Pabst Blue Ribbon

I know that as much as I bad mouth cheap macro-brewed beer this positive review may seem a bit hypocritical (hipster). Please, bear with me wile I explain whats going on here. I'm not really judging this beer on its merits but more so on its lack of glaring faults. A "good" Macro-made Standard American Lager, or SAL, is supposed to be barely there with minimal aroma and flavor. The strong and robust aromas and flavors that make other beer styles praiseworthy are seen as faults or errors in this style. Remembering this when you're drinking an SAL is important because you can't knock a beer for successfully executing its intended profile. My regular belly moaning about macro-beer is not based my dislike of the the style, it's that a large majority of macro-beer is plagued with real faults. Foul aromas, ill-fitting adjunct grain flavors, over carbonation, over production, and a general lack of individuality in brewing are what you will see me complain about. Luckily not all of the SALs share these bad beer blunders. One of my favorites at avoiding them is Pabst Blue Ribbon, or PBR. It politely exhibits the timid nature of a "good" Standard American Lager without the normal off-putting sensual distractions that give most typical "American" lagers a bad name.

If the person you're drinking with is sucking down a Bud or Miller Light and mocking you for drinking a PBR let 'em have it! Yes it's cheap, simple, and made with adjuncts but it doesn't stink like a wet skunk in a metal box eating overcooked rice or taste like a two day old fizzy corn burp. PBR has a pleasant yet extremely thin grainy malt nose with just a touch of sweet corn and the softest whisper of hop.  The taste is nearly identical. Slightly watery pale sweet malt with a mild unintrusive corn layer in front of a nearly nonexistent bittering hop. Very light, simple, and incredibly refreshing. Carbonation is brisk but not overbearing. The light flavor vanishes quickly with a tight dry finish. 12 1970's tacky game show hosts out of 7. At around $10 per 12 pack PBR is a must have in hottest of summer months. A no frills beer that washes down a any greasy burger with ease.

cheers

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest

August 5th is an excellent day to celebrate the near-end of Summer with a pre-Fall celebration. It's situated directly between the 4th of July and Labor day, a perfect point to maximize leisure activities. While the fanfare associated with National Catfish Month may overwhelm August as whole, August 5th shines through with a party all its own. August 5th is International Beer Day!

My selection for International Beer Day is an IPA gem I've been holding for a while. It's an annual produced by Sierra Nevada called Southern Hemisphere Harvest. It's one of two annual "Hemisphere Harvest" ales produced by Sierra Nevada. The Hemisphere in the name denotes the hemisphere of earth where the hops were obtained. They are both made with freshly harvested hops that are shipped directly to the brewery from the farmers. The Northern is a true "wet" hop ale made with fresh, un-dried Washington hops that are brewed the day after harvest. The Southern is made with dried hops that are brewed within one week from being harvested in New Zealand. Since our Spring was New Zealand's Fall we were graced with Southern Hemisphere Harvest just a few months ago.

The pour beams a foggy amber orange with a thick meaty tan head. Bright citrusy fruity hops fill the air and take charge of the nose. The caramel malt backs the vibrant hop nose nicely while a distant yeast beckons for attention. The taste is a hop-head's dream come true. The delicious resinous hop takes shape quickly as the grassy earthen nature of the fresh hop blooms from the citrus bouquet. Not bitter at all for an IPA but also not lacking significant hop character. The firm caramel malt gives the hop a frame to grow on while providing just enough delicate sweet to savor its quality. The hops are defiantly the star here but without such a wonderfully focused malt their complexity would be lost. Nice creamy mouthfeel with medium carbonation. Hop essence lingers with a mostly dry finish. 62 wooden dibbers out of 41 billhooks. This IPA made my International Beer Day quite enjoyable.

cheers

Silver Coyote Whiskey

The American microbrewing industry has been on a roll these last few years by trumpeting quality over quantity and redefining what we yanks call beer. In the last ten years hordes of Americans have been finding the flavors offered by the micro industry far superior to that of the generally lackluster macro fare. This should come as no surprise. High quality ingredients and craftsmanship will always produce a better alcohol than one that is simply created to be advertised on television. While I applaud my fellow countrymen and women for this initial bold step in what will likely be a long journey into proper alcohol appreciation, I  wish to add an additional destination. A destination some may fear but few will regret. A journey into the extremely new but confoundingly delicious realm of Microdistillation.

One of the main reasons microbrewing has become so much more successful than microdistilling these last few years is the increasingly lax regulation of beer manufacturing. I don't mean to downplay the difficulty of opening a new brewery, but relative to microdistillation, microbrewing has got it pretty easy. The severity of the antiquated prohibitionist laws controlling microdistilleries are so intense they're almost keeping the entire industry a secret. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand and agree with the need to strictly regulate alcohol distillation to insure that people aren't being poisoned or killed in some kind of mad scientist explosion. The problem is that the laws are so harsh they are stifling innovation from qualified facilities. Luckily, there is a post-prohibition legal renaissance happening in a few states and local jurisdictions. It's granting a few noble (crazy) individuals permission to create artful new spirits that challenge the status quo. These inspirational craftsmen are willing to conform to the regulatory standards, accept the risk associated with a new business in a new industry, and front the considerable cost of owning and operating a microdistillery. I recently had the utmost pleasure of immersing myself in New Mexico's bravest new microdistillery, Santa Fe Spirits, and their first product Silver Coyote.

My first experience with Santa Fe Spirits was rather informational. The lovely wife was searching for my birthday present in early June when she stumbled upon the Santa Fe Spirits website. She thought a whiskey distillery tour would be a perfect gift but was worried it would be on too short of a notice for a reservation. She decided against it. She told me this story during my delicious birthday dinner. My reaction to her thoughtfulness was nothing but rude. "What!?, New Mexico doesn't have a whiskey distillery. Are you sure? Naah!" I learned two valuable lessons that night: Never doubt your wife, and crow is a bitter dessert.

My level of excitement was immeasurable on the drive up for my distillery tour. I found myself  brimming with questions about the malt, the water, the still, and various other distilling related queries. Upon arrival I was stunned at how small the facility was. For some reason I was expecting a huge warehouse storing thousands of whiskey barrels with a three story pot still. They're called microdistilleries for a reason! The distiller, Nick  Jones, gave me a warm welcome at the front door. After a brief explanation of the future layout of the lobby/tasting room we were off to the magic room. The distilling equipment used at Santa Fe Spirits is the absolute top of the line. Imported German copper kettle, infusion hat, and rectification column with state of the art water management and steam heating. Oh, the smell of a kettle ripe from whiskey distillation. Pure heaven. During the portion of the tour in the climate controlled ageing room for the Glenkeegan (future single malt) and Apple Brandy the owner, Colin Keegan, popped in. He insisted I not leave the distillery without a memento, a neat little shot glass with the Silver Coyote logo on it. Unfortunately, I was a little over zealous and toured before the tasting room was open. Anyone even remotely interested in the art of alcohol distillation must visit this place. If not for the amazing equipment and sampling (soon) but to meet two guys, that I'm convinced, are taking New Mexico to the next level of locally made alcohol respectability.

Silver Coyote is the first creation to make the cut from Santa Fe Spirits' still. It's a 100% pure malt unaged white dog whiskey. Now don't let the "white dog" label throw you. This dram couldn't be further from its Appalachian corn cousin. From the first whiff it's clear that this is like nothing you've ever had. The nose is full of character. It has an initial earthy, vegetal vibe that quickly leads to a tender sweet blanket of malt. The combination closely resembles raisin bread dough. The deliciously thick and smooth mouthfeel  is very enjoyable. The beefy sweet malt is prominent with just a hint of white pepper and nut. The copper gives it depth mid palate with a faint hard mineral and a whisper of mossy rock. Finish is mostly dry. Smooth and astoundingly easy to drink for 92 proof. I'll say 51 trips to the big show out of 16. If your a cocktail fan this is your new favorite clear spirit. The "whiskey 'ritas" me and my wife whipped up were a hoot. The lime and malt are curiously complimentary. I can't wait to see what Nick and Colin come up with next.

Whiskey 'Rita

1. 2oz. Silver Coyote
2. 1.5oz. Cointreau
3. 1oz. Fresh Lime Juice

Shake over ice.  Salt the outer rim of a cold glass with a lime wedge and kosher salt.  Carefully add ice to salted glass.  Single strain over ice.  Serve with lime garnish.


cheers

Hennessy Privilége VSOP

Cognac is a stupendously delicious spirit that is vastly misunderstood by many people in the United States. The word Cognac is a geographical product indicator and a legal certification. It itself is not a spirit. It's used to identify a specific wine growing region of France and specific laws regulating the ingredients, production, labeling, and ageing of brandy made in the region. The French call this certification Appellation d'origine contrôlée (ah-pel-lay-syawn duw-ree-jeen kon-tro-ley) or AOC. It's the same certification granted to sparkling wines made in the Champagne region of France called, you guessed it, Champagne. The AOC certification is important because you can't label just any brandy a Cognac or sparkling wine a Champagne. Aside from actually having to be from the region, there is an incredibly long list of strict guidelines that must be followed in order for a bottle to adorn the name Cognac or Champagne. These guidelines insure that all AOC certified bottles meet minimum quality standards and present the consumer with a quality product.


Like many fine antique spirits, Cognac's appeal used to be very limited. Only the highest skilled of companies were able to sell their products to the snobbiest of drinkers. However, in the late 90's that completely changed. Cognac's popularity would skyrocket in the U.S. when  mention of it began popping up on rap and hip-hop albums. This caused a major shift in the way Americans both viewed and purchased Cognac. While taking it away from the stuffy smoking rooms of the elite and putting into the dining rooms of regular citizenry was a good thing, there was a slightly negative side effect to this sudden stardom. Alcohol popularity favors big companies.   


Nearly all of the Cognac sold in the U.S. is produced by four big companies: Rémy Martin, Courvoisier, Martell, and Hennessy. Each of these is in turn owned by even bigger conglomerates. This limited pool of popular brands limits flavor possibilities and variety. But, keep in mind the AOC regulations on Cognac. The "worst" Cognac on its roughest day is still damn good brandy. They are all subject to the strict AOC quality standards insuring the reputation of the region stays intact. Like I said, slightly negative. The quality is thorough, there's just limited availability of easy to obtain, reasonably priced "variety" Cognacs.


So it's clear, the only thing i'm familiar with when it comes to Cognac is the technicalities. The only tasting experience I've had before this bottle was with Courvoisier.  I'm no expert but I've had a few glass of brandy and know the basic ins and outs of the spirit.

This beauty was a birthday gift from my favorite person in the world, my totally awesome wife. I am truly in awe at her incredible level of class and her ability to catch me off guard with the perfect gift. If everyone had a mate like her there would be no sadness. C'est magnifique sweetheart. 


Hennessy, one of the worlds oldest Cognac houses, has a funny twist in its origin story that made me smile. It was started in 1765 by an Irishman named Richard Hennessy. By offering an extremely wide range of products Hennessy has become the largest Cognac producer in the world. With offerings from their simple yet enjoyable $25 VS (Very Special) to the absolutely ridiculous $200,000 Baccarat crystal bottle of Beauté du Siécle that is hand delivered in a glass chest by member of the board of directors. 


The VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) I was privileged to  is a beautiful example of a quality brandy. Opens with a nice oak wood presence on the nose with a sweet fruit overtone and a hint of clove. Light mineral presence with slight earthy vine background. The sweet almost syrupy (good) is the first flavor. Grapes and dark fruit hit the tip of the tongue while the nice spice bouquet of clove and distant cinnamon give way to oak mid palate. Gentle but firmly medium mouth feel. The wood finishes it out with very little burn. Very pleasurable to drink. A delicious faint apple lingers as you savor. 72 unpronounceable words out of 40. I can only hope one day I will have the money keep tasty things like this close at hand.


santé

Smithwick's

I'll never forget my dad's favorite belt buckle. It was a large metal oval with an American flag and and an Irish flag crisscrossed and the words "American by birth" above the flags and "Irish by the grace of God" below.  Understood by him not as nationalism, but as as a special reverence for his grandparents culture and his personal link to something greater. Most specifically, (and of course stereotypically) the alcohol that is produced in Ireland. A link I was lucky enough to soak up from him.

The sweet aroma, mellow taste, and velvety smoothness of Irish whiskeys and the tender malty goodness of Irish beers are often copied, but never duplicated. Those relatively gentle and mild flavors that Irish alcohols have has caused their current popularity explosion the U.S. For the masses they are easy drinking, generally inexpensive, and it's fun to sound cool when know how to properly enunciate the booze you are ordering. For the appreciators they are ancient creations that provide a refreshing change of pace and offer subtle expressions of alcohol made with quality ingredients.There are two Irish beers that combine both mass appeal and aficionado snobbery, Guinness and Smithwsick's (both made by Guinness). It's summer so I picked up the lighter Smithwick's Irish Red.

Irish reds are supposed to be easy drinking flavorful ales. They should have a toasted malt charter with a very mild bittering hop. Smithwick's does just that with perfection. Oh, and it's pronounced smidth-iks not smith-wicks just in case your getting one at the pub (bar). The rusty red amber burps up a very nice thick tan head. The toasted malt appears on nose with a just a touch of  caramel malt and a hint of yeast. Very light nose. The taste closely follows the nose. The toasted malt gives the wondrously thick mouthfeel something to play with while the mild caramel malt sweetens things briefly. A very light yeast gives the malt some fruity depth. Quick light balancing hops mid palate. Very straight forward.  A quick metallic whiff before the mildly bitter mostly dry distant hop finish.17 tickets to Dublin out of 10. Let this warm for a slightly more flavorful experience. An absolutely wonderful beer for the summer. Some fried chicken or beer battered fish are absolutely perfect with this beer.

slainte

Kellerweis Hefeweizen

Since the mid 1980's microbreweries have become increasingly more popular in the U.S. Producing vast amounts of interesting and unique beers, microbreweries have rejuvenated the post prohibition beer market in the U.S. The wild individual spirit and spunky quirkiness that modern microbreweries have injected back into the brewing profession has forever changed the way Americans look at beer makers. It's all thanks to a select few brave souls who decided to challenge the beer status quo in the late 1970's. One of the most influential of these people was Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada.

Using only the finest ingredients and classic brewing methods, Sierra Nevada has become a poster child for the modern microbrewing age. Producing some the best and most critically acclaimed beers in America, Sierra Nevada has built legions of die hard fans. Lucky for those fans Sierra Nevada's success was not met with the typical "decline in quality to make more money" corporate response. They did it right. They were somehow able to drastically increase production and distribution without sacrificing the quality of their beer. A quantitative and qualitative economic relationship few in the brewing industry are able to successfully pair.

Sierra Nevada, like many American microbreweries, is traditionally known for their copious use of hops in ales. However, unlike other microbreweries Sierra Nevada is huge. There are few microbreweries that can put up the variation and quality found in their collection. The detail they are able to give to each and every one of their releases is magnificent. While I thoroughly enjoy their hoppy delights I have found a gem of a wheat in Sierra Nevada's lineup. The Kellerwies Hefeweizen. Made using the laborious and traditional Bavarian style open fermentation using only  malt (wheat and barley) yeast and water. It's the equivalent of a home run ball hit so hard it flies past the cheap seats over the wall into the parking lot and through a car window.

The Hefe in Hefeweizen means "with yeast", and the Keller in Kellerwies means cellar. So what does Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen mean? Sofa king delicious. The bottle tells you to pour 2/3 , mix sediment yeast with remaining 1/3, finish pour. If you don't do this you will not receive the proper flavor. The yeast is one of the defining traits of this beer. The beautiful murky yellow orange brings forth a perfect thick white foamy head. Sweet clove and banana give a strong presence with a solid wheaty malt and some brisk citrus to back it all up. Amazingly complex nose. The initial taste of sweet bubblegum leads to a bright glazed ham kind of clove. Banana follows mid palate paired with the meaty wheat malt and a light citrus. Finishes simply with nice dry yeasty finish. Simply delicious with an outstandingly smooth and creamy mouth feel. Very refreshing. This is textbook Hefe. 10 times over the 4 lines of instructions with a highlighter. There are very few beers that can combine this level of flavor complexity with quenching refreshment. It is a perfect summertime delight.

cheers

Sunshine Wheat

Variety is one of the many things that make beer such an awesome drink. Pale lager may be the de facto beer of summer, it's not the only brew that should find its way into your mouth. A few select dark lagers and lighter ales have the capability to bring the flavor with minimal heft to help you enjoy the summer season. One of the absolute best at combining robust flavors with light beer characteristics is wheat beer.

Most wheat beers are either German or Belgian in origin and use top fermenting yeasts. Anything that has "weiss" in its name is likely of German stock (Weizn is German for wheat). Weissbier, Kristalweizen, Hefeweizen, Weizenbock are all examples of German wheat beer. Belgian wheat is a little trickier to spot. Witbier or beers mentioning "white", Lambic, and Gueuze are all made with wheat malt.

American breweries have had great success copying these European styles. So much so that even the macro-breweries are cashing in on wheat brews. Some look to recreate the traditional styles while others merely use them for inspiration. I thought I would kick off my wheat beers with something a little different. A modern take on Belgian spiced ale. The light and enjoyable Sunshine Wheat from New Belgium.

Congrats to New Belgium for celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Keep up the good work. Back to the beer. It is absolutely crucial that you pour this beer into a glass. The flavors and aromas will stay trapped in the bottle creating a not as enjoyable experience. It's a filtered wheat with no sediment yeast so no need to "mix it". The clear Post-it yellow pour grows a fluffy off white head. Lots of bubbles! The orange peel and citrus combine with the spicy light wheat and tender biscuity malts. Little coriander on the nose. The 50/50 combo of barley and wheat give this beer a lot of character. Its like a fresh spiced dinner roll. Smooth honey hits the tongue first. Not too sweet with the careful balance of spicy malts and citrus. Coriander picks up nicely in the middle. Very light and refreshing. Very light hop in the finish with a mellow mix of spice and malt. 24 hay bales out of 16. A very interesting take on a Belgian Witbier classic.

cheers

Jameson Irish Whiskey

I will never forget my fathers contagious bellowing laughter. The entire house would rumble when he would hear a raunchy off-color joke or witness some poor sap getting hit in the groin on TV. He wasn't some kind of crazy sadist, he just had a sense of humor that was simple. A characteristic that truly defined him as a person. Not simple as in ignorant, simple as in uncomplicated. He knew what he liked, where its was, and how to get it. While this may have barred him form exploring certain foreign delights, it firmly solidified the familiar things he found most enjoyable. As my life progressed from adolescence to adulthood  it became abundantly clear to me that three of these things were not just his own simple, everyday pleasures. They were inheritable genetic traits that were bestowed upon me. An unconscious unwavering adoration of all things Red Sox, an insatiable desire for cop/firefighter dramas, and an unending thirst for Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Originally know in Gaelic as Uisce beatha (isk-ihh bah-hah) or "water of life", Irish Whiskey is one of the oldest forms of a classic spirit. Brought allegedly by St. Patrick himself, distillation showed up in Ireland in approximately the 5th century. With no grapes to convert to wine, the early missionaries had to use grains to concoct their wine for ceremonies. Initially harsh and barely drinkable, people had to wait until the 18th century to find out that aging the raw distilled grain spirit in wood barrels would create something much more enjoyable. Irish Whiskey was the most popular spirit in the world through18th and 19th centuries. Unfortunately, the "luck of the Irish" wouldn't last. In the 20th century Ireland experienced three massive events that would nearly kill the ancient art of Irish whiskey. The Irish War of Independence, American Prohibition, and WWII.

The economic damage caused by the Irish war of Independence was a nearly irreparable blow to the Irish Whiskey industry. The war not only injured its infrastructure it alienated its largest export market, England. Adding injury to injury, Irish Whiskey's second largest market, the U.S., passed The 18th Amendment during the last year of the War. With nearly all its exports choked off, Irish Whiskey was in serious trouble. The last and final blow was WWII. Exhausting every last resource during a massive world wide upheaval, Irish Whiskey was nearly dead. 160 distilleries strong at the end of the 19th century, Ireland would start the 21st century with just three. Old Bushmills, Cooley, and New Midleton.

All three make outstanding whiskeys, some of the worlds best, but only one makes Jameson. New Midleton. Now to be clear, I am fully aware how popular Jameson is and how heavily marketed it is across the globe. I'm not one to drink what my TV tells me. I just know that when I open my cupboard and that green bottle is smiling down on me I get feeling of pure glee. It's the bottle I knew as "dad's secret stash." It's not expensive, it's not hard to find, and most importantly it's not complicated.

My wife says that the strange attachment I have to the Jimmy is that it's my "ancients" trying to communicate with me. I'm pretty sure shes right. Every time I smell that pot still blend I can feel the grass, and see the rolling hills. The yellowish copper pour is always a delight. A sweet barley with honey tickle the nose while the pot still character makes its self present. The combination closely resembles a toasty fresh Ego waffle with syrup.The grassy freshness that is un-malted barley sits comfortably back stage. The cereal malt sweetness hits the tongue first followed by a buttery caramel wash. A light oak with a quick mineral flash (thanks again to the still) mid palette. The careful dance of woods between the oak, sherry, and port casks really play a role in this blend. The character and depth is unheard of in such a light bodied, smooth, easy drinking whiskey. Very mild warmth for a whiskey. The long finish of sweet malt and wood hangs around nicely. Ill give it one Sean out of a Stan. My dads old stand-by still brings the fun.

slainte

Freestyle Pilsner

Santa Fe Brewing began crafting their New Mexico bubbly barley juice in 1988. Desiring an alternative to the mundane macro-lagers, Santa Fe Brewing set out to improve New Mexico's beer selection with quality ingredients and skilled brewing techniques. Expanding in 1997 and again in 2005, Santa Fe has grown into a fine brewery with a charming palette of delicious beer. My personal favorites in Santa Fe's beer quiver are: The wicked aged barley wine, the feisty IPA, the luscious java stout, and the jovial Oktoberfest. The barley wine and IPA are available year round but the java stout and Oktoberfest are their winter and fall seasonals. They are two of three canned seasonals offered by Santa Fe. The third is their summer seasonal, a German-esque Pils called Freestyle Pilsner.

The designs that Santa Fe uses to adorn their cans are some of the best I have seen. Original and unique, the cans are part of the indie spirit embodied by Santa Fe. Each displaying distinct individual characteristics while sharing a few basic design elements. The Freestyle Pilsner comes in a bright reflective green can with gold script and two hop cones on either side. One cone has a gold halo the other has a pair of devil horns. A sign of balance contained within.

The pour is simple and clean. A nice small mellow head grows from medium carbonation. The nose has some mild grassy hops with a grainy present malt. The taste follows the nose. Medium. This is not a bad beer by any means. It's still miles ahead of any thing made by any of the macro-brewers. It's just, well, good. Kinda disappointed with its promise of being a hoppier than average pilsner. The thick grainy malt is fun but it kinda drowns out the seemingly mild hop. 6.2 things out of 8.8 stuff. It's a good beer that I intend to drink again, I just feel that it's not the best Santa Fe has to offer.

cheers

Weihenstephaner Original

Summer has started and the pale lager is flowing! Cool crisp suds that can turn down the heat and compliment just about anything you can concoct on or near a hibachi. Nothing says summer like downing a tall glass of lagered golden refreshment on a hot June afternoon with a plate full of BBQ in your lap. Now don't let the ads fool you into thinking any beer will do. Pale lager has one of the widest qualitative ranges in alcohol so picking the proper pale lager can prove to be quite precocious. If beer simplicity is your desire and all you need to do is to 'wet the whistle' or wash down some potato salad most micro-brew pale lagers and a few macro-beers will do just fine. If however your beer tastes run a bit deeper and you want something with some serious flavor look for the blue bottle with the ridiculously long name.

The Weihenstephan Brewery (Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan in German) claims to be the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world. With a documentable brewery licence dated 1040 AD, I'll take their word for it! Weihenstephan is traditionally known for its delicious, world class hefeweizen. Its "original" style, the Helles Lager, usually plays second fiddle to its more notable brethren. While both are fabulous beers and stylistically near perfection, the Helles is my favorite. To me, it exemplifies what a light lager should be.

Lager in its purist form. Made from simple ingredients in an ancient facility with time honored traditions. A truly magnificent beer that makes American adjunct lagers seem juvenile and petty. If you call yourself a bud/coors/miller man/woman go, now to your local liquor store purchase this and promptly pour it into your head. If this does not cure your condition I fear your television has poisoned your taste buds and you may need professional assistance.

Weihenstephaner (vine-shte-fa-ner) Original pours a glassy straw like color that forms a white pillowy soft head from good carbonation levels. Very light nose. A faint grainy biscuit matched with a mild grassy citrus hop over a distant yeast. Light yet serious and intriguing. The taste matches the nose. Clean and crisp, the lager washes down with ease. The perfect balance of grainy malt and herbal hop are a joy to experience. Let this beer warm up a bit out of the fridge! The essence of banana and honey come out on the nose and through the taste. I know it's a lager but it really blossoms as it warms. Perfect dry finish with a slow fading malt. 87 fresh pretzels found in my 2 pairs of freshly laundered lederhosen.

cheers

Marble Sephira

Brettanomyces. No, not the powerful mage you created in a marathon D&D session! I'm talking about the yeast that's known colloquially as "Brett". A very interesting and peculiar yeast that is seen as both a negative and a positive in the alcohol industry. When it occurs by accident, it can completely ruin a good wine or obliterate a nice beer. Brought in by a stray bug or a tainted cask, Brett can cause big trouble for a vineyard or brewery. Creating an antiseptic like funk with metallic to rancid acidity flavors, accidental Brett is a burden to most beverage makers. Funny enough, the intentional addition or exposure to Brett is somehow seen as  having the exact opposite effect.

When added to wines or beers specifically designed for it, Brett delivers specific positive flavor characteristics that can only be obtained from Brett yeast strains. When present in low levels within certain red wines Brett contributes a delicate mix of complex flavors and a mysterious depth of character. When used in certain, specific beers Brett is seen as a positive influence and in a select few beers it's seen as the defining trait. Belgian ales and lambics started it all by obtaining their tangy signature from the inclusion of Brett yeasts. As the popularity of these intense and delicious European beers increased in the US many local micro-breweries decided to take the yeast into their own hands and see what they could craft.With the tricky and slightly uncontrollable nature of Brett, only the most skilled brewers were able to produce good new world Brett beers. I was lucky enough recently to find one of these rarest of gems at most familiar place.

This may the best special/seasonal beer marble has released. It's a Belgian style sour ale thats been aged for two years in casks (oak I'm presuming) infected with Brett. It pours like a mysterious dark grapefruit juice infused sunset. Orange, red, and copper beneath a pencil thin white head. Very low carbonation. Sweet oranges and cherries on the nose with light leather, sharp but not overbearing vinegar sour, and a distant prune or raisin. The flavor closely mimics the nose. Bright sweet apple, cherry, and citrus flavors with a smooth malt over the highly beneficial Brett "funk" complexity of a pleasant sour with a little leather. Not too bitter. Light sweet and sour sherry character from the ageing and/or the wood. Excellent tart dry lambic style finish. Marble Sephira rolls a natural 20 with 2 hands tied behind its back. 

To me this beer is both literally and figuratively bitter sweet. The flavor is a perfect balance of sweet fruit and malt with deliciously bitter Brettanomyces. It's also sweet to see that "my" local brewery has the chutzpah to make a beer this different and succeed with such vibrant flying colors. At the same time I'm a little bitter at the possibility that the tiny and personal Marble I've come to appreciate may someday change. Because when you consistently put out beer this good, this often, and this different the world will take notice.

cheers

Beefeater London Dry

Gin is the abstract expressionist of the alcohol universe. It's a fearless drink, showcasing a cacophony of bold botanicals and spices with an allowable level of variance and flexibility not seen in other spirits. Using a fine grain spirit as its canvas and juniper berries as its brush, gin composes a wide range of styles ranging from the relatively simple and delicate American Dry to the complex and robust London Dry. Each style combines juniper at varying levels with a multitude of other flavorings to give each gin a unique identity and each gin drinker a unique experience.

I don't have a problem with modern stylish gins that lean toward the lighter, more citrusy end of the flavor spectrum. They taste fine, I just feel they are a bit one-sided. I happen to prefer the older styled gins that honor their deep French (genièvre) and Dutch (jenever) origins. Gins that have stiff upper lips, two fistfuls of juniper berries, and the ability to pirouette in pointe shoes. I like deeply complex gins made in copper pot stills with quality ingredients by skilled craftsmen. I like Beefeater London Dry Gin.

For starters, the bottle design is really cool. A clear square bottle with a  proud Yeomen Warder marching on the front with a stylized Tower of London seen though the bottle on the back label. The sides are embossed with "Made in London" in big bold letters going up one side and down the other. The year "1820"  is embossed at the base of neck notating the first year of manufacture. And I cant quite explain how, but the bottle neck/cap design seems to fit more snugly than regular screw on caps.

The smell of juniper bursts from the bottle like a can of Shasta shaken in a paint mixer. Spicy orange peel, coriander(cilantro) seed, and various other floral notes lurk beneath the fresh juniper berries on the nose. When lightly swirled, the long legged thickness of the gin acts an enchanting wink from inside the glass. The taste is like nothing else. Its like a juniper bush sweating in your mouth. Juniper berry sap coats the inside of your head while the zesty citrus moves the liquorice and marzipan down your gullet. The thick oily body of Beefeater is truly a delight and the smoothness of it is otherworldly. Showcasing its quality of distillation and skill of the craftsmen who created it, the gentle comforting sting that is 94 proof gin gives way to a lukewarm burn. Juniper lingers with a happy tingling tongue. The official score of the match is 37 of the Queens Jewels out of 22. At around $20 this bottle is a must have for any gin appreciator. 

Martinis made with this world class gin are an absolute delight. The intense flavor and high proof can be a bit much for some and may require additional cooling over ice before adding the vermouth and serving. I can think of no better cocktail on a warm afternoon than a cool Beefeater martini. That same intensity makes Beefeater well suited for gin and tonics. Readily available tonic is so drastically over sweetened with corn syrup that it forces most gins  into the background of bitter tonic wash. Beefeater has the depth to penetrate through the sweetness and create a much more enjoyable drink than your typical bitter-sweet fizzy gin and tonic. 

G&T

• 3oz Gin (Beefeater)
• Tonic
• Lime Wedge

Fill a rocks/old fashioned glass with ice. Pour Gin over ice. Top with tonic. Lime to taste.

cheers

Noilly Prat Dry

Finding out that you really like something you previously disliked is an exciting event. The enjoyment creates new emotions as you stumble though your confusion and wash away your previous negative convictions with new positive feelings. It's a much more poignant experience than enjoying something you are trying for the first time. The catharsis creates a void that is instantly filled with an abundance of positivity resulting in a more intense experience. I was privileged to such an event with a very misunderstood alcohol.

At one time I was convinced that dry vermouth was just bitter bath water used to dilute high proof gin. I ordered it in my martinis out of habit and never reasoned as to why such an unapproachable alcohol would be used in such a popular cocktail. I blame my own youth naivety and cheapskate bars unwilling to throw out spoiled booze. Who knew there was such a huge difference between a fresh bottle of high quality vermouth and a six month old unrefrigerated fly trap. Understanding and appreciating the deep complexity of vermouth can be bit of a challenge. But if you're patient, open minded, and willing to give second chances, you will find that vermouth is an alcohol that deserves respect.  

Vermouth is a fortified aromatized wine. That means it's fermented grape juice that has alcohol and spices added to it. While I can appreciate others, Noilly Prat (nwa-ly prat) original is by far my favorite. The 200 year old original "European" recipe holds firm as the dominant dry French vermouth. Only recently available in the U.S., this version of Noilly is far more delicious than the bland discontinued "American" version. Using a combination of indoor and outdoor cask aging, select alcohol infusion, and significant herbal fortification, Noilly dry is like nothing else.

The complexity of this vermouth is astounding. Huge wood and spice on the nose with a gentle, but defiantly present, sweet white wine undertone. Lumberjack wood with coriander, orange, clove, and chamomile, sticking out with what I believe to be wormwood sneaking around in the background.  I have only had absinthe once so I'm admittedly not well learned in the art of wormwood. I also somehow get this neat open air, seawater like must mid palate. The nearly constant wave of changing flavors seems to last for days as the long bitter to sweet to bitter battle leads to a smooth alcohol finish. It's like 8 M. C. Escher staircases to nowhere beating 3.5 hands drawing them selves in an arm wrestling match. If you want a good flavorful martini, Noilly is your vermouth. Even at in a gin heavy 5:1 martini Noilly Dry will add character. Always drink it cold and store it in a refrigerator. It's a wine so be aware it will spoil if not consumed within about six weeks.

cheers

Martini

Q. Why did the bartender grab a bottle of vodka during his preparation of your martini? A. Ian Fleming hates you.

The martini is the quintessential cocktail. Even when its represented as caricature, clear liquid gently suspending an olive in an elevated triangular glass, it's unmistakable. Brimming with sophistication and class, the martini is a classic piece of sparkling Americana. With it's four humble ingredients and minimal preparation, the martini is the ultimate dichotomic display of complex simplicity. However, naming those four ingredients and its style of preparation can become a flamboyant display of self defense.

I think vodka is great. It's a clean, understated spirit that I find delicious. I think gin is great. It's a timeless, incredibly complex spirit that I find delicious. I think substituting vodka for gin in a martini is not great. It's as wise as batting yourself in the face with a cactus. A martini is: Gin (preferably London Dry or Plymouth) and Dry Vermouth (preferably French), stirred over Ice, served up, garnished with Olives. Vodka with vermouth and an olive is not a martini. I have always identified that drink by its more common name "vodka and vermouth with an olive." Cold "new age" flavorless gin, shaken, then poured in a glass lined with vermouth is also not a martini. It's not cool, hip, or trendy, it's tasteless and silly. I call those things " 10th round Rocky Balboas" or "cold glasses of gin." Martinis are meant to be bold flavorful drinks expressing the wonderful flavors of juniper, spice, and wood. Using ingredients that do not present that palette to you are less than optimal and should be avoided in martinis.

Once you have the proper ingredients you can start to have some fun and experiment with gin to vermouth ratios. The IBA suggests a 5:1 gin to vermouth ratio for a classic dry martini and I couldn't agree more. 5:1 gives the gin plenty of room without completely drowning out the vermouth. 5:1 is an excellent starting point for newcomers. If you are like me and enjoy vermouth, give a wet martini a whirl and boost your vermouth levels. The wood and spice of the added vermouth create a slightly darker flavor profile. Really break the mold if you have a good bottle of vermouth and try a 2:1 martini.The "traditional" martini is really great but those unfamiliar with vermouth may find it a bit off-putting. The gin should always be dominant but substituting a bit more vermouth will lead to exciting flavor adventures.

Once your martini is complete the garnish selection begins. This I feel is completely subjective. I am a purist and only prefer vermouth soaked olives but I could see a lemon zest being enjoyable in a dry martini made with a strong citrus forward gin. The complex bouquet of a good gin will be complimented by both types of garnish. Fear not for a good martini will not be offended by your choice of garnish.

Finding your favorite cocktail can take a lifetime. Don't be afraid to try new drinks or variants of an old favorite. Share the joys that accompany good food and good drink. But be aware that if at any point we should find ourselves in an establishment that substitutes scotch for tequila in a margarita, rum for vodka in a cosmopolitan, or absinthe for bourbon in an old fashioned, please tell the ostentatious mixologist behind the bar that ill have a beer.

Martini stirred, not shaken.

1. 4oz. Gin
2. 1oz. Dry Vermouth
3. 2 Olives

If soaking olives in vermouth do so 15 minutes beforehand. Chill serving glass with ice water. Stir gin and vermouth over ice in metal shaker with bar spoon for 15 to 30 seconds. If high proof gin (50% alcohol) allow to rest in shaker for 30 seconds to1 minute. Empty serving glass. Single strain up. Serve with olives loose in glass or on skewer.

• For a "Dirty Martini" add .5oz olive brine to finished martini. 
• For a "not martini" substitute vodka for gin. 

cheers

Anchor Steam

Lager beer and summertime is a pair that's hard to beat. Like Kosher dogs and baseball, cold beer and hot weather just feel right together. While a flavorful ale is never a bad choice, that dry cool crispness lagers have really starts to pop when the mercury starts to rise. A well made lager can easily hold it's own against any ale and if the situation is right, a good cold lager will beat its ale counterpart.

The word lager is actually German for storage. Using primitive storage techniques, lager beer came to be through the hybridization of ale yeast during longer storage periods in colder temperatures. The lager yeast is able to slowly consume more of the sugars causing the variance in taste between lager and ale. Lagers come in all shapes and sizes. Traditional European lagers range form the lightest Euro pale lagers, the flavorful Czech Pilseners to the powerful German Doppelbocks. American lagers range from the barely there Adjunct style, Czech inspired hoppy Pils, to the darker Dunkels and Bocks. While I give most popular American Lagers 3 enthusiastic thumbs down, there are a few seriously good domestically produced "true" American lagers. One of which I feel truly embodies the American values of  ingenuity, determination, and perfectionism. It's called Anchor Steam.

In the late 19th century keeping things cold in California was difficult. Air conditioning was a hand powered paper fan and refrigeration was known as January. The brewers making lager beer had to find a way to cool the wort rapidly by natural means. This was done by piping the hot liquid to open roof panels to let the ocean breezes act as the cooling agents. This created puffs of steam atop the breweries giving the beer its name. After the cooling was finished the lager yeasts were forced to ferment at the coolest tip of the ale scale. This process of using lager yeast at ale temperatures created beer that tastes like no other. Although the Steam beer made nowadays uses a cooling system that has been drastically modernized, some of the time honored traditions hold strong. The use of all malt mash and copper pot boiling let Anchor stand tall and show the world what real American brewing is all about.

This is easily one of my top three lagers. It is a beautiful crisp lager with deep ale complexity. A nice smooth copper pour unloads a forest of a nose. A fascinating smell of earthy tree bark with slightly fruity hop combined with a understated deep toasty malt. The flavor is identical. Initial floral hop bitter balances quickly  with a warm white bread malt. The balance is uncanny for the individual flavors are quite robust. The floral esters of hop and the slightly sweet grainy malt are simultaneously unified mid palate just before the closing hop fermata. 10 Tie-dye shirts out of  7. The beer is light enough to drink more than one but flavorful enough to nurse for appreciation. Serve slightly warmer than most lagers for best flavor. Steak or lamb will pair vary nicely with a good strong veggie like asparagus or Brussels sprouts. Find some shade and enjoy the weather.

cheers

Orval Trappist Ale

Contrary to popular belief, most monks are not Buddhist kung-fu masters. Giant temples filled with snap kicking bald dudes in robes is a Hollywood construct. The daily life of a monk is usually quiet and simple with little to no dramatic physical exertion. Long hours of deep metaphysical contemplation and endless menial chores are activities more closely associated with realistic monastic life. Monasteries regularly and intentionally separate themselves from many aspects of modern society. This isolation improves the absorptive spiritual atmosphere but can impede the abby's financial underpinnings. Monks and their collective brethren still need money for many everyday expenses. Since no one gets paid for praying and flipping burgers at the local Mickey D's is not an option, monks have created a market for their own hand crafted wares.

Having very limited resources to begin with, monasteries tend to create simple things with materials that are cheap and on site or easily attainable. Supplies such as grains, animal products, and wood are the most common. While the end product may initially seem like a simple loaf of bread or an everyday wheel of cheese, looking just beyond that simple cover you will find a truly fine artisanal creation. Holding the quality of the product paramount over all other aspects, monks are able to create truly amazing things. The most amazing of these creations is made by a small cluster of Belgian Roman Catholic monks known as Trappists. Their creation is beer. Humble, simple, modest, beer.

Made strictly to support the monasteries' activities, the seven Trappist breweries make some of the best beers in the world. This time, it's not just my opinion. The world over, beer connoisseurs covet these like priceless gold doubloons. With all 7 going in slightly different directions, each beer has specific "style" characteristics all their own. Each displaying absolute top tier craftsmanship using the highest quality ingredients. I was officially and formally introduced to beer proper recently with one them thanks to a co-workers strong recommendation. (Good work Murph!) It's label says Orval but it should read Heaven.

It's never once been advertised, the receipe is nearly 100 years old, and the money made from my purchase of this bottle will not be used toward a corporate profit of any kind. Yes, yes, and oh man this is one hell (woops) of a beer! The head grows as thick as a marshmallow from glimmering bubbles feverishly rising to the top. On the nose you get a bit of sour acidic citrus with a pollen like wildflower thing underneath. Extremely complex but oh so deliciously primitive at the same time. The taste parallels the nose. It's like the venison of beer. Wild, untamed sour yeasty tart explode. The dry hops start cranking mid palate during a very Lambic-esque first act. The unbridled carbonation, courtesy of  the bottle refermentation, make the nuance of the malt difficult to find. There is  however an ever so slight essence of caramel malt found near the back door. The hop finds its way though the complicated forest of flavors and sets up an extremely dry acidic finish. We're talking Champagne dry finish. Simply amazing.

This beer gets 652 out of 650. The complexity of this beer may be difficult to grasp by many. The strong natural flavors of the ingredients don't hide at all and someone not comfortable with foreign flavors may be put off. That said, any one who likes beer must try this at least once. If you can, drink it from a chalice 2 degrees warmer than you think it should be drunk. The intricacies will be best tasted when the beer is just above cool. Put your tuxedo or little black dress on and prepare for a formal introduction to one of the best alcoholic drinks on earth.

cheers

Marble Red

2008 was one hell of a year. The world changed in so many notable ways that  future historians will likely argue as to which event had the greatest impact on mankind. Was it Fidel finally giving his big boy toys to his brother Raúl or China hosting their first summer Olympics in grand style? Could it have been Bill Gates giving his keys to Apple someone willing to bear the toil of counting to 50 billion, or The Hadron Collider firing up successfully without sucking the earth into another dimension. Only time will tell what macro-event will cause the greatest amount of change for mankind.

While those events were profound in the grand scheme, I was witness to something much more powerful and much more personal in 2008. Something so memorable that it turned this once ordinary beer chugger into an official, hop-headed snobby aficionado. The Marble Brewery opened its doors. Yes, I knew the difference between a drinkable beer and horse water, but I didn't know how far it was from a good beer to a great one. It would take only a single Dixie cup, filled with Marble IPA at a friends wedding party to know that from that day forward I would seek only greatness in beer. Fresh floral and delicious, Marble beer would forever have a fan in me.

Asking me which Marble tap was my favorite used to be simple. In an almost reactionary response, without hesitation I would say IPA. The amazing citrus hop with mild semi-sweet malt is near perfection. But as time went on the more I drank, and the more I drank the more I liked. Three years after my first IPA it's now a toss-up between the Oatmeal stout, the IPA, and the Red Ale. All three are outstanding beers that display precise style characteristics rarely seen in mass produced beer. This time around I chose the Red Ale.    

The Marble Red Ale pours a very cool rusty amber with a smaller yellowish head. The slightly toasty caramel malt with stronger than average hop give this beer a bit of a bran muffin nose. The hops really pop in this one with a surprisingly bright initial character for a red. It is definitely not a run of the mill malty Irish Red or a bland American Amber. The huge hop is subdued by an absolutely delicious lush blanket of caramel malt. The reaction of "Woah! Hops!" quickly followed by "Oooohhh Malt" is the best way to describe the initial 5 seconds of taste. The hops will get your attention but don't be fooled, the malt is the star here. Outstanding med/thick mouth feel makes your second taste not soon enough. Very nicely balanced finish with a slight nod to the hop. As the light hop resin lingers I bask in the glory of beer greatness. 

Ill say 4 hammers out of 3 sickles. Marble wins again! A great balanced ale that would compliment most meals. Bold enough to cut through spicy Thai or pizza and humble enough for potato soup or fried egg sandwiches. You really can't go wrong with beer this good. This is the caliber beer you serve to make a good impression or buy someone as a gift. A joyous time will be had with Weezer and Marble Red.

cheers

Happy Camper IPA

Being an alcohol connoisseur and having access to really good, local, micro-brewed beer is like being a little kind living near Santa's workshop at the North Pole. Hop flower fairys and candied dark malts dance with joy seven days a week. Boundless variates and quirky experimental beers keep things interesting and fun. Whenever you want, you can saunter on over and enjoy something special seemingly made just for you. Lucky for me New Mexico has been bestowed with multiple gifted micro-breweries. One of the best is the Santa Fe Brewing Co. of Santa Fe, NM.

Santa Fe Brewing Co. makes some primo suds. Interestingly enough, four of which come in cans. (Yah I'm on a can kick so what you wanna fight about it?) A nice clean pilsner for the summer months, a humongous Java stout that should be sold at Starbucks, one of the absolute best Oktoberfests you'll find this side of the pond, and an IPA that's a real kick in the pants. Being a self diagnosed hop-head, I decided to jump right into the IPA first.

 
Happy Camper IPA is unmistakable. The can's design is the the state flag of New Mexico. Emblazoned with a red Zia symbol, the bright yellow can is hard to miss. Upon pouring the amber liquid a very strong hop aroma hits you. A deep, sappy, almost spicy, pine resin jumps from the can. The taste follows your nose. Very bitter, semi dry hop that has an almost smokey character. Mild fruit flavors dance under the pine dominance. The malt takes a very cool turn in an attempt to balance the nearly out of control bitter. It uses the sweet natural flavor of the malt for balance, not the calculable amount. The light sweet malt enhances the fruity release of this powerful IPA. The bitter will linger a bit but it's a savory and enjoyable taste.

I approximate 8 out of 4 pine cones would be generated if this fell in the forest. This is one of the best portable beers available. This would make for some very happy burgers and dogs but a good spicy sausage with some onions and peppers would be perfect. Fire, meat, lake/river (what ever floats your boat!), and this beer is a combo that is tough to beat. The sound of a crackling fire and some gentle water will guarantee smiles.

cheers   

Captain Morgan Original

Having humble expectations for inexpensive booze will not only improve your chances for enjoyment but may also broaden your horizons. Remember, it's just as important to know the negative characteristics of alcohol you don't like as to the positives you do like. Now don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that alcohol snobbery has its place. When your making cocktails, shopping for a $30 plus bottle of wine, appreciating a fine spirit, or searching for that perfectly balanced craft ale, you will need to occasionally flash your snob badge. I am also fully aware that there is a tolerable level of bad and some booze is undeniably undrinkable. However, if you find yourself laughing loudly with friends next to a homemade wood burning stove in Wisconsin during an epic winter, some $10 blended whiskey might be just what the doctor ordered. No, it's not artisanal and yes, you will notice flaws but if your mindful of this beforehand it wont be offensive and you might actually enjoy yourself.

Just so its crystal clear, Captain Morgan Original is not a sensational rum. It's massively overproduced, way over marketed, uses artificial flavors, and is cheaply distilled. It's also not trying to hide any of that information from you. Captain Morgan is a simple drink that knows it's place on the shelf. If are looking for a deep,complex, flavorful rum that can be sipped neat look elsewhere.

Rum is supposed to be sweet, it is after all distilled from sugar cane. Spiced rum is supposed to add a bit of vibrancy to that sweet of the natural spirit. Captain Morgan Original does succeed at this. Neat, the sweet molasses is very present with vanilla dominating the spice. Some caramel, nutmeg, and cinnamon, are also present. Unfortunately the vanilla has a funky artificial tinge and the odor of cheap alcohol kind of ruin the nose. Upon sipping, the smooth nature of the rum is present in the mouth feel with not too much oak and at only 70 proof not a lot of burn. Sadly, after gulping it down, that damn fake vanilla pops its clown face back up and overtakes much of the rest of the spice. The finish  gives a little pepper with a push of cheap alcohol. It's not undrinkable neat, but not all that enjoyable.  In order to get the Captain to truly swash-buckle, throw some rocks in your glass or some lime and Coke. It sure helped me.

With 3 ice cubes in my glass I now had a decent drink. The cold made the questionable distillation disappear and the water from the melting ice toned down the vanilla to allow the other flavors some elbow room. I don't know if I would order one in a bar but I wouldn't turn down a free Captain on the rocks. Throw some Coke in the mix with a lime wedge and you've got a simple cocktail. Nothing fancy and at $12 a bottle it does what it needs to. I'll say 3 arrr maties out of 2 1/2. Best with large groups, get your self some kettle corn and have some fun.

Capt'n & Coke

1. 3oz Captain Morgan Original
2. 7oz Coke
3. 1-2 Lime wedges

Pour Rum over lots of ice in pint glass. Pour Coke. Stir gently. Lime to taste.

cheers

Mighty Arrow

Seasonal beers can really showcase a breweries talents. In order to capture the essence of a single season and put it into a beer, a brewery must have high attention to detail. A good seasonal needs to enhance the various nuances of a specific time of year and highlight some of the accociated activities. Winter needs something robust and spicy to warm you up and cut through the rich holiday food. Summer needs a crisp, quenching brew that douses the heat and is light enough to keep you reasonably sober through 9 innings. Fall needs an earthen malty beer or a quirky fruit/vegetable beer that honors the harvest and embraces the slowly dropping temperatures. Spring needs a lively, flavorful beer that begs you to get outside, dust off that grill, and toss the Frisbee around. One of the best breweries to offer seasonals is New Belgium. Their best offering is their spring seasonal, Mighty Arrow. It has me looking forward to March each and every year.

This beer is the tribute to Arrow. New Belgium's founder's Border Collie mix that ran around the brewery  brightening everyones day. The last line on the bottle says "She never met a tummy rub she didn't like. Atta girl Arrow." With that, I didn't even need to open the bottle to know I was going to like it. It's an American Pale Ale that just like Arrow, will have you smiling all spring long.

A beautiful thick fluffy head bubbles to brim of your glass with even a modest pour. Nice bright hop aroma with a light malt in the background. Not IPA hop. Just a mellow hop forward pale ale. The flavor follows the nose. Amazing green herbal citrus hop with nice grainy malt balancing it out. This is like the inverse of Fat Tire. The Toasty malt takes a back seat to the hops. Outstandingly crisp and clean for an ale with 6%ABV. While the hops may be the flavor focus, it has a surprising amount of malt for such a light bodied beer. The finish is dry with nice hop bitter right at the end. If this beer doesn't inspire you to fire up that grill for some burgers and break out your ball cap, nothing will.

I giver her 42 wet noses out of 40. This is your picnic beer. Burgers, sandwiches, or even a good grilled flank of bold fish like salmon would be awesome. This is best served outside with your best friends. A relaxing spring evening outside patting your pups on the noggin is what this beer is all about. Atta girl indeed.

cheers
(woof)            

Lindemans Framboise

Beer is the chameleon of the alcohol world. It can lubricate uncomfortable gatherings and transform any meeting into a party. Turn an otherwise bland meal into something stupendous or blossom new flavors from an old favorite recipe. It can improve solitary introspection while making a quiet moment thunderous. There is a beer for everyone, every meal, and every occasion. There's even one that can simultaneously satiate two people that have opposite tastes in alcohol.

A beer's style is determined by the type of  yeast used to convert its sugars into alcohol. There are three different types of yeast: Top-fermenting warm temperature yeast, bottom-fermenting cool temperature yeast, and wild spontaneous fermenting yeast. Top/warm fermenting yeasts produce beers that tend to be darker, more aromatic, and fruitier called ales. Bottom/cool yeasts produce beers that tend to be dryer, cleaner, and lighter because the cool yeast ferments slower and consumes more of the sugar. These beers are called lagers. Both of these are painstakingly pure strains of very specific brewer's yeasts that have been cultivated in controlled environments for centuries. The third type of yeast, wild spontaneous fermenting yeast, is drastically different. So much so that the beer it produces, called lambic, can sometimes be misinterpreted a another type of alcohol.  

Lambic is produced with wild yeast from the countryside of the Senne Valley in Belgium where the breweries reside. The breweries literally open a series of doors and expose their wort to the fresh valley air causing yeast and bacteria to collect, causing fermentation. The use of wild yeast creates a very tart, lightly carbonated, acidic beer that is off-putting to many not familiar with the style. To help cut the tartness sweet fresh fruit is sometimes added to the fermentation process. The flavors of the fruit combine with the natural acidic tart of the lambic to create what I feel is two separate drinks in one solitary bottle. A fruit lambic.

Thanks to my wife and her friend I was able to discover this polished gem. Lindeman's Framboise (frun-buwaz) (raspberry) (razz-bery) Lambic. Looking more like a sparkling wine or champagne than a beer , the framboise was something fascinatingly different from the get-go. Huge juicy raspberries explode on nose when the cork is popped. The velvety deep maroon beer gives birth to a pinkish fizzy foam that laces the rim of the glass. The sweet, fresh raspberry takes the lead and dominates this one. No fake syrupy crap here! Tiny effervescent bubbles press the aromatics out and allow for a full taste of the juicy fruit. The tart of the lambic rolls over your tongue in perfect harmony with the raspberries and the sharp acidity of the lambic creates a beautiful clean release. This is the perfect balance between sweet and tart. A perfect sweet and bubbly treat for my wife and a mysterious tart delight for me. With no red card it gets 2 red shirts out of 1. I had this with waffles and syrup but any breakfasty type food is great. There has never been a better reason to serve breakfast for dinner (or booze with breakfast!).

cheers

1800 Reposado

One of mankind's most glorious achievements was turning rudimentary fermented compounds, via distillation, into a consumable liquid concentrate known as liquor. It's a fascinating  process that starts with the heating and subsequent vaporization of the initial fermented liquid source. The vapor is then captured and allowed to cool so that it returns to liquid form. The result is a purified and condensed version of the original fermented source, a divinified "spirit." A liquid so incredibly complex it was once believed to cure disease!


Most of the source material used to create the initial fermented alcohol is very common, highly identifiable vegetation found in most parts of the world. While fruits and vegetables are regularly used, the most predominant source of carbohydrates for fermentation come from cereal grains like barley, corn, wheat, and rice. Grown on every continent but Antarctica, cereal grains dominate the alcohol marketplace. Rarely is it that something foreign or unusual is used as a carbohydrate source in creating a quality spirit, worthy of praise. However, when it does happen the result can be both positive and negative to the spirit landscape.


The Mexican blue agave, a plant not known to most of the planet, creates a dandy spirit called tequila. The leaves are lopped off and the heart or piña is exposed and roasted. Rich in sugar, the roasted agave piña is then juiced. That juice is then fermented and distilled twice (usually) to create silver/blanco tequila. Reposado and añejo tequilas are aged in wooden casks for a smoother, smokier profile.  Rich in flavor and intensely complex, good tequila can hold its own against the more traditional higher end spirits. Unfortunately, tequila is the most mistreated and misunderstood spirit known to man. 


Cheaply distilled noxious swill is produced by the ton and slugged down in shot glasses or mixed with nuclear sugar paste in bars all over the world. Telling most people that you enjoy a neat Reposado after dinner will usually create a response of confusion or violent dry heaves. Visions of crazy biker gangs and bugs in the bottom of bottles can cause a lot of misconceptions. Amusing stories of ridiculous behavior or hallucinations induced specifically by tequila are usually not true. Enough booze from any source will have you dancing naked on you ex-boyfriends Trans-Am. Don't buy into the multiple myths that tarnish tequila. Just buy a good tequila and enjoy yourself. 


I am a staunch advocate of spending good money on quality drink. I am also an advocate of not spending too much money on booze you can't appreciate. If you've tasted scotch twice you have no business buying a $100 bottle. You don't have the experience or knowledge to appreciate it. That is why I chose1800 tequila. I don't have a whole lot of experience with tequila and I'm still broke. It's 100% agave, (which means they don't fill part of the bottle with burro spit), it's generally well received in the spirit world, and it's only 25 bucks. It was initially purchased to be a quality margarita maker on a budget but turned out to be so much more.

Pay no mind to the fact that the bottle stopper is a shot dispenser and that there are instructions on the back on how to shoot. This stuff is pretty damn good. Salty aroma with a really cool wet ash presence. This Reposado gives a great balance of vegetal agave and warming oak. Earthen agave flavors with an almost sage like character come through a subtle wood bite. A metallic kick in the middle gives it great character. The oily mouth feel, dry finish, and smooth burn left my tingling mouth very happy. I'm going to say 18 fish tacos out of 10. If this is a "low end" tequila I cannot wait to try the really good stuff. This makes outstanding margaritas as its flavor is directly in between the lively silver/blanco and the calm añejo. It's a powerful flavor so powerful foods pair well. Obviously Mexican is great but any kind of bold flavors (garlic, peppers, tomato, citrus) with meat and good bread are awesome. I like watching movies with my wife while sipping tasty tequila. The Watchmen, Spiderman or any superhero movie will suffice just as long as you have a small group of good company.

cheers

Cointreau

Quick, think of something French! Is it food? Is it drink? Is it language? Is it culture? Is it history? Is is scenery? Is it... Are you smiling yet?

France (Europe) tends to have leg up on America when it comes to the comprehension of delayed gratification. Most Americans have trouble understanding that good things come to those who wait. I'm not denouncing America as a horrible place to live, it just happens to have a culture that promotes instant gratification. If you want it now, buy it. If you can't afford it beg, borrow, or steal. The temporal difference between delayed and instant gratification can have a profound effect on the level of enjoyment. Lets just take for example, beef stew.

Cooking pieces of cubed meat with vegetables and spices in water or broth creates your average beef stew. It's cheap, quick, nutritious, savory and is a staple in many American homes. Spending a little more money on pre-cut meat and pre-packaged frozen vegetables or buying the the pre-made stew in a bag is seen as increasing the stew's desirability. Spending more money for the sake of eating sooner will increase your enjoyment of the stew. Instant gratification. Let us now look at beef stew in France.

The dish is called Boeuf Bourguignon (boof boor-gee-nyawn) and it contains very similar ingredients to the American stew: Cubed meat, vegetables, spices, and broth.The only major ingredients not included would be the brandy and the red wine. This is negligible as I am not comparing flavors (yes I am) and it contributes to the argument. The brandy is used to flambé the spiced vegetables and the wine is used as the liquid for cooking. Both  need to be carefully selected for quality. As a French man one told me "If you wouldn't drink it from a glass you shouldn't put it in your food." That's a lie, the internet told me that, but it sounds good! Spending time and money shopping for specific ingredients, careful and precise preparation , and the use of time consuming cooking methods are all seen as an increase in the Bourguignon's desirability. Delayed gratification. The emphasis is on the quality of the end product not the speed of its preparation.

The relationship between beef stew and Bourguignon is analogous to the relationship between triple sec and Cointreau (kwan-tro); people are willing to settle for less right now than more down the road. Many people assume they are the same as they are both orange flavored liqueurs. Unfortunately, many triple secs are cheaply distilled and made only to be used as an inexpensive sweetener in sub-par cocktails. Sub $20 triple sec will only provide you with sad margaritas and flushable cosmopolitans. If you are income-challenged like me you should bite the bullet, stuff your piggy bank, and buy the good stuff less often.

With a $40 price tag you know Cointreau is not just a simple mixer. The spicy sweet citrus smell of the liqueur dances in the air during the pleasingly thin pour. The initial flavor is pure orange essence, bright and smooth. It feels like it disappears on your tongue during the swirl from sweet to bitter. It starts like an orange Starburst candy but is quickly balanced by the amazingly complex bitter orange. It reminds me of the white membrane on the outermost part of the meat. Perfect balance of sweet and bitter. The finish is a very comfortable warming sensation, showing you the quality base alcohol used in the drink.

I found my new favorite digestif with this bottle. Cointreau.com calls it a Cointreau Bubbles: Cointreau, tonic, and lime. The quinine adds a little bit of bitter that tones the sweet down to really showcase the bitter orange. Yummy! This stuff is fun in a bottle. I shall give it 9 baguettes out of 4. Margs, cosmos, long islands, you name it Cointreau will improve it. Food recommendations vary depending on how you drink this. Margs and long islands handle spicy foods well while more delicate drinks need some space of their own. Bright pop or some good trance would be perfect. I'm off the see the wizard.

Cointreau Bubbles

1. 2oz Cointreau
2. Tonic
3. Muddled limes

Muddle 1-2 lime wedges in rocks/old fashioned glass. Add ice. Pour 2oz-2.5oz of Cointreau over ice. Top with tonic.

cheers