In a Railyard condo at 30th and Blake last Wednesday, I finally learned the identity of the mystery man from the Tattered Cover, the man I saw grabbing his girlfriend’s face in what I thought was a rough way.

He was hosting Right-Brain Blogs: A Conversation with Denver Food, Music, and Drink Writers on Newspeak, a local TV show. I was there to hear Denveater get interviewed, so I ignored him. She and Westword food critic Jason Sheehan rhapsodized about their lives as food critics, from his confession that he has yet to discover the upper limit of Westword’s expense account to her comment that “Writing about food isn’t ever just writing about food…it’s about everything.”

One of the benefits of attending this event (besides listening to six talented writers discuss their craft) was the booze provided by local distiller Leopold Bros.

Todd loved the cherry liqueur. I tried their Small-Batch American Gin (center), which had a robust, in-your-face flavor that I thoroughly enjoyed, but I’m not sure I agree with their fact sheet’s contention that it “won’t get lost in a gin and tonic.” In any case, I’ll be buying some of their gin soon to test it against Tanqueray, which I have at home. I also tried absinthe for the first time, and, quite frankly, it tasted like just another anise drink to me. Denveater contended that drinking one absinthe is like drinking three of something else, but how does that differ from ouzo?

It’s nice to see Denver and Colorado coming into their own with spirits and wines. Several years ago a wine connoisseur told me he didn’t think Colorado wines would ever amount to much. Against that statement, I would hold up the Garfield Estates S2 2005 (72% Semillon and 28% Viognier). And Stranahan’s whiskey. And something called Caprock Organic Gin from Peak Spirits in Hotchkiss, Colorado, which I found on my Local Vendors list.