around. That’s when the craft distillery, famed for its simple and clean vodka and crisp gin will be releasing their first Washington Wheat Whiskey. Since Dry Fly launched back in 2007 they’ve been promising loyal fans a whiskey. The spirit, made with local grains, spent the last two years maturing in charred whiskey barrels. The magic day has finally arrived but retail customers are going to have to act fast. On August 7 stores listed on the Dry Fly website will begin selling whatever product remains after they are done selling to restaurants and bars. The distillery will also sell around 20 cases but caution that they expect to sell out in hours even with a two bottle per person limit.

http://www.dryflydistilling.com/

RoughStock Distillery, the only legal craft distiller in Montana — ever, is about to unveil its first batch of single malt whiskey.

The facility, located in Bozeman and run by fourth-generation Montanans Bryan and Kari Schultz, has been in operation for two years.

Their whiskey is made from Montana-grown and -malted barley, water from freshwater streams fed by snowmelt, and aged from six months to two years in new, charred oak barrels.

RoughStock’s 250-gallon copper pot still was custom designed and manufactured by Vendome Copper and Brass Works in Louisville, KY.

The owners plan to produce 3,000 cases a year, with the intent to ratchet up production to 5,000 to 6,000 cases annually.

When you ask people about their feelings towards vodka you tend to get a pretty generic or unenthusiastic response like; “It’s OK”, “I’ll have it as a mixer”, “Vodka’s Vodka”, and so on. That is unless you ask someone that has had the good fortune to drink some CORE Vodka made by Harvest Spirits of Valatie NY.

CORE Vodka is the result of a collaboration between Tom Crowell, a brewery owner, and Derek Grout, 3rd Generation of Golden Harvest Farm. Harvest Spirits is holder of the first Farm Distillers License, they pursued this license to allow for farmers to make more money from their crops. You see… Golden Harvest Farm has an apple orchard and grows a lot of apples, you might even be able to say too many apples. So whats a (smart thinking) farmer to do with crop availability in excess of the demand? Not to mention crop that might be stored too long etc. That’s right you guessed it – distill it and make some tasty vodka.

CORE is a triple distilled small batch vodka that is truly something unique and a delight to drink. It is such a treat to be able to go and visit a small operation like Harvest Spirits and talk directly to the people making the product. They do everything on site; fermenting, distilling, bottling, hand labeling & numbering. In one visit to the distillery you can see where the entire process takes place. That’s pretty neat.

I feel it is important to note here that even though CORE is distilled from apples, this is not an ‘Apple Flavored’ vodka. This is a crisp, clean, and exceptionally smooth vodka that when drinking finishes with just a touch of sweet that is a reminder of the apples that are at its core. After introducing CORE to many of my friends it just spread like wildfire, and told their friends, and their friends, it was amazing soon everyone in or close to my circle was buzzing about CORE.

So look for some CORE at you favorite liquor store, and if they don’t have it – tell them to call the guys at Harvest Spirits and get it. I am sure you will enjoy it and be sure to share with your friends too. By the way, while you are sharing with your friends, make yourself look extra smart by looking up the info about your hand-numbered bottle in Harvest Spirits really cool online distiller’s notebook.

Further Info about CORE and Harvest Spirits:
http://www.harvestspirits.com/ << Harvest Spirits main site http://www.harvestspirits.com/core_vodka.html << CORE Vodka page P.S. Be sure to check out their "Work in Progress" page .. there is a VERY interesting project in the works that I plan to re-visit the distillery for and cover in a later story. {Hint: Woodford Reserve}

Some great news came my way last week, the great folks of Tuthilltown Spirits were having the Grand Opening of their new tours, tasting room, and retail store. Suddenly my holiday weekend, that didn’t have any special plans, now had something REALLY exciting in store. And the Tuthilltown Distillery is only a little over an hour drive from me.

I gave them a call and got myself and my wife a reservation for a late afternoon tour. This turned out to be an excellent way to go as when we got there our tour was done by none other than Ralph Erenzo, one of the two partners that started Tuthilltown Spirits and a head distiller. I was definitely excited to have a tour by one of the owners and off we went. It is so interesting to see a small operation like this one up close, you get to see and hear the love and enthusiasm the staff have for their process and product.

First stop is the fermentation room, some people don’t like the smell, but to me the smell of the yeast going to work and doing its thing is always an enjoyable aroma. Tuthilltown currently has a pretty broad range of spirits they produce. Their spirits line currently consists of two Vodkas, un-aged corn whiskey, rye, baby bourbon, four grain bourbon, single malt whiskey, and rum. Their entire line of products is spectacular but I absolutely love the Baby Bourbon and Four Grain Bourbon.

Next up are the stills, Tuthilltown currently uses two copper pot stills from Germany for its distillation processes. One large 200 gallon still and a smaller 100 gallon still. These two machines are a thing of beauty and Tuthilltown’s distillation room is a lovely site.

After making our way past the stills we moved on to learn about the “real genius” part of their bourbon making process and why the Tuthilltown family of aged spirits have such a unique flavor profile. You see in most cases making bourbon takes a long time in the aging process taking up to several years before even knowing how your product is coming along and what its going to taste like. The thinkers and innovators at Tuthilltown tried something different. They ordered small charred new white oak barrels in 3, 5 and 7 gallons. During the aging and tasting process they discovered that using smaller barrels required only about 40 days per gallon to get the flavor they wanted and therefore the spirit in the 3 gallon barrels could be ready in roughly about 120 days. This is the genius that makes the Tuthilltown bourbons what they have become today, an outstanding world-class level spirits that is in demand locally, nationally and even world-wide with a footprint in several European countries.

Ralph was kind enough to share with us some information about the fact that taking this route, while it does produce a fantastic product in a much shorter time frame, is not however the most cost effective method to get the job done. This was a decision and gamble that needed to determined if worth making for the product to become what it is today. I for one am glad they took the gamble and made the decision to make their bourbon this way. And if you get the opportunity to drink some of their fine products you will appreciate it as well. In the end we learn that all Tuthilltown bottles are hand-dipped in wax, labeled one at a time and individually hand numbered. Ralph also told us that shortly they will have a new section on their website that will allow you to see the ‘notes’ associated with any particular bottle you have.

After the tour was over it was a short walk to the tasting room and retail store which allows visitors to taste the products that are made right there on the premises. Not only that but the store is also stocked full of their bourbons and a ton of other interesting distillery items and t-shirts. Yours truly left with an awesome “DISTILLERYMAN” t-shirt and a “Hudson Real American Whiskeys” etched nosing glass.

This was definitely a 4th of July to remember! Thanks again to all the staff at Tuthilltown Distillery. The tour, tasting, and shopping were a blast! I hope to make it back there a couple times this summer.

For more information on Tuthilltown Spirits:
http://www.tuthilltown.com << Be sure to join the email list & check the events page. http://twitter.com/tuthilltown << Their Twitter Feed