Adult Beverages & Gear

iGulu F1 Smart All-in-One Home Brewer Review: High-Tech Homebrewing Gets Easier, but Not Quite Effortless

Reviews August 28, 2026

iGulu F1 Smart All-in-One Home Brewer Review: High-Tech Homebrewing Gets Easier, but Not Quite Effortless

In 1993, American Michael Berstein dreamed of bringing microbrewing to consumers through small batches and foolproof kits. The result, Mr. Beer, became a profitable piece of countertop brewing equipment that’s still around today. Since then, advances in technology have inspired plenty of attempts at more sophisticated homebrewing devices, including the iGulu F1 in this review. But can it really perform as advertised? In short: kind of. Fermentation makes true one-step, brew-to-glass simplicity difficult. Still, the iGulu F1 is an intriguing device for homebrewers who value its features.

The TCL Dual Zone Wine and Beverage Cooler Will Properly Chill up to 20 Wine Bottles and 78 Cans of Beer

Deals March 11, 2024

The TCL Dual Zone Wine and Beverage Cooler Will Properly Chill up to 20 Wine Bottles and 78 Cans of Beer

Are you looking for a sophisticated setup to keep your adult beverages at the right temperature and ready to serve? If so, the TCL Dual Zone Wine and Beverage Cooler might be the perfect addition to your home or office. What, you thought that TCL only makes TVs, phones, and tablets? Surprise! Originally priced at $799, the cooler is available for just $599 until March 13th. Obviously, time is of the essence on this offer, so here’s what you need to know.

Free Busch Light Solar Cookers Part of a Colorado-Based Initiative to Prevent Wildfires

Outdoors, Gear Bits August 22, 2022

Free Busch Light Solar Cookers Part of a Colorado-Based Initiative to Prevent Wildfires

If it seems like forest fires are getting worse and occurring more often, it’s not a figment of your imagination. In the state of Colorado alone, four of their five largest wildfires ever occurred in the last five years. To help keep that from happening while people are camping, hiking, or simply spending time outside this fall, Busch Light is giving away Busch Light Solar Cookers to Colorado residents.

Busch Light Apple

Reviews August 1, 2020

Busch Light Apple: Crisp and Clean on a Hot Summer Day

It is HOT, I mean, super HOT in Texas right now. Like most Texans, a super cold brew hits the spot after a long day of work. Some of you may have recently seen ads for Busch Light Apple. As it just so happens, Busch was kind enough to send me a sample. As a side note, I am a fan of Bush Light already. How did Busch Light Apple fare?

Introducing the Corkcicle x Poketo Series of Tumblers

Reviews April 7, 2019

Introducing the Corkcicle x Poketo Series of Tumblers

If you’ve been searching for a great way to transport your favorite beverage, be it water, soda, or even a spirit, Corkcicle has always been a go-to method of making sure that your items stay cold or warm for hours. We’ve covered a few of their products in the past, but their latest Poketo series is in a class all its own.

Hopsy Sub Compact Makes a Great (but Noisy) Addition to Your Bar at Home

Reviews April 1, 2019

Hopsy Sub Compact Makes a Great (but Noisy) Addition to Your Bar at Home

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Hopsy SUB Compact, and I’ve been testing it for the last week. The SUB Compact is a beautiful and functional device that will be an excellent addition to any home bar as long as you have patience and can deal with the noise of the cooling fan. The Box The SUB Compact arrived in a large cardboard box which contained both the actual device and four mini-kegs of different flavors each containing 67.6oz of quality beer. One thing to note right off the bat is that this SUB Compact can only be…

6 Technologies for Wine Lovers

News & Features January 14, 2019

6 Technologies for Wine Lovers

Every wine aficionado waits patiently to drink that glass of Cabernet they’ve been saving for years, or takes longer perusing the wine menu than the food menu at dinner. Drinking a delightful glass of wine is a whole experience that involves multiple senses.

Anyone Can Be a Brew Master with the PicoU — Even You!

Crowdfunding May 18, 2018

Anyone Can Be a Brew Master with the PicoU — Even You!

If you read my review series on the PicoBrew S, then you probably thought that being able to brew beer on your kitchen counter was pretty cool — but that price tag, though! $799 is a lot to invest if you’re just a hobby brewer, but now Pico has come out with a sub-$200 solution for everyone, the Pico U.

Cameron Hughes Wine: Ready for Holiday Entertaining

News & Features November 30, 2017

Cameron Hughes Wine: Ready for Holiday Entertaining

Whether you’re serving wine at your holiday get-togethers or bringing a hostess gift to the friends throwing a party, you’re going to want to have a wine that tastes good yet doesn’t break the bank. I recently discovered Cameron Hughes — a vintor that makes small batch lots; these wines are fab, and when they are gone, they are gone.

Brewing Beer with the PicoBrew Pico S: Racking, Kegging, and Tasting!

Reviews April 17, 2017

Brewing Beer with the PicoBrew Pico S: Racking, Kegging, and Tasting!

When I last left off, I had brewed my first batch of homebrew with the PicoBrew Pico S. I waited a little bit longer than after the fermentation had stopped to rack and keg it because I wanted to be sure I’d given it enough time, and because Kev said it wouldn’t hurt anything to wait; he was right.

Brewing Beer with the PicoBrew Pico: Set-Up and Fermentation

Reviews March 9, 2017

Brewing Beer with the PicoBrew Pico: Set-Up and Fermentation

I’m married to a man who enjoys brewing his own beer; Kev has a shop with a section dedicated to the equipment needed for mixing, brewing, proofing, and serving homebrew, and he has invested plenty of dollars and copious amounts of time into his hobby. I fully expected snark when I started reviewing the PicoBrew Pico, because it’s cheating, right?

Finally - A Keurig for Beer

Editorials January 31, 2017

Finally – A Keurig for Beer

Beer is getting smarter, there’s no denying it. First commercial taprooms introduced network-aware tap systems, then came pour-your-own tasting bars that charge by the ounce.

Lifefactory Offers a Twist on Water Bottles and Wine Glasses

Reviews November 13, 2016

Lifefactory Offers a Twist on Water Bottles and Wine Glasses

The initial appearance of Lifefactory’s water bottles and wine glasses make them look like they were made for kids. They weren’t. Yes, the raised grip sleeves make them look “youthful” but these products aren’t kid’s stuff. They are well-designed products that will help keep a grip on your hydration or your favorite glass of wine. Let’s take a look.