Beverages

[Bartender]

I'm starting this thread so that if anyone wishes, they can give some good or bad experience with a certain drink - alcoholic or not. As usual, I'll start the conversation about this subject without hijacking anyone elses thread, and I'm assuming that either Buck or I will continue this thread as everyone else around seems level headed enough not to drink a great deal.
_____________

So, I was at one of my favorite supply house and picked up a sample of Glenmorangie Scotch. This is a Ten Year old Single Highland Malt Scotch and tasted quite good. I'm not particular to a Scotch being of a blended or single malt nature. The taste was slightly spicy and the aftertaste was smooth and short (similar to a blended Scotch). I think this should enter our collection of beverages at the bar.

My next taste is of a brand called: Old St. Andrews Clubhouse Blend. I'll let you know.
_____________

This thread can benefit from everyone's opinion, so whether you're a lady or lad and fancy any type of drink, let us know.

[Mercutio]

I like Minute Maid Citrus Punch. Or pretty much any fruit juice. Particularly pineapple. :)

[Groltz]

Volvic bottled water.

[Bartender]

Volvic bottled water.

Fantastic, a French water lover. That stuff has about as many minerals and other substances (naturally occuring of course) then some hard liquors.

[Bartender]

I like Minute Maid Citrus Punch. Or pretty much any fruit juice. Particularly pineapple. :)

Have you ever had a Mai Tai Mercutio?

[Handruin]

I like Minute Maid Citrus Punch. Or pretty much any fruit juice. Particularly pineapple. :)

Have you ever had a Mai Tai Mercutio?

I have, it isn't so bad.

[Bartender]

I like Minute Maid Citrus Punch. Or pretty much any fruit juice. Particularly pineapple. :)

Have you ever had a Mai Tai Mercutio?

I have, it isn't so bad.

It isn't so bad? You say that with such a lack of conviction. Mai Tai's are fantastic (of course you could have had a crummy one at the wrong establishment). Let me make you one. :)

[Handruin]

I like Minute Maid Citrus Punch. Or pretty much any fruit juice. Particularly pineapple. :)

Have you ever had a Mai Tai Mercutio?

I have, it isn't so bad.

It isn't so bad? You say that with such a lack of conviction. Mai Tai's are fantastic (of course you could have had a crummy one at the wrong establishment). Let me make you one. :)

I would like them if I didn't task the alcohol. Perhaps it was an amateur bartender who prepared it. My opinion is worth squat when judging drinks, as I don't often, if ever drink. I've only had the one Mai Tai, and I may try another some day.

[Bartender]

Understood Handruin. I hope that someday you and your girlfriend can visit Hawaii and sample (amongst other precious things) a good Mai Tai. You'll have one and be suprised that they don't see popsicles flavored like this. Then, after the second or third you'll realize why they don't. But then at that point, it doesn't really matter.

[Handruin]

Understood Handruin. I hope that someday you and your girlfriend can visit Hawaii and sample (amongst other precious things) a good Mai Tai. You'll have one and be suprised that they don't see popsicles flavored like this. Then, after the second or third you'll realize why they don't. But then at that point, it doesn't really matter.

I would like to visit Hawaii some day, but the drive would be impossible, I really don't like planes very much. Maybe I should try and get drunk before flying so that I don't remember. Hard to imagine, but I've never been drunk in my life...I have no need to hide from reality I guess.

[P5-133XL]

I would like to visit Hawaii some day, but the drive would be impossible, I really don't like planes very much. Maybe I should try and get drunk before flying so that I don't remember. Hard to imagine, but I've never been drunk in my life...I have no need to hide from reality I guess.

Row, Row, Row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily life is but a dream...

The song just kept comming after your statement and wouldn't go away.

[Buck]

No need for that Handruin. If one or two drinks doesn't make flying easier without getting you drunk, then it is not worth going. Drive to Key West instead, have some good Rum Punch; eat some nice fried conch fritters and listen to some Soca Music, and you are somewhere else.

[Groltz]

"I'm starting this thread so that if anyone wishes, they can give some good or bad experience with a certain drink - alcoholic or not"

* * *

"...This thread can benefit from everyone's opinion, so whether you're a lady or lad and fancy any type of drink, let us know..."

OK. I have read and understood those parts. Now where does it say: "...And allow me to heap scorn and ridicule upon your responses if I deign to do so..." ??? I must have missed that somewhere.


Fantastic, a French water lover. That stuff has about as many minerals and other substances (naturally occuring of course) then some hard liquors.

[Bartender]

Scorn and ridicule? Wow, such harsh words. Why would any type of water that I personally reckon to have liquor type qualities be considered scorn or ridicule? Likewise, why would a water that I've been able to determine has come from France and been distributed through Connecticut (a state which I hold dearly) be considered negative?

Ah, the virtual world, typed words, but no true interaction. My apologies for any misunderstanding that I created.

[timwhit]

My drink of choice is Miller Lite. If I can afford it, I will get a 6 pack of Rolling Rock. I'm not a big fan of mixed drinks, but if the opportunity presents itself I enjoy a good long island ice tea. However, if it isn't made right it can really taste like crap.

If I am going to take a shot, then my first choice would be peppermint schnapps. Last choice would be extra dry gin (worst shot i have ever taken in my life). Whisky is bad too, not as bad as gin though.

Damn, this thread is making me thirsty (except the gin, ewww).

BTW, fruity drinks are for girls :)

[timwhit]

One tip...don't but Special Export light, it takes like crap. If you want extra cheap beer get some Milwaukee's Best Light, we call it the beast. Doesn't taste good out of a can, but it is good out of a keg (well at least it goes down like water). Are you listening Bartender?

Does anyone else here drink beer?

[P5-133XL]

Sorry but I'm a tee-totaler. In this thread I'm next to useless. I haven't had any spirits since my 21st bithday 25 years ago. I'm a diet caffeine free Coke/Pepsi man with an occasional Milkshake, or Neslee's Quick (goes well with chocolate chip cookies)

[Stereodude]

I hear Mark also likes Gillette Edge shaving gel. Apparently it tastes quite refreshing after a hard day of posting of SF.

Stereodude

[P5-133XL]

I hear Mark also likes Gillette Edge shaving gel. Apparently it tastes quite refreshing after a hard day of posting of SF.

Stereodude

Gotta do something with those unused personal hygene products, since they don't seem to do much for my beard. PS. the gel is almost as good as injesting Vick's Vapor Rub.

[Tea]

Tea. Of course. :)

[Mercutio]

Like Mark, I probably drink more milk than most adults, too, although I'm partial to the Strawberry-flavored Nestle powder in mine. :)

Tea is good too, particularly the peppermint or citrus kind. Or sun-brewed iced tea with some lime in it. That's always good.

[Dozer]

Tea...most definitely tea! I like a blend called Long Island Cola, made in the Bahamas by the Island Rose Tea Company. Here's a link:

http://www.teaporium.com/

[Jake the Dog]

i used to be a quite a drinker until i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the start of this year and had to give it all up :( the reality is that it's a good thing i had to give up alcohol as i drank way to much.

mostly i drank bourbon and more often than not jack daniels. it's a fine bourbon for the money. for a real bourbon though i'd have a basil haydens or anthing from rock hill.

i was also loved my beers.

my faves were:
coopers vintage ale - aus
little creatures pale ale - aus
stone imperial russian stout - us
verboden vrucht - belgium

my favourite light beer:
piss weak - aus. i kid you not, that's its name and it's a beaut light beer.

as for wine, i like that too! i have a collection of about 300 bottles ranging from basic reds to a couple of granges. merlots and merlot blends are my favourites although a deep rich shiraz never goes astray and late last year i started to get into some interesting nebiollos from around the worlds. btw, for those of you that haven't heard of grange, it's by far australia best wine and is often rates as one of the world's top 5 wines.

now that i drink very little, i find myself occasionally sipping jamiesons irish whiskey which is a nice, smooth and simple.

[simonstre]

Beer: Trois Pistoles (Quebec)
Red wine: St-Emillon (France)
White wine: Aufkellerein (Germany)
Bourbon: Jack Daniels (USA)
Mixed drink: Uppercut (½ Amaretto, ½ Southern Comfort with orange juice)


My worst experience was with Smirnoff Ice... It's a mixed drink with Vodka, very sweet. Too sweet, in facts... I had 4 or 5 in a party, and the next morning I was sick. I've been down for the hole day, not able to do anything but to crawl to the W.C.!
I usually drink Milwaukee's Best Dry... Doesn't taste too bad and affordable. But I really prefer Trois Pistoles... It tastes like McEwans, from Scotland.

[time]

Look, put your health first and send your wine to me. I'll look after it, and you'll feel much better. Trust me.

AFAIK, Penfolds Grange (Hermitage) starts at about US$150 for the most recent vintage, with the most desirable vintages reaching US$25,000.

I've had the first two beers on your list (and yes, they're excellent), and a few Belgian beers, but I've never heard of Stone Imperial Russian! The US origin naturally puts me off - what other more common stouts does it remind you of?

I used to drink Irish whiskey too, once upon a time. But these days it's Chivas Regal and any single malts when I can afford them.

But I like lots of different drinks, provided they aren't sweet. I can't stand sweet drinks, so most modern softdrinks make me gag. We have a few liqueurs here that I just never feel like anymore for that reason, even though I used to enjoy them a lot:

Benedictine (the king of liqueurs)
Drambuie
Lochanora
Kahlua

I love coffee more than is good for me, and tried to give it up a while ago. I used to have about 3 soup mugs a day, each made from about 2½ scoops of 100% Arabica coffee (which has the most caffeine).

The nightly palpitations were starting to worry me.

I'm down to 2 regular mugs from 1½ scoops each, but my aim is 1 mug from 1 scoop, something I achieved for a while. Next month, perhaps.

I don't mess about with grinding any more, 'cause I can get luscious Lavazza, which is very good stuff indeed.

I can't stand tea. (Sorry Tea, nothing personal). It doesn't smell like coffee and reminds me of cats, or something. When confronted with no alternative, I have actually drunk sugar and hot water instead.

Worst drink I can think of recently would have to be Mylanta antacid liquid with the "new improved flavour". The old Mylanta was bracing, but the new tastes and smells like vomit. If you're lucky, maybe they're trialling it in Oz and it'll never make it to the states.

[simonstre]

Have you tried the Fax? It's a good one, but you gotta be very thirsty... If your a coffee lover, than try to put in one of those: Amaretto, Kalua, Tia Maria. They're all good add-on :)

[Cliptin]

I drink water and fruit juices 98% of the time. I never drink coffee and I drink tea about as often as alchohol. The caffeen puts me to sleep and coffee tastes like burnt garbage, no offence. I only drink alchohol once every couple months and only one or two drinks then with a meal.

At the pub, I prefer something fruity: whisky sour, screwdriver, bloody mary, something I can't remember with lime and grenadine but similar to a wiskey sour.

A new beer that's grown on me is Newcastle Brown Ale. Anybody had it?

[Pradeep]

Good:
James Boags Premium Lager
Gin and tonic - usally Gordons
Wild Turkey and coke
Bacardi and coke
Margaritas

Bad:
Way too much vodka and orange on a plane trip once. Woke up and I was in Singapore airport. Not a good way to travel, tho I did sleep like a baby after filling a few bags.

[Pradeep]

Oh and Carlton Crownies of course :)

[Prof.Wizard]

Chivas Regal :P

[Dozer]

I can't stand tea. (Sorry Tea, nothing personal). It doesn't smell like coffee and reminds me of cats, or something. When confronted with no alternative, I have actually drunk sugar and hot water instead.


Two strikes against me: I love tea (be sure to note the lower case) and I have a cat. :)


A new beer that's grown on me is Newcastle Brown Ale. Anybody had it?

Probably my very favorite beer (on the occasion that I drink one). Has a very nice flavor and goes down like soda pop.

[Fushigi]

I'm a diet caffeine free Coke/Pepsi man with an occasional Milkshake, or Neslee's Quick (goes well with chocolate chip cookies)Another vote for CFDC. In my younger days I was a Coke-aholic but eventually switched to diet. Elixir of the Gods that it was, I greatly reduced my caffiene intake & switched to CFDC.

Otherwise, I drink 1-3 mugs of coffee a day. We grind our own mostly using the Eight O-Clock brand. Pretty decent stuff. Right now we're using the 1/2-caff blend. At the office, where coffee seems to consist of ground up tree bark, I may occasionally have a cup or two if in need of a pickup. Regardless, a little cream & sugar (well, Equal sweetener) are desired to overcome the inherent bitterness.

Water .. filtered tap water from the new fridge has almost eliminated our need for bottled water, which saves us some money. For bottled water we vastly prefer Dannon brand as it has a cleaner taste than most of the other commonly found brands. Surprisingly, Meijer brand drinking water is also better than one would guess for a store brand.

Crystal Light lemonade as it has like 5 calories & 0 carbs .. great for those on a low-carb diet.

Orange juice is fantastic and most cranapple-other juice blends are pretty decent.

Tea .. there's some blend from India a co-worker drinks. It's not bad but would never become a favorite. Regular tea is tolerable but not the best. The best hot tea for me is a fine Japanese green tea made with roasted rice as it give a nice nutty flavor. I can't stand ice tea of any type.

Alcohol-wise, I'm not much of a drinker. I can't stand cheap champagne and have only found a couple of decent brands that I can tolerate. G.H. Mumm is my 'favorite'. Can't stand beer or wine. Really, alcohol itself tastes nasty so any drink that masks the alcohol is welcome.

- Fushigi

[Sol]

WODKA!
There is nothing quite like a vodka martini followed up by a couple of vodka squash to round off an evening.
Well nothing outside of a NASA fuel dump anyway.

Other than that I'm a big fan of Don Pedro's. Basically it's a Kaluha thickshake with a dash of whisky. Fantastic stuff.
The good old Midori ilussion shaker is a good standby as well if you cn be bothered getting the contents together.
I don't go out much so I don't need to drink whats cheep. Probably why I can't stand more than one or two beers.

Worst drinking experience? Red wine(cheep... Very cheep).... Vodka and Red eye(a so called "energy" (read cafine) drink), cigarettes(the one and only time I've smoked them)... Well I don't need to go on. Very bad the next morning, and the next afternoon. Very ugly, not to be repeated.

[Tea]

Worst drinking experience? I ... er ... don't seem to be able to remember it.

[Clocker]

Mmmmm. My favorite drink is home-made Sangria!

[OT: Polizei]

http://www259.pair.com/urlaub/hlm/images/jm1.gif

[Jake the Dog]

mmm coffee: http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,4705704%5E2,00.html

time i think i'll hang-on to my wine collection for now :P

vodka does relatively little to my bsl (blood sugar level) so i drink that occasionally too and i reckon danska would be my favourite. it really needs to sit in a freezer for 24 hours prior to drinking though.

[JSF]

If I knew nothing about the contributors to this thread I could guess from your responses that most of you who drink alcoholic beverages are in your 20's. As you age, you discover that hangovers recede as you remove sugar from your alcoholic beverages. With this discovery you also develop a taste for good unadulterated spirits. You discover that lowering the temperature of spirits decreases their taste, so even cheap, harsh spirits can be palatable. This especially is true for vodka stored in a freezer. Those who don't know how to mix a good martini will swear the the gin should be stored in the freezer.

My favorite cocktail is a martini (Beefeater or Sapphire gin) with lemon twist, standing tall. The infusion of lemon oil spritz from the twist imparts a most delicate and delicious flavor and fragrance. The secret of a good martini is in the water dilution. On very cold ice it must sit longer before serving, and on ice at its melting point you must be careful that you don't over-dilute it. A Martini on the rocks is a desecration of a classic cocktail. It starts out tasting harsh, and ends up watery. Vodka martinis are for neophytes who haven't acquired a taste for gin.

My favorite party drink is scotch on ice with water or soda. I enjoy the flavor of scotch and can drink many of them without suffering a hangover or early intoxication. Personally, I do not care for the cloying flavor of Canadian or American whiskey.

I regularly enjoy red and white wine while dining and, calorically speaking, drink too much of it. Because of the volume consumed I do not drink expensive wine, but would prefer to do so. I usually drink French or Italian wine, finding better value in these than in California wine. I wish that the US government would remove its requirement for sulphite additives. Such wines often give me headaches but European or homemade wines without sulphites, do not. Unfortunately, the ability of wine to travel may be impacted by the absence of sulphites, but I would be willing to drink only regional wines to avoid them.

I love any VSOP cognac! I can't afford XO. Sipping warmed cognac after a fine meal while conversing with friends is a special experience.

My favorite liqueur is Absenthe because of its minimal sweetness. But sweet liquers can be delicious. I especially injoy anise flavored liquers and Italian Maraschino (pronounced 'maraskino'). The latter is delicious in Italian style fruit salad. I like vanilla ice cream with Chambord or Grand Marnier, and I like many other classic desserts with liqueur additives.

My favorite beer is German Pilsener, especially those that can produce a head of ultra fine bubbles. I much prefer the quality of Canadian or Mexican beers to most American beer. Lite beers are junk beverages!

Although I enjoy fruit juices, with my metabolism all fruit juices instantly enter my blood stream, creating excess insulin and the resulting storage of fat. So I now eat only whole fruit to slow down the digestive process.

For drinking water, a Reverse Osmosis home system is the way to go. Such water is delicious and its ice is crystal clear and clean tasting---great for making martinis. When I travel by automobile I carry a cooler filled with Perrier water.

May your drinking experiences be as enjoyable as mine! Joe.

[NRG = mc²]

Does anyone else here drink beer?

Yes, Amstel and Stella Artois almost exclusively


Like Mark, I probably drink more milk than most adults, too

Bleh. I could never drink milk straight up. I mean, the entire idea of drinking milk from a cow puts me off. That said, I wouldn't take to human milk any easier. I don't mind yoghurt or cheese though. <shrugs>


My worst experience was with Smirnoff Ice...

I don't find it that bad, actually. Whiskey or gin are far worse alternatives. Tia Maria, as someone mentioned is great.


Worst drinking experience? Red wine(cheep... Very cheep).... Vodka and Red eye(a so called "energy" (read cafine) drink),

They call it red eye over there? Unless I've misunderstood, we call it Red Bll over here. i is absolutely rank, even more so with vodka. Yo realise what this (is claimed) to contain (apart from caffeine of course)?

[NRG = mc²]

www.milksucks.com :P

[NRG = mc²]

Looking at the last paragraph, I've managed to leave out quite a few letters. Here goes again.

They call it red eye over there? Unless I've misunderstood, we call it Red Bull over here. It is absolutely rank, even more so with vodka. You realise what this (is claimed) to contain (apart from caffeine of course)?

[Buck]

Depending on the occasion, my drink of choice will change. Nevertheless, when all is said and done, my favorite alcoholic beverage is Bourbon (usually with ice and possibly a touch of water). There are several brands that I enjoy and a great deal that I have yet to try. My absolute favorite Bourbon at this time is Bakers (as some may have noticed), although it’s brother: Knob Creek is nearly as good, and the other sibling: Bookers, is equally as tasty, just too high of an alcohol content for me to consume much of. Basil Hayden is in the same family and is a good Bourbon, but not at the top of my list. Elijah Craig 10 year old Bourbon is also very good and I would rank it near the top of my list.

Besides Bourbon, I enjoy Scotch and Rum. My taste for Scotch is still developing, but the process has been enjoyable. I would love to take a vacation where I would visit a variety of Scotch distilleries in Scotland and do a little taste testing. Like Bourbon, I prefer to drink Scotch on the rocks, with a bit of water mixed in. As for Rum, Hana Bay, Mount Gay, and Whalers are my favorite, and I’m not a fan of spiced rum. For me, rum tastes the best in a Rum and Coke, although the occasional fruity boat drink is pleasant too.

There are other distilled beverages that I like, such as Jaegermeister, Bonne Kamp, Bauer Obstler, Gin (with a tonic, or Collins mixer added), and other varieties.

Outside the realm of hard liquor, I enjoy beer. There are a variety of beers that I like from all around the world. I have no single preference to dark or light beer, it just depends what I’m in the mood for at the time.

Although alcoholic beverages are tasty, the beverage that I drink most often is water (from the faucet). I enjoy a cup of tea or coffee during the day, but it is usually water that I drink. Water is also important for me to keep around when drinking alcohol so that I don’t overwhelm myself and become drunk.

[Sol]

They call it red eye over there? Unless I've misunderstood, we call it Red Bull over here. It is absolutely rank, even more so with vodka.


Actually red eye and red bull are two different drinks. I think red eye is australian made so that, and your clear distain for all its ilk, would explain you having never heard of it. Red eye isn't nearly as bad as red bull (taste wise) and contains less cafine and other, for lack of a better word(that wouldn't offend anyone), stuff.
With vodka it tastes exectly the same as without, give or take a slight aftertaste, and when all's said and done that's about all you can ask of any mixer.:)

[Buck]

The Elijah Craig Bourbon that I have is 18-year old, not 10.

I tried a couple of Scotch beers, one is call Fraoch and the other is Scotch Silly (both are ales). Fraoch Heather Ale has been made in Scotland since 2000 BCE (or at least this Celtic recipe has been used for that long) and has Heather flowers added to it. It is a very smooth, easy-to-drink beer, with a slight fruity after taste, almost like a dry-white wine. The Scotch Silly Ale didn’t fair so well with me, it has a sweet and spicy taste that just doesn’t make for easy drinking.

[Buck]

So, I tried an English beer: Olde Sullfolk English Ale. Typical tasting ale (I'm sure the Brewmaster wouldn't want to hear that) with a deep rich color and a refreshing taste. This is a blended ale, they mix ale that has matured for 2 years (OLD 5X) with new ale (BPA) to get their taste. As they say, this gives the beer a "perfect blend of age and life".

[Groltz]

My wife adores Pyramid Apricot Ale. She certainly doesn't have to worry about me filching her supply of them...Bleah :eekers:

[e_dawg]

Soft Drink: Ginger Ale (about 80% of my beverage consumption)
Caffeinated: Starbucks Caramel Frappucino with extra shot of espresso
Coolers: Mike's Hard Cranberry, Smirnoff Ice
Shooter: vodka, kahlua, and bailey's irish cream (whatever that's called... Bartender, do you know?)
Beers: Rickard's Red, Labatt Blue, Big Rock Traditional

[Bartender]

Shooter: vodka, kahlua, and bailey's irish cream (whatever that's called... Bartender, do you know?)


With those three ingredients, plus some half-and-half cream, you'd have a Mudslide.

[The JoJo]

My own bottle of 60% (alcohol/volume) is empty. :(
(Stroh)

Bartender, pass me a drink with some rum and 1 icecube please!
Preferably Stroh.

The most disturbing thing (considering my stomach and it's growth) is that I'm beginning to like beer. One or two English ones, and one Finnish one. Never been much of a beer fella anyway, so the change in taste is...disturbing.

I've liked cider more.

Over and... to bed...

[Buck]

JoJo, don't be disturbed by your new taste for beer. As we age our taste changes.

Thanks for mentioning Stroh Rum. It is availale in 4 ranges of alcohol content (40%, 54%, 60%, and 80%). When I get a chance, I will certainly give this variety a try. Thanks again.

http://www.strohrum.com

Presently their website is only available in German as it is in a test phase.

[Tea]

Did anyone mention hot chocolate yet? Kristi and I both love hot chocolate.

[time]

What do you use to make it Tea? I've tried hot chocolate as a substitute for coffee, but haven't been able to find good 'ingredients'.

[Tea]

The simplest one is probably the best: plain old Cadbury Drinking Chocolate. In a normal sized cup, one largish teaspoon of drinking chocolate, a little sugar (one spoon is enough for me) and a generous dash of milk. It's best to slip the result into the microwave for a few moments to bring it back up to correct drinking temperature. For some reason, hot chocolate seems to be always a lot colder than any other hot drink. I have no idea why - I mean it seems to be more than I can account for by the extra milk.

When I was little, we always used to say that "cocoa with frof on top", as we called it, tasted better. To make that, you need to mix the chocolate, sugar and milk first. Grind it into a smooth paste with the spoon (it takes a minute or so to do properly) and don't add any more milk than you need to untill it's mixed in. Pour the water in last. You should get a nice foaming head. (Does it really taste better? Guess you'll have to try it for yourself.)

Another alternative is the rather expensive Cadbury Hi-Lites mix. That has extra sugar and (I guess) milk powder in it already and makes a great tasting cuppa, but it's a little artificial and one gets tired of it after a while.

Then, as I'm sure the Bartender wil inform us, there are the real hot chocolate drinks, which all seem to come from Germany or Austria or Switzerland. Are they worth the money? Guess I'd better try some again and get back to you on that. If, that is, Kristi and the Soup_Nazi leave me any at all. They are absolute demons for hot chocolate!

Kristi adds that you need to switch the usual proportions of water and milk if you are making it with Cadbury driking chocolate, then microwave it. I'd listen to her if I were you - she is a real expert.

:

[P5-133XL]

No miniature marshmellows???

It ain't hot chocolate - it is a poor imitation

[Mercutio]

Starbucks, in the US, does a very good hot chocolate. One of the cheapest things on their menu, too. I've been told more than once that no one in the store actually knows how to make one - I guess nobody orders them.

Real hot chocolate is a vastly different thing from hot cocoa, which is the powdery crap they sell in grocery stores here. Blah. Better to do it myself, much as the Ballaratians (is that right?) do. I don't add sugar to mine, though.

Marshmallows are gross in any form. :P

[Groltz]

Even though I disdain Starbucks (http://www.storageforum.net/groltz/starbux.gif) I will go there on occasion to get a Chai. Either hot or iced (depending on the temperature outside).

Chai is a weird tasting drink and seems to be an acquired taste given the reactions I've noted from friends that I've had try it. Still, it is the one thing that will get me in to one of their stores.

[Cliptin]

Even though I disdain Starbucks (http://www.storageforum.net/groltz/starbux.gif) I will go there on occasion to get a Chai. Either hot or iced (depending on the temperature outside).

Chai is a weird tasting drink and seems to be an acquired taste given the reactions I've noted from friends that I've had try it. Still, it is the one thing that will get me in to one of their stores.

Yes, Chai. It tastes like pumpkin pie. We do not have Starbucks around here. I tried it last winter and order nothing else now.

[P5-133XL]

Marshmallows are gross in any form. :P

Have you ever eaten a Frozen Marshmellow? They squeek.

[Buck]

Tea, don't forget the Dutch and Belgians, they make great chocolate!

[timwhit]

I started drinking coffee this summer because I have to be able to stay awake at work. I get it at a local bakery every morning. 1 16 oz cup with sugar. I tried to make my own but it tasted like crap, so I think I will just pay the dollar for something that I know will taste better.

The only problem is that I don't think that I can stop drinking it now.

[Dozer]

We do not have Starbucks around here.

Cliptin, my coffee-house challenged friend, we DO have a Starbucks. It's inside Barnes and Noble. However, I'm not sure that it is a full-service, full menu place. I've never had Chai...have to try it out...what is it exactly?

[Dozer]

Answered my own question:

http://www.odie.org/chai/whatisit.html

It actually sounds a lot like a version of Sherpa tea that I make: Orange spice flavored tea, milk, and a little sugar. Quite tasty on cold backpacking trips!

[Buck]

Fuller's 1845 Bottle Conditioned Ale - fantastic!

[JSF]

I used to be a heavy coffee drinker---10 or more cups of regular coffee in a day. I had my own coffee maker at work so I could avoid the swill dispensed by coffee machines.

During my first visit to Italy in 1986 I was exposed to espresso style of coffee. I particularly liked cappuccino and espresso with a shot of grappa. Since that trip my first action in the morning is to make a double cup of cappuccino. Rarely do I have any more coffee in the day.

I first used the simple steamer type of espresso maker. To add temperature control to the dispensing of espresso and cappuccino froth I moved to the steamer with a built-in pump. Finally, to speed up the dispensing of cappuccino to a large dinner group I graduated to my present Saeco unit which contains a built-in coffee grinder, and it automatically dumps used coffee grounds. The unit also is a breeze to clean.

I prefer the stronger flavour of French roast coffee beans for making espresso. A few years ago a friend gave me a case of Starbucks' espresso style coffee. I found the taste to be too mild, but being frugal, I used up the case while anxiously awaiting the day I could return to my French roast.

For my taste, Starbucks uses too little coffee, uses too mild of a coffee, and charges too much for a non-satisfying drink. Flavoured coffees turn me off. I especially dislike the oversweet smell emanating from stores in the Mall which feature such coffees.

[Pradeep]

Tea, don't forget the Dutch and Belgians, they make great chocolate!

Goldmember would disagree!

[slo crostic]

I've been brewing my own beer for about 5 years now and have made some beautiful lagers, ales and stouts. The trick to making seriously nice homebrew is nice fresh hops, for a fine aroma.
Most beers on the market taste too 'unnatural' for me, except for the expensive ones (always the way). The best Australian beers are made by Cooper's. As far as I know they are the only Brewery in Australia that bottle ferment their beers. Sparkling Ale, Pale Ale, or Cooper's Vintage (if you can get hold of it). They also make a hearty stout. Stella Arois would have to be the best imported beer, followed closely by Grolsch, and I am quite partial to a pint of Guiness. The only good American beer I've tried is Samuel Adams.
I've had a few tries at distillation, but am yet to produce a clean enough spirit, so it's back to my favourite vodka, Absolut. :P
Red wine is something I thought I'd never drink, but I now really enjoy, mmm.... Shiraz and steak mmmm.....
As for the non-alcoholic beverages I do drink a lot of tea, Twinings Earl Grey. I believe they are the only one's that actually put the Bergamot leaves in with the tea, rather than just infuse it with oil. I usually have one cup of coffee a day too, any coffee will do.
I think that covers it, except I should drink more water than I do (note to self)

[Dozer]

I do drink a lot of tea, Twinings Earl Grey

One of my favorite morning teas, along with Twinings Irish Breakfast...I usually drink a good green tea or Oolong after lunch. I bought some smoked Oolong tea that had a very unique but tasty flavor.


The only good American beer I've tried is Samuel Adams

Not fond of Sammy...in fact, I don't think I really like any American beers, and I live here! :)

My current favorite beers: Newcastle Brown Ale, Guinness, Bass

[slo crostic]

i love oolong with yum-cha

[Buck]

I have not experienced Oolong tea yet. I will have to give that a try. Usually I drink Tetley, or the occassional PG Tips, when it comes to tea. When it comes to coffee, I'm not terribly picky.
-----------
Slo, your brewery sounds like a winner. How long do your Stouts last (if you actually let them age)?

[slo crostic]

never long enough, because it tastes so good. Although I have managed to keep a few bottles of stout for about 12 months, and they were beautiful.
I need to start brewing more so I can get a stock pile built up.

[Bartender]

Sounds tasty slo. Maybe we can get you to help around in the bar. Tea is great at carrying kegs, but she doesn't know a thing about brewing beer. Your experience would be helpful.

[slo crostic]

Anything to keep the tap flowing. :mrgrn:

[Bartender]

JoJo, have you ever tried any brands of rum from the Finnish company: Primalco Oy?

[slo crostic]

Just wondering if anyone has had Absinthe before. I've always wanted to try it but it's about $300 US a bottle on import, and I don't want to spend $500 AU to find out I don't like it. Have read a few reports on the net, and the reasons why it was banned in most countries, but I'm still curious to try it.

[Bartender]

Just wondering if anyone has had Absinthe before. I've always wanted to try it but it's about $300 US a bottle on import, and I don't want to spend $500 AU to find out I don't like it. Have read a few reports on the net, and the reasons why it was banned in most countries, but I'm still curious to try it.

No Slo, I have not tried it. For that price, I'll by myself several bottles of by my favorite Scotch or Bourbon.

[Bartender]

Brewers Concoct Ancient Egyptian Ale (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2169957.stm)

The Scots have done this before, which went into retail.
The Japanese company: Kirin, is simply doing this for research
(I should be a researcher).

[slo crostic]

Bartender, you must have a try of this (http://www.coopers.com.au/beers/cb_vi.htm) one (that is, if you can get your hands on a bottle).
I believe this is the best beer in Australia and I think a lot of other people do too...........

Quote: "Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale, which retailed last year at $50 a case, is now being offered for sale at $500. The beer, which its brewers claim improves with age, is being eagerly sought by collectors.
At the current asking price, the vintage ale has earned a 1000 per cent return in just eight months."

I knew i should've bought a dozen cases when it was first released :( [/b]

[GIANT]

...The only good American beer I've tried is Samuel Adams...

Samuel Adams is an "OK" commercial beer. There are definitely much better beers and ales available in certain US locales. A slightly better "local" commercial ale available here is Shiner Bock, made in Shiner, Texas by ex-Slovaks.

http://www.shiner.com/grc/product/bockf.gif http://www.shiner.com/

Another one would be Celis Gran Cru or their strawberry ale, which are Belgian ales brewed in Austin, Texas by ex-Belgians. Nowadays, they actually export a lot of their output back to Belgium.

But, my overall favourites are now from a nearby brewery. I somehow had missed these and finally discovered them a couple of years ago (and, by the way, WAY better than Samuel Adams).

http://www.saintarnold.com/products/profiles/images/labels_120/brown.gif http://www.saintarnold.com/products/profiles/images/labels_120/stout.gif http://www.saintarnold.com/products/profiles/images/labels_120/weizen.gif http://www.saintarnold.com/products/profiles/images/labels_120/amber.gif

http://www.saintarnold.com/products/profiles/index.html

[slo crostic]

They look like some mighty tasty beers there GIANT, looks like I'll have to get over to America one day and do a microbrewery tour as none of these beers seem to be available in Australia. Of course I'd also have to visit the Jack Daniel's distillery while I was there too..........mmmmm, Jack :mrgrn:

[Dozer]

I don't think I really like any American beers, and I live here!

Okay, I take it back...there is ONE beer that I really enjoy that's made here in the U.S.

http://planetdozer.dyndns.org/redhook.gif Quite a tasty brew. Comes in several varieties:

http://www.redhook.com

[Jake the Dog]

US denizens,

your guys should try yourself a stone imperial russian stout. if you can enjoy a stout, i'm seriously sure you'll enjoy this one.

[slo crostic]

where do you get that one from jake? I've never seen it before

[Dozer]

Here's some info on it...

http://www.epinions.com/content_1893638276

...sounds quite tasty Jake!

[Jake the Dog]

where do you get that one from jake? I've never seen it before

and you wouldn't have slo. i found it whilst in the states in '97 and have made sure i had some everytime i went back. i'm sure i told you about it... ?

i was able to get the carnegie bootleg liquor store to locate me two bottles of it back when i was with Colorbus but since then they say they can't.

[GIANT]

They look like some mighty tasty beers there GIANT, looks like I'll have to get over to America one day and do a microbrewery tour as none of these beers seem to be available in Australia...

The quality of beer and ale brewing in the USA slowly but surely went to hell in a handbasket over a long period of time, until it more or less snapped out of its funk in a big way beginning in the late 1980s. There is now a thriving ale and beer brewing industry in the USA for the connoisseur. There really aren't any truly heavy duty (alcohol-wise) ales like one can redily find in British Isles or Germany -- the ones that'll sneak up on you and make you go cross-eye in a hurry.

As for the St. Arnold's ales that I occasionally drink (the four I show above in my earlier post) the two things I like about them are:

1.) They've tweaked these 4 to be just ever so perfect for what they are supposed to be -- the Stout is an honest STOUT, the Weizen is a rich wheat-y ale, the Brown has a nice chocolate-y ambience much like the Jamaican-made Dragon Stout, and the Amber has a very addictive light citrus-y flavour and just loves to foam up if you don't watch out.

2.) They don't cost much at all.

As for the rest of the St. Arnold's ales, I haven't had a couple of them (yet) and I don't care much at all for Pilsner anything.

As for the art of brewing in Texas, there has been a lot of competition between various Slovak, German, Bohemian, and Czech traditionalist brewers here for decades.

¹ Footnote: It was verified a while back that the "Shiner" name I mentioned above was the inspiration of a codename for the first G3 Apple Macintosh -- likely an alcoholic manager-type working at Apple's computer design complex over there in not too distant Austin. 8)

[Bartender]

The pleasure of tasting a new and delicious beer has been mine this evening. This past weekend I did a little beverage shopping (sort of what Tannin does in a bookstore, but with alcoholic beverages) at nearby liquor store. One of the items I picked up is labeled as: Harviestoun Brewery, Old Engine Oil, Dollar Scotland. My first impression of the label was that this would be a think, dark beer. So, what ideas came to my mind? Perhaps the creaminess of a Guiness Stout on tap? Maybe the smoothness of a Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout?

The back label reads:
An unusual name for an unusual beer! A superb, rich, full bodied beer derived from a traditional Celtic recipe. Wickedly smooth chocolate dominates the flavor, which is nicely balanced by the bitterness of the hops, making Old Engine Oil a delicious “after dinner” beer.

This beer turned out to be a superb buy in my opinion. The flavor is full-bodied, yet very smooth, and only the least sign of bitterness. This is worth sipping. Cheers!

[time]

I envy you. :(

[Buck]

I envy you. :(

But why?

[Buck]

Nothing new for my tastebuds, quite enjoyable nonetheless, I just went through a four-pack of Tetley's (it took 5 days; I'm not a drunk), and now I'm sipping on some Froach Heather Ale. This past weekend a German friend and I went through a six-back of Paulaner Oktoberfest Maerzen bier -- that was fantastic (not to mention the lamb we ate after that for dinner).

Slo, that Cooper's still looks great and don't mind the Bartender, he's a bit tight with money.

[Bartender]

I'm not a drunk

Oh yeah, just keep on believing that!

[Adcadet]

Mountain Dew for me. If I feel wild, then Code Red. See my other thread:http://www.storageforum.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=21440#21440

[Cliptin]

In the last week I've had three different beers. The Original Flag Porter (English) was marvelous, the Peroni (Italian) was pretty good and the Amber Bock (American) was sufficient but better than any domestic I've tasted.

I also ran across a helpful site recently. The beer advocate (http://www.beeradvocate.com/).

[Pradeep]

I had a very nice drink over the Christmas/New Year period. A Belgian white beer. I forget the name now, Hager something IIRC.

[Cliptin]

I had a very nice drink over the Christmas/New Year period. A Belgian white beer. I forget the name now, Hager something IIRC.

I had a Belgian White Wheat Ale called Blue Moon over NY. I was alright.

[JSF]

I have over-looked this thread for some time now, so I find I can add some personal experience.

Slo crostic, for the past two years a refined Absinthe called “Absente” has been available in the US market for about $35 dollars. The dealer told me that it is a non-addictive version of Absinthe. I buy it regularly since it is the driest of the anise class of liqueurs that I have experienced. I would approximate its flavour to a drier version of Pernod. It comes with a perforated spoon which you place on top of the glass containing a serving of Absente. On this you place a sugar cube and dissolve it with an equal serving of water. I personally drink my Absente straight.

Prof. Wizard, I share your enthusiasm for Chivas Regal. I also am a fan of Cognac. The Italians have tried to mimic it with a product whose name I have forgotten, but it fails to approach the quality of the French product.

Buck, I also enjoy Gin and Tonic, especially in the patio on a hot day; however, I only use Schweppes tonic water. In the US a more prolific tonic is made by Canada Dry, but it does not yield as satisfying a drink. Like a martini, this drink also is sensitive to water dilution. To minimize dilution I fill a tall glass with fresh, ultra cold ice and use only 1.5 oz gin. To this I add a squeezed, generous wedge of lime and fill with tonic to the top of the ice.

Dozer, I share your opinion of US beer, but there is one I consider to be excellent. Try San Francisco Steam beer.

It is now possible to consume reasonable quality wine with every dinner without over-spending. You can buy Charles Shaw Cabernet, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot for $2 a bottle at Trader Joes. Charles Shaw built a winery in Napa Valley, so can feature Napa on its label. However, rather than pay up to $2000/ton for Napa grapes, they truck in their grapes from cheaper regions of California. This has been a year of over-production of grapes, so in the central valley they can be purchased as low as $60/ton. It is my understanding that to make a profit on wine at $2/bottle, you must buy your grapes at $100/ton or less.

[Buck]

Excellent information JSF, thank you for sharing. Living near you in Southern California, I can fully appreciate the variety of products and the reasonable prices offered by Trader Joes. I recently purchased six bottles of St. Peter's Old English Ale beer for a mere US1.99 per bottle when a well known liquor store (Hi-Time) offers that same product for US3.19 per bottle.

[slo crostic]

Thanks for the information on Absinthe/Absente JSF but I am interested in finding out more about it's mind altering properties, as experienced by Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Allen Poe, Pablo Picasso, and many other artists, writers and poets, but I might just have to wait until I get to the Czech Republic where it's cheap and legal.

In Australia there are many good wines on the market for under $5 too. Somerton Shiraz Cabernet is AU$3.90 a bottle and IMHO as good as a $12 bottle. There is an excess of wine grapes on the market here too. DeBortoli, probably Australia's second biggest winery, had to dump a few hundred tonne of grapes because nobody wanted them. A few years back every man and his dog bought a plot of land in the Yarra Valley and planted it out with grape vines because "everyone" thought it would be the next big wine region in Australia. Nobody thought to build wineries and cellars though, did they?

[Buck]

Indeed Slo, Australian wines are sold at the chain of stores that JSF mentioned at very reasonable prices, and apparently, the taste is good. I never realized that one of Australia's largest exports is wine. Which I hear is critical at the moment, because wine consumption and wine sales are down in Australia.

[time]

The last published statistics I can find show Australia as the fifth largest exporter of wine in 2000, just barely behind the US. However, this has been improving strongly every year, so presumably Australia became number four in 2001.

Mind you, Spain exports nearly three times as much, and Italy and France have 50% of the world export market between them, whereas Oz is somewhere under 5%.

The overall standard of Australian wine is now very high. You still have to lay out some cash if you're really into wine, but AU$20 (US$10) buys some nice examples. Personally, I tend to prefer the fruitier, more rounded Australian styles to the French, as apparently do many other people.

[time]

Slo, you might care to read this:

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~idoru/cons/absinthe.html

[Buck]

BBC NEWS World Edition
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38218000/jpg/_38218873_wine300.jpg
In line with the Australian wine theme, BBC News
has a nice article stating:

"Wine exports totalled A$2.3 billion dollars
(£822.9m; $1.3bn) in 2002, an increase of A$531m
on the previous year, the AWBC figures showed."

Australia is the world's fourth largest wine exporter,
supplying about 7% of the global market behind
France, Italy and Spain."

The complete article can be found here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2641195.stm).

[time]

It's interesting to read the other links on that BBC page, including the one about the unwanted wine lake in Beaujolais. While Australia's exports to the US continue to increase, I don't think they will have the same problem.

Australia already matches France in wine exports to the UK, so so there's a lot of scope for them in the US market.

I also noticed a reference to Foster's (the company) success and the fact that they owned the Wolf Blass wine label (one of the five major producers in Australia is already French owned).

Wolf Blass (the man) is a larger than life character who, apart from being a great winemaker, is infamous for creating Rene Pogel sparkling burgundy.

The name bears some scrutiny. :wink:

[Buck]

BBC NEWS World Edition
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38670000/jpg/_38670147_vineyard-300-mahne.jpg
Woes plague the small Australian wineries as
they battle drought and the high cost of doing
business. Because of these troubled times,
small wineries are going out of business.
However, local ships in the United States have
taken advantage of this situation. Although not
mentioned in the BBC article, the U.S. chain
Trader Joes, will buy up large quantities of wine
from wineries that are going under. This usually
avails us of good, Australian wine at bargain
prices.

The article related to the winery woes in the Hunter
Valley can be found here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2638917.stm).

For reference, here is the world wide web location
for the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association (http://www.hvva.com.au/). A
general map of the area can be found here (http://www.winecountry.com.au/maps/intro/gettingThere.gif) with
more information on the Hunter Valley wine
industry here (http://www.winecountry.com.au/).

No, I do not have any affiliation with this region,
this is only referenced because of personal
curiosity. My family imported wine from
Germany for over 10 years.

[Bartender]

I thought I would resurrect this thread based on some personal enjoyment. Tonight we opened a nice bottle of Jim Beam bourbon. This isn’t your average Jim Beam (which is just fine in my book), but this is the Anniversary edition. The bourbon was already aged 75 months (just over 6 years) before it was sold, but I decided that as an anniversary edition for 1995 it was special enough to age a few more months. So, I waited another 120 months, and voilà, I tasted some tonight – delicious. Now, I can’t tell you if it tastes better tonight then it did ten years ago, but the flavor is outstanding in my opinion. That wonderful semi-sweet flavor of aged bourbon, with delicate buttery undertones is nice. I don’t know what it is about my two favorite whiskies (Scotch and Bourbon), but they seem to stand far above all other varieties. I think after this small taste test it’s worth offering it to all of our patrons, even for you Buck.

[Buck]

Thank you bartender; fill 'er up.

[Tannin]

Scotch for me, please.

[Mercutio]

I like Pepsi with Lime. :)

[Handruin]

I would like to appreciate the fine taste of an aged beverage such as your Jim Beam bourbon, but I can't get paste the taste of alcohol. Cheese is about the next closest thing I can relate to an aged-consumable product, but even that I have a hard time distinguishing the difference.

Coke with lime is a little better IMHO.

[Buck]

Good thing the bartender has a lime tree out back. :D But bartender, some Chivas for Mr. Wilson; put it on my tab.

[Tannin]

Why thankyou Buck.

Doug: it's easy to tell the difference. If you hold the container upside down and nothing happens, it's cheese. If you hold it upside down and it flows out onto your shoes, it's alcohol. (Or possibly very runny cheese.)

[Fushigi]

Diet Coke with Lime. Better than the DC w/Lemon. I don't care for Pepsi cola products.

On the alcohol front, I've been making margaritas lately. I use Cuervo Tradicional + a mix I can't find anymore :cry: + some lime juice for extra tartness.

Otherwise I'm mostly a wine drinker. I favor semi-sweet and sweet whites like Reislings. My wife & I mostly buy from these folks (http://www.prpwine.com/). They run tastings where you can sample 10+ wines, from dry to sweet, red & white. They also offer specialty liquors like a brandy-fortified wine (very good), various liquors, and some intersting light fruit-flavored sparklings that are nice for a party on a warm evening.

[ddrueding]

If you like semi-sweet whites, I need to reccomend Galante Vineyard's (http://www.galantevineyards.com/) Sauvignon Blanc (http://www.galantevineyards.com/wine_sauvblanc.html); the finest example I've found. Though my personl favorite wine is their Merlot (http://www.galantevineyards.com/wine_sauvblanc.html). Aged in 100% new french oak that's been lightly toasted, it offers just the right amount of spice to go with steak or other semi-flavorful meats.

[Bartender]

On the alcohol front, I've been making margaritas lately. I use Cuervo Tradicional + a mix I can't find anymore :cry: + some lime juice for extra tartness.

Otherwise I'm mostly a wine drinker. I favor semi-sweet and sweet whites like Reislings. My wife & I mostly buy from these folks (http://www.prpwine.com/). They run tastings where you can sample 10+ wines, from dry to sweet, red & white. They also offer specialty liquors like a brandy-fortified wine (very good), various liquors, and some intersting light fruit-flavored sparklings that are nice for a party on a warm evening.

I must admit, that after the post from our resident bartender, I did not review the follow-up posts very much. However, Fushigi, I can appreciate your taste for Tequila and Riesling. Neither are my current favorite, but there was a time when my list was pinnacled by commemorative and sweet white wine.

Commemorative was great as a shot. It had that clean smooth taste that begged to be drunk alone, and not adulterated by anything but perhaps ice. For wine, a Riesling or Gewurtztramiener would do, but an aging Auslese, Beerenauslese or Eiswein was the bomb. Trockenbeerenauslese was nice, but it had the tendency of blending in with the rest of its pack far too easily. I had some very nice 1976 Beerenauslese from the Wilhelm Bonnet estate in Rheinpfalz, Germany that aged well into the mid-80s. But after that, the undesirable loose corks spoiled the wine.

Recently, I had the privilege of receiving a special bottle of Scotch. My friend and his family visited Scotland for their first time, and he primarily went because of his love for golf. He does not drink alcohol, yet was kind enough to think of me during his visit. He returned with a bottle of Campbeltown Loch Scotch for me as a gift. This is something that is not sold in America, and it’s a beverage that the Scotch curator recommended based on his personal taste. It is an unassuming bottle, with very few markings. Nonetheless, it contains a unique Scotch with similar tasting notes to Johnny Walker Black Label.

[LiamC]

mmm Scotch. I am just about to sit down and watch the Rugby--Aus v Sth Africa--and I think I'll have a glass of Balvenie Double Wood 12yo.

Cheers!

[Fushigi]

For wine, a Riesling or Gewurtztramiener would do, but an aging Auslese, Beerenauslese or Eiswein was the bomb.Auslese is probably our typical, actually. Riesling is what we find in restaraunts, along with the occasional Gewurtztrammiener. The Beerenauslese we save for special occasions and the few bottles of Eiswein we pick up are a glorious dessert in a glass. I mentioned Riesling because most folks are familiar with it, by name if nothing else. You're actually one of very few I've heard mention Auslese & beerenauslese outside of the folks I meet at the tastings.

Most of my of Beerens (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n403/)are from 1999. It's not inexpensive stuff, so we don't drink it every day. Auslese (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n247/), a Kabinett (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n407/), or perhaps a Spatlese (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n218/) would be considered our 'table wine'. As for reds, well, since we don't care for dry wines, we still wind up towards the sweeter end of the spectrum. This Travicello (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n404/), for instance, is my wife's favorite red.

Here's (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n59/) the fortified wine I like. Cognac, not brandy; sorry for the mistake. Tango Cream (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n86/) is good when served in chocolate shot glasses, as is Framboise (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n402/).

To toast, we again avoid the dryness of a Brut in favor of a Demi-Sec (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n243/).

And, of course, the Eiswien (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n302/). Delicious.

Hmm. We're attending a wedding this evening; I wonder what they'll be serving.

[mubs]

I'm not much of a drinker. But a couple of times recently I was offered "Blue Label" whisky, and accepted. Very smooth. I understand it's quite expensive.

[Buck]

I'm not much of a drinker. But a couple of times recently I was offered "Blue Label" whisky, and accepted. Very smooth. I understand it's quite expensive.


Johnnie Walker Blue Label? (http://www.johnniewalker.com/en-us/OurLabels/BlueLabel/TheServe)

[mubs]

Don't know, Buck, sorry :(. I understand Costco is the cheapest place to get it, at ~$170 a bottle (unless you buy it at a duty free airport store abroad, like Taipei). When I find out for sure, I'll post back here (will be a while, though).

[Handruin]

After reading Buck's link on Johnnie Walker Blue Label, it sounds like it should be $1000 a bottle! Have you ever tried the Johnnie Walker blue label? Just curious if it's as good as they make it out to be.

[Buck]

After reading Buck's link on Johnnie Walker Blue Label, it sounds like it should be $1000 a bottle! Have you ever tried the Johnnie Walker blue label? Just curious if it's as good as they make it out to be.

Where is the drool emoticon when you need it? Be careful Handy, whether or not someone likes it is very subjective. Although still on the subjective side, the tasting notes listed are reasonably accurate. It would be best to follow that as a guide. Than again, if you have not idea what those tasting notes actually taste like, don't bother. Spend your money on things you like, or start with a lesser expensive Scotch for experimentation. Some liquor stores sell the miniature bottle sizes for almost every mainstream item they sell. That's also a good place to start -- inexpensive and low quantity.

[Bartender]

Fushigi,

It’s nice to come across someone else that is interested in German wine. Interestingly, around my area it is old fashioned to talk about any sweet wine, let alone white wine. We use to import wine from the Weingut Alfred Bonnet estate (http://www.bonnet-weingut.de/index_e.html) for about 10 years. After a while, it became too much work, in addition to our regular jobs. At the time the two main partners were Alfred Bonnet (pictured on the right in the URL) and Joseph Stritzinger. Joseph Stritzinger has separated from Bonnet, and the guy on the left is Alfred’s younger brother Willy, or Philipp Wilhelm Bonnet. He was always part of the business, but did less with actual production. He was a master at organizing wine tasting parties and marketing their product. When they came out with their Sekt in the mid-80s they also included a Sparkling Red Wine. This was very unique, but tasted delicious.

You have rekindled my interest for Qualitatswein mit Pradikat! :D

[Mercutio]

I like strawberry-flavored milk.

And I drink things I find under the sink!

[ddrueding]

Although I have never developed a taste for Whisky of any kind, it seems Blue Label is a prime example; and at only $200 a bottle, might be a great place to start.

[LiamC]

David,

an even better place to start is here:

http://www.johnniewalkervn.com/jww/index.aspx

Diageo (Johnny Walker brand parent company) hold tasting sessions at various times. It takes an hour & a half or so and you usually get to taste 5 or 6 Scotch's, all from the JW stable of course, whilst getting some background spiels about JW and Scotch in general. They take you through Lowland, Speyside, Islay malts, etc, and of course JW black (which is a blend). I did not find the corporate spiel too onerous, and it's free.

Get a few friends together and it's usually even better!

:drl: (for Buck!)

[Handruin]

After reading Buck's link on Johnnie Walker Blue Label, it sounds like it should be $1000 a bottle! Have you ever tried the Johnnie Walker blue label? Just curious if it's as good as they make it out to be.

Where is the drool emoticon when you need it? Be careful Handy, whether or not someone likes it is very subjective. Although still on the subjective side, the tasting notes listed are reasonably accurate. It would be best to follow that as a guide. Than again, if you have not idea what those tasting notes actually taste like, don't bother. Spend your money on things you like, or start with a lesser expensive Scotch for experimentation. Some liquor stores sell the miniature bottle sizes for almost every mainstream item they sell. That's also a good place to start -- inexpensive and low quantity.

I don't even know what scotch tastes like. That stuff would be wasted on me. You being someone who could appreciate the different drinks; I was more curious if you could tell the difference between the run of the average scotch and this ultra-expensive blend.

[Groltz]

Conversion of rotgut vodka to good vodka: The Brita Method (http://www.ohmygoditburns.com/wordpress/index.php?p=4)

[Buck]

:drl: (for Buck!)
:wink:


I was more curious if you could tell the difference between the run of the average scotch and this ultra-expensive blend.
Many times, yes, sometimes, no. Usually, an expensive liquor of any variety has a soft bouquet, is smooth to the palate and has a delicate aftertaste. As the price drops and you hit the bottom of the price chain, liquor has a strong smell, reminiscent of rubbing alcohol. The taste is very sharp and volatile to the tongue with a very hot, bitter aftertaste (typical of moonshine). All of this is directly related to the original ingredients, the distillation process, how long it is aged, in what it is aged, and if there are any additives.

What makes cheap liquors taste so bad and result in an awful hangover? They start with poor quality grains, which go through a very fast brewing/distillation process, the distilled product is stored in stainless steel containers and not actually aged. Then, in order to imbue some color and taste, adjuncts must be used. These adjuncts can range from something as simple as sugar to diethylene glycol and other nasty chemicals.

In simplest terms making whiskey begins by crushing (milling) the protective cover on a kernel of grain (usually corn, barley or rye). Next this grain starch is cooked with barley malt which converts the grain starch to grain sugar (mashing). With the addition of yeast, the grain sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide (fermenting). The alcohol is then heated so that it vaporizes. The vaporized alcohol is then cooled and the result is beverage alcohol (distilling). After these four basic steps, comes the aging process, and in some cases, the blending process.

Don’t get me wrong, these are very basic terms. The distillation process alone is very complicated and is viewed as an art by the stillman. Speed, timing, and hydrometer measurements are very important in order to achieve the desired character.


Conversion of rotgut vodka to good vodka: The Brita Method :puke-l:

[fb]

Although I have never developed a taste for Whisky of any kind, it seems Blue Label is a prime example; and at only $200 a bottle, might be a great place to start.
Have you tried Auchentoshan 10 (http://www.morrisonbowmore.co.uk/auch%5Fhtml/home.swf) or the Glenlivet 12 (http://www.theglenlivet.com/)? Otherwise, they are both a great introduction to the whisky world.

[Buck]

FB, thanks for the tip on Auchentoshan. Their 25 year old variety needs to be tested. :D

[mubs]

Gee, Buck, are these things really available locally fairly easily? Where do you get yore paws on them to "test" them??

[Buck]

Gee, Buck, are these things really available locally fairly easily? Where do you get yore paws on them to "test" them??

Tomorrow I will call and see if I can purchase some:

Cindy Mascetta
White Rock Distilleries
21 Saratoga Street
PO Box 1829
Lewiston
Maine 04241
USA
Tel: +1-207-783-1433
8:00 - 4:30 ET

[Buck]

PS Mubs:
HI TIME WINE CELLARS
250 OGLE STREET, COSTA MESA, CA 92627
Phone: (949) 650-8463

They have an excellent selection of . . . well, everything. :D

[mubs]

Thanks, Buck! You'e the best!

[fb]

I drank a little Highland Park 18 a few weekends ago. It's a really nice whisky. Quite strong taste, but not super-peaty.

[Buck]

I drank a little Highland Park 18 a few weekends ago. It's a really nice whisky. Quite strong taste, but not super-peaty.

I just had a taste over the weekend, I would agree with your summary. :D

[e_dawg]

Ah, I see some of you like wines from Alsace and Mosel (Rieslings and Gewurztraminers). These are some of my favourite whites (and yes, whites are passe these days compared to reds and, I have noticed in particular, the Aussie Shiraz).

I am still searching for fine examples of Auslese type Rieslings or sweet but balanced Gewurztraminers like the Pfaffenheim or Domaine Zind Humbrecht I had earlier this summer. Recommendations welcome. The last Riesling I had was a Dr. Paully Bergweiler Spatlese, which was a little disappointing. I think I was expecting more Auslese, let alone a little botrytic Beerenauslese. My main problem is availability through the LCBO. They only carry a handful of Alsatian/German Auslese+ Rieslings or Gewurztraminers and special ordering can be $$$.

Speaking of merlots (I think DD mentioned one), the 2001 Rutherford Hill Merlot (http://www.rutherfordhill.com/default.asp) I had was awesome. Rutherford Hill raked in the awards with that one. Best of all, this stuff is from Napa and is readily available.

[e_dawg]

Speaking of ice wines, I had some of the best ice wine in my life at Chateau des Charmes (http://www.chateaudescharmes.com/) in Niagara on the Lake. I can't remember which one it was, but it was damn good. I think some of you may have heard of Inniskillin ice wine (probably our most famous Ontario ice wine)... the stuff from Chateau des Charmes was better than any Inniskillin example I ever had.

[Fushigi]

I picked up a half dozen bottles of red ice wine a couple of weeks back. First time I've seen it in red.

e_dawg, I freely admit to liking the sweeter white wines. I just can't get my taste buds to like too dry of a beverage or one with too strong of an oaken taste. For instance, with sparkling wines ("Champagnes"), I prefer demi-sec to brut.

PRP (http://www.prpwine.com/wine_tasting_events/), my wine distributor, carries plenty of Auslese-type wines. They don't have a presence in Canada, but are in several states in the Peoples Republic of Bush. I can check if they ship over the border if you want, but I'm somewhat doubtful.

[ddrueding]

Speaking of merlots (I think DD mentioned one), the 2001 Rutherford Hill Merlot (http://www.rutherfordhill.com/default.asp) I had was awesome. Rutherford Hill raked in the awards with that one. Best of all, this stuff is from Napa and is readily available.

Thanksfor the heads-up, I'll keep my eye out for it.

[Mercutio]

Anyone have a favorite tea?

I've been drinking a peppermint tea with a little bit of milk and a couple drops of honey lately.

[Santilli]

For those that like sweet wines, Chateau D'yquem is literally in a class by itself, and, the pricing seems reasonable, considering it's really like making wine out of raisins...

GS

[Handruin]

The only tea I enjoy (besides our fuzzy friend) is an Arizona iced tea. Not exactly what you had in mind, but I like it, and it's tea.

[Buck]

Anyone have a favorite tea?

Chai with a few spices added (usually cardamon, maybe some star anis, and perhaps a very small touch of cinininamomon.)

This weekend I was able to try:
Hennesy Paradis Extra - WOW! Very smooth fruity flavor.
Auchentoshan 21 Year - Again, WOW! Typical lowland flavor.

[Bozo]

Earl Grey. Straight up.

Guess I'm too old for all the fancy new flavoured teas. :o

Bozo :mrgrn:

[Buck]

Earl Grey. Straight up.

Earl Gray was my favorite until a friend from India made her typical Chai -- very tasty. In Hindi, Chai simply means tea. Strictly speaking, it is only a combination of Black Tea, Milk and Sugar. However, most Indians will add some of the spices I mentioned. When I'm out and buy tea, such as at Starbuck's, I'll just order Earl Gray.

[LunarMist]

I like Caffeine Free Diet Coke. :)

[Mercutio]

Pepsi with Lime is really good, but I don't like the diet version.
Actually, I don't like most diet sodas, but caffeine-free diets I don't usually mind.

[Fushigi]

I like Caffeine Free Diet Coke. :)CFDC was my soda of choice, but Diet Coke with Lime has recently risen to the top. Second place is now a tie between CFDC and the Lo-Carb (sugar free) Monster energy drink (http://www.monsterenergy.com/scripts/me_productLoCarb.php). Monster's a bit on the expensive side, though, so I buy it by the case at Sam's Club.

Funny how I'll call a buck a can for soda "expensive" when I have no qualms with paying $20-50 for a bottle of wine.

[LiamC]

Anyone have a favorite tea?

Twinnings Earl Grey, but lately I have been favouring their Russian Caravan--basically Keemum tea. Smooth.

[Buck]

I like Caffeine Free Diet Coke. :)

Indeed! It's the bomb when mixed with some rum. :D

[Gilbo]

I prefer Rye and Coke, personally. Rum and Coke is way too sweet for me. There's something about how Rye complements Coke too, that has always made me wonder how the Rum and Coke became the standard acoholic Coke mixture.

Of course, there could be something wierd with my taste buds.

[Buck]

That's why I prefer Diet Caffeine Coke. It isn't as sweet as regular colas. Plus, I mix it with rum that isn't very sweet, like Hana Bay Amber, Mount Gay, or Bacardi Dark. But I do understand what you mean. After a couple, they get sweet for me too. Then it's time to move on to Bourbon or Scotch. :drunk: :lol: :tgif:

[LunarMist]

Avoid the Coke Zero orr diet Coke sweetened with acesulfame potassium piss.

[Santilli]

In Barbados, we had a LOT of fresh ground lime, ice, and Mount Gay rum. Fantastic!!!

However, hangover is the key ingredient with rum.. Wonder how the
filtering would work with it...???

gs

[Buck]

However, hangover is the key ingredient with rum.

Hmmm. Lime=sugar; rum=sugar; alcohol=sugar. I can feel your pain. :mrgrn:

[Bozo]

Ginger Ale and Segrams


Bozo :mrgrn:

[LiamC]

So, I was at one of my favorite supply house and picked up a sample of Glenmorangie Scotch. This is a Ten Year old Single Highland Malt Scotch and tasted quite good. I'm not particular to a Scotch being of a blended or single malt nature. The taste was slightly spicy and the aftertaste was smooth and short (similar to a blended Scotch). I think this should enter our collection of beverages at the bar.


Can't believe I missed this. A fine drop to which I'm partial.

I was in Crown Casino (Melbourne, Aus) a few months back and the barman insisted in calling it "Glen-more-Angie" :eekers:

[LunarMist]

In Barbados, we had a LOT of fresh ground lime, ice, and Mount Gay rum. Fantastic!!!

How long were you in Barbados? I lived in the Caribbean for 12 months, and yes there was rum, rum, and more rum.

[e_dawg]

I prefer Rye and Coke, personally. Rum and Coke is way too sweet for me. There's something about how Rye complements Coke too, that has always made me wonder how the Rum and Coke became the standard acoholic Coke mixture.

Of course, there could be something wierd with my taste buds.

No, no. Rye and Coke is definitely preferable! I prefer Rye and Ginger or Jack and Ginger because Coke does nothing good whatsoever for my system.

[e_dawg]

Hmmm. Lime=sugar; rum=sugar; alcohol=sugar. I can feel your pain. :mrgrn:

Can you explain why sugar = hangover? Are you referring to the nausea and headache or are you referring to the digestive problems (which excess sugar will cause)? Acetaldehyde is the main thing that causes hangovers, not sugar.

[Buck]

Hmmm. Lime=sugar; rum=sugar; alcohol=sugar. I can feel your pain. :mrgrn:

Can you explain why sugar = hangover? Are you referring to the nausea and headache or are you referring to the digestive problems (which excess sugar will cause)? Acetaldehyde is the main thing that causes hangovers, not sugar.

Nausea, which I was plagued with for almost a whole year due to digestive problems unrelated to alcohol. It was horrible. Imagine having a hangover every day, and you aren't even drinking alcohol. One of the prescriptions from my doctor to help relieve the cause of my symptoms was to avoid sugar, especially refined sugar. He explained that sugar was depleting my body of minerals, such as zinc (zinc being required to make castric acid, which I wasn't producing enough of). Sure enough, after following all of his prescribed dietary changes, the problem went away -- no drugs required. So, after having this type of problem, I can certainly feel the pain of a nauseating hangover.

[CougTek]

(zinc being required to make castric acid, which I wasn't producing enough of)
Shouldn't it be gastric acid? I've never heard about castric acid. If it isn't a typo, what part of our body stocks castric acid?

[Buck]

(zinc being required to make castric acid, which I wasn't producing enough of)
Shouldn't it be gastric acid? I've never heard about castric acid. If it isn't a typo, what part of our body stocks castric acid?

Castric acid comes from the casterium gland located where the duodenum terminates at the duodenojejunal flexure with the jejunum. Because it is suspended by the ligament of Treitz, it is susceptible to gyrations from the mesentery of the small intestines.

:roll: IT'S A FREAKIN' TYPO! I had Tea type that post. :D

[Bozo]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Bozo :mrgrn:

[Adcadet]

Just enjoyed a cigar along with some Fonseca Bin 27 port and good conversation with my buddy from college. The port was great (as usual), the cigar kindof sucked, the conversation was good. I generally shy away from brands that use a Cuban name on a non-Cuban cigar (Bolivar, in this case), except for Romeo y Julieta (the Dominican brand can be decent, although I do prefer the Cuban), but I made an exception since this cigar was recommended by a guy I trust. Oh well, two out of three isn't bad. Yes, the cigar thing is a bit contradictory to my research background.

[Adcadet]

Castric acid comes from the casterium gland located where the duodenum terminates at the duodenojejunal flexure with the jejunum. Because it is suspended by the ligament of Treitz, it is susceptible to gyrations from the mesentery of the small intestines.

:eekers:
Hey Buck - do you have a medical background, or are you just quick with Google and BS?

[Santilli]

In Barbados, we had a LOT of fresh ground lime, ice, and Mount Gay rum. Fantastic!!!

How long were you in Barbados? I lived in the Caribbean for 12 months, and yes there was rum, rum, and more rum.

We went down 12-26-1999, for the Mill new year. We ended us staying until about the 21st of January.

The story behind that one IS the most incredible travel story I've EVER been through, and, after surfing 15-25 foot waves on the North Shore of Oahu, and visiting Japan like it was another island in the chain, that's saying something...

GS :wink:

[time]

Wolf Blass (the man) is a larger than life character who, apart from being a great winemaker, is infamous for creating Rene Pogel sparkling burgundy.

The name bears some scrutiny. :wink:

Upon rereading this thread, I wondered if anyone actually worked out why he dubbed it Rene Pogel?

Try spelling it backwards ...

[LiamC]

Wolf Blass (the man) is a larger than life character who, apart from being a great winemaker, is infamous for creating Rene Pogel sparkling burgundy.

The name bears some scrutiny. :wink:

Upon rereading this thread, I wondered if anyone actually worked out why he dubbed it Rene Pogel?

Try spelling it backwards ...

A play on Pol Roger? :eekers:

:wink: :P :lol: :rofl:

[Bozo]

Legepener :?:

Bozo :mrgrn:

[time]

Nearly, Bozo, nearly - but you mispelled it.

[Bozo]

:D Leg opener :D

Bozo :mrgrn:

[Bartender]

...or are you just quick with BS?Probably just that bit.

[Buck]

Have you tried Auchentoshan 10 (http://www.morrisonbowmore.co.uk/auch%5Fhtml/home.swf) or the Glenlivet 12 (http://www.theglenlivet.com/)? Otherwise, they are both a great introduction to the whisky world.

Thanks for the tip fb. I purchased a bottle of Auchentoshan 21 year, and it is very good Lowland Scotch. Although, currently I prefer something slightly sweeter like Dalmore.

I also purchased some Hennessy Paradis Extra -- WOW! That stuff is great! Hopefully, sometime during my life, I'll be able to try Hennessy Richard and Remy Martin Louis XIII.

[fb]

Thank you, I haven't tried the 21 myself, but it almost sounds like I have to do that. :D I must admit though that I'm usually more fond of the stuff they make on Islay, maybe with the exceptions of Bunnahabain and Caol Ila (at least the varieties I've tried so far.)

[e_dawg]

Tried a nice Auslese Riesling the other day: 2003 Balthazar Ress from the Rheingau region in a half-bottle. Pretty sweet as it is affected by botrytis, but it also has a wonderful aromatic lingering finish.

[Pradeep]

On the lower end of the spectrum, found a cask of "hard" iced tea, 1.3 gallons aka 14 standard drinks, for less than $10. Sits in the fridge with it's little tap ready for instant pourings :)

[Buck]

Tried a nice Auslese Riesling the other day: 2003 Balthazar Ress from the Rheingau region in a half-bottle. Pretty sweet as it is affected by botrytis, but it also has a wonderful aromatic lingering finish.

Sounds good e_dawg. How do you know that it is infected with noble rot?

[JKKJ]

Isn't everything Auslese and up botrytis affected?

Just happened to pick up a basic Balthazar Ress Rheingau Riesling yesterday when I was getting my bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau. I've had some nice wine from this producer.

[Buck]

Isn't everything Auslese and up botrytis affected?

Just happened to pick up a basic Balthazar Ress Rheingau Riesling yesterday when I was getting my bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau. I've had some nice wine from this producer.

Most certainly not. The sweetness for QmP, such as Auslese, Beeren Auslese, and Eiswein typically comes from the appropriate exposure to freezing temperatures.

[JKKJ]

So much to learn, so little time.

sip Must do more...slurp...researsh...glug...

[Buck]

So much to learn, so little time.

sip Must do more...slurp...researsh...glug...

:thumbright:

[e_dawg]

[quote=e_dawg]
Sounds good e_dawg. How do you know that it is infected with noble rot?

Well I read a review of it online once upon a time that mentioned it, and honestly don't know enough to question the veracity of that statement.

[Buck]

e_dawg, you're not wrong for thinking that it happens. Botrytis happens with QmP wines, but is not used as the typical means for sweetening wine. Whereas there are wines, notably French varieties, that employ noble rot as a fundamental source for increasing natural sugar content while drying out the grape.

[e_dawg]

Also had an excellent 2002 Rosemount Estates Shiraz recently after an Ironstone Merlot that was a little disappointing compared to my reference Merlot (2001 and 2002 Rutherford Hill)

[e_dawg]

Tried a bunch of wines tonight at the Food & Wine show. At the German Wines section, I tried 5 Rieslings -- 2 Kabinett, 2 Spatlese, and 1 Auslese. Coincidentally, the Auslese was the 2003 Balthasar Ress Rheingau Auslese that I mentioned above. Easily the class of the field, but it was also easily the most expensive wine in that section.

I wish I could say that some of the others were a better value, but I didn't really like them at all. I might be able to find a good bargain Cab -- Black Opal seems to have a nice cab for the $ -- but I can't say that I have found any value priced Rieslings that I find enjoyable.

[Buck]

Sounds like a lot of fun dawggy one.

[e_dawg]

Sounds good e_dawg. How do you know that it is infected with noble rot?

Well I read a review of it online once upon a time that mentioned it, and honestly don't know enough to question the veracity of that statement.

I found the article which mentioned the botrytis infection of the 2003 Balthasar Ress Auslese Riesling:



914226 RIESLING AUSLESE 2003 $ 27.95


QmP, Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen, Est. Btld. (MS) 375 mL
(Balthasar Ress)

This Riesling has been affected by the desired version of the botrytis fungus, thus giving the wine more flavour and dimension. The 2003 vintage is causing a great deal of excitement in the wine press. Even with this level of sweetness, expect it to have a well-developed seam of acidity to balance the impactful fruit, indicating exceptional ageing potential.

http://www.vintages.com/circular/2/white.html


Vintages is the eonophile division of the LCBO, Ontario's liquor control board.

[Buck]

:drl:

[Buck]

Enjoying Bombay Sapphire with Mineral Water while listening to a little Janis Joplin. :D

[Bartender]

Sehr auffrischend.

[Buck]

Genau.

[Imbiber]

I'm a scotch drinker myself (although a good xtra dry martini usually hits the spot). I find Chivas, Pinch and Glenlivet all pleasant. I haven't had many higher end products such as Dalmore, Glenfiddich and such. Did try Laphroaig and Johnny Walker Green. Didn't care for either.

Does anyone know where or how to get Lochanora in the US? It's not imported here anymore. I have an uncle turning 100 years old in March of this year and this was always his favorite liqueur. I am trying to get it for his special day.

Thank You,
Imbiber

[timwhit]

I'm a scotch drinker myself (although a good xtra dry martini usually hits the spot). I find Chivas, Pinch and Glenlivet all pleasant. I haven't had many higher end products such as Dalmore, Glenfiddich and such. Did try Laphroaig and Johnny Walker Green. Didn't care for either.

Does anyone know where or how to get Lochanora in the US? It's not imported here anymore. I have an uncle turning 100 years old in March of this year and this was always his favorite liqueur. I am trying to get it for his special day.

Thank You,
Imbiber

It looks like you can order it here (http://www.whisky-cigars.co.uk/lochanora-70cl-p-1014.html) and have it shipped to the US. It's not cheap though.

[mubs]

Never did try JW Green Label. Glenlivet's ok.

I really do like JW Blue label. Don't often have it, too expensive.

[fb]

My favorite whisky at the moment is Bruichladdich 15. It's really smooth and just a little bit peaty.

[ddrueding]

Everyone has been talking about whiskey, so I figured I would try some. I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black (12yr) and am trying it straight, rocks, and water-back (or however you call it). All of them make me do that head-shaking thing that sorority girls get teased for. More details to come.

[Mercutio]

PUI tonight?

[Fushigi]

Not an alcoholic beverage, but I picked up a case of Monster's Java energy drinks (http://www.monsterenergy.com/product/java.php) the other day. If you like iced coffee drinks these have a decent kick to them, although it's probably more of an acquired taste. To stay hydrated I've been drinking a lot of Propel water (http://www.propelfitnesswater.com/). Definitely the best-tasting of the 'fitness waters' out there.

Alcohol-wise I've been sipping some Spanish Sherry (http://www.prpwine.com/wineshop/item_n85/) lately.

[Mercutio]

Indiana finally got its first Jamba Juice last year, about 20 miles from where I live. I love the big fruity and expensive milkshakes. I stop in those places whenever I see one now.

[mubs]

Everyone has been talking about whiskey, so I figured I would try some. I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black (12yr) and am trying it straight, rocks, and water-back (or however you call it). All of them make me do that head-shaking thing that sorority girls get teased for. More details to come.
DD: Black Label is for desperate times (or when the wallet is thin). When I have it, it feels like pesticide to me. Try masking it with cold soda.

[ddrueding]

Jamba Juice is nice. I'm not PUI, as I could barely finish a single drink. I'm not sure what you guys were going on about, this stuff is crap. I'm going back to my Vodka. If my choice is wrong enough to completely miss the flavor, let me know and I will try something else.

[ddrueding]

oops. missed the page wrap. What would you guys recommend?

[udaman]

oops. missed the page wrap. What would you guys recommend?

French...quality Champagne, hard liquor is for old farts (but never mind that Jay-Z has a new fav; Cristal still tickles the palate of most impressionable females worldwide ;)...and that's far more important than any mixed hard liquor drink, IMHO and also that of AMC's auction president in his tasting notes here: Chinese babes prefer Cristal jtr "Shanghai Nights" (http://blogauvin.finewinepress.com/2007/08/16/shanghai-nights/) ;) ).

The 1999 Cristal was extra special, extraordinary in its combination of elegance and power. Its flavors were crisp, clean and intense, long and stylish with superb acidity that did not get in the way of the purity and style of the wine. It was integrated despite its extraordinary length. Its aromas of lightly toasted bread, corn and minerals danced around our table aptly with all the young ladies the Champagne seemed to attract. I love it when that happens. We danced the night away, so I was able to skip the morning workout (97).Btw, I'm young at heart...you know, no hard liquor for me since I typically throw up after drinking it. Then again, Krug has a new single vineyard Pinot Noir based Champagne for $3k, lol.

Check out all the alcoholics on Macrumors, who would have known? (I would have thought all those creative types smoke primo weed and do the best hallucinagenic drugs...guess I was wrong :D).

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=127267&highlight=sex+liable

Oops, never mind, that's from my browser history file, was meant for Merc ;) (must be that wine I bought at TJ's earlier tonight).


How to hide porn on an iPod touch/iPhone
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=370793

ah crap, now how did that happen, yet another thread for Merc :p.

From the "Picture Gallery" forum on MR, all a bunch of lushes, 125 posts and still going.

Post your favourite drinks! Alcoholic or Non-Alcoholic
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=400716

[ddrueding]

I know some things about Champagne, though I prefer Veuve-Clicquot (http://www.veuve-clicquot.com) to most of them.

In wine, I stick to Cabernet and Merlot. My favorite "cheap stuff" is Page Mill Winery (http://www.pagemillwinery.com/) and Galante Vineyards (http://www.galantevineyards.com/). It's easy to like the stuff that costs $100+ per bottle. Finding good wine for less is the adventure.

[LiamC]

Tried some Samuel Adams tonight. O.K., but if that's one of your better ones... The hops tasted almost like a good Pils, but its a lager. The after taste is similar to Resch's draught in Aus--which would be my pick of tap beers. The problem with Resch's is that it is either good or bad, depending upon how much is sold. There is no in between with it.

Back to the product of Mr. Adams and that hoppy taste. I'd rather have a nice Pilsener like Schwelmer instead, or even Labatt Blue.

[Pradeep]

Which style Sam Adams was it? They make quite a few variations, some hoppier than others.

http://www.samueladams.com/samsite/styles.html

I don't mind the Boston Lager, also the White Ale and Winter Lager are worth a taste.

[Howell]

Back to the product of Mr. Adams and that hoppy taste. I'd rather have a nice Pilsener like Schwelmer instead, or even Labatt Blue.

Not knowing the references I'm not sure if you think it was too hoppy or not hoppy enough.

[Bozo]

Unfortunatly, here in the US the beer manufactures have been watering down the beers and making them sweeter for the last 25-30 years. If you could have tasted any of the beers from the 1950'-1960's, you would know what I mean.
So now that everyone is conditioned to beer flavoured water, a true full flavoured, full bodied beer is considered "too hoppy". The latest buzzword for beer, kinda like "proactive" in offices. ( no offense to LiamC intended ).

And just what the hell is "light beer"? Even more water. This was a marketing ploy to get more women to drink beer. Might as well drink 3.2 beer or 'near beer'.
Last week I had the pleasure of dinking a half pint of Guiness(sp?) Stout.
A real man's beer. :thumbleft:

Bozo :joker:

[Howell]

Funny. I like Guinness and other stouts as well as all the ales (particularly english brown ales) I've tried. But I don't like very hoppy beers.

[ddrueding]

We'll see what happens to Guinness now that the two main production facilities are closing down...

[LiamC]

Samuel Adams Boston lager it is then. As for the reference, I mean compared my usual Australian lagers--James Boags being the pick. The good Aussie lagers* would balance the hops with more bitterness, and this is perhaps what I object to in the SABL, it's seems a touch too sweet for my taste. Having said that, it is a miles better beer than Miller GD :)


*Fosters, Victoria Bitter or any of the other commercial bulk goops do not qualify for the term good, and a few push the boundaries of even being called beer

[Bozo]

Piss is better than Miller GD.

Bozo :joker:

[LiamC]

:rofl:

[Gilbo]

Having said that, it is a miles better beer than Miller GD :)


Piss is better than Miller GD.
Bozo :joker:

Miller GD is great if you're _really_ hungover. I find it washes the hangover taste right out of your mouth. I don't know if that's a complement... Anyway, I like to have a couple on hand if it was a tough night.

They only thing that matches Miller GD in that regard, IMO, is a good caesar - which takes way more work. Kilkenny's actually pretty good there too I suppose - a little intense maybe. There's definitely no trend that I can pinpoint here; some things just work well in that particular situation.

[udaman]

Samuel Adams Boston lager it is then. As for the reference, I mean compared my usual Australian lagers--James Boags being the pick. The good Aussie lagers* would balance the hops with more bitterness, and this is perhaps what I object to in the SABL, it's seems a touch too sweet for my taste. Having said that, it is a miles better beer than Miller GD :)


*Fosters, Victoria Bitter or any of the other commercial bulk goops do not qualify for the term good, and a few push the boundaries of even being called beer

http://www.bevmo.com/productlist.asp?No=30&N=168+41+4294956624&Nr=Store%3A99&area=beer

Coopers extra strong vintage, with a few years on it to smooth it out:drinka:

But in the heat of summer, I prefer something a bit more 'crisp' with less body...but still with good texture of being unfiltered: Coopers Sparkling Ale

[Bozo]

Hmmm...Never had a hangover. Even back in my drinking days. I've driven the porcelain bus a few times, but never had the headache or wiped out feeling the next day. But, that was a lonnnggg time ago. Don't think I want to go down that road now.

Bozo :joker:

[Howell]

Yeah, I've never had a hangover either despite having some of the attendant effects. I have awoken in very odd places but no hangover.

For us domestics I like Michelob, particularly Amber Bock.

Liam, perhaps I'm not understanding what you have written but it is the hops that has the bitterness. More hoppy= more bitter.

[paugie]

If I ever get there, I will try to remember all these brand names and get one of each from the grocery and try them out.

We have very few beers here. The best selling one is San Miguel Pale Pilsen. And the next best selling one claims it has San Miguel's taste at a lower price. The next best selling one is still more of the same taste but with a greater kick.

[LiamC]

Yeah, I've never had a hangover either despite having some of the attendant effects. I have awoken in very odd places but no hangover.

For us domestics I like Michelob, particularly Amber Bock.

Liam, perhaps I'm not understanding what you have written but it is the hops that has the bitterness. More hoppy= more bitter.


I'd agree with you H, but I can only report what I taste. Given the amount of hops flavour, I'd expect SABL to be more bitter than it tastes. But it's almost as if they added some sugar to boost the alcohol. I'm not saying that's what they did, just trying to account for the taste...

[LiamC]

Oh, tried Chimay blue. Do try it. Yummy but $$$.

I'll have to track down that Coopers you mentioned Udaman

[LiamC]

Kudos to DrunkenBastard. Finished a bottle of Tanqueray the other night, and as it's stinking hot, I thought I'd try some Bombay Sapphire tonight. Man is that good! Tonic, ice and a couple of slices of ripe lime. Definitely hits the spot. Cheers DB.

[timwhit]

Finished a bottle of Tanqueray the other night, and as it's stinking hot

The whole bottle or part of it?

[LiamC]

It took me a couple of months :) One or two here and there. A whole bottle of spirits these days would take me out of action for three days :/

[ddrueding]

I'm becoming such a wuss when it comes to drinking. A couple shots and I'm ready to sleep.

[LunarMist]

I drank a whole 2L bottle of diet Coke. That is enough beverage for me. :)

[DrunkenBastard]

Kudos to DrunkenBastard. Finished a bottle of Tanqueray the other night, and as it's stinking hot, I thought I'd try some Bombay Sapphire tonight. Man is that good! Tonic, ice and a couple of slices of ripe lime. Definitely hits the spot. Cheers DB.

No worries mate. I was just having a sip of it today, what with the snow and all.

[time]

Lunch-only beer policy prompts Carlsberg strike (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_DENMARK_CARLSBERG_BEER_STRIKE?SITE=CAANR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

:bow:

[DrunkenBastard]

Recently in the cold aisle of the supermarket I have discovered Smirnoff Cranberry and Lime. Not a bad pre-mixed drink.

[DrunkenBastard]

Lunch-only beer policy prompts Carlsberg strike (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_DENMARK_CARLSBERG_BEER_STRIKE?SITE=CAANR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

:bow:

"Carlsberg's truck drivers joined the strike in sympathy - even though they are exempt from the new rules, Bekke said. The truck drivers are permitted to bring three beers from the canteen because they often don't have time to have lunch there."

*Mind boggles

Imagining Carlsberg truck driving getting pulled over by police:

How are we doing today Sir?

Not too bad officer.

Have you been drinking today?

Yes, but I've only had two of my three beers for lunch, bloody deliveries are a bitch today. Just finishing this one now, that's why I crossed the double white line.

Ah, very well Sir, please be more careful in the future, carry on.

Denmark is looking good.

Re: drinky interlocks, do you have to re-blow after a period of time? They must have thought of people getting their sober friends to blow to activate and then drive off drunk by themselves.

[fb]

The ones I've head of only needs a blow before you can start the vehicle... But they aren't allowed to drink beer while driving anyway, so it should be fine. At least in theory.

Anyway, I don't think it's any worse than in some South European countries where it's pretty common to drink a bottle of wine to lunch.

[ddrueding]

In Nepal it is legal to DUI; even falling down drunk. But if you get into an accident, it is considered your fault regardless of the circumstances.

[fb]

I bought myself a bottle of Ardbeg 10 a couple of weekends ago. I've thought about it a few years now, but other whiskies has come in between - until now.

I can recommend it if you're into the peaty stuff.... It's super peaty but with a smooth and delicate finish, not at all as mischievous as the Laphroaig 10 that almost feels like a punch in the face (but the nicest punch in the face you can imagine...) It almost feels as sophisticated as the Bruichladdich 15, only more peaty. You can't even detect the alcohol taste even if it's bottled at 46%, just like any good whisky should be.

[LiamC]

I bought myself a bottle of Ardbeg 10 a couple of weekends ago. I've thought about it a few years now, but other whiskies has come in between - until now.

I can recommend it if you're into the peaty stuff.... It's super peaty but with a smooth and delicate finish, not at all as mischievous as the Laphroaig 10 that almost feels like a punch in the face (but the nicest punch in the face you can imagine...) It almost feels as sophisticated as the Bruichladdich 15, only more peaty. You can't even detect the alcohol taste even if it's bottled at 46%, just like any good whisky should be.

Islay malts don't "punch you in the face"--well not only that. They then rip out your tongue, slice open your throat with adamantium claws and shit down your neck!

They then sew things back together again and pat you on the back. "have a nice day". It's a tonsil assault with an AK47, held by Arnie (think Eraser).

I guess I'm just too soft to drink Islay malts...

[LunarMist]

After the first one, the second one is not so bad. I have no tonils. Perhaps that is a difference.:porc:

[BingBangBop]

After the first one, the second one is not so bad. I have no tonils.

toe nails or tonsils: I vote no toe nails :lol

[LunarMist]

Tonsils. My organs were removed nearly 50 years ago.

[mubs]

Had some pegs of Macallan 15 yr the other day. Really liked it. Smokey flavor.

[Handruin]

Tonsils. My organs were removed nearly 50 years ago.

I had to have my tonsils out 2.5 years ago and it hurt a lot.

[fb]

Had some pegs of Macallan 15 yr the other day. Really liked it. Smokey flavor.
I think Macallan has a very special character, very complex taste. I've only tried the 12 and 18 Fine Oaks (the ones we usually find on the shelves here in Sweden.) The 12 was perhaps a bit harsh and the 18 was very complex but almost had too much fruit for my taste. It would be really interesting to try the 15, it might be the best balanced of the three (at least for my taste buds.)

[LiamC]

Dammit, I can relax this evening, and I'm enjoying a Taylors 2007 Shiraz Cabernet (about AUS$14/bottle) right now. It went pretty well with the Spaghetti Puttanesca I cooked for the SO and I.

Taylors make reasonable honest wines, but I think this one is very good for the price. When the kids are in bed, I'm going to kick back with a glass of Balvenie Double Wood.

[fb]

I'm alone tonight for the first time for 2 years or so, the girlfriend is out with her friends and the son is sleeping at the grandmothers house, I think I'll have to celebrate it with a dram of the Ardbeg.

Slàinthe!

[time]

Super-High-Alcohol Beer Heads to the U.S. (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1978705,00.html)

Love the names: "Tactical Nuclear Penguin" and "Sink The Bismarck!", not to mention their low-alcohol beer, "Nanny State".

[LunarMist]

How about "organ donor?" :cherry:

[Pradeep]

Super-High-Alcohol Beer Heads to the U.S. (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1978705,00.html)

Love the names: "Tactical Nuclear Penguin" and "Sink The Bismarck!", not to mention their low-alcohol beer, "Nanny State".

Mark Webber would love the latter I reckon :D

[Pradeep]

I was goin to say 30+ % would be like a loaded gun to the young kids here in the US that drink a slab of piss water at 4%, they just can't handle themswelves, I blame the 21 drinking age. Tho at $50+ a bottle I don't think anyone is going to accidentally drink one. Plus it looks like a rare drop to get a hold of.

[LiamC]

Super-High-Alcohol Beer Heads to the U.S. (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1978705,00.html)


Love your domain time... :aok:

Bad joke I know. Couldn't resist. :-?

[CougTek]

I'm having a German evening. I'm listening to Rammstein while drinking my favorite beer of late : the Köstritzer Schwarzbier (http://www.koestritzer.de/en/marken/koestritzer-schwarzbier.html) (warning : they use flash extensively). I used to prefer the Guiness, but I changed my taste when I tasted this one.

[LunarMist]

I was almost killed near Ramstein once due to the weird cloud formations.

[LiamC]

opened a bottle of Glenlivet 12yo the other night and boy was I impressed. Smooth...