By Thomas Henry Strenk

Light beer’s aura has been somewhat overshadowed in the U.S. recently by the still small but rapidly growing craft brew market. And the traditional light category is being supplanted by low-alcohol craft session beers. But light beer is still going strong, and the top brands prevail.

1 ½ oz. Atlantico Reserva rum
½ oz. Velvet falernum
½ oz. Dark & Stormy syrup*
1 oz. Ginger beer
2 Dashes Scrappy’s lime bitters

Shake all ingredients except ginger beer with ice and strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Top with ginger beer.

Dark & Stormy syrup:
8 oz. Gosling’s rum
8 oz. Lime juice
½ oz. Bittercube Jamaican #2 bitters
16 oz. Raw sugar
Ginger (2-in. piece peeled and sliced thin)

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan on medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, allow to cool, strain, bottle and refrigerate.

Todd Ekis, beverage director at Prasino Restaurants in Chicago, submitted this recipe.

When you think of Jägermeister, fine dining and craft cocktails usually aren’t the first things that come to mind. New York celebrity chef Chris Santos is trying to change that.

Third annual industry gathering covered topics such as trends, technology, digital marketing and distribution of wine and spirits brands in America.

Porton Pisco is now available from Porton. The Peruvian spirit, crafted at a distillery founded in 1684, is named after the Peru port from which the drink was first exported. Porton’s Pisco is floral and fruity with hints of grassy herbs and white pepper, according to the company. The 86-proof spirit is available for a suggested retail price of $39.99 for a 750-ml. bottle.

River Road Family Vineyards and Winery, located in the Russian River Valley, recently released three new collections of wine. The Sonoma County Series includes a chardonnay, pinot noir and un-oaked chardonnay. The Reserve Series includes a chardonnay, pinot noir and brut, while the Family Series includes pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot meunier, old vine zinfandel and rosé of pinot noir. The wines range in price from $11.99 to $21.99 per bottle.

Many successful bars and restaurants reward their best customers with perks like dinner invites and chances to vote and name new drinks and menu items. Now some innovative operators, producers and their importers have taken this to a new level by allowing some of their top clients a chance to go to the source of the drinks that they love.