This Week in Gluttony

These are the 5 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

Teams will compete for the Cliburn Cocktail gold medal this week.

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/The Cliburn

Oktoberfest events are still in full swing this week, with two more outdoor festivals on the list that will draw hundreds. There’s also a wine tasting in Roanoke worth the drive, a beer dinner at a South Fort Worth brewery featuring a special guest chef, and one festive cocktail contest that benefits a prestigious piano competition.

Tuesday, October 1

Funky Picnic Beer Dinner with Stefon Rishel
Former Max’s Wine Dive chef Stefon Rishel, who’s preparing to open his new restaurant, Wishbone & Flynt, will appear at the Near Southside brewery and café to help chef Josh Rangel prepare a five-course meal. (The dinner was previously scheduled for September 24, but Rishel welcomed a new baby last week, hence the date change.) Together they’ll crank out sweet corn panna cotta; roasted pumpkin spinach salad; a ballotine of rabbit with truffled mousse; Texas redfish with blue corn grits and chow chow; and sweet potato beignets. Each late harvest-inspired course will be paired with a Funky Picnic brew. The dinner with beers is $85 per person and begins at 7 pm.

Wednesday, October 2

Cliburn Cocktail Competition
Hosted by the Cliburn 180° young professional group and benefiting the 2021 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, this buzzy competition sees local teams compete to create the tastiest craft cocktail made with TX Whiskey. The competition will take place at the home of the featured spirit, Whiskey Ranch, and tickets include bites, cocktails, and live music. (Home bartenders, there’s still an opportunity to enter to compete.) Tickets are $55 in advance or $60 at the door. The competition begins at 6 pm and ride-sharing is recommended.

Thursday, October 3

3V Tasting: Rombauer
The Roanoke wine bar hosts another themed tasting this week, this time featuring Napa’s revered Rombauer Vineyards. (Fun fact: Founder Koerner Rombauer was a pilot and once lived in Dallas.) The tasting is $45 per person and includes five wines and a cheeseboard. Visit anytime between 5-8 pm.

Friday, October 4

Oktoberfest Southlake
Admission is free to this three-day festival at Southlake Town Square. Food vendors include Little German Kitchen, Helga’s Strudel, The BratHaus, SpatzleHaus, and local favorites Sweetie’s Cheesecakes and Colleyville’s Loveria Caffe. Go for live music daily, stein hoisting competitions, kid-friendly activities, and local artisan vendors. The event will run 4-11 pm Friday, 10 am-11 pm Saturday, and 12-8 pm Sunday.

Saturday, October 5

9th Annual Octoberfest at T&P Tavern
There’ll be nearly a dozen authentic Oktoberfest beers on tap at this annual celebration of German food, music, and culture. Pair them with German pretzels, bratwurst with sauerkraut, jagerschnitzel, and more. The live music begins at 1 pm, and festive contests will take place throughout the day. Admission is free, and the party will roll on from noon to midnight.

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Texas bourbon prevails on list of top 10 whiskies in 2024

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The Texas-based distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists