Tough times are giving way to optimism—but for many, an alcoholic beverage or two still helps to take the edge off. Here are activities for people who love ...
1. Wine: Tastings are often an easy sell for participants—but throw in In-N-Out Burger, and you might have a slam dunk. Learn About Wine offers wines paired with the renowned fast food burgers. Tastings can be done at the Learn About Wine space or off site. ("Some legalities may exist, but we can work around many of those with licenses and permits," says founder Ian Blackburn.) Classes are limited to 24 (as there are 24 one-ounce pours in a bottle), or can be made bigger by the same formula (two bottles for 48 people, three for 72). Off-site locations must be within 15 minutes of an In-N-Out restaurant, or can arrange for a visit from the catering truck.
2. Beer: The much-anticipated new Eagle Rock Brewery has a tasting and tap room with tables and chairs and a window looking into the microbrewery. Brewery tours of the property (actually in the Glassell Park neighborhood) are available, as are classes on topics such as malt, a key ingredient in the beer-making process.
3. Liquor: For a special client gift or a do-it-yourself tasting for a group, give a membership to the "Whisky Explorers Club" from ForScotchLovers.com, a division of For-Lovers LLC, which launched last year with the intention of bringing together people who are passionate about a given topic. The high-end, $250 membership package includes four tasting bottles of rare, limited-production whiskeys from around the world, shipped six times during the year, plus other gifts and discounts. The whiskeys will arrive in bottles with generic labels for blind tastings; recipients can check online to identify the bottle.
