"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com is back for another round! The whole month of February, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun bars and club articles -- including guides, unique features, drink recipes and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!

In honor of Bar Month, we decided to dedicate this entire edition of OnMilwaukee.com to Libation Nation. We're recommending a tasty old fashioned from Bryant's Cocktail Lounge (pictured) along with a cool Guinness gizmo, a great drinking movie, an innovative and handy ring, a "chick drink" treat and a classic cocktail. We urge you to check them all out and apologize in advance if we make you thirsty.

Ordering an old fashioned at Bryant's -- Whether made with bourbon or brandy, the old fashioned is a classic Wisconsin cocktail. It happens that Bryant's, located at 1579 S. 9th St., is a classic Wisconsin cocktail lounge. While it may seem like a pedestrian request, given the menu of more than 450 drinks, the mixologists at Bryant's make magic with the simple syrup and bitters. Order one and toast your grandparents. Better idea -- take your grandparents with you and maybe they'll buy you one. --Drew Olson

The Guinness Surger -- Keeping Guinness on draught isn't easy. Bar owners tell us that unless they sell a lot of it quickly, it's hard to keep this unique beer fresh. The alternative has been to serve it in bottles or cans, which until recently involved the use of "widget," that is, a pressurized piece of plastic filled with nitrogen that when released simulated the stout's famous head. It worked fairly well, but a new system is even better: you can now buy specially formulated cans of Guinness that, when poured into a pint glass and placed on a "surger" will sonically release the beer's gasses. In just seconds, the ultrasonic pulses will whip up a nice, creamy head. The result is mighty close to drinking the beer from a tap. The Surger is on display at Café Centraal in Bay View. Apparently, the Surger is available for home use in the U.K., but if you want to buy one on this side of the pond, you'll need to check eBay. --Andy Tarnoff

Webtender.com -- Savvy bartenders know that this is a go-to site for creative drink recipes and other information. One of the cooler things about it, though, is the "In My Bar" application. You just enter the contents of your liquor cabinet and Webtender will give you a selection of cocktails to make. --D.O.

The Cholive -- Here's a fun idea from a Milwaukee-based company. The Cholive is a chocolate truffle that is shaped like an olive, though it tastes nothing like the salty little fruit. The Cholive is described by its producer, The Cholive Company (TCC), as a "chick drink accessory" and works well when coupled with any number of decadent dessert martinis that are so popular around Valentine's Day. The Cholive has recently gone national, but here in its hometown, you can order one any many bars and restaurants, including Balzac, Branded, Centanni, Decibel, Hinterland, Hotel Metro, Soho 7, Swig and Water Buffalo. --Julie Lawrence

Keeping a couple mugs or pint glasses in the freezer -- It's always nice to be able to offer unexpected guests a beer. Serving it in a frosty mug is a nice touch that will make them want to drop by and drink your beer more often. Be prepared. --D.O.

Bottle opener rings -- Recently, I saw these useful and surprisingly OK-looking rings at Urban Outfitters, and although I did not buy one, they made me smirk and think of a friend who might get this for his upcoming birthday. For $8.99, the beer drinker in your life will never again have to sift through measuring spoons and take-out menus to find an opener in that annoying kitchen junk drawer, or fish around in a lint-filled pocket for a lighter to pop the top. Instead, the instant gratification of chug-a-lugging a brewski is just a finger away. --Molly Snyder Edler

A glass of water with every drink -- This isn't a groundbreaking recommendation, but it's one worth a reminder. No matter how many cocktails are on your evening agenda, matching each one with glass of water really helps. The water keeps you hydrated, helps lessen hangovers and even reminds you (by filling you up) that maybe you don't need that final night cap. Make water a habit and it will make everything from that nightly vivo to the semi-regular bender that much more tolerable. --Jeff Sherman

 Page 1 of 2 (view all on one page)

Next >>

5 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by CarolV on Feb. 19, 2009 at 1:58 p.m. (report)

I'm with you Julie--the Cholive is delish!

Posted by Chrisna on Feb. 12, 2009 at 5:03 p.m. (report)

yeah, I'll second the other mug comment. I keep some mugs in the fridge, but never in the freezer. The beer gets too icy

Posted by Southern_Ex_pat on Feb. 12, 2009 at 4:08 p.m. (report)

Veuve is so overrated & uninteresting. I much prefer a bottle of Cremant (wine made in the mthode champenoise style but not from the Champagne region). PLUS for the price of a bottle of Veuve you could get 3 bottles of Cremant, or Proseco or Cava, all of which are quite tasty.

Posted by HeritageSpringer on Feb. 12, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. (report)

Good call on Barfly. That movie is awesome. "To all my friends..."

Posted by rabid652 on Feb. 12, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. (report)

I actually hate the "frosty" mug. All that "frost" on the inside of the mug will inevitably turn to water and slightly alter the beer. Also, any good beer is best enjoyed at a temperature well above freezing.