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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/524520
www.cheersonline.com 7 June 2015 • DRINK CULTURE KIMPTON ROLLS OUT NIGHTCAP PAIRING PROGRAM Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants recently introduced a nightcap program that will offer guests staying at select hotels a small pour of a nighttime libation paired with a special snack. The program kicked off in early March with 17 Kimpton hotels, in- cluding the Morrison House in Alexandria, VA; the Surfcomber in South Beach, FL; the Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia; The Hotel Allegro in Chicago and several Hotel Monaco locations. The nightcap offering takes Kimpton's nightly Wine Hour a step further. Guests at the participating hotels are invited to sample a tasting of a traditional nightcap spirit or liqueur such as brandy, Cognac or port, paired with an accompanying bite such as a shortbread cookie, nuts or chocolate. Nightly samplings will vary from property to property and might in- clude tawny port and blue cheese, Scotch and shortbread, or Cognac and crystalized ginger. The hotels participating in the nightcap program are encouraged to interpret the offering in a way that makes sense for their unique clientele and locations. For instance, the Sky Hotel in Aspen, CO, offers the nightcap tastings earlier to accommodate the après-ski crowd, while locations such as the Hotel Monacos in Denver and Philadelphia pass out "speakeasy" cards in- viting guests to visit the front desk for a special pairing that evening. The hotels will be pouring fi ve spirits throughout the summer: Fernet Branca; which has a strong cult following in many cities and is a perennial Kimpton favorite; Branca Menta; Café Borghetti espresso liqueur; Teeling Irish whiskey; and Tequila Corralejo. Founded in 1981 and acquired by InterContinental Hotels Group this past December, San Francisco-based Kimpton operates more than 60 hotels and 70-plus restaurants, bars and lounges in 30 U.S. cities. The com- pany plans to roll out the nightcap program to additional hotels during the year; at press time it was up to 23. Budweiser and Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery on May 25 kicked off their 5th annual military fundraising program "Here's to Heroes," which runs through July 4. The fundraiser raises money for Folds of Honor, which aims to provide educational scholarships to family members and dependents of fallen or injured soldiers. During the program's six-week period, Tilted Kilt guests can buy $1 or $5 paper dog tags to be personally customized and displayed on the pub walls. Customers can also purchase collectable Tilted Kilt/Folds of Honor/Budweiser glassware for $10 each, with all proceeds benefi tting Folds of Honor. Since its founding in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded over 7,500 scholarships, including more than 2,000 in 2014 alone. Tilted Kilt last year independently raised $115,000 for the cause. Budweiser parent Anheuser-Busch contributed $10,000 to make the total donation more than $125,000 for 2014, increasing the previous year's donation by $50,000. With 100 pubs and a strengthened partner- ship with Anheuser-Busch and Folds of Honor, Tilted Kilt has set its donation goal even higher for 2015. The Tempe, AZ-based chain hopes to contribute $150,000 to the scholarship program this year. BUDWEISER, TILTED KILT RAISE MONEY FOR MILITARY FAMILIES Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in March launched a nightcap pairing program; guests at participating locations will be offered a small pour of a traditional nightcap spirit or liqueur paired with a snack.