Kevin Hopper on Muck Rack

Kevin Hopper

Oregon
As seen in: Tacoma News Tribune, Idaho Statesman, The Bellingham Herald, The Olympian, Tri-City Herald
Covers:  Food, cocktails, beer, wine, travel, business profiles
Doesn't Cover: Hard news, sports, crime, government
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.
Back to Kevin Hopper’s profile

Kevin Hopper’s Journalist Portfolio

View as a grid

Party like it's 1510 with Benedictine

Party like it's 1510 with Benedictine

Idaho Statesman — Most people who enjoy an adult beverage from time to time have a go-to spirit. I myself am a whiskey and gin man who almost never touches vodka. There are numerous vodka drinkers who wouldn't dream of ordering a gin martini, while tequila drinkers are their own unique category.
Who shared?

Boise bartender: Make room for formerly maligned mezcal, hold the worm

Boise bartender: Make room for formerly maligned mezcal, hold the worm

Idaho Statesman — If you are like me, your first experience with mezcal likely came from a miniature bottle of Monte Alban or Dos Cosanos in the 1980s, complete with a worm in the bottom. If that's true, that experience is probably why that was the last time you imbibed mezcal.
Who shared?

How a common cure-all created a culture of cocktails

How a common cure-all created a culture of cocktails

Idaho Statesman — At most modern bars worth their salt these days, you'll find a half dozen or more small bottles lined up on the bar itself. I often get asked by patrons what is inside these little guys. When I tell them "bitters," they sort of shake their head as if they know what I'm talking about.
Who shared?

From Ireland, via Frisco, with love

From Ireland, via Frisco, with love

Idaho Statesman — With the winter party season at its peak, winter warmers are likely being poured in taverns everywhere as you read this. One of my favorites involves strong coffee, a touch of cream and a kiss of quality Irish whiskey. The story of the famed Irish coffee is actually a bit more American than Irish.
Who shared?

Heat up your winter glass with tropical flair

Heat up your winter glass with tropical flair

Idaho Statesman — As the winter cold sets in, many tipplers naturally and excitedly turn their attention to warm drinks like Irish coffee, hot buttered rum or hot toddies. There's nothing wrong with that at all and I'll expand on those drinks in the very near future.
Who shared?

Acquiring a taste for the 'bartenders' handshake'

Acquiring a taste for the 'bartenders' handshake'

Idaho Statesman — I like to continually challenge my palate by eating or drinking things that at first don't go down well. But upon a second, third or in some cases a ninth taste, I begin to like it. Then, I eventually love it.
Who shared?

Italian classic Negroni lifts bitter to a new level

Italian classic Negroni lifts bitter to a new level

Idaho Statesman — Bitter is perhaps the least desired flavor. But note that it is still a flavor on your palate. How do you like your coffee? Cream? Sugar? Lots of cream? Lots of sugar? If so, this drink isn't for you. The Negroni is a storied cocktail that, when ordered, lifts the spirits of any bartender worth their salt.
Who shared?

The 'simple' approach to sweetening cocktails

The 'simple' approach to sweetening cocktails

Idaho Statesman — What makes a great cocktail? That's easy: striking a balance of flavors - sweet, salty, bitter, sour. There are salty drinks, such as the Paloma, and there are very bitter drinks such as the fabled Negroni. But let's focus on the two most popular flavors: sweet and sour.
Who shared?

Add flavor to martinis by taking out 'flavors'

Add flavor to martinis by taking out 'flavors'

Idaho Statesman — A woman walked into my bar recently and said she had heard we make great martinis. I said we did. She then asked which flavors we had. Silence. I told her we really only have martini flavored martinis. She settled on a cosmopolitan.
Who shared?

Made to order eggs: Sweet, sour, foamy

Made to order eggs: Sweet, sour, foamy

Idaho Statesman — Out of all the American inventions - the cotton gin, jazz, the light bulb, the phonograph - I'm going to say that the cocktail is easily my favorite (though there is evidence that the British beat us to it, sort of).
Who shared?

Vinegar-laced 'shrub' a timeworn cocktail ingredient

Vinegar-laced 'shrub' a timeworn cocktail ingredient

Idaho Statesman — The benefits of vinegar are purported to be many - helps weight loss, whitens teeth, lowers blood sugar levels, etc. Though those claims are largely unsubstantiated, I use vinegars as a cocktails flavoring. To me, that's a benefit. The use of vinegar as a drink date back centuries.
Who shared?

Have a laid-back summer, the Heming-way

Have a laid-back summer, the Heming-way

Idaho Statesman — Despite the numerous fruity, slushy, banana-laden versions that have been developed over the years, the daiquiri is a very simple drink to make. The original version, created in late 19th century Cuba, had only three ingredients - rum, sugar and lime juice - which is all it really needs.
Who shared?

Cool down, slow down with fruit, mint and bourbon

Cool down, slow down with fruit, mint and bourbon

Idaho Statesman — The summer heat can be completely annoying. We all love to say this is the best time of the year, but is it really? When the dial hits 95 degrees, most folks stay inside and crank up the AC. I'm right there with them.
Who shared?

Need a warm-weather drink by the backyard hammock? Lillet Blanc adds sweet nuance

Need a warm-weather drink by the backyard hammock? Lillet Blanc adds sweet nuance

Idaho Statesman — Summer heat pairs well with low-alcohol liqueurs like the French apertif Lillet Blanc, laced with sweet honey and lush lemon notes. Quite possibly, it is the perfect summer elixir. For the uninitiated cocktail hound, it's easy to go with what you know - gin and tonic, rum and coke, vodka and soda.
Who shared?
 •  Privacy  •  Terms  •  Security and Legal  •   •   •   • 

© 2026 Muck Rack

SOC 2® Certified