Top Five Chocolate Drinks

Happy hour has been an American tradition for decades. For first-shifters it is a welcome buffer time between the job and home, but for those who work unconventional hours it can seem like just another perk for the daylight crowd denied to those who labor at night. Enter Logan's Alley, perfectly situated on Michigan Avenue in Grand Rapids, just a catheter's-throw away from the medical mile and all those who staff it 24/7. This bar's happy hour starts at 7 a.m., and whether you've just gotten up or never gone to bed, it is a judgment-free haven for morning drinkers.

Jesi Sly, sometime-bartender on the a.m. shift, says the time is "like a normal happy hour at 5 p.m., except it's at 7 a.m.. It's not as rowdy usually (as a typical happy hour,) but it can get that way." She thinks a beat and corrects herself, "OK, Fridays can get crazy." Sly seems to greet every patron by name, bustling as the bar is on a Saturday morning, "Oh my goodness, the whole bar is regulars!" Still we uninitiated are not made to feel out of place. Happy hour specials are simple and effective; everything is a dollar off. The Bloody Marys are prepared with care and served with a sidecar of lager. Drafts are varied and well-poured. Popcorn is free, though food served to neighboring bar seats puts it to shame. Everything about Logan's Alley encourages the relaxation and ease that a good happy hour should engender, and it does it before many of us have even had our morning coffee.

Logan's Alley happy hour runs 7-11 a.m. Monday-Saturday. 916 Michigan St. NW, Grand Rapids; logansalley.com, (616) 458-1612

Calendar

Wine School: South France & the Loire Valley Blends
Reds on the River, Rockford
Feb. 7, 7 p.m. / $30 / reds-live.com, (616) 863-8181

Wine school classes are a fun and interactive way to learn about wine. Join Reds on the River's knowledgeable staff to try the wines of Southern France and the Loire Valley, complete with paired appetizers. $30 per person, call for reservations.

Dinner in the Dark
San Chez: A Tapas Bistro, Grand Rapids
Feb.14, 7 p.m. / (616) 774-8272

For an unforgettable Valentine's Day, put your trust in San Chez Bistro as the lights are turned off and your senses are turned on. Dinner in the Dark is just what it sounds like, but so much more: an exciting and new way to taste exquisite pairings of food and drink. The event is $65 per person and inclusive. Make sure to call for reservations.

Top 5 Caffeinated Cocktails

San Chez Bistro
The Café de San Chez starts with flaming high-proof rum to caramelize a sugared rim. A holy trinity of Spanish brandy, Kahlua and Crème de Cacao follow and are topped with rich coffee and whipped cream.
38 W Fulton St., Grand Rapids; sanchezbistro.com, (616) 774-8272

CitySen
Sweetly bridging the gap between the holiday season and the March observance of St. Patty's Day is CitySen's Nutty Leprechaun, a concoction of Bailey's Irish Cream, hazelnut liqueur, Goldschlager and coffee. As the gold settles in the glass, the spicy alcohol penetrates the brain to delicious effect.
61 East 7th St., Holland; cityflatshotel.com, (616) 796-2112

Rockwell's/Republic
If an icy boost is more appealing, try stopping by twin restaurants Rockwell's or Republic for a smooth and sweet Double Espresso martini. Van Gogh double espresso vodka is fortified with an electrifying dose of caffeine and the martini is balanced with Stoli Vanil, espresso liqueur and a rich splash of cream. Espresso beans finish off this decadent drink.
45 S. Division Ave. SE, Grand Rapids; rockwellsrepublic.com, (616) 551-3563

Meanwhile Bar
For the impatient man-child in all of us, there is the one, the eternal Jagerbomb. Though available almost anywhere, we suggest the one at the Meanwhile Bar. Five dollars and a quick sling of the wrist is all it takes to start the invigorating elixir on its way to the bloodstream - just where we want it.
1005 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids; meanwhilebar.com, (616) 233-1679

Pictured: Bartender Mike Lopez heats things up while making the signature ‘Cafe de San Chez.’ PHOTO: Lydia Clowney

The first thing you notice when entering Tavern on the Square is the sunlit bar. Huge windows face west and north, and the sun shines in to glance off the array of liquor bottles. But what sets this happy hour apart from all the others? Server and de facto bartender Matt Rzepka says it's because, "we have a great variety." True, Tavern's specials are much more wide ranging than the norm. Here, one can choose from house wines at $3 a glass and half-off the huge number of draught beers. Specialty martinis normally run at $7.95, but are half-off during happy hour. A handful of delightfully small plates are also $3, a boon not to be missed when the options include soft pretzels with two mustards and intriguingly cinnamon-spiced, house-made sweet potato chips with honey-yogurt dipping sauce. Or try the boneless Buffalo wings, which go with a frosty pint of Hoegaarden White Ale about as well as anything could. At less than $7 for the both, one can even afford to disagree.

With an almost conspiratorially helpful and friendly staff, spending time at Tavern can feel like you've been instantly welcomed into a secret club, especially given the camaraderie between customers at the bustling bar.

"[The crowd] varies from day to day because [happy hour] runs seven days a week," Rzepka said.

Happy hour at Tavern on the Square runs Monday through Saturday, 2-6 p.m.; 100 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids; tavernonthesq.com, (616) 456-7673

Wine School: Meritage Grapes, Separate and Together
Reds on the River, Rockford / Jan. 10, 7 p.m.
$30 / (616) 863-8181

Class includes interactive presentations and appropriately paired appetizer. Reservations required.

Bloody Mary Mix Off
Old Boys' Brewhouse, Spring Lake / Jan. 21, 12-5 p.m.
Five tickets to vote, $2 each or five for $5
Proceeds go to the Spring Lake Heritage Festival

Old Boys' is going bigger and better with its Bloody Mary Mix-Off. Not only will there be a heated tent and more room, but prizes will be awarded for the favorite Bloody Mary, Best Decorated Booth, Best Pajamas and Slippers. There's also a 50/50 raffle, a live auction, live music and $2 drinks.

Sampling Saturdays with Sense of Wine
Sense of Wine, Kentwood / Jan. 7, 2-5 p.m.
senseofwinegr.com, (616) 965-7308

Kentwood's Sense of Wine opens its doors to tasters every Saturday from 2-5 p.m. Different wines will be tasted every week.

Some of the greatest drinking experiences are had not in the crowded bar or nightclub, in a tasting room or even indoors at all. As the weather crisps and thoughts turn to holidays, it can be good to get away from it all. Now is the time to pack a thermos and mittens and take a chilly walk in this gorgeous state we call home. Of course, the season brings viruses with it, and one is oft stuck miserably in front of the television, nursing a flu. Fortunately, these hot drinks are good for toting along in the wilderness or just on the short stroll to the couch — in either case they make great autumnal toasts.

The hot toddy was made for just such a season. This warming concoction was once taken to soothe, but it is just as good when hale and healthy. The toddy can best be described as a sort of whiskey tea, as it is prepared by pouring boiling water into a mug over a measure of whisky. The hot water releases the aromas of the liquor in a wonderfully cozy way. Typically doctored to great effect with lemon and honey, its curative powers may have been overstated. It is soothing nonetheless and an enlivening tote-along. Avoid your high-end whiskies for this, as the lemon and sugar can overwhelm subtleties. David Russo, libations expert at G.B. Russo and Sons likes, "Paddy's Irish for a hot toddy. It is very smooth, and a good value."

Another great cold remedy for the winter months hails from Japan. Though somewhat unusual, the hot sake, honey and egg yolk that make a tamagozake are a harmonious combination. Said to bring restful sleep and boost the immune system, the drink capitalizes on the round, smooth flavor of sake combined with the richness of egg yolk for an umami explosion. Worries about ingesting raw egg may be assuaged by gentle coddling. For further assurances of safety and deliciousness, use a locally produced, Animal Welfare Approved egg from Crane Dance Farm in Middleville, Mich., which are available at the Fulton St. Farmers Market on Friday and Saturday mornings and the Ada Farmers market on Tuesdays.

A great coffee shop feels like a privilege. There are not a lot of places where a dollar or two will buy you a seemingly unlimited rental of a comfortable table in a cozy room with WiFi and restrooms included. The Bitter End (752 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids) takes the privilege one step further, being open 24 hours. Thus it is always available as a haven for cramming students, second shifters and insomniacs alike. The dark-wood room is inviting with high, pressed-tin ceilings and walls covered with photos and posters. The atmosphere is welcoming too. Whether meeting a friend to catch up or just catching up on homework, one won't feel out of place.

Of course, there is more to the Bitter End than plain old drip. For the more adventurous and sweet-loving among us, Barista Stephanie Campbell suggests the Mayan Mocha. This is no ordinary mocha, but "a very warm, Latin American- inspired" drink with brown sugar-cinnamon syrup and creme de cacao. Unlike other chocolate-flavored syrups, "the creme de cacao is made from cocoa beans, so it is more of a dark, bitter chocolate. Paired with the cinnamon it is very delicious."
The rich chocolate and espresso pair wonderfully with the spice of the cinnamon, and brown sugar lends a fruitiness that white sugar never could. The Mayan Mocha is the perfect antidote for an uncaffinated soul.

Mayan Mocha is available at the Bitter End starting at $4.

Free Wine Tasting
Clay Avenue Cellars, Muskegon
Nov. 12, noon to 6 p.m
(231) 722-3108

Clay Avenue wines are made to keep the flavor of the fruit. The fruit comes from local growers, the wine is never stripped and artificial colors and flavors are not added. The wines are described as smooth and flavorful — because of the generous amounts of fruit used in each batch. Come out
and sample some great wines.

How to: Make a Beer Cocktail

This month, we will gild the lily and consider beer as an ingredient, not an end. It has many delicious qualities, which serve to enhance a cocktail, and the infinite variety inherent in the beer world make possibilities for mixing endless.

Michelada is a little-known variation on the Bloody Mary theme, using light, refreshing beer in place of vodka and only moderately thickened by tomato juice. Common additions are fresh lime, Worcestershire and hot sauce, but substitutions like soy sauce, fish sauce and clamato are not unheard of. Try using a light Full Circle from New Holland Brewing as a crisp, mild base for the bold flavors of the michelada.

If you are still working on building the hangover, a Dirty Brenner might be in order. This creation by HopCat bartender Jake Brenner came about one night at San Chez while Brenner was sitting at the bar waiting for his now-wife to finish her closing duties. The ensuing drink, an unlikely combination of Patron's XO Cafe coffee-flavored tequila mixed with Founders Dirty Bastard scotch ale was deemed "dangerously delicious."

"[The] rich caramel and toffee notes of the Dirty Bastard melded with the coffee and chocolate flavors of the XO achieve a tiramisu-esque boozy malt bomb," Brenner said.

Ask for this one at HopCat or San Chez, or make it yourself, preferably, Brenner says, "on a cold winter night or any time you are looking for a quick, painless buzz."

Perhaps the easiest way to gussy up some of Michigan's finest may also be the best. The simple pleasure of a Bell's Java Stout Ice Cream Float is a mix of nostalgia and intoxication that makes the season even more fun. Make it extra-local with a scoop of chocolate gelato from Saugatuck's own Palazzolo's Artisan Gelato. Kids never had this much fun.

Michelada:

1 lager or other mild beer, like New Holland's Full Circle, Bell's Lager, or Solid Gold from Founders.

Add 2 oz. tomato juice, a splash of hot sauce, and quarter lime squeezed in. Stir gently and garnish with lime wedge.

For fancy guests, serve in an icy, salt-rimmed glass.

In this heyday of flavored vodkas it seems every major brand has a rainbow array laced with exotic fruits and nutraceuticals. Of course, that acai-dragonfruit-pomegranate vodka is not really fighting free radicals in your body as the antioxidant propaganda would have you believe. Instead, try out some liquor that would seem at home on any convenience store's shelves. Michigan-made Hard Luck Candy Flavored Vodka captures the delicious nostalgia of your favorite penny candy in alcoholic form. The Root Beer Barrel vodka "really does taste like root beer barrel candies," says Chris George, vice president of Hard Luck.

Mix the liquor into a Detroit Cooler, with equal parts Root Beer Barrel vodka and vanilla vodka, iced and filled with ginger ale. Almost akin to a blue-collar, Midwest Dark & Stormy, the concoction is both unusual and familiar, and it is hard to stop drinking.

Should you be pining the seasonal retirement of the ice cream truck, Orange Dream might be more appropriate, as this creamsicle-flavored nectar is as bewitching as the ice pop it was based on. With just a little cream and soda water, the vodka becomes an intoxicating, pale orange treat. Also fruity, Red Fish, which George describes as "a berry-flavored vodka ... similar to the gummy red fish candies," does its namesake fish proud. Red Fish is an easy mixer with juices and sodas, but retains that hint of the candy counter, and with candy this good, there's no need to trick or treat.

To find Hard Luck Candy Flavored Vodkas near you, use Hard Luck's liquor locater at hardluckvodkamichigan.com/location/locater.html.

Stella's Gong Show Karaoke & Free Buffet
Stella's Lounge, Grand Rapids
Oct. 2, 6 p.m.
stellasgr.com

Piles of freebies await at Stella's, with free arcade games from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m., a free "white trash" buffet from 9 p.m. until no more remains, and even half off selected whiskies. Karaoke is only a bonus.

GrooveWalk
Downtown Holland
Oct. 22, 9 p.m.
groovewalk.com

With one wristband, multiple bands and locations, GrooveWalk is the biggest, coolest night in town. Just purchase a wristband in advance or at the door to experience a night of live music and featured drinks. Take a "groove walk" or ride the GrooveXpress bus, with on-board entertainment.