Happy Friday! Welcome back to another edition of In Good Spirits. We are diligently working on sifting through all of your amazing cocktail submissions to narrow it down to the final 5. Please bare with us!

C.R.T & The Mexican Government Make a Huge Move Against Tequila Matchmaker

Okay… Things have gotten absolutely bonkers in the feud between Tequila Matchmaker & the CRT, which is the Mexican governments regulatory body in charge of overseeing tequila. A few weeks back we reported that the CRT had launched its own Additive Free Program as a seemingly direct response to Tequila Matchmaker’s Additive Free Alliance, effectively denouncing everything that TMM stands for and does.

Well, this week, things have heated up quite a bit.

This story is very fresh and we are trying to be extremely delicate with this. We spoke to some sources who preferred to remain anonymous as this story is still developing.

What we know:
The following is a translated quote from an article featured in the Mexican publication, Mural.

The location mentioned in the article that the authorities raided, was of course, the Tequila Matchmaker Headquarters—also known as Casa Lotecito. It was where Grover & Scarlet (the two founders of Tequila Matchmaker) did much of their tastings and product testing. Luckily, Grover & Scarlet were not there at the time.

From what we have been able to gather, Casa Lotecito was not a tequila factory or even a real distillery for that matter. The items confiscated in the raid were merely equipment they used to test tequila and educate people on the findings.

Our Take: All of this just sounds super fishy. A few weeks after the CRT denounces everything that TMM is doing, their office gets raided under dubious circumstances and they lose everything?

Tequila Matchmaker has been around for around ten years now, so why oh why would the CRT want to suddenly shut down TMM?

Well, according to Tequila Jay Baer, there may be a very good reason for that : From a high level, a lot of the biggest tequila brands sales appear to be down quite a bit in this past year. Compare that to many of the smaller brands that are certified Additive Free, where sales have been, you guessed it…going up.

Bottom Line: TMM has been doing wonderful things to push for transparency in the tequila world and that has a trickle down effect in other spirits. We believe in what they do and think it has been a blessing for us, as consumers. This is a developing story and it is a serious matter—we are not sitting here saying that this was a set-up or anything. We’re simply stating that it looks strange from the outset.

We will be diligently keeping an eye on this story as it evolves and we will let you all know.

TMM has incurred an insurmountable amount of legal fees while trying to defend the existence of their app and website. If they are unable to operate and the App gets shut down, it paves the way for the CRT to be able to control the whole market without facing any repercussions. If you believe in what TMM is doing, you can donate here.

Bartending the World’s Most Remote Concert in Brazil

In March 2023, I was tasked with creating a menu of signature cocktails for the world’s most exclusive concert, set in the middle of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil. I got to showcase original cocktails of mine for an exclusive SofiTukker concert at the Novo Fogo distillery in Morretes, Paraná, and I finally released the video of my experience! 

This experience was incredibly impactful for me. I never imagined that I’d be able to create the signature drinks for such a huge event, and be trusted with such a key part of it—especially given the fact that this event was back in my home country. What? All because just a few years ago I decided to pick up a camera and make silly videos on the internet?

As an immigrant who moved to the U.S at a very young age from Brasil, I’ve always felt out of place, and when I was older I opened a Bar & Restaurant that served Brazilian inspired cocktails and food, in a way, to affirm my identity and to show that I belong here. And so this trip and experience was a full circle moment for me that really cemented that I am on the right track.

It’s also a bit difficult for me, because I know that most people who follow me really only want bottle recommendations (and lets be real, tequila recommendations) but it’s because of these same people (you guys!) that I was able to ever get to experience this amazing journey. So, I want to thank you all for following along and allowing me to have this (and other) life changing experiences.

-Lui

Hidden Gems!

As part of a new segment here on In Good Spirits, we will be highlighting under the radar cities that have amazing bar and restaurant scenes.
First up…

New Haven, Connecticut!

New Haven, Connecticut, isn't just Yale and its fancy history. Bet you didn't know it's also got a killer bar and restaurant scene!

Sure, New York and Chicago get a lot of the attention in the Pizzaverse, but it’s actually New Haven that is dubbed the "Pizza Capital of the World," ) 

Whether it’s the classic Neopolitan at the original Frank Pepe’s, or a classic tomato pie at Sally's Apizza, this city takes its pies seriously. Modern, Zuppardi’s and BAR are examples of other New Haven joints that both locals and visitors flock to for primo coal-fired pizza.  

Beyond the Za, New Haven has a sneaky good bar scene :

The Anchor Spa, is loaded with history and was once a popular hangout for celebrities, authors, playwrights, and other colorful personalities. In its heyday, the Anchor had over 50 cocktails on the menu! 

Ordinary Bar is loaded with history– situated in a space that dates back to 1703, when it was built as the city’s first tavern. The drinks and food are damn good, as well.

Also, be sure to check out Three Sheets . It’s basically everything you want in a dive bar with loud live music and a no-frills appearance, but backed by an impressive selection of craft brews and cocktails. Don’t sleep on these guys for Taco Tuesday, either. 

Our Take : Easily accessible between Boston and New York, New Haven surprisingly is a worthwhile stop. Whether it’s a quick slice, an impromptu pint, or dinner and cocktails, New Haven is a city that’s proud of its culture, food, and bar scene for good reason.

In Other News 🍸

• Good Juice, an Agave Festival, is holding its inaugural event May 4th, in San Diego with tons of incredible brands.

• Apparently Even Dunkin Donuts is getting in on the spiked canned cocktail fervor…

• If somehow you missed it, Jimmy Fallon released a pretty funny video about “Cool Bartenders”