Happy New Year!

It's officially the 8th day of the new year, and I still haven't managed to get a post up on this blog. Until now, that is!

First, let me wish everyone a very happy 2009. Let's hope this year brings us all great things, especially a better economy. It's kinda rough out there!

I have some plans for the new year, and now that the madness of December is over (by far the busiest month in the distillery business), I can actually start working on them. Without further ado, here are my Thinking of Drinking-related resolutions for 2009:

• I will participate in every Mixology Monday in 2009, and try to blog more regularly - aiming for one post a week at least. I may expand the sphere of topics a bit - anyone have an opinion on me writing more about the spirits business occasionally?

• I will try at least one new cocktail recipe from my library of classic cocktail books per month and blog about it. I have fallen into a rut of drinking favorite cocktails, which means there isn't much to write about there. I'm not taking on a project like Erik Ellestad's Stomping Through the Savoy or anything, so hopefully I can keep up with it.

In the meantime, I had some updates that I wanted to pass along:

• Bridget Albert, the fearless President of Illinois USBG, Master Mixologist for Southern Wine & Spirits and all-around nice woman, has some news - one of her cocktail creations, The American Dream, is going to be served at the Inaguration Ball later this month in DC. Congratulations to Bridget!
  

• Chicago LUPEC's Repeal Day celebrations were fantastic - you can read all about them over on their blog. I hear the chapter is already planning for this year's celebration, along with more great cocktail discussions (parties).
  

• The Madison Malt Society is sponsoring a big American spirits tasting event in Madison next month (Thursday, Feb. 19th). If you're in the area and want to go, get in touch and I'll send you the details on tickets, etc.